Why Was Elisha Digging Ditches To The Sound of Music?

The background to the story is that of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, a relatively good, God-fearing King, but he made a critical mistake by making an alliance with the wicked son of Ahab, Jehoram. 

2Kings 3:5-24

But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram….7 sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”

Israel was at war with the Moabites but their king had led them in a roundabout route for 7 days, leaving them with no water and dwindling hope. 

Kings 3:9-26, 9 “So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, “Alas!

King Jehoshaphat

המלך יהושפט

Yehoshaphat.

Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-ho-shaw-fawt’)

Definition: the LORD has judged or

Yah Hath Judged/Yahweh Has Judged/The Lord Judges.

The name Jehoshaphat consists of two elements:

1) The name יה(Yah) = יהו(Yahu) = יו(Yu), which in turn are abbreviated forms of the Tetragrammaton; the name of the Lord: YHWH.

2) The verb שפט (shapat), meaning to judge or govern:

King Jehoshaphat plan was to try to take over the land of Moab…but as we know, the end doesn’t justify the means.  The plan backfired on him and he found himself with thousands of soldiers and animals and no water.  

God never wants us to align ourselves in a common goal with wickedness, those not walking in covenant relationship with Him.

Both old and new testaments remind us

32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.  Exodus 23:32-33

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Cor. 6:14  

Jehoshaphat had not done right in terms of separating himself from unbelievers, and it ended up costing his people because now their very lives were in danger. 

Having commanded some 40,000 men to march 7 days over a hot desert with minimal food and water.

When his options had run out, he finally decides to go to the man of God for counseling; this should have been his first action along with seeking the Lord for His direction. He realized he needed to separate from them, and yet there is no water…

What was the answer to his dilemma?

“Let’s consult ELISHA, a prophet and a man of God to inquire of him. He knows about water. He poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

And Jehoshaphat said, Whether any prophet of the Lord is here, (so) that we (can) beseech the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, that poured water upon the hands of Elijah (Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, who poured water upon Elijah’s hands). 2Kings 3:11

Elisha

  אלישע

Modern: ʼElīšaʻ,  My God is salvation or

God is salvation

Greek: Ἐλισ[σ]αῖος, Elis[s]aîos or Ἐλισαιέ, Elisaié)

So they did, however, the answer was probably not what they were expecting because…..

Sometimes He asks us to be a part of His solutions….

and sometimes in rather strange and unusual ways.

Elisha says:

2Kings 3:15-17

15 But now bring me a musician.”. Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of [ a]ditches.’ 17 For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’.

This word “valley” in the Hebrew is

ואדי

wadi“,

which is a “dry riverbed

More Hebrew words for wadi.

noun וָאדִי.

gully, ravine.

noun נַחַל. s

tream, river, brook, valley, ravine.

Cherith, Kerith (Hebrew: נַחַל כְּרִית ‎ Naḥal Kərīṯ), or sometimes Chorath (/ ˈ k ɔːr ɑː θ /; from the Septuagint’s Greek: Χειμάῤῥους Χοῤῥάθ cheimárrhous Chorrháth), is the name of a wadi, or intermittent seasonal stream mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

Now bring me a minstrel/musician…  One that can sing and play well upon an instrument of music.

He sent for a minstrel, possibly to calm his mind from the impressions of the physical problem and having been disturbed at the sight of idolatrous Jehoram,

the soft tones of the lyre/harp brought composure to his mind and soul so that he might be inspired to more fervent prayer, and thereby be prepared to receive the prophetic inspiration.

When the musician played, the hand of the Lord came on him and his spirit gave instructions to work the miracle.

minstrel

2 Kings 3:15
HEB: קְחוּ־ לִ֣י מְנַגֵּ֑ן וְהָיָה֙ כְּנַגֵּ֣ן
NAS: bring me a minstrel. And it came
KJV: But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel

also

נָגַן  Nagan

Phonetic Spelling: naw-gan’

Definition. to touch or play a stringed instrument. NASB Translation. minstrel (1), minstrel played (1), musician

Strongs #5059 

2 Kings 3:16-18
“This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.“

God lays it on Elisha’s heart what

He,

the Lord,

will do to rescue them:

All they have to do is dig some ditches!

Why?

It sounds completely crazy!

So Why?   ….

Because God said to.

Even though He said in v. 17 there won’t be storms or rain!

…but

there’ll be water…

God has spoken.

