The Relationship Equation: Part 4 Two Men One Purpose

Two Men One Kingdom Purpose The Relationship Equation Part 4

1 Cor 15:3-5, 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ESV

Jude 3-4, 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. ESV

A summation would be “Faith delivered once and for all was delivered to the Saints, by the Scriptures.”

  • Paul only had the Old Testament Scriptures…
  • Luke and the Road to Emmaus…
    • 2 people “Cleopas and Mary, the aunt of Jesus were the two people Jesus walked with along the road to Emmaus
    • There are 46 Old Testament references to 3rd Day Resurrection…
    • The first being in Genesis 1 that on day 3…God caused the Earth, to rise up out of the waters…

The reason I mention this is…though we get inspired and we learn from the Old Testament scriptures…it all points to Jesus.

2 Kings 2:1-14. 2 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5  The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. ESV

This passage of scripture is a culmination of a 13 year Journey of these two men…and I want to take us on that Journey this morning…

  1. Elijah
    1. We are introduced to Elijah’s journey in 1Kings 17 where this Prophet seemingly comes out of the nowhere and confronts Ahab and his Phoenician, Pagan wife Jezabel…
      1. We see in the Story that Elijah calls for a 3 ½ year drought…a famine…
      2. Yet God miraculously takes care of Elijah…

In the 18th Chapter we read where Elijah calls fire down on the Prophets of Baal…

  1. But then in the 19th Chapter of 1Kings Elijah runs to a cave discouraged…
    1. It is the same cave Moses hid in, and God passed by revealing His Glory to Moses…
    2. It is in this cave that God speaks to Elijah in the middle of his discouragement and depression and fear…
  2. It is in this cave where God speaks to Elijah and tells him…you need a guy in your life named Elisah…but God knew Elijah wouldn’t seek him out unless the meeting at purpose…
    1. So God tells Elijah, go and anoint Elisha…
    2. Which Elijah could go do that because men need something to do…
  3. Elijah and Elisha Meet
  • 1 Kings 19:19-21, 19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. ESV
  • There is so much in these short few verses…but I want to show you just a couple of things tonight and then we can go…
  1. In 2 Kings 2 I had you pay attention to the mantle that Elisha is asking for…it is here in 1 Kings Elisha gets his first brush with that Mantle…and the tangible anointing that resided in that Mantle.
  2. Elisha
    1. Elisha is plowing in a field…
    2. He is part of a team of plowmen and ox….
      1. There are twelve team of oxen…
      2. Elisha is on the 12th Team which is indication…He owns all the other teams…
      3. Matter of fact, the field is his….
  • Elisha is a man of faith…
    1. It hadn’t rained in 3.5 years…and he is plowing in expectation of putting seed into the ground…
    2. You only put a seed in the ground if you are anticipating a harvest…a crop…
  1. Elisha comes from a good family…a whole family…He has a mom and dad…because when the Mantle passes over him…he asks the prophet…let me kiss my mom and dad goodbye and I will follow you…
  1. The mantle was a hairy camel’s skin coat…
    1. It wasn’t attractive…
    2. It wasn’t beautiful
  • Matter of fact probably attracted flies… and had to be tended to periodically because of the smell and flies…filled with sweat.
  1. But often in God’s kingdom…it’s not the pretty, the ornate or the tailored fit…that carries the greatest anointing.
    1. It’s not the most polished…
  • What Have I Done to You

20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

  1. What a powerful question…
    1. Elijah isn’t asking as if he doesn’t know the answer…
    2. Elijah is inquiring of Elisha…do you understand the significance of the moment…and are you able to define it….
  • The defining of the moment and the outcome of the moment is determined by Elisha…not Elijah…
  1. Often times we are the ones who get to define the significance of a Prophetic Moment or even a service…
    1. I could tell you today is a Powerful and Monumental Day…
  2. But unless you lean into today, the Anointing in the room and Magnitude of what God is doing…even in the unpolished…it’ll just be another day.

