Skip to main content

Reply to "DRAMA, PUPPET, STORYTELLING Workshop Lessons and Ideas for Elijah, Elisha, Chariot, Mantle"

Elijah carried up to heaven Drama/Puppet idea

From Neil MacQueen (moved to consolidate topic)

Students are going to re-create the key scene from the story using a leaf blower, crunchy material for fire sounds, small cloth mantles (one for each student), and their own paper cutout Elijah.

1. Have each student cut out a small Elijah figure on lightweight paper. Let them "dress" him quickly with colored markers.

2. Give each student a small piece of cloth representing his or her "mantle." Using permanent markers, have them write the names of five or six people in the church and their family who teach them about God.

3. Give each student a piece of crunch paper or cellophane to make the “fire” sound in the story.

4. Position a helper on the floor with the leaf blower pointed toward the ceiling.

5. Gathered around the leaf blower, walk around in a circle retelling the story. Assume the role of Elijah and ask your young Elishas three times to stay behind. Have them respond as Elisha did "I will not leave you." 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 stay with me, and if you see me go." Then say, "suddenly, a chariot of fire pulled by horse on fire came between Elijah and Elisha." At this point all the students should make the flame noise as loud as they can. Continue by saying, "And Elijah was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind." Have the leaf blower start up and one by one have the students release their Elijah cutouts and mantles into the air stream. Have each one shout, "My Father, my father, My Defender of Israel!"

After everyone has “caught” his or her mantle, turn off the leaf blower and pour a small amount of water on the table or in a shallow pan such as a cookie sheet. Then have the students strike the water just like Elisha did, saying, "Where is the God of Elijah?" Even a small amount of water will spritz just enough when struck. This is all very fun and memorable and you can bet they'll all want to try it several times. It will be a lesson they will never forget!

Close with a prayer such as:

Lord give us the desire to learn more about you. And help us each to grow up and be the kind of prophets Elijah and Elisha were. Pass their mantle to each of us. Amen.



Elisha Drama Script “Holy Chariots of Fire!”

From Rachel Haugland (moved to consolidate topic)

(II Kings 2: 1-22)

Characters: Narrator 1&2, Elijah, Elisha, student 1&2, man, (No speaking - group of men, mom, dad, chariot/whirlwind)

Props: Mantle/cloak, plates/cups, blue cloth for river, black tarp, cloth to tear, bowl/salt, spring/big bucket


Narrator 1: This is Elijah. (Enter Elijah) He is one of the Great Prophets of God. He was strong and true to our God at a time when most of the people worshipped a fake god named Baal. (Like Pail)

Elijah: Yes, sir-ree! God is God! Those other people need to stop believing in that fake god and believe in my God. My God is the one true God.

Narrator 2: God wanted Elisha to take over for Elijah and be a prophet.

Elijah: God told me to find Elisha, so I obeyed. (Leaning over in a whisper) Sure wish he had a different name. You know, everyone is going to get those names mixed up ‘cause they sound so much a like – Elijah – Elisha.

Narrator 1: God told Elijah he should anoint Elisha to replace him as a prophet. Elijah found him plowing in a field with 11 other team of oxen. (Elijah act this out) Elijah went over to him and threw his mantle on him – threw his coat across his shoulders – and walked away again.

Elisha: Hey! Wait! Let me say good-bye to dad and mom first. Then I will come with you and do what the Lord wishes.

Narrator 2: So Elisha and his family had a great feast. (Mom, dad, Elisha sit and eat) Then he followed Elijah and became his assistant.

Narrator 1: Now we move forward in the story. It came time for the Lord to take Elijah to heaven. But Elijah wasn’t going to heaven like everyone else – by dying first. God had a special plan for Elijah. He would not die, but go up to heaven by a whirlwind! (Chariot/whirlwind wind across the stage making ‘wind’ noises)

Elijah: Stay here Elisha. God wants me to go to Bethel.

Elisha: No way! I’m not leaving you.

Narrator 2: So Elijah and Elisha moved on together. This happened 2 more times. Elijah didn’t want Elisha to go to Jericho or to the Jordan River. But again Elisha said,

Elisha: No. As I live and breathe, I will not be separated from you.

Narrator 2: While they were at Jericho, the student prophets of the school came out to meet them.

Narrator 1: They all went together to the Jordan River (Place the river)– the 50 young prophets watched from a far. Elijah folded his Mantle (cloak), (Place mantle at river) struck the waters and they divided–(Place a black tarp over the river) so they could walk across the river on dry land. (Walk across, then remove the tarp)

Student 1: Wow! Did you see that? He just parted the river like Moses did!

Student 2: That was pretty cool!

Elijah: Elisha, if I could grant you one wish, what would it be?

Elisha: I pray for a double portion of your spirit – twice as much power as you have had.

Elijah: That is a hard request. But, if you see me taken to heaven, it will be granted.

Narrator 2: As they were walking along, suddenly a chariot of fire, drawn by horses of fire, appeared and drove between them, separating the two. (Chariot swoop to take Elijah away) Elijah was carried into heaven by a whirlwind. Elisha saw it and cried out,

Elisha: My Father, my Father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen! (Elisha tears a cloth)

Narrator 1: Elisha picked up the mantle (cloak), went back to the river.

Elisha: Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

Narrator 1: And he struck the water with it. (Mantle to river) and the water parted so he could go across. (Replace the tarp) When the prophets of Jericho saw what had happened, they bowed down before him and exclaimed,

Students: The spirit of Elijah rests with Elisha!

Narrator 1: The men of Jericho came to Elisha with a problem. They told him of their beautiful city and natural surroundings.

Man: But we have a problem. Our water is bad. It causes unborn children to die and our women cannot have any babies.

Elisha: Bring me a new bowl with salt in it (bowl/salt)

Narrator 2: Then Elisha went to the spring of the waters and cast the salt in.

Elisha: The Lord has healed these waters. They will no longer cause death.

Man: (Takes a sip of water) Mmmm, that’s mighty tasty!

Narrator 1: And the waters became pure just as Elisha had said. Elisha was truly a prophet of God.


A script written by Rachel Haugland – for non-profit use

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

Last edited by Luanne Payne
Rotation.org Inc. is a volunteer-run, 100% member supported, 501(c)3 non-profit Sunday School lesson ministry. You are welcome to borrow and adapt content for non-commercial teaching purposes --as long as both the site and author are referenced. Rotation.org Inc reserves the right to manage, move, condense, delete, and otherwise improve all content posted to the site. Read our Terms of Service. Get a free Registered Membership or become a Supporting Member for full access to all site resources.
Rotation.org is rated 5 stars on Google based on 51 reviews. Serving a global community including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, S. Africa, and more!
×
×
×
×
×