Text: 2 Kings 2:9-16

I’ve always heard that if you can only do one, end strong. “End your sermon with something to remember,” one of my professors said.  You can start off slow and small but you have to end big. The story of Elijah starts off slow and small but ends big. That’s the only way to describe this great prophet.

 This is the last week of a sermon series on Elijah. Elijah emerges from nowhere, a solitary voice speaking on behalf of God. He begins his ministry when King Ahab marries Jezebel and they start worshipping the Sidionite god, Baal. Baal was the god of fertility and as such, controlled the rain. God instructs Elijah to declare a drought and he does.  Elijah says, “… As the Lord the god of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word” (1 Kings 17: 1b).  Then he runs for his life.  You have to admit it is a meager beginning, nothing really to get excited about. I’m sure that Ahab probably ignored the unknown prophet, gave him little regard until the drought began to set in. It lasted 3 years and by the end of the drought, King Ahab perceived Elijah to be “the troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18: 17b).

While Ahab identifies Elijah as a troubler, we identity him as a great and mighty prophet and as the sole voice speaking God’s truth in a time of great evil. It’s the first thing we’ve learned from Elijah. One life can make a difference. We are challenged to make a life that makes a difference, MALTMAD.  Are you making a difference?

Making a difference is determined by your motives.  The difference you make can be helpful or hurtful. Elijah challenges everyone to examine their motives. In Elijah’s story, King Ahab is greedy, Jezebel is power-hungry and the people of Israel are following their evil ways because they don’t want to rock the boat.  They are all doing “evil in the sight of the Lord” ( 1 Kings 19:20b).  Elijah teaches us that your motives are always revealed. God always finds out and holds you accountable.  Elijah confronts Ahab with his evil doing and because he is repentant, God decides that he won’t punish him.  Instead, Elijah predicts that Ahab’s sin will bring disaster upon his son. The sins of the father indeed rest on the son.

Elijah teaches us that one life can make a difference, that we have to examine our motives and that we need to realize that we are modeling Christian behavior. You are a role model whether you know it or not. Whether you accept the responsibility or not, you model a life lived in Christ. People are watching you. In his last big prophetic moment, Elijah models faithfulness by standing up against the false prophets of Baal and then, retreating to listen for God’s voice. He models reflective listening. He finds God’s voice not in the wind or fire or earthquake. Rather, it comes to him in the sound of sheer silence, as a gentle whisper, as a still small voice.

This week, Elijah’s earthly ministry comes to an end but he doesn’t die. Because of his faithfulness, Elijah is one of two in the Bible who ascend directly to heaven. But that’s getting ahead of our story.  Before we get to that point, we need to introduce Elijah’s replacement and talk about his relationship with Elijah.

The story begins as Elijah leaves Mount Herob, the mountain upon which he heard God’s voice in the sheer silence. “So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him.” (1 Kings 19:19).  In the Bible, a mantle is an out coat (overcoat) and is also a symbol of authority.  In this act of throwing a coat, Elijah picks his successor, literally throwing authority upon the shoulders of Elisha.

Many of you know that my brother Rick Spleth is the regional minister of the Christian Church in Indiana. As such, he spends a great deal of time going to local churches and talking to search committees trying to find a new minister. He tells me that some committees form easily and work well together while others struggle with their assignment and are difficult to support. Whatever their nature, pulpit committees have a very serious responsibility when choosing a pastor for a congregation. Committees read dozens and dozens of resumes. They listen to countless sermons. They take visits to listen to potential preachers, praying that the Holy Spirit will inspire them to make the right choice.  It is a long, difficult process. But it doesn’t end at just finding the candidate. There is then the negotiation of the terms of contract and the vote of the Board and the congregation to extend a call.  There are a lot of hands in the decision and it is no wonder that it often takes well over a year for a congregation to call a new pastor.  

When it comes to finding Elijah’s replacement, no committee is formed. Rather, it’s an individual decision rather, I think, like the judges at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.  The 134th show just crowned Sadie, a Scottish Terrier as the best in show.  I love watching that on television and the drama of that one judge looking over all of the dogs and then pointing to the winner while the dogs are just being dogs, prancing around, looking terrific and not realizing that something large was at hand. The selection is over before there is any realization that there was a decision at hand.[i] 

Elijah was plowing his fields, minding his own business which must have been a large agricultural business. Twelve oxen is a significant investment of plough animals and could only mean that there was a significant amount of land being cultivated.  When Elijah throws his mantle over Elisha, the deed is done. The selection is over as surely as a Westminster kennel club judge points to the winner. And if the canines are clueless, Elisha is not. Elisha knows he’s been called and responds. “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you” (1 Kings 19:20).  There is no discussion with the committee, no negotiation of a contract, no vote of a congregation.  If we are so picky about replacements, how does it happen that Elijah knows to pick Elisha?  There was an understanding and recognition on Elijah’s part that he’d have to pass the torch; he’d have to pick his successor. Elijah had been looking for his replacement.

