It's On You
Notes
Transcript
2 Kings 2:12-22
2 Kings 2:12-22
12 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” When he could see him no longer, he took hold of his own clothes, tore them in two, 13 picked up the mantle that had fallen off Elijah, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle Elijah had dropped, and he struck the water. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the water himself, and it parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over. 15 When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were observing saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him. 16 Then the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Since there are fifty strong men here with your servants, please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.” He answered, “Don’t send them.” 17 However, they urged him to the point of embarrassment, so he said, “Send them.” They sent fifty men, who looked for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to him in Jericho where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?” 19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.” 20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” After they had brought him one, 21 Elisha went out to the spring, threw salt in it, and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will death or unfruitfulness result from it.’ ” 22 Therefore, the water still remains healthy today according to the word that Elisha spoke.
12 Elisha saw it all and shouted, “My father, my father! You—the chariot and cavalry of Israel!” When he could no longer see anything, he grabbed his robe and ripped it to pieces. 13 Then he picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him, returned to the shore of the Jordan, and stood there. 14 He took Elijah’s cloak—all that was left of Elijah!—and hit the river with it, saying, “Now where is the God of Elijah? Where is he?” When he struck the water, the river divided and Elisha walked through. 15 The guild of prophets from Jericho saw the whole thing from where they were standing. They said, “The spirit of Elijah lives in Elisha!” They welcomed and honored him. 16 They then said, “We’re at your service. We have fifty reliable men here; let’s send them out to look for your master. Maybe God’s spirit has swept him off to some mountain or dropped him into a remote ravine.” Elisha said, “No. Don’t send them.” 17 But they pestered him until he caved in: “Go ahead then. Send them.” So they sent the fifty men off. For three days they looked, searching high and low. Nothing. 18 Finally, they returned to Elisha in Jericho. He told them, “So there—didn’t I tell you?” 19 One day the men of the city said to Elisha, “You can see for yourself, master, how well our city is located. But the water is polluted and nothing grows.” 20 He said, “Bring me a brand-new bowl and put some salt in it.” They brought it to him. 21 He then went to the spring, sprinkled the salt into it, and proclaimed, “God’s word: I’ve healed this water. It will no longer kill you or poison your land.” 22 And sure enough, the water was healed—and remains so to this day, just as Elisha said.
Introduction
Introduction
.....
Background
Background
In I Kings 19, we read how the anointing came upon Elisha. Learning this is basic to the walk that God is bringing to His people in the earth.
Elijah found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him. I Kings 19:19b-21.
Stevens, J. R. (1975). Elijah and Elisha (p. 31). North Hollywood, CA: Living Word Publications.The Main Idea
The mantle of Elijah was representative of a ministry and responsibility. Elijah was asking, in effect, if Elisha was willing to assume the responsibility. So Elisha said, “Let me first go kiss my father and mother.” Elijah said, “What have I done to you?” However, he was content to wait.
Stevens, J. R. (1975). Elijah and Elisha (p. 32). North Hollywood, CA: Living Word Publications
Sermon Points
Sermon Points
Request
Request
8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.” So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit.”
Know
Know
Elisha makes bold request. He understands that he only has a short window to ask for what he wants
2:9. double portion. By asking for a double portion, Elisha is not asking for twice as much as Elijah had, but for twice as much as any other successor would receive. This is the normal inheritance right of the firstborn, who would “carry the torch” for the family. Elisha is requesting that he receive the status as the principal successor to Elijah.
Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary: Old Testament (electronic ed., 2 Ki 2:9). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
2:9 Elisha was likely thinking of Deuteronomy 21:17, which states that a “firstborn” son was entitled to “two shares” of his father’s estate. Based on God’s own testimony (see 1 Kgs 19:16), Elisha was to be anointed prophet in Elijah’s “place.” Elijah was his spiritual “father” (see 2 Kgs 2:12), and Elisha was his heir, so to speak. Elisha knew he would need an extra dose of divine enablement for the tasks ahead.
Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Study Bible (p. 410). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible.
Feel
Feel
Have you ever found yourself in a season where the weight of your assignment is heavy.
You realize that in order for you to be successful you’re going to need more strength, a more intentional focus, a greater anointing.
It would be so much easier to blend in and be regular.