Dig ditches…..

תְעָלָה

ditch, channel, canal, gutter, culvert, water course

They needed

to act

on their faith,

regardless of how illogical it sounded!

Imagine what passers-by must have thought….

an army digging ditches???

Digging a valley full of ditches,

for water,

to win a battle with no sign of rain!

He didn’t need human logic,

no rain was required,

no river,

just

His power and

simple faith, trusting in Him.

if He says it, He does it!

From the irrational display of desperation to the next morning

….they find that…

Water has flowed uphill and across this ancient plain

that was once a stream bed.

In verse 20, the valley is full of water for the troops

Then a further miracle happens:

the Moabites mistake the water for blood and through this they are defeated.

Nothing is impossible for God, and He achieves it through

His plans,

no matter how illogical and unexplainable they are to us.

He even provides in abundance,

far more than we would expect, for them

AND their animals.

But they had to trust God,

His plan

and what He asked them to do.

So should we.

We think often that God will give us faith to change or to persevere and stand until the situation changes.

However, true faith comes when we walk into the valley,  often situations that are opposite to mountain top experiences; and instead of trying to fill the valley, we instead dig until they are filled with ditches.

The Lord requires places/ containers for His waters to collect, so that it won’t run off and dissipate into another stream.

He wants to fill our valleys.

biqah: a valley, plain

 בִּקְעָה

Phonetic Spelling: bik-aw’

Strongs#1237

 

Not only so we can drink, but to have enough for everyone around us who needs it, including crops and animals/ livestock.

Faith is not looking up and seeing rain clouds and seeing the rain fall.

Faith is looking at a clear sky

but being full of expectancy

that the valley will be filled.

You will not see wind nor rain.

He wants us to do things like, dig ditches, with the promise to fill them and in unexpected unconventional ways.

He wants a faith filled people.

He is looking for people who don’t need rain in order to have rainfall!

Faith people who will dig ditches to collect water that never falls from the sky!!!

People who will believe

He will bring water

in His own way and time

all we have to do is act in obedient response,

that is faith!

The ‘ridiculous’ faith of Elisha!

We must sometimes dig a ditch so God can fill it! 

That is a clear lesson from this scripture account. 

Our Heavenly Father specializes in

FILLING

things

which are

EMPTY. 

We are to empty ourselves of the cares of this world, and that makes room for God to fill us! 

As we remember, the cares of the world choke the Word of God.

When we empty ourselves of the flesh

and then the Spirit comes flowing in like a rushing river,

filling the valley of our souls!  

Our Heavenly Father gets all the glory when He uses our provision of emptiness to fulfill His will in and through us in overflowing ways!

His OUTPOURING into our need!

In the following chapter we see the familiar story of the widow and her empty vessels which God filled for her.  Elisha, who challenged the widow woman to create more emptiness for the Lord to fill, had just seen it happen himself as he dug ditches so God could fill them. 

        Have faith…trust…

lay aside all self-sufficiency,

and instead,

find some emptiness! 

The widow of 2Kings 4 brought all the jars she had faith to bring! 

How many would we bring?

Sometimes we are called to create some emptiness so God can fill it.  

        … Dig a ditch,

or God won’t fill it!

A mind occupied with planning

pays homage to the idol of control.

Planning takes little to no faith because it is fore-thought and carefully and deliberately arranged and what is worse, it leaves God completely out of the picture and then we ask Him to bless our way.

Many spend all week planning the weekend, thinking it is Gods’ will when in fact it is just simply what they want to do.

One of the greatest hindrances to living a faith filled life is not making room for God.

In this account, Elisha shows how faith works.

It is echoed in Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.

The principle here is 

putting

faith

into

action.

Don’t just say you have faith!

Show it by our actions

James said in 2:17…

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” shew me thy faith without thy works/actions, and I will shew thee my faith by my works/actions.

 

Fulfillment comes in emptiness of self, and being filled with the Spirit maybe its time to dig some ditches???

May His true Shalom/Peace

rest upon each one in Jesus/Yeshuas’ Name.

‘Mishpachah’ ‘Family’

משפחה

Mish-pa-KHa Mish-pa-KHa

you are greatly loved and prayed for daily..

NOT SURE if you are part of His Family? YOU CAN BE..

Say the following and mean it from your heart…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He came in the flesh and He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life.

