Elijah's mantle was just a cloth cloak but it represented the symbol of his office as God's prophet to Israel. When he laid his cloak on Elisha in the field in 1 Kings 19 and Elisha later picked it up as it fell off him as he ascended to heaven in the fiery chariot in 2 Kings 2, it represented the calling of Elisha as a prophet, and the passing of the responsibility to be God's messenger to Israel. Craft ideas for Elijah's mantle help children re-enact the story as they consider the calling God has for each one of them and their response.
Elijah and Elisha Puppets
Elijah first found Elisha plowing his fields and threw his cloak upon him as a sign that Elisha was God's chosen successor for Elijah's ministry. Elisha follows willingly, which can spark discussion of how willing believers ought to be to go along with God's calling, even when it comes unexpectedly and takes them off guard. Have the children draw Elijah and Elisha or color figures of the two men. Cut the figures out and tape to a craft stick for a stick puppet. Cut out a paper cloak with tabs that fold over the shoulders of the puppets. As the children tell the story, they can transfer the mantle from Elijah to Elisha; or if telling the story of the mantle falling off of Elijah as the chariot of fire takes him to heaven, let the Elijah puppet drop it to the floor or table as he goes up and the Elisha puppet can pick it up and take up the story from there.
Passing the Baton
The passing of the mantle, or cloak, is analogous to runners in a relay race who must work together effectively, each doing their part to ensure the success of the whole team. So it is with the work God calls each believer to perform. One person may start a ministry but others must continue it as the effort grows, as the original leaders move on, retire or die. So just as relay runners must pass the baton, so believers must be willing to both relinquish responsibilities as God leads in different directions, and accept the responsibilities that God puts in their lap when others need help or a successor, as did Elijah. To remember the lesson of sharing ministry responsibilities, kids can make a runner's baton. Roll up sheets of newspaper or construction paper into a thick cylindrical tube, and tape the seam securely. Write a caption on the side in marker ink, such as, "Ministry is teamwork" or "I accept God's calling." Hold a relay race using the batons.
Paper Model
When Elijah rode to heaven in the fiery chariot, his mantle fell to earth, where Elisha had to choose to pick it up and accept God's call on his life. Shortly after, he demonstrated that God's power in Elijah had passed to him when he used the cloak to part the Jordan River and crossed over. Make a moving model of this incident by cutting two narrow strips of construction paper. Lay another piece of construction paper, long edge toward you, and cut a small vertical slit at right and left sides. Insert one paper strip in each slit back-to-front . Cut a winding river out of blue paper, cut it in half and tape one piece to each strip. Make paper dolls of Elijah, Elisha, the mantle, and the fiery chariot. Re-enact the story using the figures, and when Elisha throws the cloak on the water, pull the strips from the back to part the water.
Mantles
Elisha's calling was as a prophet, but God calls every believer to a special job that she is specially fitted for by talent, skill and experience. But each person has a choice to accept or reject God's call and direction. When you accept the call, you are putting on the mantle of responsibility to do your best and follow God's direction in carrying out the job He gives you. Discuss some special jobs for God that the children can do and how they can use their talents for God's glory. Let them signal their willingness to take up the mantle that God puts on them by making their own. Cut large sheets, pieces of cloth, garbage bags or inexpensive shower curtains into child size cloaks. Cut a slit at two corners on one side and tie a ribbon through each. Let each child then throw her cloak over her shoulders and tie it under the chin to hold it on.
Tags: Elijah Elisha, construction paper, fiery chariot, accept call, Elijah mantle, heaven fiery, heaven fiery chariot