The Mantle and the Responsibility

 _The Life and Ministry of Prophet Elisha 4_ 

 *The Mantle and the Responsibility.* 

The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him 2 Kings 2:15NIV

The mantle of Elijah falling into the hands of Elisha implied the power and authority of Elijah passed over to Elisha. That was what the sons of the prophets recognized and went to pay respect to Elisha. At this point, it is necessary that we correct an interpretation to a scripture that has often been presented out of context.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied 2 Kings 2:9NIV

This discussion does not mean that Elisha wanted to be twice as anointed as Elijah was. Instead, it meant that he was asking for the right of the firstborn among the sons of the prophet that were under Elijah.

He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him. Deut 21:17NIV

In the other of precedence among the other sons of the prophet, Elisha was not the first, hence Elijah said that he asked for a difficult thing as that decision made publicly could stir problem among his disciples.

Having cleared that, it is important we understand that assuming the place of leadership ought not to be about the material gains and privileges attached to the high office. Christian leaders should be concerned instead about how they can effectively help their followers to achieve the divine purpose for the organization. Unfortunately, most of the conflicts we see in our midst are driven by selfishness and not because of the desire to serve God. Most church break-ups are as the result of people who want to hold to or draw followers after themselves. 

I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them Acts 20:29-30NIV

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Eph 4:14NIV

A lot of, so-called higher revelation teachings we hear today are driven by ungodly ambition of bible teachers to outdo other Christian leaders and that is why these teachings rather than build up the Body of Christ, are causing confusion among followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Believers often forget or neglect one of the reasons the Holy Spirit compiled the accounts of bible stories and characters for us,

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 1 Cor 10:11-12NIV

Some believers are surprised when we mention what we consider some errors in the life of men like Elijah, Elisha. Paul and Peter. That is why the bible is the word of God. God wants to present us with good examples to imitate and warn us of the consequences of following bad examples. Also we are offered encouragement through the accounts of the tenacity of some of the bible characters.

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Rom 15:4NIV

So, we are not having these meditations for the pleasure of it but we are yielding ourselves to the teachings of the Holy Spirit through the holy scriptures.

In our text scripture we find something that is vital in the matter of leadership succession in this holy faith; "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." Once we observe this anywhere, our opinion ceases to matter. We must do what those sons of the prophet did; “they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him”

There are other sides to this; the leader, who is handing over his leadership mantle or office, should be careful that he does not yield to sentiments or be prejudiced by emotions and then hand over the mantle to a person upon whom his spirit has not rested. We have this kind of thing when Moses had to handover to Joshua as his successor. 

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. Deut 34:9NIV

We are not told but there could have been a temptation for Moses to follow the old pattern where he was the senior prophet, his brother Aaron was the chief priest and his sister was the prophetess. The children of Aaron succeeded him and the leadership mantle has always been within their family line, but now the Lord is asking him to transfer leadership to someone that was not even from his tribe. Many of the conflicts in our denominational circles has resulted because senior prophet Moses refused to do that. In some cases, as we have many in Nigeria, the leader died with instructions to transfer to Joshua, but members of his family gang together and subverted his instructions. We then have a man occupying an office for which the spirit that is behind that office does not support him.

Another temptation is for Elisha to think that since Elijah was the pioneer of the work, things must go on exactly as he found them. In some cases, the sons of the prophets or, as in Moses’ case, the elders of Israel would bound together to insist that the new leader must continue in the order that he met things. Moses was prophet but Joshua was a warrior; Paul was an Apostle but Timothy was a Pastor whom Paul asked to add evangelistic flavour to his ministry. There is no way things could continue to follow the same order with these new leaders. The Spirit was the same but the manner He used them would be different.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men 1 Cor 12:4-6NIV

When the aged high priest Zechariah eventually had a son, the people felt that he should be named after his father, “Zechariah Junior”, but that was not God’s plan. Every instrument of God is unique.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."  Luke 1:59-60NIV

It appears to me that Elisha did not understand this. He seemed to want to continue to do things the way Elijah did. A time came the sons of the prophet urged him that there is need for improvement.

The company of the prophets said to Elisha, "Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to live." And he said, "Go." Then one of them said, "Won't you please come with your servants?" "I will," Elisha replied. 2 Kings 6:1-3NIV

What Elisha must not lose or alter are the charismatic signs in the ministry of Elijah, because these are the proof of the Spirit of the God of Elijah. Elisha raised the dead as Elijah did; Elisha pathed the river like Elijah did; he multiplied food and prophesied to kings and kingdoms; but if this ministry will move forward, Elisha must bring another dimension of leadership. He must bring in new effective methods to make the school of prophets work better.

 Successors must not do everything like their predecessors; children must not continue the family business in the same order. Some Christian organizations refused to embrace technology because their founder did not use it. Some organizations refused to embrace some operations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit because their church founders did not experience it. These has resulted in stifling the influence of the Holy Spirit in some Christian circles. Once we are sure that it is the Spirit of the God of the leader that is resting on his successor, it will be his responsibility to chart new paths for them to attain greater heights. This should not be done by resorting to secular methods, but he must necessarily seek God afresh through prayers and meditation, to find out how He would lead him.

I will love to have reactions here!

TO BE CONTINUED

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Emma, your brother pnurnigeria@gmail.com