Before Elijah departs into heaven in a whirlwind, riding on a chariot of fire, Elisha asks him for a "double-share of his spirit."
Elijah transferred the prophetic mantel to Elisha just before Elijah ascended to heaven. And as it had done in the shift from Moses to Joshua, the Jordan River parted for Elijah and Elisha, who crossed on dry ground
2 Kings 2:8 And Elijah took his mantle (coat) and rolled it up and struck the waters, and they were divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
Elijah then departs into heaven on a "chariot of fire" carried up into heaven on a whirlwind sent by God.
2 Kings 2:14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he too had struck the waters, they divided this way and that, and Elisha crossed over.
Parting of the Sea/Water Occurs 5 Times in the Bible.
We often find ourselves in state of crossing and transition after times of being stuck in a “wilderness.” The Jordan river is at the border of wilderness.
The Jordan River – Your Place Of Transition
How do we break the “wilderness cycle” and get to the place of crossing?
John the Baptist chose this same area to baptize.
Because the Jordan River represented a place of transition — in fact, of new beginnings — it became the place where John baptized Jesus. But instead of the waters parting, the heavens did.
Mark 1:10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
The transitions that occurred there were very importantl — as with Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and John and Jesus.
Matthew 3:6 and Mark 1:15 describe John the Baptist baptizing the people from Jerusalem, Judea and the surrounding area. He di this at the Jordan river.
The Jordan river represents an opportunity we all have before us. With confessing our sins to God and one another, and in physical baptism, we can be renewed and refreshed. We can have that breakthrough and moment of clarity that we may have been seeking in our lives.
Entering the Promised Land by crossing the Jordan remains a timeless metaphor for crossing over from death to spiritual life.
