Double Portion of Grace | Sep. 20, 2026 | Ps. Raph Felix

Double Portion Two very famous prophets appear in the Old Testament. Elijah, whose stories appear mainly in First Kings, and Elisha, whose stories appear mostly in Second Kings. They seem to have started a school of prophets in the Old Testament. Samuel originated the prophetic bands in the 11th century BC. However, the formal, school-like communities known as the "sons of the prophets” were institutionalized and brought to their prominence under the leadership of Elijah and Elisha in the 9th century. Their relationship exemplifies how you can expect increasing favor in your life. In this story, Elisha, as Elijah's successor, experienced a double measure of miracles. Causing a drought (1 Kgs 17:1) Provision of flour and oil for the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:14) Resurrecting the widow’s son (1 Kgs 17:22) Calling down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel (1 Kgs 18:38) Bringing the drought to an end with severe rain (1 Kgs 18:45) Calling down fire on Ahaziah’s captains and their fifties (2 Kgs 1:10–12) Parting the waters of the Jordan River with his mantle (2 Kgs 2:8) (Note: Divine provisions, such as ravens feeding him or angelic sustenance, are typically acts of God upon the prophet rather than miracles mediated by the prophet's agency). Elisha records the following supernatural events: Parting the waters of the Jordan River (2 Kgs 2:14) Healing the contaminated waters of Jericho (2 Kgs 2:21) Pronouncing a curse resulting in bears mauling forty-two youths (2 Kgs 2:24) Providing water for the allied armies in the desert (2 Kgs 3:20) Multiplying the widow’s oil (2 Kgs 4:6) Prophesying the birth of the Shunammite woman's son (2 Kgs 4:16) Resurrecting the Shunammite woman's son (2 Kgs 4:35) Neutralizing poisonous stew in Gilgal (2 Kgs 4:41) Multiplying twenty loaves of barley bread to feed a hundred men (2 Kgs 4:43) Healing Naaman the Syrian of leprosy (2 Kgs 5:14) Transferring Naaman’s leprosy to Gehazi (2 Kgs 5:27) Causing a borrowed iron axhead to float (2 Kgs 6:6) Striking the Aramean army with blindness (2 Kgs 6:18) A dead man resurrecting upon contacting Elisha's bones (2 Kgs 13:21) There is a path we need to walk to experience that increase. From Priesthood to Prophets Moses established the Tabernacle and the role of the high priest. They were appointed to lead the people spiritually and civilly. The Israelites had no king in those early days, so the high priest guided them. Not long after, the high priesthood failed. Aaron's sons offered unauthorized fire before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2), and we see later, in the days of Eli (1 Samuel 2:17; 3:13), his sons profaned the sanctuary and brought God’s judgment upon themselves. God established a monarchy, with kings leading Israel and the high priest assisting them. But even great kings like David sinned. God then introduced the prophetic ministry, starting with Samuel, the first prophet. Unlike kings and priests, the prophet's role was not hereditary. No succession was guaranteed; God simply raised up a prophet wherever He chose. The primary word for "prophet," occurring over 300 times in the Old Testament, נָבִיא (naví). Meaning "one who calls/proclaims”. Or "one who is called [by God]”. (Acts 2:17-18)"'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18.even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” 1 Peter 2:9 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Corrupt Age During the most corrupt era in Israel's history, the nation split into two: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. During that time, God raised Elijah to speak over the northern kingdom, which had reached unprecedented corruption. Ahab was king, and he had married a wicked woman named Jezebel. She was ruthless and entirely given over to darkness. She tried to force the Israelites to worship Baal, the false god of rain. Here we have the stories of Elijah and Elisha starting in 1 Kings 17. 1 Kings 17:1 1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” Baal worship involved fertility rites filled with rampant sexual promiscuity. Worse still, people sacrificed their own children in the fire as offerings to Baal. Elijah came to expose that corruption and bring judgment over the false gods. That is why the most notable miracle of Elijah is his calling fire from heaven over the sacrifice. A battle against the prophets of Baal. Remember that we are looking for Christ. Elijah points us to John the Baptist, while Elisha points us directly to our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Elijah came before Elisha, John the Baptist, under the spirit of Elijah, preceded Jesus. Elijah and Jesus The name Elijah combines "Eli" (my God) and "Ya" (Yahweh). His name means "my God is Yahweh.” Or "my God is the LORD." The name Elisha, however, means "my God is Yeshua"; Yeshua means "Yahweh is salvation." That is the Hebrew name of Jesus, Yeshua, meaning "my God saves." In contrast, these prophets point to different dispensations. Elijah represents the Old Covenant and judgment. It is God as the lawgiver, ready to punish. Elisha, by contrast, represents the New Covenant, the time of grace. If Elisha’s ministry foreshadows Christ's, one of the most remarkable events in Elisha's life is the resurrection power of the incident with his bones. 