We Live in an Instant Pudding World
We want and demand everything instantly, especially our communication. Very few people sit down to write a letter to a friend. Writing it, addressing an envelope, and attaching a postage stamp require too much time. Then you must send it by “snail mail,” knowing it will take several days before your friend receives your letter. Most people send their messages by e-mail since the message arrives in seconds. We demand speed. Today, a phone conversation takes too long, or we no longer want to be tied up for a 20-minute phone conversation, so we text our friends instead. It’s short, sweet, and instant. However, we will get annoyed if our friend does not respond to our text in a few minutes.
It has gotten to the point that we cannot be bothered to do the simplest tasks. In this instant age, making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich has become tedious. Taking a knife, spreading the peanut butter on one slice of bread and jelly on another, and then putting them together consumes too much time! Food manufacturers now offer pre-made frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—no fuss, no muss, and instant.
Is it any wonder that skills that require years to develop may be on the decline? This explains why the quality of mediumship is declining. Today, after taking two or three classes, student mediums feel ready to find a comfortable office and begin reading for people. These people are often not interested in honing their craft and abilities or learning to provide depth to their evidence. Frequently, they focus on the bottom line of making a large sum of money so that they can leave their “day” job and no longer have to please their demanding boss.
However, that attitude is not the way it has always been. I prefer cooked pudding to instant. Although I have to stand over the stove for 8 minutes and constantly stir the pot of cold milk with the pudding mix until it slowly reaches its boiling point, it is well worth the effort. The pudding is much more decadent, soother, and tastier than instant pudding. A generation ago, the mediumship was like slow-cooked pudding. Once a person discovered they had mediumistic abilities, the student worked under one teacher for perhaps a decade before the teacher declared that the student was ready and had earned the title of medium.
I have no experience making pudding without a mix. However, I am sure my grandmother made pudding from scratch, which would be more time-consuming than cooking a mix. I am told that at one time, even established mediums would sit for an additional 8 to 10 years to unfold or develop an extra skill, such as becoming a medical intuitive: being able to scan a person’s aura to discover any medical ailments, or suggest changes in the diet to bring about better health for the sitter.
Who would devote 20 years of their lives to developing this skill today? That is why there are so few genuine physical mediums, for there is no instant pudding mix to have a spirit materialization or direct voice where the Spirit could speak directly to an ungifted physical person. It takes a medium, sitting with a group of sitters, decades before the beginning of Spirit materialization occurs. In our instant pudding world, the person with that much patience is as rare as the Hope Diamond.
So why am I discussing this? It has often been said, “The laws of psychic science (or mediumship) have not changed over time. What happened in Biblical times can still happen today.”
I have always been baffled by a Bible verse. It occurs in the story of Elijah’s ascension, better known as “Elijah and the Fiery Chariot.”
Elijah knows that his time to leave the Earth plane is imminent. Elijah walks with his student, Elisha, from Gilgal to Bethel, saying, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord/Spirit has told me told me to go to Bethel alone.” Elisha tells Elijah that he is not allowing Elijah to travel alone and accompanies his teacher to Bethel.
In Bethel, a group of prophets come up to Elisha and ask him:
“Did you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?” [NLT]
Elisha tells them he knows but doesn’t want to discuss it, especially in front of Elijah. This story is repeated with Jericho as the destination. The prophets of Jericho ask Elisha:
| 2 KINGS CHAPTER 2 VERSE 5 | ||
| KJV | 1611 | Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? |
| BIBLE | DATE | TEXT |
| BREN | 1844 | Dost thou know that the Lord is about to take away thy master to-day from thy head? |
| YLT | 1898 | ‘Hast thou known that to-day Jehovah is taking thy lord from thy head?’ |
| DARBY | 1920 | Dost thou know that Jehovah will take away thy master from over thy head to-day? |
| FENT | 1922 | “Do you know that to-day the ever-Living will take your master from your head?” |
| LAMSA | 1933 | Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you? |
| NASB | 1960 | “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” |
| NLFV | 1986 | “Do you know that the Lord will take Elijah from you today?” |
| GLT | 1993 | Do you know that today Jehovah will take away your lord from your head? |
| CEV | 1995 | “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take away your master?” |
| NLT | 1996 | “Did you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?” |
| AKJV | 1999 | Know you that the LORD will take away your master from your head to day? |
| ACV | 2001 | Do thou know that Jehovah will take away thy master from thy head today? |
| OJB | 2002 | Doest thou have da’as that hayom (today) Hashem will take away thy adon from over thy rosh? |
| VTB | 2012 | Are you aware that the Eternal One is going to snatch your mentor away from you today? |
The King James Version (KJV) wording is very accurately translated from the Hebrew “take away thy master from thy head,” for the Hebrew word ראשׁ/rosh is used in this sentence. This provides evidence that Elijah was the teacher and Elisha was his disciple. Elisha was studying the mediumship techniques (prophethood) under Elijah’s tutelage. The relationship between Elijah and Elisha will become vital as we continue this story.
Again, Elijah tells Elisha he must travel alone to the Jordan River. Elisha refuses to abandon his teacher and accompanies him.
