“He Took Up … the Mantle of
Elijah”
2 Kings 2; 5-6
The prophet Elijah wore a mantle. We do not know
exactly what the mantle looked like, but it apparently was a cloak made of
cloth. The passing of the mantle from Elijah to Elisha symbolized the passing
of prophetic authority to Elisha. In modern times we sometimes speak of the
“mantle” of authority that the prophet receives when he is ordained and set
apart. Although the prophet today does not carry a cloak or piece of cloth, God
bestows the keys of the priesthood on him. These keys give him the power to act
in God’s name as the leader of the Church on the earth. When a prophet dies,
this mantle of authority is given to the new prophet.
Elisha succeeded Elijah as
the prophet.
2 Kings 2:2-10 - Elijah was
Elisha’s “master”—his priesthood leader.
2 Kings 2:11-13
- After Elijah was taken up into heaven,, Elisha took up his mantle.
Today, the current President of the Church has
the mantle of the prophet. In speaking of how this mantle transferred when the
prophet dies, President Joseph Fielding Smith explained: “There is no
mystery about the choosing of the successor to the President of the Church. The
Lord settled this a long time ago, and the senior apostle automatically becomes
the presiding officer of the Church, and he is so sustained by the Council of
the Twelve which becomes the presiding body of the Church when there is no
First Presidency. The president is not elected, but he has to be sustained both
by his brethren of the Council and by the members of the Church” (Doctrines
of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954-56], 3:156).
President Gordon B. Hinckley explained how this
procedure was followed when he was ordained and set apart as the prophet and
President of the Church following the death of President Howard W. Hunter: “With President
Hunter’s passing, the First Presidency was dissolved. Brother Monson and I, who
had served as his counselors, took our places in the Quorum of the Twelve,
which became the presiding authority of the Church. [A few days later] all of the living ordained Apostles gathered
in a spirit of fasting and prayer in the upper room of the temple. Here we sang
a sacred hymn and prayed together. We partook of the sacrament of the Lord’s
Supper, renewing in that sacred, symbolic testament our covenants and our
relationship with Him who is our divine Redeemer. The Presidency was then
reorganized, following a precedent well established through generations of the
past [this precedent is explained in the preceding statement by President
Joseph Fielding Smith]. There was no campaigning, no contest, no ambition for
office. It was quiet, peaceful, simple, and sacred. It was done after the
pattern which the Lord Himself had put in place”
(Ensign, May 1995, 69).
As he did anciently, the Savior has given the
keys of the priesthood to each of the latter-day Apostles. However, only the
President of the Church, who is the senior living Apostle, may use these keys
(or authorize others to use them) on behalf of the entire Church (see
D&C 132:7).
2 Kings 2:14-15
- When they saw Elisha duplicate Elijah’’s miracle of parting the waters of
Jordan, the people responded by bowing to Elisha and recognizing his authority.
D&C 43:2-3, 7
- We immediately accept and sustain a neewly ordained President of the Church
because we know that God has chosen him to be his prophet.
Soon after Elijah had been taken into heaven,
the people wanted to send 50 strong men to look for him.
2 Kings 2:16 - Elisha told
the people not to search for Elijah (or his body).
2 Kings 2:17 - The people
pleaded with Elisha until he permitted the men to go search for Elijah.
2 Kings 2:18 – When the 50
men came back without finding Elijah, Elisha reminded them that he had told
them not to go. We learn from the experience
of those 50 men that we should follow the counsel of the prophet the first time
we hear it and not argue with or ignore the prophet’s counsel. If we sometimes wait for prophets to repeat
counsel before we follow it, we are in error and need to repent quickly.
Elisha healed Naaman of leprosy.
2 Kings 5:1 – Naaman was
the captain of the Syria army, but he was afflicted with leprosy.
2 Kings 5:2-9 - He went to
Elisha in hope of being healed by the prophet.
2 Kings 5:10 - Elisha’s
messenger told Naaman to wash in the Jordan seven times to be healed.
