Day 320 – Fragrance

2 Kings 2:1 It happened, when JEHOVAH was about to take Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for JEHOVAH has sent me on to Bethel.”

  However, Elisha said, “As JEHOVAH lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” Then they went down to Bethel.

 3 Now the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that JEHOVAH will take away your master from over you today?”

  He said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

 4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for JEHOVAH has sent me on to Jericho.”

  However, he said, “As JEHOVAH lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” Then they came to Jericho.

 5 Now the sons of the prophets at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know JEHOVAH will take away your master from over you today?”

  Then he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for JEHOVAH has sent me on to the Jordan.”

  However, he said, “As JEHOVAH lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” Then the two of them went on.

 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

 8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

 9 So it happened, when they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

  Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

 10 Then he said, “You asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so for you; but if not, it will not be so.”

 11 Then it happened, as they continued and talked, that a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire and separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

 12 Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” Then he saw him no more. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

 14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the JEHOVAH Elohiym of Elijah?” When he struck the water, it divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

 15 Now when the sons of the prophets from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

 16 Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Ruwach of JEHOVAH took him and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.”

  He said, “You will send no one.”

 17 However, when they urged him until he felt ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore, they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.

 18 When they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

 19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my JEHOVAH sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”

 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” Then they brought it to him.

 21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt in, and said, “Thus says JEHOVAH, ‘I have healed this water; from it there will be no more death or barrenness.’”

 22 Thus the water remains healed to this day, according to the words of Elisha which he spoke.

 23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he went up the road, youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

 24 Then he turned around and looked at them and pronounced a curse on them in the name of JEHOVAH. Two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

 25 Then he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Ruwach – Violent Wind, Breath, Spirit

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Theos – Supreme Divinity

Iesous – Jesus

Christos – Anointed One, Messiah

Kurios – Supreme Authority

God’s character:

Violent Wind

Most people don’t know when they will die. However, when a person is ill, they know the end will happen soon.

Elisha knew JEHOVAH would take Elijah from him soon. He didn’t know when or where He would take him, or how. The prophets of each city they came to also knew JEHOVAH would take Elijah from him. Elijah journeyed to three cities and the Jordan River. In three of them he told Elisha to stay behind, but he refused. When he came to the Jordan, Elijah asked Elisha what he would give him. Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. Then JEHOVAH took him up in a chariot of fire into heaven.

Each city JEHOVAH sent Elijah too had a particular meaning.

Gilgal means wheel or rolling

Bethel means house of Elohiym

Jericho means mouth or fragrant

Jordan means descender

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, He rolled your sins from you with His blood on the cross. He will bring you into His house when you pass from this life into eternal life. Until you pass from this life, you are a fragrant aroma to everyone who sees and hears you speak about your faith in Yeshuwa. Yeshuwa also promised that your descendants would know Him when you believed in Him.

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to Theos the fragrance of Christos among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

Acts 16:31 Then they said, “Believe on the Kurios Iesous Christos, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Not only can you pray for your loved ones who need salvation now, but you can also pray for your future children and grandchildren to know Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord.

You have a fragrance on you as a child of Elohiym. People can smell it on you when you come near them. They know you’re a Christian by how you act, what you say, and the people you spend time with. They also know you will do whatever you can to help others know Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord.

Do people know you are a Christian? Do they turn away from you when you come near them or do they come near to see, hear, and experience Yeshuwa’s love and accept Him as their Savior and Lord?

If you don’t know Yeshuwa as your Savior and Lord, you can pray right now for His salvation, and He will roll your sins from you and bring you into fellowship with Him. Then you too will become a sweet aroma for Him.

After Elijah went into heaven the people knew Elisha had the spirit of Elijah in him. They came to him, knowing he could help them heal the water and bring life to the land. You have the same spirit in you that rested on Elisha. Theos is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn’t change. The same Elohiym of the Old Testament is the same Theos of the New Testament and today. He healed then, He will heal now. He saved then, He will save now. As His Ruwach lived in Elijah and Elisha, His Ruwach will live in you today. Nothing is impossible with Elohiym. Nothing is impossible with you as His child. He lives in you. Let His Ruwach work in you so that people will know you belong to Yeshuwa.

Let’s pray: Father, let Your Spirit rest on me so people will know I belong to You. Let me be a fragrant aroma to those around me as I tell them about Your love for them. Let Your love be a consuming fire in me as Your Spirit works in me to bring the gospel of salvation to everyone I see. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 4 December 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux