Elijah prayed and the rain dried up for three years. Then he prayed again and saw a cloud the size of a man’s hand. He knew the rain was coming. The Lord used it and made an impact on the nation of Israel and the evil surrounding them. Here we see all of a sudden that Elijah is taken by a fiery chariot. He didn’t cross the brook alone. He went by the field where he took off his cloak and Elisha knew what it meant. God always raises up somebody. The God of Elijah was also Elisha’s God. He’s the same God looking down on us. The same God who enabled Elijah enabled Elisha and he enables us. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
II Kings 2: 12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14 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.
Where is the Lord God of Elijah? Mankind has constantly asked that question and as the decades go by the world asks it more and more, usually sarcastically. The world asks in an accusatory fashion. The devil wants us to feel awkward and pushed back in a corner. He wants the world in doubt and disbelief. When we get down the devil tries to push us to question God and where he is. Remember how he tried to get Eve to question God in the garden. He walked with them each day and he walks with us each day. I’m thankful for the mercy of God. Hasn’t he always taken care of us? The devil wants us to ask where God is even though we know where he is.
Elisha had just witnessed Elijah’s home going. Imagine seeing the fire, the chariot, the whirlwind as Elijah stepped on board and was taken off to glory. It’s going to happen to us sooner than we think. Jesus is coming after us. Elijah threw his mantle overboard; he didn’t need it any longer. The time will come when we won’t pray again; we won’t need the Bible—the paper version we have now—because we’ll be with the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ. We’ll dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Elisha looked up and saw all this happen in a moment, the twinkling of an eye. That’s how it will happen for us too when Jesus comes for us. Elijah was safely home and Elisha saw something coming down. He took the mantle. He knew he had to cross the Jordan and wade back into the troubles and trials waiting him. He stood on the bank of the Jordan with an uncertain future ahead. He knew the God of Elijah. He said where is the Lord God of Elijah? It wasn’t an accusation but a statement of praise. He took the mantle and smote the waters just as he had seen Elijah do. The waters parted.
We’ve seen many go on in the past few years. We wonder how, when, where, and why. We have what they left us—their mantle of faith. We can go on. Their God is our God. Abraham’s God was Isaac’s God and David’s and Isaiah’s. Elisha had lost Elijah but he had his mantle. Don’t think yourself weak. We don’t have the old days anymore. We have what we have. Others have gone on but we have their mantles. Jesus is dedicated to all who follow him. Whatever raging Jordan is around us we have the mantle and the God of Elijah. Let’s call on his name and see what happens.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 