 Historians tell us that there were schools of prophets all over Israel.  They were probably set up by Samuel and three were located at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho. At these three schools young men were trained to undertake the sacred calling and disciplined lifestyle of a prophet.  As a father of a college student, I field the question often, “Where is your son going to school and what is he studying?”  I can’t imagine saying, “He’s over at Gilgal, studying to be a prophet.” The young prophet’s in training played a prominent role in Elijah passing the mantle to Elisha, serving as witnesses to the transfer of power. It is likely that Elijah first saw Elisha at one of these schools; he was a prophet in waiting, ready for the opportunity. So when Elijah throws his mantle upon him, Elisha is willing to answer the call.

Willingness is an important consideration in serving God.  If you aren’t willing, no amount of coats thrown on your shoulders will convince you to accept the responsibility of service. Not all of us are called to be prophets but all are called to serve.  The great reformationist Martin Luther became convinced that no livelihood was dearer to the heart of God than any other. So he left the monastery to proclaim the priesthood of all believers. Whatever our jobs in the world happen to be, whether we are a doctor or a store clerk, a hair stylist or a plumber, we are called to use our vocation for loving God and neighbor. Luther said, “We all have the tools to make a difference.”  In your work, how you spend your day, you have the tools to express your love for God and love. In fact, every human interaction offers you the chance to make things better or to make things worse. But there has to be a willingness to wear the coat, to accept the mantle of our mutual vocation of service. 

Elisha puts the mantle on willingly but asks for the opportunity to go home and kiss his mom and dad. Perhaps he wanted them to recognize and affirm his higher calling. Maybe he wanted their support; being a prophet is a tough business and Elisha is going to need support. Whatever the reason, he kisses mom and dad and then he throws a huge party.  Elisha took the twelve yoke of oxen with which he was plowing, killed and butchered them and had a great feast. Everyone in the village was excited about his call. “Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant” (1 Kings 19: 21b).

I think a better word might be understudy or perhaps apprentice.  For three years, he travels along with Elijah. When Elijah confronts Ahab in Naboth’s vineyard, Elisha iss somewhere in the wings, watching, learning, seeing how the mantle fits. As Ahab dies in battle and his son Ahaziah takes over and begins to worship Baal-zebub the God of Ekron, Elisha is there witnessing Elijah call down fire from heaven on Ahaziah’s armies. He is growing into his clothes, so to speak, witnessing the power of Elijah’s ministry. Mantles, by nature, are big, like a winter coat purchased to get a child through a couple of seasons. When a mantle is first put on us, it feels like we will never grow into it. But soon, if we place ourselves in position to witness those who’ve worn the coat, we will grow in it.

The end comes like an aging rocker, on one last farewell tour. This is really a farewell, not like Kiss or the Eagles promising one last tour but everyone knows that there will be another. This is a last tour because scripture offers, “Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal” (1 Kings 2:10.) Gilgal, you’ll remember, is one of the schools for the prophets. That’s where the tour begins. Then go on from there to Bethel and then on to the third school at Jericho. At each school, Elijah gives Elisha an opportunity to stay behind. And each time,  “Elisha says, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you’” (2 Kings 2b). Finally, Elijah and Elisha leave for the river Jordan and they are accompanied by 50 of the sons of the prophets.  This small army of prophets will be the witness to the passing of authority.

As they arrive at the river Jordan, perhaps at the very spot the tribes of Israel used to enter the promised land, “Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.” (2 Kings 2:8). If it sounds familiar, it should. Most of us know that Moses parted the Red Sea during the exodus from Egypt and you may remember that Joshua parted the river Jordan as the people of God take the Promised Land.        

“When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit” (2 Kings 2:9).

Elisha isn’t being greedy. In fact, he isn’t even asking for an amount. He’s asking for a blessing.  A “double share” is estate language; in those days meaning two-thirds of an inheritance. The heir, the first born always got 2/3 of the inheritance. What Elisha wants is the spiritual charisma, leadership, and God-given prophetic mission that Elijah faithfully carried out. Elisha wants to be like Elijah. Elisha is saying, “Okay, give me the mantle. I want to be like you. I want to walk in your shoes.”

Elijah responds “…. if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not” (2 Kings 2:10b). Suddenly, a chariot of fire with horses of fire separate Elijah and Elisha and a whirlwind and Elijah ascends into heaven. Elisha watches it all and when he is gone, the only thing left is the mantle.  “He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. When the company of prophets  who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.” (2 Kings 2: 14).

With all due respect to the negro spiritual, Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot, Elijah doesn’t ride a chariot into heaven.  He ascends in a whirlwind. But either way, it’s a big ending. The story of Elijah starts off slow and small but ends big, really big but not in the way you think.  It ends big because he passes the torch. He creates a legacy of faith.  Elisha picks up the mantle of his mentor, puts it on and it finally fits. When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.” (2 Kings 2: 15).  Elijah didn’t just have an impact in his own lifetime. He mentored another, encouraged him to take the mantle on his shoulders and move into the future. 

It’s a great story, one which speaks to all of us. Elijah reminds us that we all can make a difference but only if we are clear about our motives. When our motives are right, we model what it means to be a faithful follower and when we do, we can build a great legacy of faith. Others will pick up our mantle and walk in our steps.

While you and I aren’t going to ascend into heaven without dying, one day we will cross the river Jordan into the Promised Land. I pray that when we do we’ve lived our lives by these truths, offered to us by Elijah, truth that was good 2700 years ago and is good today.