Elijah is introduced as the man of God who has a message for King Ahab of Israel. Ahab married Jezebel, a Sidonian princess who worshipped Baal; together, they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.
1 Kings 16:29-31 ESV In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. (30) And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. (31) And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.
Once again, a prophet of the LORD warns against pagan worship. Elijah went to King Ahab and declared that there would be no more rain or dew; and it did not rain and no dew appeared. The LORD instructed him to flee and hide by the brook Cherith and He would send ravens to feed him. When the brook dried up, the LORD sent him to a widow in Zarapheth. The woman was gathering a few sticks to prepare a meal for herself and her son and then they were going to die because there was no more food from the draught; but Elijah insisted on her bringing him some food, first. From then on the flour was never used up and the oil never went down. The three of them were fed throughout the draught.
1 Kings 17:13-16 ESV And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. (14) For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" (15) And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. (16) The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.
The widow’s son became ill and died; but Elijah took the boy and prayed over him and resurrected the boy and he lived. Some time later, Elijah had a confrontation with 450 prophets of Baal. Two bulls were cut up; one placed on the altar of Baal and one placed on an altar that Elijah built. They were not to be set on fire. Each prophet was to call fire out of heaven to consume the offering. The prophets of Baal spent all day trying to get fire to appear and consume their sacrifice, but Baal did not answer. Elijah ordered many gallons of water to be poured upon the sacrifice for the LORD. Elijah then called upon the LORD and fire came down from heaven and instantly consumed the offering of the bull, all of the wood and lapped up every drop of water.
1 Kings 18:36-39 ESV And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. (37) Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." (38) Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (39) And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God."
Then Elijah seized every one of the 450 prophets of Baal and killed them at the Kishon River.
1 Kings 18:40 ESV And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
Elijah then prayed for rain and it began to rain. Elijah fled into the wilderness because he was afraid for his life. Jezebel had sent him a message that there was a warrant out to have him killed. Elijah then fell asleep under a tree and was awakened by an angel who instructed him to eat. Beside him were fresh baked bread and a jar of water. He ate and then fell asleep again. The angel awakened him and told him to eat some more. That meal had to last him for 40 days, because he was sent to Mount Sinai where the LORD would talk to him. First the LORD sent a mighty wind; and hen an earthquake followed by fire. Then there was a still soft whisper. The LORD gave him instructions to go back the way he came and anoint a man named Hazael to be king of Aram and he was to find a man named Elisha to anoint as a prophet to replace himself.
1 Kings 19:11-13 NLT “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. (12) And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. (13) When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak (mantle) (mantle) and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
(14) He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
(15) Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. (16) Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. (17) Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! (18) Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
Sometimes we need God to send us a tornado, an earthquake and a fire to get our attention so that we can hear the LORD’s, still quiet voice. We need to be looking for the voice of God, humbly living in Christ Jesus our LORD. The noise of our world is a distraction. We need to come out of the world and live in the light that is Jesus Christ. He is the light of men. The world is in darkness and they can’t see the light; but we are His servants and we are also that light. The light of Christ shines in and through His called out ones, the church!
John 1:1-5 KJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Elijah anointed Elisha and mentored him as a student. When the time came for Elisha to replace Elijah, the LORD told Elijah to go to Bethel. Elisha had been by Elijah’s side and when Elijah told him to stay behind; he refused and insisted on being by his side. He said he would never leave him.
2 Kings 2:1-2 ESV Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. (2) And Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.
PASSING OF THE MANTLE
Then the LORD told Elijah to go to Jericho. When they came to the Jordan River and Elisha refused to stay behind. There were fifty prophets who were observing from a distance as Elijah and Elisha came to the Jordan River. Elijah took his cloak (mantle) and folded it and struck the water and the river parted and they crossed over on dry land. Elijah then asked Elisha, “What can I do for you before I am taken away?” Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s Spirit and to be his successor. Elijah told him that he asked a hard thing, but if he would see him taken away, he would receive his request and if not, then he wouldn’t. The whirlwind came and Elisha saw Elijah taken away and his cloak (mantle) fell to the ground. It was now Elisha’a and with it, he received his request.