Every time you start to settle something on the inside of cry’s our “There’s More” (You Could But, You Could Settle But)
You’re standing in the window of Preparation and Production.
Do
Do
What is your request in this season?
What are you willing to do to receive it?
STAY RIGHT THERE
10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won’t.”
Realization
Realization
13 picked up the mantle that had fallen off Elijah, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle Elijah had dropped, and he struck the water. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the water himself, and it parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over. 15 When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were observing saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.
Know
Know
2:13–18 Only Elijah’s cloak remains. Elisha takes it back to the Jordan and asks where Elijah’s God is—the God who caused drought, brought fire from the sky, raised the dead, and took Elijah to heaven. When Elisha strikes the water with the cloak, he discovers that while Elijah is gone the Lord is not, for the water parts again. The prophets who witness the whole scene understand that Elijah’s spirit, the spirit of zeal and power, now rests on Elisha. Still, they seek for Elijah for three days, then return to the new master prophet. Apparently there was still some doubt about whether Elisha could really replace Elijah, though it seems that he has at least laid claim to the status once reserved for Elijah among the company of the prophets.
House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, p. 260). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Elijah’s cloak falls to Elisha
It’s in your hands now.
There is a transfer of this prophetic mantle
Feel
Feel
The moment is now!
You’ve been groomed for this.
It’s not you is Him (God is going to show up!)
14 He took the mantle Elijah had dropped, and he struck the water. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the water himself, and it parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.
The God of Elijah will show up for me!
The Same God!
2:14 Elisha showed that he knew the power wasn’t in him or in the garment. It was in the Lord God.
Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Study Bible (p. 410). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible.
We need to go back!
We’ve become so progressive but God is about to usher in a revival through a resurrection of the things we’ve called religious.
We’ve colonized our own culture - We need the God of our Grandparents again.
The God that got us through...
Do
Do
Strike the water
Go for it
Allow the Power of God to show up in your gift.
Restoration
Restoration
19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.” 20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” After they had brought him one, 21 Elisha went out to the spring, threw salt in it, and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will death or unfruitfulness result from it.’ ” 22 Therefore, the water still remains healthy today according to the word that Elisha spoke.
Know
Know
2:19–22 A second miracle reveals Elisha’s prominence to the men of Jericho. The city’s water supply is bad, which renders the land as “unproductive” as a couple without children or robbed of children. Elisha purifies the water while performing a ritual involving salt. Gray notes that this use of salt most likely symbolized a break with the past, such as was declared when offerings were made holy by the rubbing of salt (Lev 2:13; Num 18:19; Ezek 43:24). The fact that Elisha declares the water healed because of God’s word indicates that no magic has occurred. Rather, the prophet has demonstrated the importance of the event through the use of a symbolic act and has then relayed a message concerning God’s will on the matter. Two groups have now seen evidence of Elisha’s special status.
House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, p. 260). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
2:20. new bowl and salt. The use of a new container suggests one untainted by impurities, thus indicating that this is a ritual undertaking. “Flask” is preferable to niv’s “bowl,” though the word is used only here in the Bible and is of uncertain meaning. Salt is used to combat the curse because curse is connected to rebellion and salt is seen as symbolically counteracting rebellion (see comment on Judg 9:45).
Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary: Old Testament (electronic ed., 2 Ki 2:20–25). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Feel
Feel
You’re carrying something powerful
You’ve been waiting to be used and now it’s your turn.
Your Family, Community, Bloodline is waiting on you to respond
2:20–22. Elisha’s solution, given by the Lord, was designed to teach the people as well as to relieve their immediate distress. The new bowl represented himself, the new instrument in God’s hand. Salt was known by the Israelites to preserve and purify; it was used in each of their daily grain offerings to the Lord (cf. Lev. 2:13). But adding salt to water normally makes water worse, not better. When the salt was put into the Jericho water the situation miraculously improved. This miracle showed the people of Jericho that the Lord, not Baal, the so-called god of fertility, could heal their barrenness. God’s permanent work on the spring would serve as a perpetual reminder of His ability to bring fruitfulness and blessing out of the barrenness and sterility caused by idolatry.
Constable, T. L. (1985). 2 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 541). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
He’s about to use you to refresh the flow
Do
Do
God is saying will you allow him to use whats on you to refresh the flow
It’s on you!
Conclusion
Conclusion