THE EDUCATION OF A PROPHET

08-08-21 This message may be viewed live streaming video at youtube.com and tabernacleofmoses.org today Sunday at 11:00 am, and repeated 24/7 thereafter. The video, audio, and study notes are archived.

(Eph 4:11-13) And he [Jesus Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [spiritual building up] of the body of Christ:  Till we all come in the unity [Gk: oneness] of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure [Gk: (the) degree] of the stature [Gk: maturity] of the fulness of Christ: 

(Amos 3:7)  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but [Heb: except] he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets [Heb: inspired men /// to prophesy, speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)]. 

THE EDUCATION OF APPRENTICE PROPHETS

(2 Kings 2:1-7)  And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up [the prophet] Elijah [a type and shadow of Jesus Christ] into heaven [ref. Acts 1:9,10] by a whirlwind [Heb: a hurricane: storm, tempest /// to rush upon, toss: be sore troubled, (to) drive] [a symbol of the Holy Spirit], that Elijah went with [his apprentice] Elisha [a type and shadow of believers, each one of us] from [the school of prophets in] Gilgal [Heb: wheel; by analogy a whirlwind: rolling thing] [symbolizing the Holy Spirit’s work in us; these are “imputed for righteousness” students, born-again] [i.e., elementary school].  And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here [at this level of understanding], I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to [the school of prophets in] Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel [Heb: house of God] [i.e., high school].  And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master [Elijah] from thy head [Heb: principal] to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.  And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here [at this level of understanding], I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to [the school of prophets in] Jericho. And he [Elisha] said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho [Heb: fragrant /// smell (by implic. perceive (fig. to anticipate, enjoy): make of quick understanding] [i.e., college].  And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head [Heb: principal] to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.  And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here [at this level of understanding]; for the LORD hath sent me to [the river] Jordan [Heb: descender /// to go downwards to a lower region] [1]. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.  And fifty men of the sons of the prophets [numerically implying “some” but not all; manifesting internal grades (different levels) of willingness and understanding] went [followed], and stood to view [they watched to learn, but very cautiously, from reverent fear of God] afar off: [from a long distance away, because they were not yet “made ready” to fully understand] [2] and they two [Elijah and Elisha] stood by [the river] Jordan. 

1.    Commentary: the river “Jordan” = moving water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, herein separating (guarding) the Promised Land from the wilderness, i.e., heaven from hell. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is God’s Thoughts projected (moving water), formed and articulated (spoken) as “the word of God” (Heb: 4:12).

a.     (Eph 5:26)  That he [Christ, the anointing, the Holy Spirit] might sanctify [Gk: make holy; purify] and cleanse it [the church, i.e., us] with the washing [Gk: a bath, fig. baptism] [immersion into] of water by the word [Gk: rhema; revelations] [of God that do the “washing” through the action (moving) of His Holy Spirit], 

2.    (Prov 9:10)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. [this verse utilizes the writing convention of phrase parallelism]

THE MANTLE OF THE ANOINTING HOLY SPIRIT

(2 Kings 2:8-10)  And Elijah took his mantle [1,2], and wrapped it together [wound it up like a rod, or whirlwind], and smote the waters [like Aaron smote the Red Sea], and they were divided [separated] hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.  And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion [as the “firstborn” (eldest) son receives (Deut 21:17)] of thy spirit be upon me.  And he [Elijah, a type and shadow of Jesus Christ] said, Thou hast asked [for] a hard thing [Heb: to be dense, tough or severe] [i.e., for discernment, in the distribution and judgment of blessings and cursings]: nevertheless, if thou see [Heb: consider, discern, perceive, think (on)] me [i.e., mentally still follow me] when I am taken from thee [3], it shall be so unto thee [4]; but if not [if you do not see], it shall not be so. 

1.    mantle = Heb: garment, glory, robe /// powerful: glorious, goodly, worthy.

2.    Commentary: Elijah’s “mantle” is a type and shadow of the Anointing that covered and empowered Elijah (who did many miracles) and that prophetically symbolized the woven one-piece “coat” (John 19:23) of Jesus Christ (the firstborn and therefore eldest Son of God) by denoting the miraculous power of “oneness” with the Spirit of God.

3.    (Num 21:8,9)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole [a wooden cross pole, to hold up the circular brass serpent]: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it [i.e., recognizes, considers, sin as sin], shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass [Heb: filthiness] [representing sin], and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serepent had bitten any  man, when he beheld [Heb: to look intently at: consider, have respect (for)] the serpent of brass [of his sin], he lived.

a.     (John 3:14)  And [Jesus said] as Moses lifted up [for all to see] the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up [for all to see]: 

4.    (Act 1:8,9)  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost [your mantle, (a spiritsuit)] is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  And when he [Christ Jesus] had spoken these things, while they beheld [Gk: looked at, perceived, regarded, took heed], he was taken up; and a cloud [symbol of a spiritual vehicle] received him out of their sight. 

THE “VESSELS” (MATT 13:47-50), VEHICLE, CHARIOT, (SPACESHIP??) INTO HEAVEN

(2 Kings 2:11-13) And it came to pass, as they [Elijah and Elisha] still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot [Heb: a vehicle] [the Bible] of fire [1], and horses of fire [power words (angels) of fire; the words of the Bible], and parted [Heb: divided] them both asunder [symbolically “dividing asunder of soul and spirit” Heb 4:12; prophetically dividing “the dead in Christ” from those who “are alive and remain” 1 Thes 4:16,17]; and Elijah went up [alive (raptured)] by a whirlwind [symbol of the Holy Spirit] into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father [spiritual sonship], the chariot [the vehicle that will “carry” you to heaven, the Bible] of Israel [Heb: he will rule as God], and the horsemen [Heb: drivers] [angels] thereof. And he [Elisha] saw him [Elijah] no more: and he [Elisha] took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces [in acknowledgment of the division (separation) of his own spirit and soul in the garden of his mind, in the Garden of Eden]. He [Elisha] took up also the mantle of Elijah [Heb: garment, robe] [covering, heavensuit] that fell from him [“fell” from Elijah because it was an endowment: “fell” as the fallen angel (prodigal son) said to his father (while asking for his inheritance): “Father, give to me the portion of goods that falleth to me” Luke  15:12], and [Elisha] went back [Heb: returned] [from the wilderness (“and the spirit shall return to God who gave it” Eccl 12:7)], and stood by the bank of [the river] Jordan [about to part the waters of humanity into saved peoples and unsaved peoples with Elijah’s, now Elisha’s Anointing mantle (covering). Elisha himself, has become a fully educated prophet];

1.    (Jer 23:29a) Is not my word like as fire? saith the Lord;

(Mat 13:47-50)  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:  Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.  So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.