2 Kings 2:8-15 ESV Then Elijah took his cloak (mantle) and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. (9) When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me." (10) And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so." (11) And as they still went on and talked, behold chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (12) And Elisha saw it and he cried, "My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. (13) And he took up the cloak (mantle) of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. (14) Then he took the cloak (mantle) of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. (15) Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
The passing of the mantle from Elijah to Elisha was a foreshadowing of the passing of the mantle from Jesus Christ to Peter; but even more, it is the passing of the mantle from Jesus Christ to each and every one of us. It came to us at baptism. That is if our baptism was preceded by true and genuine repentance; and we were immerses in water and baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sin and if we received the Holy Ghost. Blood washed in the name of Jesus, Holy Ghost filled Christians, carry the Mantle of Christ. Below are the signs, wonders and miracles of these two men. Jesus told us that we would do greater miracles than Him. We need to accept the mantle and walk as Elisha did.
John 14:12 KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Miracles in the Life of Elijah:
1) Causing the rain the cease for 3 1/2 years (1Ki 17:1)
2) Being fed by the ravens (1Ki 17:4)
3) Miracle of the barrel of meal and cruse of oil (1Ki 17:14)
4) Resurrection of the widow's son (1Ki 17:22)
5) Calling of fire from heaven on the altar (1Ki 18:38)
6) Causing it to rain (1Ki 18:45)
7) Prophecy that Ahab's sons would all be destroyed (1Ki 21:22)
8) Prophecy that Jezebel would be eaten by dogs (1Ki 21:23)
9) Prophecy that Ahaziah would die of his illness (2Ki 1:4)
10) Calling fire from heaven upon the first 50 soldiers (2Ki 2:10)
11) Calling fire from heaven upon the second 50 soldiers (2Ki 2:12)
12) Parting of the Jordan (2Ki 2:8)
13) Prophecy that Elisha should have a double portion of his spirit (2Ki 2:10)
14) Being caught up to heaven in a whirlwind (2Ki 2:11)
Miracles in the Life of Elisha:
1) Parting of the Jordan (2Ki 2:14)
2) Healing of the waters (2Ki 2:21)
3) Curse of the she bears (2Ki 2:24)
4) Filling of the valley with water (2Ki 3:17)
5) Deception of the Moabites with the valley of blood (2Ki 3:22)
6) Miracle of the vessels of oil (2Ki 4:4)
7) Prophecy that the Shunammite woman would have a son (2Ki 4:16)
8) Resurrection of the Shunammite's son (2Ki 4:34)
9) Healing of the gourds (2Ki 4:41)
10) Miracle of the bread (2Ki 4:43)
11) Healing of Naaman (2Ki 5:14)
12) Perception of Gehazi's transgression (2Ki 5:26)
13) Cursing Gehazi with leprosy (2Ki 5:27)
14) Floating of the axe head (2Ki 6:6)
15) Prophecy of the Syrian battle plans (2Ki 6:9)
16) Vision of the chariots (2Ki 6:17)
17) Smiting the Syrian army with blindness (2Ki 6:18)
18) Restoring the sight of the Syrian army (2Ki 6:20)
19) Prophecy of the end of the great famine (2Ki 7:1)
20) Prophecy that the scoffing nobleman would see, but not partake of, the abundance (2Ki 7:2)
21) Deception of the Syrians with the sound of chariots (2Ki 7:6)
22) Prophecy of the seven-year famine (2Ki 8:1)
23) Prophecy of Benhadad's untimely death (2Ki 8:10)
24) Prophecy of Hazael's cruelty to Israel (2Ki 8:12)
25) Prophecy that Jehu would smite the house of Ahab (2Ki 9:7)
26) Prophecy that Joash would smite the Syrians at Aphek (2Ki 13:17)
27) Prophecy that Joash would smite Syria thrice but not consume it (2Ki 13:19)
28) Resurrection of the man touched by his bones (2Ki 13:21)
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, all praise and honor belong to you alone. Thank you for my calling, and for passing the mantle of the Gospel to me and all apostolic Christians. Lead your people in righteousness and the work of God, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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