According to the humble and ministering heart of Elisha and his commitment to his spiritual prophetic father Elijah, I would like to point to the end of a time and the beginning of a new time.

 

God leads us as His people into a new season.

The Number 12

Elisha was called by the prophet Elijah to follow him and subsequently served him. In this context, the number “12” is of greater importance because Elisha was plowing with the twelfth yoke of oxen at the time of the appointment with Elijah.

The number “12” is also related to the apostolic order of God because Jesus had twelve disciples whom He had called by discipleship. Since the year has twelve months and this measure of time also indicates the end of a year. (see 1 Kings 19:19-21).

 

1 Kings 19:19-21:
19 So he departed from there 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.
20 So he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again, for what have I done to thee?
21 And he returned back from him and took a yoke of oxen and slew them and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen and gave unto the people and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and served him.

 

The Pouring Of Water Over The Hands

There is a testimony to this day about the commitment of Elisha to the prophet Elijah, which was known to the political world by one of the servants of the king of Israel. This servant reported to the king of Israel, the king of Judah and the king of Edom how Elisha had poured water on the hands of his spiritual father Elijah.

 

Elisha's serving act was a testimony of confirmation of his ministry in the office of the prophet, so that even political powers came to Elisha to receive divine counsel from him. (see 2 Kings 3:11-12).

 

2 Kings 3:11-12:
11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's slaves answered and said, Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

The Sign Of The Washing Of Hands

Looking more closely to this act of washing of hands in a prophetic context indicates that an old time being expired is pointing to a new season getting started.

Washing hands is therefore also a sign that reflects to finish the old time in order to prepare for the new time to come. Since God's prophets are destined to give divine instruction, the washing of hands is the sign for the phase of direction for entering the new time.

It is also no coincidence that, according to the Word of God, the hands were designed for the transfer of healing and the impartation of anointing (see Mark 16:18; James 5:14 i.c.w. Acts 6:6; Acts 8:17; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6).

Therefore, Elisha's washing of hands means that he had the understanding of when obsolete times would come to an end and new times would begin.

 

By the washing of the hands of Elijah, Elisha made clear that he was in agreement with his spiritual and prophetic father, including that the time of the past (note: works which have already been completed) was coming to an end and a new time has begun. An old time and season then was washed away so to speak, in order to receive a new time and season from the hand of God.

Elisha understood the end of a time and the beginning of a new time and therefore knew when Elijah has entered the new phase of the Lord's time. This is obvious in reflecting on this persistent succession of Elisha when Elijah was about to be caught up by God into heaven. Elisha would not abandon Elijah until he had received the double portion of the anointing of his spiritual father which is represented by Elijah's mantle (see 2 Kings 2:1-13)

 

2 Kings 2:1-13:
1 Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. The Lord was going to use a strong wind to take Elijah up to heaven.

2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here. The Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “I won't leave you. And that's just as sure as the Lord and you are alive.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 There was a company of prophets at Bethel. They came out to where Elisha was. They asked him, “Do you know what the Lord is going to do? He's going to take your master away from you today.” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied. “But don't talk about it.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha. The Lord has sent me to Jericho.” Elisha replied, “I won't leave you. And that's just as sure as the Lord and you are alive.” So they went to Jericho.

5 There was a company of prophets at Jericho. They went up to where Elisha was. They asked him, “Do you know what the Lord is going to do? He's going to take your master away from you today.” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied. “But don't talk about it.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here. The Lord has sent me to the Jordan River.” Elisha replied, “I won't leave you. And that's just as sure as the Lord and you are alive.” So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets followed them. The men stopped and stood not far away from them. They faced the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan River.

8 Elijah rolled his coat up. Then he struck the water with it. The water parted to the right and to the left. The two of them went across the river on dry ground.

9 After they had gone across, Elijah spoke to Elisha. He said, “Tell me. What can I do for you before I'm taken away from you?” “Please give me a double share of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked me for something I can't give you,” Elijah said. “Only the Lord can give it. But suppose you see me when I'm taken away from you. Then you will receive what you have asked for. If you don't see me, you won't receive it.”

11 They kept walking along and talking together. Suddenly a chariot and horses appeared. Fire was all around them. The chariot and horses came between the two men. Then Elijah went up to heaven in a strong wind.

12 Elisha saw it. He cried out to Elijah, “My father! You are like a father to me! You are the true chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Elisha didn't see Elijah anymore. Then Elisha took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart. 13 He picked up the coat that had fallen from Elijah. He went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan River.

 

To Go Ahead With A Grateful Heart

The Holy Spirit showed to me how important this is for all of us to recognize the end and the beginning of God's times like Elisha did, so that we would not remain in the past as saints.

 

As the present time quickly becomes the past, it is important that we sensitively recognize the times in the Spirit of God and know what to do by Spirit.

There have been times in the past when men and women of God have served men and women in their regions powerfully, by doing signs and wonders commissioned by God. Unfortunately, it frequently happens that people who have experienced powerful things with God in their past do not want to let go of these times and hence, hold on to the past and end up being stuck. This means that they are blocked from accepting the new time and the new things of God which he has prepared, because of being unwilling to let go the past times.

