“Glory to the Precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Isaiah 61: 10

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

In us, the bride, the church the Lord is wearing the mantle of righteousness and covered with zealousness.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in the portion of the Bible that we meditated upon in the past days, we meditated with patterns that if we, the bride, the church always lives with Christ safeguarding holiness, then he will take us to heaven.

Next what we are meditating upon is that 2 Kings 2: 13 – 19 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 

Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 

Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send anyone.”

But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him. 

And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”

In the above-mentioned verses when Elijah was taken to heaven by a whirlwind Elisha who saw it took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over. Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send anyone.” But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him. And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

My dear people, when we meditate upon the above-mentioned verses mantle means the righteousness of God and the zeal of the Lord and this is mentioned. Each one of us should be filled with the righteousness of Christ. This righteousness is taken to heaven and then we must receive it from Christ who is dwelling within us. Also, what he is expecting from us he is zealous regarding that. The verse regarding that in Isaiah 60: 17, 18 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver, instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. I will also make your officers peace, and your magistrates’ righteousness.

Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.

But the way Elisha received from Elijah, when he was being taken by the whirlwind because he saw that Elisha is receiving it. But now Christ as the one who was worn the mantle of righteousness is dwelling within us. He is wearing righteousness in this manner and is making us cross Jordan by baptism. Receiving baptism by water means being born again. In this manner, we should be as those who are born again to inherit the kingdom of God. Regarding this the word of the Lord in John 3: 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

In this manner, not only should we receive the Kingdom of God but by Christ who dwells within us those who are with us should also receive the Kingdom of God and let us submit ourselves for this.

Let us pray. May the Lord bless you all abundantly. 

       - To be continued