That the death and resurrection of Christ is the basis of the ministry of grace, is very strikingly illustrated in 2 Kings 2:Elijah's ministry may be understood from the signification of his name. It means, "My God is Jehovah." He was raised up in the midst of Israel to witness to and maintain that truth. Elijah's voice, then, was a call for Israel to return to Him who had entered into covenant relationship with them, but whose covenant they had violated. Jezebel-practically a usurper, her name means, "Without habitation"-was the controlling force in Israel at this time. She will not tolerate the ministry of Elijah. The prophet, fleeing from the wrath of Jezebel, confesses the failure of his mission -how ineffectual had been his voice in calling the people back to the truth of which he was God's witness. He evidently does this as thinking that judgment is the only thing possible. He is quite willing that the wind, earthquake, and fire should summarily do their work, but he has to learn that God has other resources-that while Israel is guilty and deserves unsparing judgment, He can, notwithstanding, show mercy-mercy even to guilty Israel. He is told to anoint Elisha to be prophet in his room. Now Elisha means, "My God is salvation." Elisha's mission, then, is to have a decidedly different character from his own. He is to witness to the truth of divine grace. He is to proclaim the sovereign right of God to act in grace even towards a people who deserve unmeasured judgment at His hands.

But here a very important question is raised. How can Elisha righteously succeed Elijah? If judgment is justly deserved, how can it be set aside and grace exercised instead? This question is answered in 2 Ki. 2:The Lord is going to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind. He is at Gilgal and Elisha is with him there. Elijah says to him, "Tarry here." The implication is that Elisha is to remain there and take up his work. But Gilgal does not witness to the ground on which grace can be shown. It witnesses to failure and sin. It speaks of the violation of holiness. As so witnessing it called loudly for judgment. How in place is Elisha's answer, "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee."The meaning plainly is this:Elisha refuses to disconnect his mission from Elijah's rapture to heaven. Divine grace is in the hands of the risen and exalted Christ. No doubt it was in the hands of Christ on earth, but how was He straightened until He had by His blessed sacrifice acquired the full rights and title of Redeemer! How plain it is the Spirit of God could not possibly connect His mission and work with Christ on earth! He could not take up and continue Christ's earthly testimony. He would not, therefore, "tarry here" while Christ was going away. He must go with Him so as to come back from Him-from the place where He is gone.

But it must be fully demonstrated, that there is no possible ground on which the mission and work of the Spirit can be connected with Christ's earthly testimony. Hence, Elijah says to Elisha at Bethel and Jericho, " Tarry here." Bethel speaks, and how loudly, of neglected and forgotten vows, of covenants solemnly entered upon, but shamelessly violated, and of idols substituted for Jehovah, the true God of Israel. What a peremptory demand for judgment! Bethel thus calls for it. How it witnesses to the guilt of the nation! But it does not tell how that guilt can be removed. It does not declare any ground on. which their sins can be forgiven. Elisha can no more abide at Bethel than at Gilgal. Jericho also has its voice, but like Gilgal and Bethel, it speaks of sin. What a witness to disobedience! How plainly it declares Israel's insubjection to the word of God! Here, then, we have "a threefold cord" which it is manifest is not to be "quickly broken." Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho unite in their testimony against Israel-in their witness to Israel's guilt. But there is no hint as to how that guilt can be removed.

Yet Elisha is to succeed Elijah. The earthly testimony of Christ is to be followed by the heavenly testimony of the Spirit. It is plain a righteous ground for this must be found. If Israel has sinned -if man everywhere is a sinner under the judgment of God, exposed to His wrath, and forgiveness and salvation are freely offered, there must be a righteous basis for such an offer, else it would be a violation of holiness. The first intimation of this righteous basis for the full and free exercise of grace that we find in our chapter is given by Elijah at Jericho. When he bids Elisha to tarry there he adds, "For the Lord hath sent me to Jordan." Christ says, speaking of His authority to lay down His life and take it up again, "This commandment have I received of my Father." He had explicit instruction to accomplish the will of God with respect to sin. He was under authority to go to Jordan-to offer Himself substitutionally as a sacrifice for sin. When Elisha says, "As the Lord
liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee " (ver. 6), he is not merely repeating what he has twice before voiced-the impossibility of connecting the Spirit's mission with Christ's earthly testimony, as if it were a mere continuation of the latter-but he is also expressing the Spirit's deliberate acceptance of the revealed basis on which His work is to be done.

Elijah and Elisha then, in figure, pass through judgment and death. By the eternal Spirit who dwelt in Him, Christ "offered Himself without spot to God," accomplishing the will of God with respect to sin. The absolute perfection of this work, and God's complete satisfaction and delight in it, have been demonstrated and proclaimed by divine intervention in raising Christ from among the dead "and exalting Him above the heavens.

But Elisha has Elijah's mantle and a double portion of his spirit. The Spirit of God is here during the time of Christ's absence in all the power with which Christ passed through death, and with a double portion of His Spirit indeed! He brings Christ's earthly testimony to our remembrance, and He teaches us the heavenly things. Blessed, precious ministry, this ministry of the Spirit!

But let us look at the picture of it in our chapter. Elisha, coming back from an ascended Elijah, tarries at Jericho. The Spirit of God come down from Christ in heaven is in a world that is under the judgment of God. He will in no wise abandon the truth maintained and witnessed to by Christ on earth. However beautiful this world is as the work of its Creator, sin has entered it. Its sources of life and refreshment have all been poisoned. The first man brought in sin, and death through sin. The water is bad and the ground barren whether we look at the world at large or at the individual. There is no preservative principle anywhere. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is not one who has found the path of life except the man Christ Jesus. He died, but He rose again and went on high. He is the new cruse in which there is salt. Life-eternal life-is in Him. Grace-free, sovereign grace-exercised on the basis of the sacrificial work of Christ, the fragrance of which perfumes the presence of God, bestows a life in which not only there is no taint of sin, but no susceptibility to it; and he on whom it is bestowed has not only full forgiveness, but cleansing at the very fountain of his being. It is thus a salvation that delivers from wrath and the dominion of sin, teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously and godly, and implies and involves finally the redemption of the body. How complete is our salvation in our new cruse, the risen and exalted Christ!

But what must be the portion of those who mock at such a salvation? The forty-two children torn by the bears pictures the awful fate of the scoffer. Unsparing judgment must inevitably befall the despiser of grace-that grace that the Cross, gives God the title according to which He is showing it. There He has provided Himself a righteous basis on which to act in fullest grace. How well, then, we may glory in the Cross! C. Crain.