What a spectacular way to ascend to Heaven! Lot of symbolism here: the fire tells of the mighty glory of God; the horses, power and speed; the chariot, safety and protection. It must have made a profound and lasting impression on Elisha whom God chose as the spiritual heir to Elijah.
We can look at his ensuing life and see that his zeal for the Lord never faded; moreover, his innumerable miracles (my next mini-series is titled "Elisha's Many, Many Miracles") testify eloquently that God seemingly never left Elisha.