The “company of the prophets” mentioned in today’s section of scripture were students who were taught by Elijah and
others. There seem to have been classes of them in various places. Elijah probably travelled from place to place to teach
them. In this chapter, he makes one last round of visits before being taken away.
Elijah’s cloak (or mantle) was a large cape that could be used as an overcoat by day and a blanket by night. He rolled it
up and hit the surface of the water with it. Instantly, there was a dry path across the river.
It was customary for the oldest son to receive a double portion of a father’s estate. By asking for a double portion of
Elijah’s spirit, Elisha showed that he knew he would need much help to carry on Elijah’s work. Elijah knew that only the
Lord could choose whether or not Elisha would carry on his work. The Spirit guided Elijah to explain how Elisha could
know whether his request was granted. If Elisha could see Elijah go, that would be a sign that he would have the Spirit
as he had asked.
Many visual aids depict Elijah riding to heaven in the chariot, but verse 11 says that the chariot kept Elisha away while
Elijah was taken up in the whirlwind.
Elisha did see Elijah as he was taken up – the sign that Elisha had received his request. After taking up Elijah’s cloak, he
went on to part the Jordan with it, showing that he did carry Elijah’s special gift.
Children often seem to accept the idea of heaven more easily than adults do. Don’t be afraid to discuss the fact that our
soul lives forever. We don’t know what heaven is like, but we know that God is there, and He has made it a wonderful
place. Imagine any joy on earth and know that heaven is even better than that!
Background Information on the Divided Kingdom.
Way to Introduce the Story:
Use plain paper to wrap a nice treat like biscuits or lollies. Or you could place them in a paper bag and then tape it shut.
On the paper wrapping, write hints about what is inside. You might write “yummy, chocolate, my favourite food, sweet
…” Try to give hints that let them know it’s great, but try not to give the answer away. Tell the children you are the only
one allowed to have what’s inside that bag. After that sinks in, tell them your friends get to have what’s inside that bag,
too. Discuss the fact that this bag is like heaven. We don’t know exactly what it will be like, but we know it is going to be
great. God has told us enough about heaven to make us want to go there, but He is leaving the best surprises until after
we arrive. Ask the children how we get to heaven. Chances are you will have all sorts of answers about being good.
Remind the children that only you and your friends will get what’s inside the bag. Only God and the people who love and
obey Him will go to heaven. (Now, by all means, share the surprise!)
As the children eat, talk about the fact that people cannot go to heaven until after they die. Only three people in history
have gone to heaven while they were still alive: Enoch (Genesis 5:23-24), Jesus (Acts 1:9-11) and the man in today’s
story.
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The Story:
Elijah was a prophet of God. God would give Elijah messages for the people, and Elijah would tell them. Sometimes,
people liked the messages from God, and sometimes, they did not. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel did not like the
messages that Elijah had for them. God’s message was that they were bad. If they did not stop worshipping idols, then
bad things would happen to them.