For 13 – 19 years Elisha follows Elijah…usually as we read in 2 Kings 2…. Elijah is trying to lose him…

  • There is a powerful anointing and gift released to those who can be rejected and still stay….

Pay Off

  1. 2 Kings 2:8-12, 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. ESV
  2. If You See What I See…
  3. In the Hebrew text the word “me” isn’t there….
  4. It isn’t that you see me…that gives you access to my Mantle…
  • Can you see what I see…that is what Elijah is telling Elisha….
  1. He sees the Mekavah of God
    1. The Throne…
    2. What Ezekiel saw…the Wheel within a Wheel…
    3. God is a moving God who doesn’t Move….
    4. HE fills all things so He doesn’t have to move to fill a thing…but God uses language that is relatable to us though he never has to move…
  2. The Whirlwind Divides the Two Men…Taking Elijah
    1. This Whirlwind appears in Genesis 1 verse 2
    2. Over Mt. Sinai when God calls the people to the top of the Mountain and only Moses goes
  • When Solomon’s temple is dedicated…The Whirlwind shows up and the Priest can’t stand to minister in the wind of Glory…
  1. Job encounters this same Whirlwind….
  2. The whirlwind is where you enter into the Unknowing but in the Trusting…
  3. When Elijah is taken…he is in a dark place
    1. But Elisha in Elijah’s life validates Elijah’s life
    2. Validates his suffering
  • Validates all the aloneness
  1. Elisha is validation of Elijah’s whole life
    1. His call
    2. His assignment
    3. Even validates that old camel haired jacket…
  2. Jesus said, “if you do what I command, you are my friend…”
    1. Our obedience validates the finished work of the cross
    2. We validate the life and ministry of Jesus when we live for and obey him…
  3. Can I just say this…
    1. Your life growing in Christ
    2. Your life being blessed
    3. Jesus doing a work in your life, family, finances, business and ministry….
    4. Validates the call of God on my life…
  • Elisha’s friendship with Elijah brought 7,000 other prophets out of hiding….
  • Elisha brings a life of validation to Elijah by being a Son….

Grow Into It

  1. 1Kings 19 Elisha encounters this Mantle….
  2. 2Kings 2 Elijah is taken away and Elisha picks up the mantle and slaps the Jordan and yells where is the God of Elijah
  3. Tell Your Neighbor – Grow Into It
    1. In the Old Testament…the garments of Prophet’s and Priest were not tailored to fit the next generation….
    2. The next generation had to grow into the ability to wear the garment and to carry all the garment represented…
  • All of Aaron’s sons had to grow into the Priestly garments….
  1. We have a generation that wants anointing without the requirement of growth…
  2. The reason why Elijah asked…what have I done to you…is because Elisha had no idea the growth that would be required….
  3. When Elijah is taken…Elisha yells out “My Father, My Father” because not only did the Mantle fall to the ground, but the weight of the Prophetic fell on Elisha…
    1. The isolation….
    2. The pain of being called of God…
  • We want salvation without weight….
  1. We want the armor of God without growing into it…
  2. We want signs, wonders, and miracles…without being misunderstood and lied about…
  3. We want to share faith…without the risk of rejection….

Closing

  1. Understanding Comes Over Time
    1. Elisha picks up the Mantle and is keenly aware of what it cost…
    2. He understands now after all these years…the Weight…
  • He also understands the responsibility and privileges that come with such a gift….

2 Kings 13:14-20, 14 Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.” 20 So Elisha died, and they buried him ESV

  1. Elisha gets angry with the King…because the King didn’t recognize the magnitude of the Prophetic Moment….the Power of the Prophets command…
  2. I’m just wondering when vision is cast or when we encounter a powerful moment with God…
    1. do we recognize the moment…
    2. maybe even the cost…
    3. the price we will have to pay….
  3. the benefit of obedience.
  4. Are we willing to grow into the fullness of our calling as sons and daughters of the Most High God!!!!

 

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