“And he took
the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where
is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted
hither and thither: and Elisha went over.” - 2 Kings 2:14
Many live, die, and care not for the mantle of
Elijah. They have no interest in God, or Jesus; no burden for the Great
Commission or welfare of God’s church. However, there are those who
follow after Jesus, and follow those who are following Jesus. Those who
have great respect for the mantle, and for those that carried it before
them. This message is to you, the same that it is to me.
As the wind carriers seed to new soil, so time carries
responsibility to the next generation. The fruit of that responsibility
is wholly dependent on the ground in which it finds itself. As one
generation passes, so the responsibility is carried down to the next and as
they grow older, in the process of time, they come to understand what must be
done. The younger generation can then: accept it, ignore it, or abuse
it. Time is simply the carrier of all that is to be, we must decide if we
are willing to take up the mantle. Elijah served God in his
generation. He was one of the greatest prophets for God. His voice
opened the earth, called down fire from heaven, and sustained the life of a
widow women. It was not him per say, but the spirit of God in him.
The next in line to take his place, the next generation, was Elisha the
prophet. He diligently followed Elijah, who was following God.
Towards the end of his life, Elijah new that he was going to be taken up by God
and Elisha new it as well. The question was asked to Elisha, what would I
give you before I am taken up? Elisha answered, “A double portion of thy spirit.” The condition of his
request, was that if he was there to see Elijah taken, then Elisha would get
the double portion. By and by, Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind, and
leaves behind his mantle. Elisha takes up the mantle and asks; “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?”
Then he strikes the waters and they parted. They part for Elisha, just as they did for
Elijah before him, and so the mantle was passed. It is unwise to assume
that Elisha was asking where God was as if to challenge or tempt God. He
had been through, Bethel, Jericho, and Jordan; reminded that God was able to
bless those that blessed Him. He knew God could do mighty works, if His
people but served Him. The Spirit is what Elisha was after, because he
knew that the Spirit is what was most important. The fire in the firebox
of this great locomotive that tore across Israel; preaching, converting,
saving, and working mighty miracles. It was the Spirit that Elisha longed
for and contented after. So when he took up the mantle he asked “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?”
As if to say, “where? Is he still with Elijah and not with me, or
is he in fact with me as he was with Elijah?” Is this not the question of
every generation that follows in the footsteps of those that have gone
before? Is this not the question of those who desire to take up the
mantle? Then he strikes the waters and God shows up! God answers in
the same manner in which he proved himself to Elijah.
If we take up the mantle, which is passed in time, we must, must,
must, take it up in the same Spirit and with the same diligence in which it was
afore carried. It is not time to ignore, abuse, revise, or reshape it;
no, we must “earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered to the saints.” We must do our part,
perform the covenant, and seek the Lord in our life above all else. It is
the Spirit that will carry us forward, as it carried our forefathers. It
is only the Spirit, nothing more, and nothing but. If anything deters,
dampens, or dilutes the Spirit in our life and in our church, we must cast it
off or cut it out. This is the responsibility that is carried with the
wind of time, to do our part so when we strike the waters and ask “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?”
He will answer us, as he answered those before us. May God gives us
wisdom, may he help us in the mighty endeavor, and “may all who come behind us
find us faithful”.
