The Mantle

Read:

1 Kings 19:19–21 KJV 1900

19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

Sometimes we miss the significance of things or events that happen to us.

I remember hearing of a man at sea who was very sea-sick. If there is a time when a man feels that he cannot do any work for the Lord it is then -- in my opinion. While this man was sick he heard that a man had fallen overboard. He was wondering if he could do anything to help to save him. He laid hold of a light, and held it up on the port-hole.

The drowning man was saved. When this man got over his attack of sickness he was up on deck one day, and was talking to the man who was rescued. The saved man gave this testimony. He said he had gone down the second time, and was just going down again for the last time, when he put out his hand. Just then, he said, some one held a light at the port-hole, and the light fell on his hand. A man caught him by the hand and pulled him into the lifeboat.

It seemed a small thing to do to hold up the light; yet it saved the man's life. If you cannot do some great thing you can hold the light for some poor, perishing drunkard, who may be won to Christ and delivered from destruction. Let us take the torch of salvation and go into these dark homes, and hold up Christ to the people as the Savior of the world.

Moody's Anecdotes, p. 44.

Great events turn on small hinges.

The Gospel was first introduced to Japan through a portion of the Scriptures that floated ashore and was picked up by a Japanese gentleman. Afterwards he sent for a whole Bible and was instructed by the missionaries.

When the Queen of Korea lost her little child by death, a slave girl in the palace told her of heaven where the child had gone, and the Savior who would take her there. Thus the Gospel was first introduced to Korea by a little captive maid.

The success of the mission in Telugu in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India depended on the fact that John Cloud had studied engineering when he was at college. Therefore he was able to take the contract for the building of the canal during the famine and provide the employment of thousands of laborers to whom he preached everyday on the text, John 3:16. The result of this work was the baptism of 10,000 converts in one year.

The battle of Bennington was gained, it is said, because a little lame boy in Vermont set a shoe on Col. Warren’s tender-footed horse, and thus enabled the Colonel to lead up his regiment just in time to save the day. The victory of Bennington decided the Battle of Saratoga, which decided the Revolutionary War.

The hunger of the son of Columbus led him to stop at the monastery in Andalusia and ask for bread. The Prior of the monastery, who had been the confessor of Queen Isabella, heard the story of the adventurous navigator, and brought about an interview with the Queen, which resulted in the sailing of Columbus for the discovery of America. It all hinged upon the hunger of the boy.

Robert Bruce took refuge in a cave from the pursuer who was seeking his life. A spider at once wove a web across the mouth of the cave, and when the pursuer came by, he saw the web and took it for granted that no one had entered. The destiny of millions of people hinged upon that little spider’s web.

Source Unknown.

In our scripture reading tonight - I wonder if either Elijah or Elisha knew the significance of this moment?

It would appear the Elijah and Elisha had never met before - but either the Holy Spirit prompted Elijah or he saw something in Elisha who was probably a wealthy farmer (since he plowed with 12 yoke of oxen and he probably had eleven servants, each with one yoke)

But he had a heart after God

And when the call came - he left it all behind.

Elijah walks by and notices this considerably younger man out plowing the field with all of these oxen - and apparently is prompted to call him into the service of prophetic ministry. His way of doing this was to walk up to him in the field and throw his mantle over him in a significant but often percieved as insignificant way.

I want to spend a little time tonight studying this mantel a little closer.

In our study I want us to observe five things.

1. The Truth About the Mantle

There was nothing magical or special about this mantle - it was just a cloak worn by a prophet.

Some scholars tell us it was probably made of hair and some could be quite beautiful and costly. It was used as an outer garment.

The mantle of Elijah is talked about at least five times in scripture

In our reading today - which is which happens shortly after an incident that Elijah has with God out on Mount Horeb

Elijah feels like he is all alone atempting to help Israel back to God and is now the only one still serving Him.