When they reach the shores of the Jordan River, Elijah takes off his cloak or mantle and hits the water. The river divides, and they walk across on dry ground!
Then Elijah asked Elisha, “What can I do for you before I am taken from you?” Elisha has an interesting response:
“And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. [KJV]”
| 2 KINGS CHAPTER 2 VERSE 6B | ||
| KJV | 1611 | And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. |
| Bible | Year | Text |
| GLT | 1993 | a double mouth of your spirit on me |
| UTV | 2001 | a double opening of your spirit be upon me |
| CLEAR | 2000 | a double portion of the Holy Spirit that the Lord has given you |
| NET | 1999 | a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you |
| KNOX | 1944 | a double portion of the spirit thou leavest behind thee |
| OJB | 2002 | a double portion of thy ruach be upon me |
| GURGO | 1877 | a double portion of thy spirit be upon me |
| AEB | 2001 | a double portion of your [power from God’s] Breath upon me |
| EXB | 2011 | a double share [portion] of your spirit [C like a firstborn heir (Deut 21:17) |
| ARATJ | 1987 | a double share in the spirit of your prophecy with me |
| EPBT | 1994 | a twofold mouth of your spirit be on me |
| MESS | 2002 | Your life repeated in my life I want to be a holy man just like you |
| CCB | 1995 | Grant that I may have the best of your spirit |
| TYND | 1537 | have thy spirit double in me |
| VTB | 2012 | I want to have twice the portion of your power |
| WMF | 1975 | I would like to be twice as capable as you are |
| DOU | 1609 | in me may be thy double spirit |
| THB | 2003 | let a double mouth of your spirit be upon me |
| BUCB | 2008 | let a double portion of thy gifts and operations of the Spirit of God be upon me |
| KJV | 1611 | let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me |
| EPBL | 1994 | let a double portion twofold mouth of thy spirit be upon me |
| MODL | 1945 | Let a double share of your spirit be upon me |
| OGD | 1950 | let a special measure of your spirit be on me |
| YESC | 2010 | let him be mouth twos with spirit of you ones to me |
| NLT | 1996 | let me become your rightful successor |
| MOFF | 1922 | Let me fall heir to your spirit |
| TAV | 1539 | let me have thy spirit double in me |
| EEBT | 2003 | Let me have twice the amount of your spirit |
| MATT | 1549 | let me I pray thee, have thy spirit double in me |
| NIV | 1978 | Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit |
| RSV | 1952 | let me inherit a double share of your spirit |
| INCP | 2007 | Let me inherit two-thirds of your spirit, he said |
| TEV | 1976 | Let me receive the share of your power that will make me your successor |
| PUR | 1764 | Let me then have, I pray, a double Portion of thy Spirit |
| GFT | 1999 | let me, I pray you, have your spirit double in me |
| SWHI | 2012 | let there be a double opening of your spirit to me |
| SMGO | 1939 | Let there be now a twofold share of your spirit upon me |
| THOM | 1808 | Let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit on me |
| HRB | 2009 | let there now be a double mouth of your spirit on me |
| LITV | 1995 | let there now be a double portion of your spirit on me |
| GRT | 1540 | let thy spirit be double upon me |
| NLFV | 1986 | let twice the share of your spirit be upon me |
| FENT | 1922 | Let twice your spirit come upon me |
| HAAK | 1657 | let two parts of thy spirit be upon me |
| TFFR | 1986 | let your spirit be upon me twofold |
| BECK | 1976 | May a double share of your spirit be on me |
| NAB | 1970 | May I receive a double portion of your spirit |
| STONE | 1996 | May twice as much as your spirit be mine |
| JUSMI | 1876 | Now shall the mouth of two in thy spirit be to me |
| CEV | 1995 | Please give me twice as much of your power as you give the other prophets, so I can be the one who takes your place as their leader” |
| LIV | 1971 | Please grant me twice as much prophetic power as you have had |
| ARTB | 2008 | Please, have two of your spirit-winds at my mouth |
| KEN | 1978 | that thy double spirit may be on me |
| COV | 1535 | That thy spirit may be upon me to speak twice as much |
| CPDV | 2008 | that twice your spirit may be accomplished in me |
| NWT | 1961 | that two parts in your spirit may come to me |
| EWYC | 1384 | there be double thy spirit double in me |
| NWYC | 2010 | thy double spirit be made in me |
| LTOG | 2006 | two-fold in unto-a-currenting-to of-thee upon to-me |
What is Elisha asking of Elijah? This verse doesn’t make sense to our 21st-century minds. We understand that the Spirit is our soul and is made up of energy. Is Elisha asking for part of Elijah’s energy? How could that be achieved? This small verse raises many questions.
Of course, I am not the first to be confused by this verse, so I consulted traditional Bible commentators for their perspectives.
Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me – Like Solomon, Elisha asks for no worldly advantage, but for spiritual power to discharge his office aright. The “double portion” is that which denotes the proportion of a father’s property which was the right of an eldest son Deuteronomy 21:17. Elisha therefore asked for twice as much of Elijah’s spirit as should be inherited by any other of the “sons of the prophets.” He simply claimed, i. e., to be acknowledged as Elijah’s firstborn spiritual son.[1]
This is the verse to which the commentator is referring:
He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.[2]
A second commentator concurs:
Elisha considered himself the only child or first-born of Elijah, as the disciples of eminent teachers were called their children; so here he claims a double portion of his spiritual influence, any other disciples coming in for a single share only. Sons of the prophets means no more than the disciples or scholars of the prophets.[3]
A third commentator comes right to the point.
… But the phrase, “a double portion,” was applied to the first-born [De 21:17], and therefore Elisha’s request was, simply, to be heir to the prophetic office and gifts of his master.[4]
Even if we understand the context of the request may be by the laws of inheritance, it remains an odd request. If Elisha wanted Elijah to pronounce him Elijah’s successor, why not ask Elijah to do so directly? Why talk about a double portion of Elijah’s spirit?
This fourth commentator provides a different interpretation to explain this verse.
and Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me; the two parts of the gifts of the spirit he had, that of prophecy, and that of doing miracles, as some think; or two parts out of three of what Elijah was possessed of; or rather double as much, and which he might desire, not from a spirit of vanity and ambition to be greater than his master, but from an eagerness to promote the glory of God, and the interest of religion, to reclaim the Israelites from their idolatry, and establish the true religion, which he might observe Elijah was not able to do with that measure of grace and gifts he had; or however this phrase denotes an abundance, a large portion or measure, as it everywhere does.[5]
We are supposed to think that Elisha asked Elijah for several of the Gifts of the Spirit. This demonstrates that this commentator lacks knowledge of psychic science. No physical person can hand over a psychic gift to another human being. It is possible that, in time, the Spirit can help unfold or develop a gift in a medium, but that requires the work of both the Spirit and the medium. Therefore, these Bible commentators have not provided an apparent reason to explain why Elisha made this rather unusual request.
I recently received the key to unlocking this mystery. I took a class with two very experienced mediums. They had both been trained traditionally, attending a development circle with one teacher for over a decade.
One of these mediums stated that until recently when they observed another medium giving spirit messages, they could identify the medium’s teacher not by the style of the message but by an energy imprint. The medium’s teacher’s “signature” was in the medium’s aura. I imagine this is similar to Rembrandt signing his masterpiece or photographers putting a watermark on their photo image using Photoshop.
I later asked this medium for further clarification. The master teacher will alter the vibration of a small part of his student’s aura. This was done when the master teacher felt the student was worthy of being called a medium.
Suddenly, this mysterious verse became crystal clear. Elisha asked Elijah to alter twice as much of his aura with his signature. Elisha wanted to continue Elijah’s mission, and since Elijah was such a powerful medium, Elisha asked for additional energy or ability so he could work up to his master’s standards.
Elijah responds
“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.” [6]
As they were walking along and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and ·separated [drove between] Elijah from Elisha. Then Elijah ·went up [ascended] to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw it and shouted, “My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and ·their horsemen [its charioteers/or horses]!” And Elisha did not see him anymore. Then Elisha grabbed his own clothes and tore them in two [ a sign of mourning or distress].[7]
It is apparent from this description that Elisha saw Elijah leave the earth plane, and therefore, his request had been granted. As one continues to read the Bible, one learns that Elisha became a great medium and demonstrated many of the same gifts as his teacher. Elisha healed the sick and multiplied food.
One last clarification in this story concerns the image of Elijah being taken to Heaven on a chariot of fire. One must realize that the Bible was written by men who lived in Biblical times. Therefore, they used language and images that were accurate for their time.
What we are reading about is not Elijah’s death but his ascension. Like Enoch before him and Jesus after him, Elijah ascended from Earth. The word ascension means that the physical body is NOT left behind, as it is in death. The person ascends into Heaven, the Spirit World, or a higher dimension takes his physical body with him.
The ascension process occurs when the physical person can raise the frequency of the physical body. The rate of vibration continues to increase until suddenly; the physical body is vibrating so fast that gravity no longer has any effect on it. Therefore, the body rises into the air. When the vibration exceeds the speed of light, there is an explosion of light, and normal human eyes can no longer see the physical body. The person is now taking their spiritual and physical body into the Spirit World.
The writers of this verse did not have this knowledge. All that Elisha saw was his teacher’s body rise into the air. In biblical times, there were no airplanes, helicopters, or even hot air balloons. The only mode of transportation was horse and chariot. When Elisha saw the explosion of light, it reminded him of fire. Therefore, he described Elijah’s ascension the only way he could understand… Elijah went up to heaven on a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses.
[1] Barnes’ Notes on the Bible. biblehub.com/commentaries/2_kings/2-9.htm. Oct 13, 2013.
[2] Deuteronomy 21:17 [NIV].
[3] Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible. biblehub.com/commentaries/2_kings/2-9.htm. Oct 13, 2013.
[4] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary. biblehub.com/commentaries/2_kings/2-9.htm. Oct 13, 2013.
[5] Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible. biblehub.com/commentaries/2_kings/2-9.htm. Oct 13, 2013.
[6] 2 Kings 2:10 [NLT].
[7] 2 Kings 2: 11-12 [NLT].
