After the Lord had taken up Elijah into heaven, the mantle of Elijah fell upon Elisha with double portion of the spirit of Elijah. Upon receiving Elijah's mantle, which speaks of the clothing of the Spirit, Elisha immediately demonstrated the power of God by parting the water of the Jordan River:
"He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, 'Where is the Lord God of Elijah?' And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over" (2 Kings 2:13, 14, NKJV).
It is interesting to discover, as some Bible teachers said, Elisha performed exactly twice the miracles of Elijah.
The final journey of Elijah and Elisha
The final journey of Elijah with Elisha following him, gives us a picture of the type of people that God seeks after. Elisha was a Biblical type of an overcomer (overcoming Christian believer) who wants the best from God. Therefore the journey of Elisha who followed Elijah all the way to Jordan River speaks of a spiritual journey of an overcomer.
From Gilgal to Bethel
Elijah and Elisha started their journey from Gilgal (2 Kings 2:1). In the original Hebrew language "Gilgal" means "circumcision" or "rolling away the foreskin (the flesh)". It signifies the rolling away of the reproach of Egypt (Joshua 5:9). It speaks of the circumcision of the heart of the believers in our days - not renovation of the heart as some Bible teachers said.
The believer arrives at Gilgal after his salvation experience, which is symbolized by the deliverance of God's people from Egypt. At Gilgal the believer soon forgets the awfulness of his "Egypt", where he needed the supernatural to get him out. Salvation is a spernatural experience. But when he gets comfortable and no longer seems to dependant upon God and he no longer needs the spernatural and thinks he can handle things himself, the manna ceases. But Gilgal is only a transit point for him and God wants him to move on or starve to death!
In my opinion , Gilgal represents religious activities with no power - only a form of godliness. The overcomer realizes that many believers are living in torment and fear although they belong to a Church. Yes, they found religion but many of them failed to find Jesus! And many get so comfortable and contented in Gilgal that they have no desire to go further. They are happy to be born again and have a new circle of Church friends to fellowship with. They are satisfied with many religious Church activities, rituals and various forms of "christianized" worldly entertainment. A true Christian finds no joy in Gilgal and he must go on like Elisha.
After Gilgal, Elisha followed Elijah to Bethel (2 Kings 2:2). Bethel means "the house of God". It speaks of a place of union and communion with Christ, the Head of the Church. David, the psalmist delighted to dwell in the house of God (Ps. 27:4). Bethel is a place where the overcomer can surrender and yield himself to God, a place of dying to self.
Bethel is mentioned throughout the Old Testament. It was a place where many great decisions were made. It was a place where Abraham pitched his tent and made a decision to live for God. It was the place where his grandson, Jacob, told God he would follow and serve Him. It was a place to which he returned to fight with God and be transformed from Jacob to Israel. It was the place where Samuel first heard the Voice of God. It was the place where Saul rejected God Word and lost everything, including his kingdom. You can go on and on.
Some Christians arrive at their Bethels and succeeded mightily, while others failed. They succeeded because they feared God, love the truth, would not compromise the truth of God's Word and lived with whole-hearted obedience to the Lord. Some failed because they were proud, arrogant, complacent, and found to be men-fearing and men-pleasing.
From Bethel to Jericho
I believe Elijah was testing Elisha when he suggested Elisha should stay in Bethel as he went on to Jericho alone (2 Kings 2:4). But Elisha knew that there was no double portion for him if he had decided to stay in Bethel. And so he continued to follow Elijah.
Jericho speaks of a place of spiritual warfare. It was in Jericho, in Joshua's time, that the walls of Jericho came tumbling down - without physical human combat. The victory did not come from a strategic battle plan but came by the Person Jesus Christ - the Commander of the army of the Lord (Joshua 5:14). It was in the vicinity of Jericho that our Lord Jesus faced Satan when He was tempted for forty days and forty nights.
When the overcomer arrives in "Jericho", Satan will oppose him just like he opposed Jesus. Satan will attack his finances, his body, his mind and his family. He will be persecuted for standing on the truth (2 Tim. 3:12). The overcomer will be tempted to war against flesh and blood, but he will not give in to temptation. He knows God's grace is sufficient for him, and God's strength is made perfect in his weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). He knows who the real enemy is - the Devil. His road to victory is through spiritual warfare with the help of the Captain of the host.
"Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
And so he submits to God and God calls him to be an intercessor. Today in the Church, we need to learn how to intercede rather than just using "mouth" prayer or "shopping-list" prayer. The overcomer will not be distracted by all the disturbing circumstances aroung him and he must go on.
From Jericho to Jordan
"Then Elijah said to him, 'Say here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.' But he said, 'As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!' So the two of them went on" (2 Kings 2:6).
