In First Kings, chapter eighteen, we read the story of Elijah confronting Ahab and triumphing over the prophets of Baal. After such a great victory, Elijah flees from the evil Jezebel for his life.
The story continues in 1 Kings 19:4-21 (CJB) “but he himself went a day farther into the desert, until he came to a broom tree. He sat down under it and prayed for his own death. “Enough!” he said. “Now, Adonai, take my life. I’m no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and went to sleep. Suddenly, an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on the hot stones and a jug of water. He ate and drank, then lay down again. 7 The angel came again, a second time, touched him and said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 8 He got up, ate and drank, and, on the strength of that meal, traveled forty days and nights until he reached Horev the mountain of God.
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. Then the word of Adonai came to him; he said to him, “What are you doing here, Eliyahu?” 10 He answered, “I have been very zealous for Adonai the God of armies, because the people of Isra’el have abandoned your covenant, broken down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I’m the only one left, and they’re coming after me to kill me too.” 11 He said, “Go outside, and stand on the mountain before Adonai”; and right then and there, Adonai went past. A mighty blast of wind tore the mountains apart and broke the rocks in pieces before Adonai, but Adonai was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but Adonai was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, fire broke out; but Adonai was not in the fire. And after the fire came a quiet, subdued voice. 13 When Eliyahu heard it, he covered his face with his cloak, stepped out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Eliyahu?” 14 He answered, “I have been very zealous for Adonai the God of armies; because the people of Isra’el have abandoned your covenant, broken down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. Now I’m the only one left, and they’re after me to kill me too.”
15 Adonai said to him, “Go back by way of the Dammesek Desert. When you get there, anoint Haza’el to be king over Aram. 16 Also anoint Yehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Isra’el, and anoint Elisha the son of Shafat of Avel-M’cholah to be prophet after you. 17 Yehu will kill whoever escapes the sword of Haza’el, and Elisha will kill whoever escapes the sword of Yehu. 18 Still, I will spare seven thousand in Isra’el, every knee that hasn’t bent down before Ba‘al and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
19 So he left and found Elisha the son of Shafat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he himself was behind the twelfth. Eliyahu went over to him and threw his cloak on him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Eliyahu and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother good-bye; then I will follow you.” He answered, “Go; but return, because of what I did to you.” 21 Elisha stopped following him. Then he took the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them, cooked their meat over the wooden yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people to eat. Then he got up, went after Eliyahu and became his servant.”
I read this portion of Scripture on Saturday, along with Revelation 19:11-21. Many of us are familiar with specific events in Elijah’s life, and this passage is likely one of them. However, reading it this time, something jumped out as I read. Elijah didn’t call Elisha until after a very trying period. Generations need to connect.
Psalm 145:4 (CJB) “Each generation will praise your works to the next and proclaim your mighty acts.”
The Lord told Elijah that seven thousand in Israel had not bowed the knee. We read in Daniel that Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego chose to be thrown into a fiery furnace before bowing down to an image. God always has a remnant. There are always those who will follow God no matter the cost. Elijah was worried that there were no true believers in Israel. Elijah was concerned that there were no true prophets, but look at what happens: “So he departed from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. Then Elijah crossed over to him and threw his mantle on him. So he left the oxen and ran after Elijah saying, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” “Come back,” he said to him. “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 oxen’s yoke gear, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, went after Elijah and became his attendant.”
God already had Elisha picked out. Elijah just had to recognize who was called to follow him. At the end of Elijah’s life, he began telling Elisha to quit following him, but Elisha refused to stop. You see, Elisha had asked for a double portion of the anointing. So Elijah said if you see me when I am taken, it shall be yours.
Now, look specifically at what 2 Kings 2:1, 9-14 says, “The time came for Adonai to take Eliyahu up into heaven in a whirlwind. Eliyahu and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal,” At this point, Elijah tells Elisha to quit following him three times. Continuing in the text, “ After they had crossed, Eliyahu said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away from you.” Elisha said, “Please! Let a double share of your spirit be on me!” 10 He replied, “You have requested a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will get what you asked for; but if not, you won’t.” 11 Suddenly, as they were walking on and talking, there appeared a fiery chariot with horses of fire; and as it separated the two of them from each other, Eliyahu went up into heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Isra’el!” Then he lost sight of him. Seizing his clothes, he tore them in half. 13 Then he picked up Eliyahu’s cloak, which had fallen off him. Standing on the bank of the Yarden, 14 he took the cloak that had fallen off Eliyahu, struck the water and said, “Where is Adonai, the God of Eliyahu?” But when he actually did strike the water, it divided itself to the left and to the right; then Elisha crossed over.” (CJB).
Did you catch it? God was taking Elijah up by a whirlwind, but verse eleven says a chariot of fire and horses separated the two of them. The deal was Elisha HAD TO SEE ELIJAH be taken. The chariot of fire was a distraction. We need to get this! God will test us. We need to understand the difference between a test from God to gauge our readiness, a temptation from the enemy to snare us, and an irrelevant distraction that takes us off course.
Elisha had to keep his eyes on Elijah, or he wouldn’t inherit a double portion. Elisha had a right to ask for a double dose of anointing. The problem in charismatic circles today is people think you can lay on a grave and get an anointing, that is demonic. Some preachers and prophets tell people they can have their anointing by coming to a meeting; that is nonsense. I believe in impartation, but you have to be connected to something to receive an impartation. Let’s stop with the charismatic voodoo and come back to a biblical understanding of the laying on of hands.
The Elijah and Elisha generational anointing worked because Elisha dedicated himself to following the prophet. Elisha sacrificed his animals on the plow he burned. There was no going back. An anointing will cost you something, a mantle will cost you something, and any preacher that tours the country giving their mantle willy-nilly is a charlatan.
I believe in mantles, but as I said, you must be connected. But we should also not base our spiritual life on a mantle or impartation from another. Get in the Word for yourself, study yourself, get alone with God, and get a word from God. Elisha had a double portion, but he still walked in his own calling and had his own ministry.
Let’s look at the New Testament portion. By the way, when I say portion, I am referring to the weekly Torah Portion Jews read each week. Messianic Jews add a portion of the New Testament as well. That is why these two portions are together.
Revelation 19:11-16 (CJB) “Next I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. Sitting on it was the one called Faithful and True, and it is in righteousness that he passes judgment and goes to battle. 12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on his head were many royal crowns. And he had a name written which no one knew but himself. 13 He was wearing a robe that had been soaked in blood, and the name by which he is called is, “THE WORD OF GOD.” 14 The armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 And out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down nations — “He will rule them with a staff of iron.” It is he who treads the winepress from which flows the wine of the furious rage of Adonai, God of heaven’s armies. 16 And on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
That is what Jesus looks like in all His glory. That is the King we worship and work on behalf of; that King is the one who said, teach My Word to your children. That is the importance of passing on the truth to the next generation; that is the importance of the fathers and the children coming together.
We need fathers in this generation, both natural and spiritual. We need to understand what being a spiritual father means, and young guys like me need to know when someone, even from a distance, is a spiritual father or someone who just wants an offering.
Father, I pray in Jesus’ name that spiritual fathers would be raised up for my generation. Men who speak the Word boldly and clearly. Men who will pour themselves into young men, especially young ministers. I ask that rigid structures would give way to relational structures and that we would see unity in the body of Christ and the salvation of souls like we never have before.
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