Elisha took the place of Elijah

God had arranged Elisha to replace Elijah. However, Jesus would frown on the story of the call of Elisha.
And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;
and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place." (1 Kings 19:15-16).
Syria would rise and become a threat to the national security of Israel. Jehu would cut off the house of Ahab and Elisha would replace Elijah as the prophet of Israel. Here is how Elijah called Elisha to follow him.
So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him.
And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?"
And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him (1 Kings 19:19-21, RSV).
Elisha was a farmer and he was ploughing his field with 12 oxen. Which means Elisha was not poor. When Elijah put his mantle upon him, what made Elisha know that Elijah wanted him to become his follower or even his successor? Perhaps it was an Israelite custom. Perhaps it was God's revelation to Elisha. No matter what, this was Elisha's perception of the situation and he understood what it entailed. He begged Elijah to allow him to bid his parents farewell first. Elijah's answer was a bit ambiguous. But don't ignore the word "again". A literal translation will show you why.
Go, turn back, for what have I done to thee? (Young's Literal translation, 1862)
Go, and return back: for that which was my part, I have done to thee. (Douay-Rheims, 1752)
Go back again; for what have I done to you? (KJV, 1611)
There are actually two imperative verbs: "go" and "turn back", but without and. Since KJV, the English translations merge them into one.
The Douay-Rheims translation was based on Vulgate, the Latin translation. It retained both verbs and added an "and". An interpretation was also added to make Elijah's ambiguous answer more understandable. It turned the question into a statement!
So, literally, Elijah permitted Elisha to bid his parents goodbye and return to him. He asked Elisha a question to remind him of what he had done for him --- putting his mantle upon him to make him his successor.

Elisha returned to kill all his oxen, boiled their flesh with the yokes and gave it to his people and they ate. This was how Elisha "kissed" his parents. It was also a total renunciation of his current career. He was a farmer no more.
His story was well known in Jewish folklore. So, when a man tried to follow Jesus, he too wanted to bid his family goodbye and settle his business first. However, Jesus rejected him.
As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."
To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home."
Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:57-62)
Jesus seemed to be very harsh but he was telling a hard truth. Among the three people, two volunteered to following Jesus. Perhaps they had not thought deeply enough. So, Jesus discouraged them. Jesus only called the second one to follow him. The second man wanted to settle his business first. Jesus set him straight the priority. He should proclaim the Kingdom of God. The first two cases are also recorded in the gospel of Matthew (Matthew 8:18-22). The third case is found in Luke only. We expect the Jewish Christians to be familiar with the story of Elijah calling Elisha. Yet, it took a Gentile Luke to see the significance of Elisha's story: being a missionary requires the renunciation demonstrated by Elisha.

Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. I have had a few drinks and am a bit intoxicated. I am not able to write on the story of Elijah being taken away in a whirlwind. Perhaps I should leave it later.

Dear Lord, human nature seems to favour short-cuts and avoid conflicts. Therefore, we find some of Your teaching harsh. Make us see clearly Your will. Amen.