Elisha made the decision to listen to the call of God rather than listen to Elijah. It was God's will that Elisha received the mantle of Elijah.
At Jordan God opens the overcomer's eyes and he receives spiritual sight. At Jordan he begins to see beyond the natural and into the supernatural realm. God's Word suddenly comes alive to the overcomer.
Jordan was the place where Elisha received the double portion of the Holy Spirit (2 Kings 2:8 - 13). Hidden within these Scriptures is a fantastic shadow of that happened at Jordan, the place of spiritual vision. Elisha did two things. He tore off his old clothers, signifying the release of the old man and the past. Then he picked up the mantle hat had fallen and knew that his double portion had come. When the new is on the way, the overcomer must say good bye to the past. He gives up the old so that God can perform the new in his life - a transformed life clothed with the Mantle of God!
It was at the River Jordan that John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove upon our Lord Jesus. The dove which symbolizes the Holy Spirit is a bird that is known for its sensitivity, purity, and its faithfulness. Someone had said, when a dove's mate dies, it does not go to look for another mate - it is faithful to its mate. It just pines away and after a period of time it also dies. The dove has two wings like all birds but there are nine feathers on each wing - speaks of the nine Gifts of the Spirit and the nine Fruit of the Spirit. The dove's tail has five feathers in it - speaks of the five-fold ministry gift for the Church (Eph. 4:11).
Notice that all the four Gospel writers testified that Jesus Himself saw the Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove after He was baptized by John in the Jordan (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32). In the case of the Gospel according to John, John himself testified:
"I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him" (John 1:32, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice that the dove, which speaks of the Holy Spirit, remained upon Jesus as He started His earthly Ministry. This indicates that Jesus was clothed upon with the Mantle of God for His powerful Ministry.
Paul said, "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9, emphasis added).
Notice that in just one verse, Paul mentions both the "Spirit of God" and the "Spirit of Christ". It is true that both are the descriptions of the Holy Spirit, but the emphasis is in the "Spirit of Christ" which is a dove-like Spirit. It speaks of the Character and Personality of Christ Himself - sensitivity, purity, and faithfulness with all the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit. The "Spirit of Christ" is God's Mantle for His end-time people! You and I have the privilege to put on the the Mantle of Jesus!
According to Paul unless a Christian believer is clothed upon by the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to Christ. Think about it; without the Spirit of Christ you cannot even claim to be a Christian!
Elisha was clothed upon by the mantle of Elijah and received the double portion the Spirit of Elijah. Surely, we as end-time believers, clothed upon by the Mantle of Jesus, are going to receive more than a double portion the Spirit! Just imagine, we are going to perform more miracles than Elisha ever though we should not be seeking after miracles and signs and wonders.
More than the double portion
It is without doubt that members of the early Church moved in greater power in the Holy Spirit than what many of God's people are moving today. The contemporary Church seems to have lost the power of Pentecost and the Gospel message seems to have little effect on the unbelieving community. Many Local Churches are aware of this because they are not getting a great harvest of souls as expected. Therefore you are seeing many Local Churches, the world over, planning outreach programs and projects to bring souls to the Kingdom of God. All these activities are good provided they are born out God's idea and not man's idea.
Many believers are now crying to God for another Pentecost. In my opinion, God will not give us another Pentecost. The first Pentecost came and gone and He has much greater things prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). But, first God wants us to take heed of true prophecies.
Jehoshaphat said, "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper" (2 Chron. 20:20).
We, as end-time people of God, are living in the days depicted by Joel's prophecy:
"Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you - the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" (Joel 2:23, NKJV, emphasis added).
Here are some statements of truth:
1. "Children of Zion" speaks of "Christian believers". The word "Zion" in Scripture always speaks of the Church.
2. "Rain" in the context of Joel 2:23 speaks of the Holy Spirit. The "former rain" which refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost was considered moderate.
3. But we are going to receive the former rain plus the latter rain in the days to come! In the land of Palestine "the former rain and later rain" came respectively at seed time and harvest. Since the later rain came in the first month the former rain came six months earlier. Bible researchers said the later rain is seven time stronger than the former rain!
The Former Rain plus the Latter Rain
God has more for you and me than the double portion. The Charismatic movement was at the time of the former rain - only moderately even in comparison with the Day of Pentecost. But we are now at the Feast of the Tabernacle - the last seventh month. We are at the Second Veil and God is going to let us enter into the Holy of Holies soon - right into the presence of God! In the days to come God is going to send both the Former Rain and the Latter Rain all at the same time - that is seven plus one = eight portions, or eight-fold anointing! In Biblical language, the number "eight" speaks of Resurrection, New Order and New Beginning. Is the Church ready to receive more than the Double Portion?
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