Elijah is a type of the Old Testament age with the Old Testament economy, and Elisha is a type of the New Testament age with the New Testament economy. The age was changed by passing through four places — Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, and the river Jordan (vv. 1-8). Gilgal was a place where God’s people were circumcised to deal with their flesh (Josh. 5:2-9); Bethel is the place to give up the world and turn to God absolutely, taking God as everything (Gen. 12:8); Jericho, the first city that Joshua and the people of Israel had to defeat when they entered into the good land, signifies the head of God’s enemy, Satan (Josh. 6:1-27); and the river Jordan, where the New Testament baptism began, signifies death (Matt. 3:5-6 and note Matt. 3:6^2b). To cross the river Jordan, Elijah struck the water with his mantle, which typifies the outpoured Spirit, the Spirit of power (v. 8). The Spirit of power dealt with the river of death so that the way was opened for Elijah and Elisha to cross over. All this signifies that in order for the age to be changed from the Old Testament to the New Testament in our experience, we must deal with our flesh (Gal. 5:24), give up the world and turn to God (1 John 2:15-17), defeat Satan (Rev. 12:11), and pass through death (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 2:20).

Elijah’s mantle typifies the outpoured Spirit, the Spirit of power (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). In order to receive the mantle of Elijah, the Spirit of power, we must follow the Lord from Gilgal to Bethel, from Bethel to Jericho, and from Jericho to the Jordan (see note 2 Sam. 2:1¹). Furthermore, we must “tear our clothes into two pieces” (v. 12), indicating that we no longer treasure what we are or what we can do (cf. Matt. 16:24). Through all these steps we enter into a new age, the age of the New Testament, where Christ is doing gracious things.

Elijah’s rapture typified the termination of the Old Testament age in God’s economy. However, Elijah himself was not terminated. He was taken up into heaven to await the next age, in which he will see Elisha (Christ) doing many gracious and sweet things. The Scriptures say that Elijah will come back again (Mal. 4:5; Luke 1:17; Matt. 11:14; 17:10-13; cf. 2 Kings 17:3-4; Rev. 11:3-12). At the end of the New Testament age Elijah will return to be one of the two witnesses during the three and a half years of the great tribulation (see notes on Rev. 11:3-12).

See note 2 Sam. 2:8^1a.

Although Elisha received the spirit of Elijah, the Spirit, who at Elijah’s time performed great miracles such as shutting up the heavens, opening up the heavens, and calling down fire from heaven (1 Kings 17:1; 18:37-38, 41-45; 2 Kings 1:9-12), acted in a different way through Elisha. Elisha behaved in a way which was very similar to that of the Lord Jesus in the Gospels, doing many gracious and sweet things (vv. 19-22; 4:1-44; 5:1-27; 6:1-7).

Elijah was a type of John the Baptist in convicting people unto death (Luke 1:17; Matt. 11:11, 14; 3:1-2, 6-11a). John the Baptist, who came before Christ, ushered in Christ, as typified by Elijah’s ushering in Elisha, who was a type of Christ (Luke 4:27) in doing miracles of grace in life. Elisha was a type in the Old Testament who represented God’s New Testament economy in grace. Grace is God doing everything for us by giving Himself to us as our enjoyment (John 1:1, 14-17). This grace issues in the divine life, which is rich and high, even unto making us co-kings with Christ (Rom. 5:17).

Jericho (v. 4) signifies Satan, with whom is the might of death (Heb. 2:14). The significance of the miracle performed by Elisha in healing the water at Jericho and of the miracle performed by the Lord Jesus in changing water into wine (John 2:3-11) is the same — the changing of death into life.

Elisha’s cursing of the mocking boys was the same in principle as what the Lord Jesus did in pronouncing eight woes on the scribes and Pharisees in Matt. 23:13-36.