2 Kings 13:20-21 20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet. Jesus' death is what brings ultimate life to the world. Life flows abundantly. The Cross, the very place of death, now brings life to whoever believes. All who listen to the message of the cross can receive eternal life. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18) We must throw those in our family who are dead into "Elisha's grave," so to speak. It is the power of Christ's death that can give life to those who are dead. Only by touching the cross will they receive resurrection life. The message of the cross either confuses or enlightens, either offends or empowers. (1 Corinthians 1:23-25) "But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." During the 1988 Yellowstone National Park fires, millions of acres burned, drawing horror from the public and media as flames engulfed ancient forests. To many, it appeared as pure tragedy and destruction. Yet, forest ecologists understood a hidden purpose: Lodgepole Pines, accounting for nearly 80% of Yellowstone's forests, produce cones sealed with a thick resin. These cones won't release seeds under normal weather conditions; they require the intense heat of a fire (113° to 140°F to melt the resin) to open. The very fire that destroys is essential for releasing new life. Within just a few years, millions of new lodgepole saplings had sprung from the ashes, The Path to the Double Portion Towards the end of Elijah's ministry, he journeyed with his disciple Elisha through four different locations. These places represent four stages we pass through to grow in grace and receive a double portion of the Spirit. We will look at the first appearance of those places in the story of the people of God. (2 Kings 2:1- 9) Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel …So they came to Jericho. … Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you."… When they had crossed [the Jordan River] , Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me." Gilgal 2 Kings 2:1 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. When the people of Israel entered Canaan, Gilgal was their very first stop. The word Gilgal means "to roll away." What exactly was rolled away? The spirit of shame. The Lord completely removed their reproach. It was also in Gilgal that the new generation of Israelites born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. Gilgal, therefore, also represents the cutting away of the flesh. And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. (Joshua 5:9) Forty years had passed since they left Egypt, yet the shame of Egypt still clung to Israel. A mentality of slaves prevents us from believing God for great things. Whenever a spirit of shame operates in our lives, it hinders our ability to receive abundantly from God. The Bible notes that Israel crossed the Jordan River on a very specific date. (Joshua 4:19) The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. These dates have significance. The first month is Nisan, the spring month of Passover. The tenth day of Nisan was the exact day the Jewish people set apart the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:3-6). They would bring the lamb into their home and examine it for five days. Then, they would sacrifice the lamb on Passover. Jesus also made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, on the very same tenth day of the first month. He arrived in Jerusalem the exact day the Passover lamb was meant to be selected. For five days, the religious leaders continually examined Jesus in the temple. They found absolutely no fault in Him. On that tenth day, Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. The children shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" (Matthew 21:15), and God's people rejoiced, crying out, "Glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:38). How can you get a double portion? Let Christ come and be exalted where you used to have shame. Bethel 2 Kings 2:2 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The name Bethel (בֵּית־אֵל, Beth-'el) literally translates to "House of God.” Jeroboam I made Bethel the main place for pagan worship in the Northern Kingdom and built a gold calf to compete with the Jerusalem temple. (1 Kings 12:28–33). Although Bethel began as a holy place for divine messages in the patriarchal period, it became the main center of idol worship. For Elisha, Bethel is where his faithfulness to his prophetic calling is tested. The world opposes Bethel. The world resists our closeness to the Lord. (Genesis 12:8) From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. Bethel is a place for an altar to the Lord. But when we go down to Egypt, there is no place for an altar. (Genesis 12:10)"Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land." The same thing happened with the people, Israel. But for many, many years. Exodus 8:25-26 25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? Over three million Israelites lived there for centuries, but not a single one was allowed to build an altar. Where there is no altar, there is no speaking of God. Romans 12:1-2 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. The world views our devotional life as an ‘abomination,' considering it a waste of time and money. No