Because your word is truth, I say that I am now forgiven and born again in my spirit and by faith I am washed clean with the Blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.

Time To Trust in His Chariots of Fire!

While preparing the main meal for this week our Avinu/Fathers Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, prompted this brief posting for today.

We are all living in very uncertain times and unprecedented events are occurring around us all over the world. Many times we do not hear of all the things that are happening to our brothers and sisters and what Father is overseeing behind the scenes.

We often struggle to live as spiritual beings in this physical universe.

We really have a hard time accepting that this scene in front of our eyes is merely a shadow of things

and

the unseen is our true reality.

It is understandable that we find it difficult to ignore that which is reasonable and logical to our minds.

It means that we have to accept as truth that which our physical senses cannot detect …

however, now we are in Messiah we have the ability to see in the spirit that which is unseeable with our natural eyes.

We need to have faith that Adonai can be trusted implicitly even when there is no physical evidence that He is able to do what He says…and especially when the situation appears impossible… this indeed is a Red Sea moment.

 

Referring once more to the title He gave for this post…

Time To Trust in His Chariots of Fire!

…there is not another place in the Scriptures where this truth is more clearly revealed.

This tiny glimpse into a moment in Elisha’s life reveals an enormous truth. Yes we are too many times just like Elishas servant because we have difficulty seeing that all around us is the invisible army of God.

We must come to an understanding that regardless of what we see with eyes, the reality of our walk with Yeshua/Jesus is summed up in this……

FEAR NOT

for more are they who are with us

that they who are with them….

We are not supposed to run and hide when the enemy comes against us.

For the Lord will raise up a standard against him if we stay in the place of trust and faith.

His word will not return void Will accomplish what he sends it forth to do.

We often focus on the negative spiritual forces around us and forget that there are twice as many positive spiritual forces in the form of angelic hosts!!

The reality is that We are surrounded by an army always prepared to fight in our defense!

The enemy already knows that God’s Warriors are there and that the only thing he can do is try to make us believe otherwise.

We have to resist these lying whispers and the scripture says he will flee from us as we submit ourselves to Him. James 4:7

Avinu/Father in the name of Yeshua/Jesus You are the King and Lord of all Creation, the Leader of the army of heavens hosts; thank you that you have surrounded us and will protect us from all our enemies. Teach us to stand firm without fear and open our eyes as you did with Gehazi so we may see the mountain covered with horses and chariots of fire.

Help us to see your reality with 2020 vision that we may not trust in what we perceive but what is invisible to our eyes. You are our deliverer, redeemer and our faith and trust is in You, we praise and worship you Father in the precious name of Yeshua/Jesus.

Below are links to Psalms to encourage and comfort.

Psalm 30:4-5 KJVS Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. [5] For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Lets remember to pray and intercede for those in dire circumstances. For example a report a little over 12 hours ago:

There are 200 million in Pakistan without power as Pakistan’s national power grid has failed, leaving almost the entire country in the dark.

“A countrywide blackout has been caused by a sudden plunge in the frequency in the power transmission system,” Pakistani power minister Omar Ayub Khan wrote on Twitter, shortly after the country was plunged into darkness before midnight on Saturday.

This can happen anywhere… at any time…. so

In the event we lose all communications, which would include the internet, remember to stay

in faith

not fear and…

Abba/Avinu/Father, Precious and Holy Are You! We rise and bring our hearts, minds and souls in union with Your Holy Presence here with us. Abba/Avinu/Father, we sing of Your Glory and we lift up Your Holy Name on High! You are our Beloved Father, and we thank You for fresh starts and new beginnings by Your Amazing Grace! Thank You for loving us the way You Do. We worship and adore You!

In Your love, grant to us Your wisdom and patience and protect us all from evil and those intent on doing us harm because of our faith and witness to the truth in Messiah. Bless the hands of those who serve and guard their steps as they carry the message of Salvation to those who are perishing; and send your angels/messengers to watch over all your children..

Abba/Avinu/Father, we plead the Blood of Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ over each one here in this Family Mishpachah

משפחה

help us to know who our enemies are and to pray for them and to bless them as Yeshu/Jesus Blessed His enemies; pour out Your Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh upon each one of us and keep us in unity, in one accord and in peaceful union through Yeshua/Jesus. Abba/Avin/Father, give us Your courage to stand fast in our faith and the strength to endure what we must for the sake of the Gospel; all for Your Glory and Praise.

