Mantle
Text :1Kgs.19.19
- So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
Introduction :
The word of the Lord came to Elijah in vs 16b:
and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
The key word in this verse is "Anoint" and from the text above,19b, the word stated :
and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
What could be the mystery behind "Mantles?". The Father said "Anoint" but Elijah threw his "Mantle" on Elisha. So,
What is the Mantle to Anointing? :
Mantle is an ancient system of empowerment that exposes one's ordination through impartation. In other words, Mantle is a symbol of authority, when the scripture stated in
Genesis 49:10
"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."
The "Sceptre" is a figure of authority. Even the Sceptre there is in figure of what is to come.
In the Old Testament, Symbols of Authority were in the form of "Anointing Oil" or through Mantles.
1 Samuel 16:13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward...
But in the New Testament, we got to understand that the ancient system of empowerment was never in material things but the Holy Spirit and that is why after David was Anointed, the Spirit of the Lord descended upon him. What occurred in 1Kings 19:19 and 1 Samuel 16:13 was just a symbol of authority to the people that such a person is the Lord's Anointed. John 1:12 recorded :
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
The power we receive to become Sons of God is the Holy Spirit. In other words, we are the Lord's Anointed. This is why Psalms 105:14-15 said :
14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
The Mantle upon men is the Holy Spirit. So also the Anointing.
We are the Lord's Anointed. This is way 1 Peter 2:9a calls us a "Chosen Generation" because the Holy Spirit makes the difference in a man's life. So when David said in Psalms 23:5b
"thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."
He's saying that YOU FILLED ME WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT ;... OUT OF MY BELLY FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER. (John 7:38).
But the question is "What will you do and what are you to do with the MANTLE (Holy Spirit)?"
For 1 Corinthians 2:12 said
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."
The purpose for the ancient Mantle, which is the Power and Authority of God through His Spirit (Holy Spirit/Ghost) in us is for the expansion of His Kingdom, by Winning and Raising Souls (Men) and filling them with the Knowledge of His Word and the Holy Ghost for the Work of His Kingdom.
Day Word :
Long for the Ever Infilling of the Holy Ghost and Go for the Mantle rather than the Title.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, ignite my Passion for Souls to Expand the kingdom of God.