matter where you go in your daily life—whether at work, school, or home—you should maintain a mindset of worship. As you go through your day, make it a Bethel. An altar to the Lord. Call upon the name of the Lord and see the Spirit of God come upon you at a new level. Jericho 2 Kings 2:4 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. The next city the two prophets passed by was Jericho. It was the first city the Israelites conquered in Canaan. At the time of the conquest, the Lord commanded that all the gold and silver from that city belonged exclusively to Him because it was the first fruits of their victory. Joshua 6:19 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” This principle of "first" is so important in the Bible. Everything that is first belongs to God. Only from the second city onward were the Israelites allowed to divide the spoils among themselves. First fruits are holy and consecrated. No man has the right to take them for himself. However, when the people conquered Jericho, a man named Achan took for himself part of what was meant for the Lord (Joshua 7:1). The whole people suffered because of that. Jericho symbolizes our first fruits to the Lord. Giving our first fruits is a tangible way we place the Lord first in our lives. God never told Joshua, "After you conquer ten cities, give me one." Instead, He declared, "The first is mine." Do you want a double portion? It is time to practice this principle in your life. (Proverbs 3:9-10) Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Matthew 6:33-34 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. The Jordan River Finally, Elijah and Elisha arrived at the Jordan River. That is a very particular place. In the story we read 2 Kings 2:7-8 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. Once again, the Jordan River dries up, becoming a passage. A passage, a transition of seasons. A new era is beginning. When the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea, they moved from slavery to freedom, from a subjugated people to a nation in pursuit of the new land. They also crossed the Jordan River at the end of the 40 years in the wilderness. Joshua 1:11 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’” From a nomadic people wandering in the desert, they were conquerors of a promised land. The distinction between the Red Sea and the Jordan River crossing is that, at the Red Sea, armies were coming after Israel, which speaks to a situation forced upon us, pressing us to a single decision (Exodus 14:10-14). The Israelites had no other alternatives. The Jordan River, by contrast, represents a personal choice. The people of Israel had no Pharaoh coming after them. These crossings point to how we relate to the Cross of Christ. In one aspect, we were saved from sin and death by the power of the cross. That points to the Red Sea. But now, we have a choice between living under the law or under grace. A life of a conqueror or a life in the desert. The Israelites escaped Egypt by the blood of the lamb. They crossed the Red Sea and reached the other side safely. As they began their wilderness journey, God desired to bring them quickly into Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey. Yet their journey turned into forty years of aimless wandering. Why did this happen? Because of their stubborn unbelief, they failed to enter before the 40 years. They failed to enter His rest. "And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:18-19) The Israelites experienced two miraculous crossings. The Red Sea is a picture of Romans 6. "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him." (Romans 6:6-8) We died to sin. The crossing of the Jordan River pictures Romans 7, illustrating our deliverance from the life under the law. It is time to die to the law. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. (Romans 7:4) But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:6) For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. (Galatians 2:19) The Red Sea speaks of being dead to sin. The Jordan River symbolizes our deliverance from a life under the demands of the law. A crucial difference exists between the two events. The Ark of the Covenant was not present at the Red Sea; however, it went ahead of the people as they crossed the Jordan. The Red Sea signifies rescue. The Jordan River stands for relationship and maturity. The Ark leads the way into the Promised Land. God's presence goes ahead to fulfill His promises. From fleeing refugees guided by a leader to a nation led by a tangible relationship with God. A major spiritual shift: from guidance out of Egypt to God's leadership into the Promised Land. Do you want a double portion? Go to Gilgal. Forget shame and your past. Change your view of yourself as a sinner and live in Christ. Instead of shame, there will be a double portion; instead of dishonor, you will rejoice. The lord has a double portion and everlasting joy for us (Isaiah 61:7). Do you want an increase in favor? Come to Bethel. Cultivate a place of relationship with God. Move towards Jericho. Put God first; acknowledge Him in all ways, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:6). The next place is the other side os the Jordan. When we are set free from the mentality of religion and debt, we experience the double portion of God's favor.