It is important that we are grateful for the miracles that God has done in the past and that we respect and honor them, but we should stretch ourselves for moving forward, moving ahead in gratitude and entering into our predestined future by the grace of God (see Psalm 103:2 i.c.w. Philippians 3:13).

 

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: …

 

13 Brethren, I do not reckon to have laid hold of it yet, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and extending myself unto those things which are ahead, …

God Doesn't Change, But Time Does!

As people of God, we should be aware of the fact that, as we know, God never changes in His nature, but He has unquestionably determined that times on earth will change (see Isaiah 41:4 i.c.w. Ecclesiastes 3:1).

 

“... 4 Who has made that happen? Who has carried it out? Who has created all of the people who have ever lived? I, the Lord, have done it. I was with the first of them. And I will be with the last of them.”

 

1 There is a time for everything. There's a time for everything that is done on earth.

 

 

If we start to recognize the times of God and position ourselves correctly, we can get confronted with difficulties including the fact that other believers who have a mindset of the old time can be opposing us because they are not prepared to change. Those believers simply don't want to adapt to God's time, because it seems either uncertain or strange to them.

 

Furthermore, changing times and seasons of God can also lead to fear being triggered in the hearts of the respective believers, because there is war in the spiritual realm and powers of darkness do not want the Body of Christ to enter a new field of responsibility as taking the Promised Land for this time and generation (see Numbers 13:25-33)!

 

It is necessary, however, that through Jesus Christ, who is Alpha and Omega, we would open the door to the new time as a new field and go through it in order to find the provision of the future determined by God (see John 10:9; Psalm 23:2).

 

9 I AM the door; whosoever enters in by me shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.

 

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters.

 

 

At the end of Elijah's time and life in the prophetic office, God had planned a time of prophetic shift by declaring that Elijah should be raptured to heaven in a supernatural way, so that Elisha could be equipped with Elijah's double prophetic portion (see 2 Kings 2:9-13).

 

2 Kings 2:9-13:
9 And when they had gone over, Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee before I am taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a difficult thing. If thou shalt see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee, but if not, it shall not be so.
11And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, that, behold, a chariot of fire with horses of fire separated the two, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
12 And as Elisha saw it, he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more, and he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.
13 And lifting up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

 

 

It is also no coincidence that fifty prophet's disciples looked to the Jordan river from some distance witnessing the prophetic change they received through Elisha (see 2 Kings 2:7).

 

7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood in front of them afar off; and the two of them stood by the Jordan.

 

The place where the prophet's disciples had watched the two prophets of the LORD (note: Elijah, Elisha) was the place where they later saw Elijah's anointing resting on Elisha (see 2 Kings 2:15).

 

15 And seeing him, the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

 

 

Therefore, it has a deeper meaning that between the event of the fire and the wind, as Elijah got raptured into heaven, “fifty prophet's disciples and fifty strong men” were positioned on the other side of the Jordan.

These “fifty strong men” were instructed by the fifty prophet's disciples to look for the old prophetic structure -Elijah- even though Elisha had told them that their project would not be successful (see 2 Kings 2:16-18).

 

2 Kings 2:16-18:
16 “Look,” they said. “We have 50 able (note: strong) men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has lifted him up. Maybe he has put him down on a mountain or in a valley.” “No,” Elisha replied. “Don't send them.”

17 But they kept asking until he felt he couldn't say no. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent 50 men. They looked for Elijah for three days. But they didn't find him.

18 So they returned to Elisha. He was staying in Jericho. Elisha said to them, “Didn't I tell you not to go?”
 

This scripture makes it clear that whenever God opens up a new time or season on earth, the enemy tries to keep believers imprisoned in the present state of knowledge, and mindset by thinking that it does not require any change in structure and time.

 

By this revelation of the “fifty strong men” the Holy Spirit wants to point out to us, that we should not seek or maintain an old, worn-out structure (note: Elijah: “God is YAHWEH!” => statement of truth), but to live in His new given structure (note: Elisha: “My God is salvation!” => statement of a testimony => the experience of salvation). This is very important as in the same way as at the time of the Apostle Paul it was a ship with the sign of “twins” (note: double portion) which brought him to a new place (see Acts 28:11).

 

11 After three months we headed out to sea. We sailed in a ship that had stayed at the island during the winter. It was a ship from Alexandria. On the front of it the figures of twin gods were carved. Their names were Castor and Pollux.

 

 

We are called to move in God's schedule because He has appointed times and seasons from eternity. The Torah or the first book of the Bible begins with the words “In the beginning” and is a revelation of God to us that He has set up a schedule of time on earth from eternity (see Genesis 1:1).

 

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

 

So, it is crucial to understand that God has a prophetic being and has woven time (note: months) into the earth realm because it is His desire to release it prophetically so that we may walk in the center of His creation. This includes a lifetime in God's creativity allowing us to move forward with a new mindset in order to implement God's plans on earth.

 

If we were aware of what God has put into the different periods of time (note: years, months, …) of revelatory power, then we would have faith for the things He wants to do in the coming periods of time.

 

Faith for the things that God wants to do in the next months can be intensified when we are convinced that we are in God's schedule of time. The Lord calls us to move forward in His creative power to see the impossible possible (see Luke 18:27)!

 

27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel Glimm