We have been talking about the Sons of the prophets from Bethel.
It was time for Elijah to depart this world and Elisha was God’s choice to take on the mantle as the next MASTER PROPHET.
2 Kings 2:13 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 Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also HAD STRUCK THE WATER, IT DIVIDED THIS WAY AND THAT; and Elisha crossed over.
15 Now WHEN THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS WHO WERE FROM JERICHO saw him, they said, “The SPIRIT OF ELIJAH RESTS ON ELISHA.” And they came to meet him, and BOWED DOWN TO THE GROUND BEFORE HIM.
There it was for the SONS OF THE PROPHETS to see!
This was the ‘proof’ that truly Elisha was Elijah’s successor as the MASTER PROPHET.
The MANTLE indicated the POWER OF GOD.
It was the SIGN of His power.
He strikes the water of the River Jordan and the water divided down the middle, this way and that.
Would you be impressed?
Think through the eyes of the SONS OF THE PROPHETS regarding the significance of this event.
Where did this happen?
At the River Jordan near Gilgal and Jericho.
This is the spot where in Joshua’s day, the priests came and stood in the middle of the flooded Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant. And what happened when they stood there?
Joshua 3:14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the PRIESTS BEARING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT before the people,
15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and THE FEET OF THE PRIESTS WHO BORE THE ARK DIPPED IN THE EDGE OF THE WATER (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),
16 that THE WATERS which came down from upstream STOOD STILL, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17 Then THE PRIESTS WHO BORE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD STOOD FIRM OF DRY GROUND IN THE MIDST OF THE JORDAN; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.
And let’s not forget Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea
Exodus 14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and MADE THE SEA INTO DRY LAND, and the WATERS WERE DIVIDED.
22 So the children of Israel WENT INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA ON THE DRY GROUND, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
So you see, the parting of waters was a BIG Sign of the Presence of God. And Elisha had just used Elijah’s MANTLE to part the waters of the Jordan River.
We actually don’t see Elisha using the mantle again. Instead it was the way that the Lord indicated His choice of the next anointed one to walk with Him in power and demonstration – a witness to everyone that God was indeed involved in the lives of men and women on earth. A SEALING.
And as a result of the MANTLE, Elisha began to increase in his reputation and influence for the Kingdom of God.
He did many miracles without ever striking the mantle on anything again.
Today, we do not have a physical MANTLE made of camel or goat hair or any other material for that matter.
What do you thing the MANTLE in modern times is?
Let’s that about that next time.