When Relationship Comes Before the Mantle
As I was reading 2 Kings 2, I found myself wondering why Elijah kept trying to leave Elisha behind.
As a teacher, you would think Elijah would want to spend every last moment teaching and preparing his successor. Yet at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho, he repeatedly told Elisha to stay behind while he continued on.
Why?
The Bible doesn’t tell us directly, but it seems possible that Elijah was testing Elisha’s commitment. Each time Elijah asked him to stay, Elisha refused.
“As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”
Elisha knew Elijah was about to be taken. The other prophets knew it too. Yet he stayed close and watched carefully every step of the journey.
Eventually Elijah asked him, “What shall I do for you before I am taken from you?” Without hesitation, Elisha asked for a double portion.
Many people read this and focus on the mantle, the anointing, or the power. But I noticed something else. Elisha received the mantle because he valued the relationship more than the reward.
He wasn’t chasing the mantle. He was following the man God had called him to serve.
When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha saw it happen because he had remained faithful to the very end. Then the mantle fell, and he picked it up and continued the work God had called him to do.
As I reflected on this, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus and His disciples.
Jesus promised that those who believe in Him would do the works He did and even greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit. But before the disciples received that power, they spent years walking with Jesus. They watched Him carefully. They listened to His words. They learned His ways. Most importantly, they watched Him do the will of the Father.
Perhaps the lesson is that we don’t chase power, we pursue Christ.
Like Elisha, we stay close. We watch carefully. We follow faithfully. As we learn to walk as Jesus walked and do the will of the Father, the Holy Spirit empowers us to continue His work in the world.
The mantle was never the goal.
The relationship was.
As I was reading 2 Kings 2, I found myself wondering why Elijah kept trying to leave Elisha behind.
As a teacher, you would think Elijah would want to spend every last moment teaching and preparing his successor. Yet at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho, he repeatedly told Elisha to stay behind while he continued on.
Why?
The Bible doesn’t tell us directly, but it seems possible that Elijah was testing Elisha’s commitment. Each time Elijah asked him to stay, Elisha refused.
“As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”
Elisha knew Elijah was about to be taken. The other prophets knew it too. Yet he stayed close and watched carefully every step of the journey.
Eventually Elijah asked him, “What shall I do for you before I am taken from you?” Without hesitation, Elisha asked for a double portion.
Many people read this and focus on the mantle, the anointing, or the power. But I noticed something else. Elisha received the mantle because he valued the relationship more than the reward.
He wasn’t chasing the mantle. He was following the man God had called him to serve.
When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha saw it happen because he had remained faithful to the very end. Then the mantle fell, and he picked it up and continued the work God had called him to do.
As I reflected on this, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus and His disciples.
Jesus promised that those who believe in Him would do the works He did and even greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit. But before the disciples received that power, they spent years walking with Jesus. They watched Him carefully. They listened to His words. They learned His ways. Most importantly, they watched Him do the will of the Father.
Perhaps the lesson is that we don’t chase power, we pursue Christ.
Like Elisha, we stay close. We watch carefully. We follow faithfully. As we learn to walk as Jesus walked and do the will of the Father, the Holy Spirit empowers us to continue His work in the world.
The mantle was never the goal.
The relationship was.
When Relationship Comes Before the Mantle
As I was reading 2 Kings 2, I found myself wondering why Elijah kept trying to leave Elisha behind.
As a teacher, you would think Elijah would want to spend every last moment teaching and preparing his successor. Yet at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho, he repeatedly told Elisha to stay behind while he continued on.
Why?
The Bible doesn’t tell us directly, but it seems possible that Elijah was testing Elisha’s commitment. Each time Elijah asked him to stay, Elisha refused.
“As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”
Elisha knew Elijah was about to be taken. The other prophets knew it too. Yet he stayed close and watched carefully every step of the journey.
Eventually Elijah asked him, “What shall I do for you before I am taken from you?” Without hesitation, Elisha asked for a double portion.
Many people read this and focus on the mantle, the anointing, or the power. But I noticed something else. Elisha received the mantle because he valued the relationship more than the reward.
He wasn’t chasing the mantle. He was following the man God had called him to serve.
When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha saw it happen because he had remained faithful to the very end. Then the mantle fell, and he picked it up and continued the work God had called him to do.
As I reflected on this, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus and His disciples.
Jesus promised that those who believe in Him would do the works He did and even greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit. But before the disciples received that power, they spent years walking with Jesus. They watched Him carefully. They listened to His words. They learned His ways. Most importantly, they watched Him do the will of the Father.
Perhaps the lesson is that we don’t chase power, we pursue Christ.
Like Elisha, we stay close. We watch carefully. We follow faithfully. As we learn to walk as Jesus walked and do the will of the Father, the Holy Spirit empowers us to continue His work in the world.
The mantle was never the goal.
The relationship was.
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