Elisha Receives The Mantle From Elijah

Video Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Watch about six minutes of the animated video Elisha from Nest Entertainment (and meanwhile, teach critical viewing). Participate in an exercise involving a hairdryer, cloth mantles, and paper dolls to help remember the story.

For scripture and objectives, see above.

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
• Prepare an opening and/or closing prayer in case you need one.
• Gather the materials.

Supplies List:

• Easel with appropriate marker
• Video: Elisha from Nest Entertainment
• Video player and screen.
• Snack items: goldfish crackers, paper cups, napkins, water pitcher
• Bibles (for 3rd graders)
• Story Bible for 1st and 2nd grade – The Young Reader’s Bible
• Elisha Activity Book (also from Nest) from which pages 5, 8, 11, 14, and 17 have been copied & made into 5 sequencing cards, and pages 5 & 11 have been enlarged & made into Elijah & Elisha pictures
• Masking tape
• “Mantle” cloth cut into strips 3 x 9 inches -1 per student
• Cellophane or similar crinkly-crunch material - we used waxed paper
• Hair dryer and extension cord
• Paper-doll Elijah’s - printed from http://www.daniellesplace.com/  search for Lazarus Doll [Use the puppet with his eyes open. NOTE: You will need to join Danielle's Place to access this page. Do so, it is worth it.]
• Markers
• Small amount of water and cookie sheet.

Before the start of class:

• On the whiteboard make a “Things to watch for” list. Include these items: Elijah and Elisha. Next to each of these, put up the Elijah and Elisha pictures with masking tape.
• 2. Make sure you know how to use the TV/DVD player.
• Cue the video to the beginning: at the “Family Entertainment presents” logo.
• Roughly cut out the Elijah paper dolls. Set them aside.
• Plug in the hair dryer using the extension cord. Do a test run of an Elijah cutout and mantle cloth flying up in the hair-dryer/blower whirlwind.

LESSON PLAN

Opening:

Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the Video Workshop. Introduce yourself and any other adults. Pass around a basket to collect any offering.
[Note: The Shepherd will be taking care of attendance while you are starting your lesson.]

Ask: Who is an important person in your life?
What is special about that person?
Say: It’s important for us to have people in our lives to encourage us, but most important – is to have people in our lives that share their faith with us.
Ask: What are some ways people can share their faith? (allow a few answers)
Say: Today we will talk more about sharing our faith. But let’s have prayer time first.

Ask for any prayer requests. Ask if anyone would like to lead the group in prayer. Be prepared to say a prayer yourself, working in prayer requests. Use the Lord’s Prayer as the ending. A suggestion: “Dear God, Thank you for bringing us all here today. Thank you for teaching us about trusting you. Help us to learn about sharing our faith and our trust. (End with the Lord’s Prayer) Amen.”

Dig:

Say: There are two main characters in our story. They are both prophets.
Ask: What is a prophet? (a messenger of God)

Refer to the whiteboard and the “Things to watch for” list…
Say: The two prophets we are going to learn about are named Elijah (pronounced: ee-LAI-juh) and Elisha (pronounced: ee-LAI-shuh). Their names sound very close. We are going to watch a video about these two prophets. We are going to watch how Elijah passes his faith on to Elisha. First let’s review our story.

Ask: This story took place many years before Jesus was born. Where do you suppose would we find this book in the Bible? (in the Old Testament)
Say: Our story is found in a book of the Bible called Second Kings.

For 3rd grade and up:
Distribute Bibles. [Note: Bibles used are NRSV in this workshop.]

Have everyone find 2 Kings, chapter 2, verses 1-15.
[3rd graders will need more time to find the story. Have the Shepherd help you to check that everyone has found the story. They may use the table of contents to find 2 Kings. Make sure they understand the difference between chapter numbers and verse numbers.]

Ask: What heading is at the top of this chapter? (have a student read it)
What does the word “ascends” mean? (goes up)
Say: These headings give us a clue as to what our Bible story is about. This story is about Elijah going up into heaven. Before he ascends to heaven he passes on his faith to Elisha.
Ask: What does the next heading in this chapter say? (ask a student to read it)
What does “succeeds” mean? (comes after)
Say: After Elijah goes to heaven Elisha takes Elijah’s place in the task of being the main, number one, greatest prophet. I am going to use this story Bible to tell you our story.

For all students:
Read pages 176 and 177 in The Young Reader’s Bible. Show the pictures as you read.

Ask: What is another word we could use for helper? (word looking for: disciple)
Say: A disciple is one who follows and learns from a teacher, and who tries to act as their teacher does. Elisha was Elijah’s disciple.

Ask: Do you see this coat that Elijah put around Elisha?
What is another name for Elijah’s coat? [On the 1st week the kids won’t know this.]
Say: This coat is also called a mantle. It’s not the same as a mantel that goes around a fireplace. The two words are spelled differently and mean something different. The kind of mantle we are talking about is a loose, sleeveless coat. The story said, “As a sign Elijah put his coat” or his mantle “around Elisha.” A mantle is the clothing that a prophet wore. By putting the mantle on Elisha, Elijah was saying – YOU are now a prophet.

Say: Let’s watch the first part of our video. Now I want you to listen carefully for what is missing from this video story – what is missing from the Bible story that I just told you – and for what is added to this video story – what the producers of this video have added to the story.

Show the Video:
Have the Shepherd help distribute the snack.

START the video at the designated place (at the “Family Entertainment presents” logo).
VIEW 1 minute and 20 seconds of video…
PAUSE after Elijah says, “Come, there is much to do.”

Ask: How do you suppose Elisha recognizes Elijah? (allow all answers, perhaps he had met him before, perhaps because of his mantle)
Say: The producers of this video have added parts that are not in the Bible.
Ask: What was added to this story? (visit by the father; Elijah saying he was going to be taken up into heaven)
What do you think of the idea that they have added to the story? (allow all answers)
Now, what was missing from this video? (Elijah throwing his cloak over Elisha)
[Note: If the students have totally missed what was added or what was missing, feel free to REWIND and watch it again. Re-watching the material can only be a good thing.]

Go back to telling the story:
Hold open a Bible to indicate that you are telling the story from the Bible.

Say: Let me tell you some more of our Bible story. Elisha became Elijah’s faithful disciple. That meant Elisha was learning from Elijah about being a disciple. He was watching what Elijah was doing, and how he was handling people and situations. He was learning about trusting God.

Say: Elisha was Elijah’s disciple for about ten years. Then Elijah and Elisha traveled a final journey together. They made three stops in three different places. At each stop, Elijah instructed Elisha to leave. Elisha demonstrated his deep commitment to Elijah by refusing to leave, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will not leave you.”
Say: Now Elijah and Elisha were not alone, a group of other prophets were nearby. No doubt they knew that Elijah would soon be taken up into heaven and they wondered who would succeed Elijah as the greatest prophet in the land.
The entire group came to the Jordan River. Elijah rolled up his mantle and struck the water with it. Immediately the water parted and the two of them crossed over on dry ground!

Say: Let’s watch to see how our video covers this part of the story. Remember to watch for what is added and what is not shown.

Show the Video:
HIT PLAY
VIEW 2 minutes and 5 seconds of video…
PAUSE after the river closes.

Ask: Who was the other group of people at the river? (the other prophets)
What was missing from this part of the video? (the conversations between Elijah & Elisha – the part where Elisha said he wouldn’t leave)
What has been added to this story? (much: Elisha saying I’ll never be able to do what you do; part about removing this mountain; Elijah asking God to show his power)
Why do you suppose those parts were added? (accept all answers)
Say: Perhaps the added parts help us to understand the story. Still, it is good to watch a video closely to see if it is telling the story the way it happened in the Bible.

Go back to telling the story:
Hold open a Bible to indicate that you are telling the story from the Bible. In later weeks of the Rotation, ask the students to tell you what happens next.

Say: When they had crossed the river, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours.”

Show the picture on page 179 of The Young Reader’s Bible.

Say: Suddenly a chariot and horses of fire appeared and carried Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw him taken up to heaven and cried out, “My father! My father!”
Elijah was gone…but his mantle had fallen to the ground. Elisha went and picked it up. Then he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan River.

Show the picture on page 180 of The Young Reader’s Bible.
Say: Elisha struck the water with the mantle saying, “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

Read page 181 and show this picture.

Say: Let’s watch to see how our video covers this part of the story.