And God tells elijah to go and stand upon the mountain - I picture him on a little ledge and while he is there

A strong wind came and it was such a great and strong wind that rocks were broken in pieces - but the Lord was not in the wind

Then there came an earthquake - but No Lord

Then a fire - but no Lord

Then a still small voice - and when Elijah heard it he took this hairy garment - this mantle and he wraps his face in it

God speaks to him again and gives him some assignments

It was this mantle that he wrapped his face in - that heard the still small voice of God - that he laid upon Elisha -

I don’t know if the young man knew the significance of that at the moment - but it was a powerful moment in time -

2. The Tug of the Mantle

There were times no doubt as Elijah and Elisha would travel around doing prophety things that Elijah would notice how often Elisha used the mantle - it was a symbol of his authority - it was a conduit of God’s power and work

Not becuase there was anything in the mantle - but because of the man who wore it and his relationship with God

Elisha no doubt at times had thoughts like - Oh I would love to be used by God like that -

it was like the tugging at his heart - to be like God wanted him to be

As a child I played many games - but my four of my favorite games were

Radio disc jockey - I even recorded news broadcasts on an old cassette tape and advertisements that I could play in between the Southern Gospel songs I played (One year for Christmas my parents got me a microphone that would connect to an FM station - oh the fun I had with that thing)

Church

Business Man (One year I even asked for office supplies for Christmas - I wanted a stapler, and various other accessories (I think I still have that little tan stapler somewhere) “I’m not talking about as an adult I was probably 8-10

Teacher

There was something tugging at my heart that wanted to be those things

While other kids were out playing football or baseball I was inside sorting my papers and teaching an imaginary class

I have a feeling Elisha sometimes might have taken his own cloak at times and pretended to be Elijah (He was a young man still after all)

But he desired that close relationship with God

I remember years ago at a revival in Troy with Bro. Dan Stetler he was preaching about getting sanctified and my how the power of God came down and worked that night - and something tugged at my heart - Oh I want to preach with the annointing - I remember him asking me that night after service If I pastored a church around there - at that time I had no idea I would ever be a preacher - and I laughed -

but something was tugging at my heart

I remember shortly after I came to pastor here I was called to help preach at Redwood camp - along with my brother Tim and Bro. Lorton - I would watch both of them preach - when they had to preach - and there would be a tugging at my heart - not to be like them, but to preach with annointing - Bro. Lorton preached a message during that camp that I have never got away from- it was titled, “You’ve came too late” and it was about Balaam’s prophecy and how the scripture is so clear that you’ve come too late to tell me God is not real and oh how the glory and annointing fell that night -

It tugged at my heart

There was a desire and a dream in Elisha everytime he saw God work - there was a tug at his heart - He wanted that - he needed that.

This tug in his heart lead him to a transaction

3. The Transaction of the Mantle

It became clear and apparent that “the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind” Now how that became apparent I don’t know - but if you take this verse literally it was common knowledge

And as they went their journey they came to Gilgal and Elijah wanted Elisha to stay there - he had to go to Bethel - - but the tug was too great “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth , I will not leave thee. “

At Bethel Elijah wanted him to stay there while he went to Jereicho - the tug was too great same answer

All of the other sons of the prophets knew what was going to happen - but they didn’t follow

This was repeated as Elijah was sent from Jereicho to Jordan - but Elisha would not tarry

They came to the Jordan and stood by it - I wonder what was going on in Elisha’s mind - probably watching out of the corner of his eye for the whirlwind - feeling the tug of the mantle

Elijah takes off the mantle and wraps it together and smote the waters and they divided

when they were on the other side - Elisha is asked a very important quesiton

2 Kings 2:9–10 KJV 1900

9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

It was then that the whirlwind came and took Elijah away and as he was looking up the mantle come tumbling down out of the sky.

But it wasn’t enough for Elisha to recieve the promise, or to even see the mantle come floating out of the sky - Elisha had to...

4. Take Up the Mantle

The transefer did not take place until the responsibilty was accepted

There had to be a taking up - a picking up and putting on of the mantle

Again the power of God did not rest or reside in the mantle - that was just a symbol of the authority and connection of God’s presence and power

Elisha had to take it up - if he was going to recieve the double portion

He had to pick it up off the ground if it was going to be of any use to him

SOmetimes I think there are plenty of mantle’s that have symbolically come back to us from all those old saints who have passed on - but there hasn’t been those who understood the truth of the mantle, or felt the tug of the mantle or was willing to make the transaction for the mantle - to keep going, to stick with it, or then to take it up when it came back down.

5. Testing the mantle

God is still God He don’t never change

The sons of the prophets at Jereicaho seem somewhat skeptical and not sure what is going to happen -

all answer affirmatively when Elisha tests the mantle

2 Kings 2:15 “15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.”