Abba/Avinu/Father, we thank You for this Shalom/Peace in Yeshua/Jesus as we study Your Holy Word and rest in the knowledge that You are in control of the universe You created, overseeing every detail.

Thank You for hearing our prayers and for always answering us according to Your Perfect Will; knowing what is best for us. Not our Will but, Your Will be done!

These prayers are lifted to You in the Holy and Mighty Name of Yahusha Ha’Maschiach, Christ Jesus of Nazareth. Amen and Amen.

Avinu, our Heavenly Father is in control! Shalom family and remember you are greatly loved and prayed for daily and His will be done, His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

All being well the next post will be uploaded as soon as it is completed.

It is surely time to trust in His chariots of Fire.

Keep your eyes on Yeshua/Jesus!

Shalom …always…

Knot Just Another String Theory

Secrets of Mantles, Covenants and Cords of Redemption.

God’s instructions in Numbers 15:37-41, were that every prayer shawl was to have fringes, and among the fringes; would be a blue string.

This custom figures prominently into many Old Testament and New Testament stories.The Tallit or Prayer Shawl is part of so many stories in the Bible and the more we read, the more it all makes sense and we continue to see how everything is connected.

One of the most beautiful scenes is in the book of Ruth 3:9. This account provides a further illustration of covenant, when Ruth pulled the prayer shawl/tallit of Boaz over herself as she lay at his feet on his threshing floor

(Threshing-floors are in danger of being robbed. For this reason, someone always sleeps on the floor until the grain is removed. Ruth 3:7)

Most translations say she pulled his skirt over her, however the Hebrew says,

she pulled his wing over her.The wing refers to the long established Hebrew tradition

referring to the way a male bird opens his wings during reproduction and courtship.

The tradition in Jewish history has been for a bridegroom to cover his bride with his prayer shawl at their wedding.It is interesting to note that a similar custom still prevails at Jewish weddings. The bridegroom covers his bride with the wing of his tallit, his prayer shawl, with its tassels at each corner, signifying that he is taking her into his care.

 This tradition evolved into the present day chuppah.  חוּפָּה‎    Literally, “canopy” or “covering”.

This is a prayer shawl held up by four poles and covers the bride and groom under its wings for their wedding ceremony; which is in fact, a blood covenant.

When Ruth pulled the prayer shawl over her she was in effect saying to Boaz, ‘let’s get married’. As he was her nearest relative/kinsman, she was asking that he perform the custom of the kinsman redeemer. 

“I am Ruth thine handmaid. Spread therefore your skirt (Hebrew), the corner of your garment over your handmaid; for you are my near kinsman.”  Boaz, did as was customary concerning this. He “spread his skirt” over Ruth. It is understood that by his immediate response, he was acknowledging his role and responsibility, indicating that he was by legal authority, taking her under his protection as his wife.This is a beautiful type and shadow of Jesus/Yeshua the Lion of the tribe of Judah is also our Kinsman-Redeemer.and the body of believers, His bride.

Incidentally, the location where Boaz winnowed barley on his threshing floor (Ruth 3:2),

 and where Ruth reveals herself to Boaz (Ruth 3:6-9);

was the very same threshing floor that David bought from Ornan the Jebusite (Araunah). Together with the oxen David gave fifty shekels of silver and built an altar there. (2 Samuel 24:18-24 1 Chronicles 21:18-28).
This was the very same place where Abraham had taken Isaac who had to be willing to be a sacrifice for God’s covenant to be established. That particular place which had been named Jehovah-Jireh for God would provide HIMSELF as the Lamb, (which He did). Isaac was bound with cords of sacrifice and ultimate redemption. (2 Chronicles 3:1).This very same threshing floor that David was instructed to purchase, later became the site of Solomon’s Temple. Located upon Mount Moriah, in Jerusalem and was also the place of the final covenant through Messiahs sacrifice. It is truly amazing how everything is connected.The Hebrew term ‘kanaph’ means an edge or ‘extremity’ of a garment. This passage obscured by English translations; speaks then of the fringe of Boaz robe being spread over Ruth, symbolizing the taking of Ruth under Boaz authority.

 

In Ezekiel, God speaks to Israel and says:

“Now when I passed by you, behold your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you and covered your nakedness: yes, I swore unto you, and entered into covenant with you, and you became mine.” (Ezekiel 16:8)

As believers, the corners of our hearts and lives must be extended. Our compassions must not be limited to our family, friends; love and compassion must be extended to strangers and the poor who dwell in the four corners of the earth.