Show the Video:
HIT PLAY
VIEW 1 minute and 45 seconds of video…
PAUSE after Elijah goes up to heaven & Elisha bows his head into the mantle.

Ask: What did you think of the chariot of fire?
What do you suppose the chariot of fire looked like? (allow all answers)
Was anything added or taken away from this part of the video? (no)

HIT PLAY
VIEW 40 seconds of video…
STOP the tape when the cottage appears.

Discussion:
Put the sequencing cards on the table, and ask the students to put them in the correct order.

Ask: When the waters were parted did that remind you of another Bible story? (Moses parting the Red Sea)

Ask: How do you suppose the company of prophets knew that Elisha was now the Lord’s prophet? (because Elisha had the Lord’s power – he could separate the Jordan River as Elijah had done before)

Say: Elisha had the Lord’s power.
Ask: Do you suppose that power was in the mantle? That whomever had the mantle would be powerful?
Say: No, the mantle itself wasn’t powerful. Remember that Elisha spent time learning from Elijah. Elijah taught him and passed on his faith.
Ask: What are your thoughts about the faith that have been passed on to you?
Has someone talked to you about Bible stories?
Has someone told you that Jesus loves you?
Ask: How do we learn about faith from those around us?
Elijah asked Elisha, “what I may do for you, before I am taken from you?” How would you answer a question like that – what would you need to carry on the faith?
To whom will we pass on our mantles?
How can you share with younger or older people, YOUR faith?

Re-Create the story scene:

1. Give each student a small cloth representing their “mantle”. Using markers, have them write the names of three people in the church or their family who teach them about God.
2. Hand out to each student a paper Elijah. If time allows, let them “dress” him quickly with markers.
3. Place the cookie sheet on the center table. Have some water in the pitcher nearby. Have the hairdryer plugged in and close at hand.
4. Give each student a piece of crunch paper or cellophane to make the “fire” sound in the story.
5. Tell the students that we will re-create the story. You will play Elijah; they will be Elisha. Have everyone walk in a circle around the table, as you retell the story. Assume the role of Elijah and ask your young Elisha’s three times to stay behind. Have them respond as Elisha did: “As surely as the LORD lives, I will not leave you.”
6. Then stop the action and ask the important question: “What do you want from me before I go?” And have the children respond with Elisha’s words, “I want a double share of your spirit; I want to continue your work.” Respond by saying, “It will be yours if you see me go.”
7. Then say, “Suddenly, a chariot of fire pulled by a horse on fire came between Elijah and Elisha.” At this point all the students should make the flame noise as loud as they can.
8. Continue by saying, “And Elijah was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind.” Startup the hairdryer and point it towards the ceiling. One by one have each student release their Elijah cutouts and mantles into the air stream. Have each one shout, “My Father my father.”
9. After everyone has had a chance to see their Elijah go up in a whirlwind, turn off the hairdryer. Pour a small amount of water on the cookie sheet. Have the students strike the water just like Elisha did saying, “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” [Even a small amount of water will spritz just enough when struck.]

Closing:
Have the students collect their mantle.

Say: Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantle and carried on the faith and belief in God that he had learned from Elijah. This week, look for ways you can pick up the mantle of faith from the people whose names you wrote on your mantle.

If you have extra time:
REWIND the video and watch it from the beginning to the stopping point.

Resources:

• Binder, Amy et al. Elisha Activity Book. Irving, Texas: Nest Entertainment, Inc. 1994.
• Bruno, Bonnie and Carol Reinsma. The Young Reader’s Bible. Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 1998.
• Burton, Julie. Lessons on Elisha Receives the Mantle from Elijah: Cinema idea, 2007.
• Derden, Jaymie. “Bible Background.” 2007.
• MacQueen, Neil. "A MANUAL for the "VIDEO ~ A-V" WORKSHOP” https://www.rotation.org/topic...-video--a-v-workshop
• MacQueen, Neil. "Elijah carried up to heaven Drama/Puppet idea"  https://www.rotation.org/topic/...4#564824880993318704  (activity w/ hair dryer which actually uses a leaf blower which we figured would be too disruptive)

A lesson written by Carol Hulbert for First United Methodist Church
Ann Arbor, MI

Copyright  First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI.
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.