2 Kings 5:11-13
- At first, Naaman refused to follow Eliisha’s instructions, but Naaman’s
servants convinced him to do what Elisha had told him to do—even if it was a
simple thing.
2 Kings 5:14 - Naaman dipped
himself seven times in the Jordan River “and he was clean”.
The story of Naaman teaches us a valuable
principle about following the counsel of the prophet—do it—
even when we may not like or understand it or
when it may be about small and simple matters. Some of the small, simple things
we have been asked to do by the prophet or other Church leaders include
introducing the gospel to our neighbors, avoiding “R” rated movies, and doing
our home/visiting teaching. We can
increase our willingness to follow the counsel of Church leaders if we thank
our Heavenly Father for them daily in our prayers and acknowledge the leaders
as the Lord’s chosen spokespersons.
Elder Rex D. Pinegar asked, “Are we not
sometimes like Naaman, looking for big or important things to do and bypassing
simple things which could change our lives and heal us of our afflictions?”
(Ensign, Nov. 1994, 80).
After recounting the story of Naaman, Elder
Gordon B. Hinckley said: “The way of the gospel is a simple way. Some of the
requirements may appear to you as elementary and unnecessary. Do not spurn
them. Humble yourselves and walk in obedience. I promise that the results that
follow will be marvelous to behold and satisfying to experience”
(Ensign, Nov. 1976, 96).
2 Kings 5:15 - Learning from
his healing, Naaman declared that the God of Israel is the only God.
2 Kings 5:15 - Naaman
tried to give Elisha a reward after being healed, but Elisha refused Naaman’s
offer because it is important to serve without concern for earthly rewards.
Elisha guided Israel in a war with Syria.
2 Kings 6:8-10 - Elisha
helped the king of Israel in the war against Syria.
2 Kings 6:11-14
- When the king of Syria learned what Ellisha was doing in using his prophetic
powers to aid the king of Israel, he tried to capture him in Dothan.
2 Kings 6:15 - Elisha’s
servant responded with concern when he saw the Syrian horses and chariots
surrounding the city.
2 Kings 6:16 - Elisha simply
told his servant, “They that be with us are more than they that be with
them”, teaching the eternal principle that God is more
powerful than any earthly army.
Modern-day circumstances might lead some of us to believe that we are helpless against the evils of the world because we are such a minority in the battle against evil, but we should have confidence that “they that be with us are more than they that be with them” as we battle against the evils of our day.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: “When I read
this wonderful story as a boy, I always identified with the young servant of
Elisha. I thought, If I am ever surrounded by the forces of evil while I am in
the Lord’s service, I hope the Lord will open my eyes and give me faith to
understand that when we are in the work of the Lord, those who are with us are
always more powerful than those who oppose us”
(Ensign, Nov. 1992, 39).
D&C 84:87-88
- The confidence that
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “We have not as
yet carried the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. But we
have made great strides. We have gone wherever we are permitted to go. God is
at the helm, and doors will be opened by His power according to His divine
will. Of that I am confident. Of that I am certain”
(Ensign, Nov. 1995, 70-71).
2 Kings 6:17 - Elisha
prayed in his servant’s behalf that he be allowed to see the Lord’s army. At first, the servant didn’t see the
mountain full of horses and chariots of fire that God had sent because his
spiritual eyes weren’t open. Think
about what we can do to open our eyes more fully to the power of God in our own
lives and in the world.
Elisha’s miracles
Elisha performed many great miracles, showing
compassion for the people and giving further evidence that he was Elijah’s
authorized successor. He parted the waters of Jordan, healed the waters of
Jericho, multiplied a widow’s oil, raised a boy from the dead, healed people
who had been poisoned, fed the hungry, healed Naaman’s leprosy, caused an ax to
float, and guided kings in war.
The President of the Church is a prophet of God.
We should sustain new Church leaders and follow the counsel of the prophets. We
have ample testimony in the scriptures and from our modern prophets that the
power of God is greater than any other power.
These
lessons are posted on the Internet at http://www.neumanninstitute.org/