As a child of God there must be no end to our love, joy, giving and Shalom.

 As the children of Israel had extended the corners of their robes, so too, we must extend the corners of our hearts and reach out to those who are outside our lives. As we lengthen the cords of our lives and show love in a way that leads others ‘to touch the hem of our garments’, as they did His and by faith, find healing and miracles as His power flows through us by the indwelling Holy Spirit. To understand the significance of the tassel, we must first understand the significance of the hem.

The hem of a Jew’s garment was not, as in modern clothes, a simple fold of the cloth, sewn down to prevent the edge from fraying. It was a decorative feature that made a statement about the status and importance of the wearer.

The people of other nearby nations also had this custom. In texts found in Mesopotamia, references indicate that the removal of the fringe of a man’s garment was the equivalent of removing part of his personality. To cut off the hem of a wife’s garment was regarded as divorcing her.

Tablets have been found with the impression of a fringe as the mark of the individual, a personal seal or signature; the hem or fringe of a garment indicated the rank or personality of the wearer.

Kanaph also means the end, and tzizit is a tassle that extends the end.

 Although the Jews today have special garments called tallit to which they attach the tzitzit, this was not what God originally commanded. He intended the Hebrew people to add tzitzit to the regular clothing, not to create special garments to attach them to. The scholarly magazine Biblical Archeology Review offers some excellent insight into the ancient Hebrew custom.

The tassels were in fact extensions of the hem, as we learn from innumerable illustrations in ancient Near Eastern art.

“The hem of an ancient Near Eastern garment was not simply a fold sewed to prevent the threads of the cloth from unraveling. The hem of the outer garment or robe made an important social statement. It was usually the most ornate part of the garment. And the more important the individual, the more elaborate and the more ornate was the embroidery on the hem of his or her outer robe. The tassel must be understood as an extension of such a hem.”Extra-Biblical texts also teach us that the ornate hem was considered a symbolic extension of the owner himself and more specifically of his rank and authority….

The significance of the hem and of its being cut off is reflected in another famous Biblical episode. When the young and future king, David, fled from the jealous wrath of King Saul, Saul pursued David into the Judean wilderness near the Dead Sea. Weary from his pursuit, Saul went into one of the caves near the spring at Ein Gedi to relieve himself, unaware that David and his men were hiding in that very cave.

David’s men urged him to kill the unsuspecting Saul. Instead, David cut the hem of Saul’s cloak to prove that he could easily have killed Saul if he had wanted to, but that he would not harm the Lord’s anointed. The passage has a deeper significance, however – in some ways the opposite significance. The hem that David cut off was an extension of Saul’s person and authority. David did in fact harm the Lord’s anointed; that is why David immediately felt remorse for what he had done: “Afterward David reproached himself for having cut off the hem of Saul’s cloak” (1 Samuel 24:6). According to the New English Bible translation, David’s “conscience smote him” (1 Samuel 24:7).

Although protesting that he had not lifted a finger or a hand against the Lord’s anointed (1 Samuel 24:10), David had in fact committed a symbolic act – cutting off Saul’s hem – of enormous significance.

This significance was not lost on King Saul; he understood full well and no doubt why he said:

“Now I know that you will become king” (1 Samuel 24:20).‘David crept up on king Saul at the cave at En Gedi, and cut off his the fringe of his garment And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.’

David’s conscience troubled him for he knew that to cut off the king’s fringe of his garment, was like usurping or stealing his authority.It degraded and lowered him. At En Gedi, David had deprived Saul of his “authority.” (I Samuel 24:1-7).

After David prostrated himself before Saul, holding the severed fringe in his hand; David explained to Saul that he had not killed him, despite the urging of his men to do so. Saul’s heart, once again was touched with his integrity in the sparing of his own life spared that of David.

Vesture / Vestments

The High Priest wore a Vesture and we saw in the last post that Jesus/Yeshua also wore a tallit and surely used it to drape over the body of a Jairus’ daughter, when He called her back to life. Someday, when Messiah Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach returns, He will be wearing a “vesture dipped in blood.” That vesture will no doubt be a recognizable Jewish tallit. He too is our Great High Priest. 

