"He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; and he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over." 2 Kings 2:13,1413He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. (2 Kings 2:13‑14).
Elisha took up Elijah's mantle to represent him in a world opposed to God. The first step was to take the mantle that fell from Elijah and, in the power of faith, pass over Satan's powers of death, "Jordan," under a new principle of life in the Spirit.
He was now to walk by faith, not by sight. The sons of the prophets did not manifest faith.
"And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?" 2 Kings 2:15-1815And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. 17And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. 18And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not? (2 Kings 2:15‑18).
How this searching by the sons of the prophets suggests what will happen immediately after the Church is caught up to be forever with the Lord.
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake." 2 Kings 2:19-2219And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. 20And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 22So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. (2 Kings 2:19‑22).
Elisha stood by the river, having crossed in the power of his master. He must next make the trek up to Jericho, from there to Bethel, and last of all to Gilgal. This is the path of the Church on earth.
Elisha must walk in the path that was shown him by Elijah, but in reverse order, having started at Jordan in the land. The Jordan was the end of Christ's path below, and the beginning of ours.
Christianity is not the flesh made new but the flesh in the place of death and a new man entirely.
Christ vanquished and bound Satan and then went about to spoil his goods. Elisha typifies Christ in this.
Jericho had a pleasant situation, but its refreshment (water) was bad and the land barren. There must be a new cruse, a new nature, which is symbolic of capacity, then there must be salt in the new cruse. Unless there is personal devotedness to Christ, and unless the source of the waters (complete dependence on God) is reached, where heavenly grace is in exercise, there never can be blessing or refreshment in the city of the curse. Grace comes from God.
Salt must be cast into the spring of the waters. Only God can heal the waters in the city of the curse, but it is by my casting salt into the source of the waters. It is the personal energy of faith which depends entirely on God, which makes the water sweet. There are no substitutes for personal faith and communion, which always precede service.
The waters being healed suggests that one who follows in the path set forth here finds rest, joy, and peace in a troubled world because of having salt in a new cruse to cast into the source of the waters.
Refreshment in a dry and thirsty land comes from heavenly graces bestowed on the one who walks near to Christ.