Passing the mantle

The first task given to Elijah on the road back was to anoint was his replacement! Elijah had been told specifically that he was to anoint Elisha as prophet in his own place. Elisha was not just to be a prophet, but the prophet in the place of Elijah. No one lives forever and someone would have had to take Elijah’s place but no one likes to be reminded of their mortality and to have it implied that their ministry could be over sooner than they think. Whether Elijah thought at the time that he was to immediately relinquish his call or that Elisha would take over when Elijah passed away is unknown but it is likely that he would have been less than impressed with the idea that he was to prepare for his own demise. But it is sign of Elijah’s obedience and his desire to return to the place of God’s favour that he did as God required.

Elijah began his journey to Damascus and on the way he sought out Elisha who was working the fields with his oxen and labourers. As he approached Elisha no greeting was exchanged, no salutation offered and no casual interchange of thoughts or ideas. Instead when he saw Elisha he went over to him, threw his mantle on him and kept on walking! His actions may have seemed a little churlish, surely this passing of the prophetic mantle could have been handled more graciously, shouldn’t there have been a little ceremony, perhaps anointing with oil or something. Or maybe that’s the way we would do things – make a big deal of someone assuming a ministry role to which they have been called and turning it into some sort of celebrity event. It seems that both of the men involved accepted that this was a normal passing of the baton. Elijah’s ministry was coming to an end and it was Elisha that would take the baton for the next leg of the race. Like Elijah, the ministry that God has given to you will one day be passed on to another. It is not your personal possession that you should jealously hang on to but one that is to be entrusted to faithful men and women so that they too can run the race that is before them. Do not hang on to your ministry so tightly that you cannot give it up when God calls you to do so.

After Elisha had received the mantle from Elijah he returned to his family, said goodbye to them and then sacrificed his oxen. Then he ran after Elijah caught him and followed after him. Elisha had been given the prophetic mantle but now he followed Elijah so that he could minister to him. Elisha understood that his first task as a leader in the nation was to serve and the person he was going to serve was Elijah. He followed after Elijah because he could learn from him, yes he would take his place but he was not going to play the part of a usurper, he would wait until God told him to take on the prophetic role, but until then he would serve Elijah. Obviously Elisha had respect for Elijah and recognized him as a man of God who had been mightily used and who would be again. Whatever Elijah thought, Elisha did not expect him to step aside.

It must have been difficult for Elisha to play second fiddle to Elijah when he knew that he was to assume his responsibility. Did he secretly hope for his time to come sooner or did he calmly wait for his turn? The role of ‘leader in waiting’ is a difficult one to fill. Unfortunately many ambitious men and women who have been understudies to strong leaders have become frustrated and acted in ways that are inappropriate. This happens in all walks of life from aspiring political leaders to businessmen and sports people. Often impatient aspirants for the ‘top job’ manipulate and contrive to create a situation where they can rise to the position they desire. Others may be able to humbly bide their time but even then their frustration can show. Elisha did not have these issues, his demeanor was one of humility and patience. He was unruffled and prepared to wait until God called him. He didn’t try to hurry things along, he just did what he needed to do until God called him into greater responsibilities.

Elisha had given up wealth, family, social standing and comfort to follow Elijah. He had been given the mantle and it would not have been unreasonable for him to expect to be given some significant position or role. But this was not to be for some time and until it did happen he was to remain the companion of Elijah. Elisha saw this as an opportunity to serve, to minister to the needs of this man of God. He didn’t seek the limelight, he knew that he could best accomplish God’s purposes by assisting the man who was still the prophet of Israel.

It may be that you are waiting to rise to a position of influence. You have faithfully served other leaders and assisted them to accomplish their goals, and of course they received all the credit. But you know that God has prepared works for you to do, if only some of these old stagers would just move out of the way. This is especially difficult for the young. Youth brings its own impatience and in these days of fast foods, microwaves, drive through eating and instant nearly everything there is no need to delay the gratification of any desire. We know what we want and we want it now! If God has placed you second or below on the totem pole in whatever sphere of ministry he has called you to – whether that is pulpit ministry, the business world, education, government or some other endeavour – it is so that you can serve those in leadership. It can be frustrating and you may be right in assuming you know better than those who lead you and could in fact do a better job but until God prepares the way for you to take the top spot he wants you to stay where you are, humbly ministering to those who have gone before. Not all of us are called to be leaders in every endeavour we commit to, some are – but not all. Some are happy to remain followers and that is entirely in accord with what God wants, but there are those who are called to be leaders and they are required to remain in a place of service until God elevates them to the place of leadership. And he will only do that once they have learnt how to serve.