Kohen Gadol

כהן גדול‬

Another famous story connected to a tallit, concerns the time of Elijahs departure, when he and Elisha travelled from Jericho to Jordan. Then on the west bank Elijah took his cloak rolled it up and struck the water with it. Like the (Red) Reed Sea parted as the children of Israel left Egypt, the waters of the Jordan parted allowing the two men to walk across on the dry riverbed.After Elijah was caught up to heaven in a whirlwind; Elisha took Elijahs cloak and repeated the miraculous crossing from the East bank back to the West. Twice the waters parted.Jewish traditions indicate that the mantle that fell from Elijah was a talitt/tallith or prayer shawl.

The tallith of a prophet or master teacher would have dark purple-blue threads in the corner tassel.

People believed that the purple thread contained miracle power. This is why the woman with the issue of blood wanted to touch the hem of Jesus’ tallith or garment. When she was healed, Jesus said, “Who touched Me?…I felt virtue leave Me.” Then He told her, “Your faith has made you whole,” clarifying it was not a purple thread but her faith in Him as Messiah (see Matthew 9:20-22 and Luke 8:43-48).Elijah’s tallith, mantle, or “adar” symbolized that Elisha had removed any barriers to his relationship with God. He was no longer the servant but now stepped into the place of the prophet he had served.

Elijah’s mantle was a doorway to God’s power.

Elijah told Elisha that if he saw him taken, he would have his desire to carry on the prophetic ministry with a double portion of his spirit.The mantle is a symbol of joy and completion.

Elijah left his mantle as a sign that he had completed his assignment.

Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantle indicating the start of a new era; he was picking up where Elijah left off and beginning his own ministry as a prophet.

Elijah’s mantle was a symbol of an agreement of power and authority between Elijah and God.

Elisha’s picking up Elijah’s mantle symbolized that he was entering into the same agreement with God. When Elisha used Elijah’s mantle to part the Jordan River, God established His agreement or covenant with Elisha.Elijah’s mantle was probably a prayer shawl, a tallit. 

The pattern for the prayer shawl was first given to Moses atop Mount Sinai to represent the individual’s tabernacle.

It symbolized the fact that the human body was a temple and that the brain was the site of the Holy of Holies. Each morning every man stood in front of his “tent” (tallit), as the morning sacrifice was made at the brazen altar in the center of the camp. This repetitive action taught the people the art of worship and prayer.Elijah used his tallit to drape over the shoulders of Elisha when calling him to be his successor.When Elijah was caught up in the heavenly chariot, he gave his tallit to Elisha. The tallit was a holy garment and used in praying for the sick. Both Elijah and Elisha placed the tallit over the bodies of dead boys when praying for the miracle of life. Just as Jesus/Yeshua did with Jairus daughter.For some people, the tallit is a sacred garment worn during special occasions. To others, it is a mysterious object full of symbolism and hidden meaning. The significance of the prayer shawl is that it symbolically represents God’s presence, healing, love, forgiveness and resurrection life.

THE TALLIT and COVENANT AUTHORITY:

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up and His train filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1)

The concept of the outer edge of the tallit, is seen in Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, whose “train” filled the temple.

The Hebrew term for “skirt” is KANAPH, and means “wing or extremity.” Sometimes SHUL is also used, meaning “loose hanging.” (Exodus 28:33) In the Authorized Version it is rendered as “hem.”

Also in Psalm 133:2, we read:

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard: even Aaron’s beard, that went down to the skirts of his garment.”

Probably his tallit and its zitzit.

As we remain under His wings and close to His heart…then we will be ready when He returns to gather us up under His Wings forever. For us the key question is:

Are we wrapping our life with the Lord like the wrappings of the talitt? If so, how tightly? 

Are we so completely entwined, that there is no chance of ever being undone or separated?

Are we clinging tightly to Him alone?This symbolic twisting and intertwining of cords, tassels and zitzit, will aid us in living our life for Him and not seeking after our own heart and our own eyes, but only after His.

 Shalom! His Peace Always Be With You.

Please don’t leave this site without knowing you are saved and assured that you belong to Him; with a deep conviction that you know where you will go, when your body can no longer sustain you in this realm. 

Make certain Jesus is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him. 

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its all about Life and Relationship not Religion.

NOT SURE?

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them and turn away from my past.

believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.

more at https://www.minimannamoments.com/welcome-come-taste-some-bread-of-life-bread-from-heaven/life-changing-information-guaranteed/