(WT) Elijah Super Set - "Elijah's Mantle" Art Workshop

Rotation.org Writing Team

Elijah Super Lesson Set

"Elijah's Mantle" Art Workshop

Summary of Activities

Students will study Elijah stories, focusing on the passing of Elijah's mantle to young Elisha in 2 Kings 2, then create an Elijah's mantle T-shirt to be worn (as Elisha wore the mantle) as a sign of their desire to continue Elijah's mission and message.

This lesson has a special "Walking the Bible" reading activity that's especially appropriate and fun for this story.

Elijah's mantle is a symbol of his message and authority. The inspiration for the "wild hair" symbol used to make the mantle T-shirt comes from two sources. (1) The video lesson about Elijah in this set
— in which his hair is memorably and prophetically wild! And (2) as a nod to 2 Kings 1:8, where the Bible describes him as either wearing a hairy coat (mantle) or as a "hairy man" –depending on how you read the Hebrew! See the Bible Background for more about "Hairy Elijah."

The spelling of Elijah's name in Hebrew on the mantle T-shirt is an important part of the lesson, and is reinforced in other lessons in this set. See notes below.

Scripture for the Lesson

This particular lesson in the Super Set focuses on the last part of Elijah's story, the passing of his mantle to young Elisha and departure on a Chariot of Fire in a whirlwind. The other three parts of Elijah's story are not covered in this lesson due to time concerns and because we're using a fun "walk the story" activity to learn the story.

It is highly recommended that prior to using this lesson, students will have viewed the videos found in the Elijah lesson set Video Workshop or the interactive story found in this set's Computer Presentation workshop. Doing so will provide the proper context for the meaning of Elijah's mantle in this lesson and leave plenty of time in this Art Workshop lesson to create the mantle T-shirts.

Primary Scripture:
2 Kings 2:1-14, Elijah recruits Elisha, Chariot of Fire, the Mantle

Secondary Scripture:
1 Kings 17:1-24, Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath
1 Kings 18:2-46, Elijah, Ahab, and the Prophets of Baal
1 Kings 19:1-16, Elijah and Still Small Voice

Key Verse and Message:
“How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” (Elijah to the people of Israel on Mt Carmel, 1 Kings 18:21, NRSV)

Lesson Objectives

See the Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives. In addition to those objectives, the "wearable message" this art lesson creates encourages students to be like young Elisha and pick up Elijah's mantle —declaring the God they follow and helping to spread the message.

Preparation and Materials

Read the Bible Background and scripture.
Print the Elijah's Hair template, one per student (it includes other symbols and Elijah's name in Hebrew)
Print the "What's a Mantle" picture sheet.
1 white t-shirt per student. (Cheap on line.)
A collection of bright/florescent fabric paints.
Plates to dispense paint onto.
A collection of brushes.
Butcher paper to go between the layers of the shirt.
Masking tape to create a paint-area-box on the shirt and to attach the hair template.
Scrap paper to practice writing the Elijah lettering.
Scissors.
Fans.
Cleanup supplies.
In Advance, you may want to tape the t-shirts and get them ready to save time.

Lesson Plan

Open

Welcome your students and explain the order of events in today's lesson. Do a quick review to see how much they know or remember about Elijah.

What's a Mantle?

Distribute the "What's a Mantle" picture sheet and say the following.

Say and Ask: In today's lesson we're going to learn about the prophet Elijah's Mantle. A "mantle" is like a "uniform." It is something you wear to send a message about yourself. What are the messages being sent in these pictures?

Ask: What kind of "mantle" are Christians supposed to wear? (Help students think beyond "clothing.") Attitude can be a mantle. What does your attitude about Sunday School this morning tell others about your faith in Jesus? Actions and words can be mantles we wear. How do your actions towards others tell them what you think of them? How does the way you speak to your parents tell them about your love for them?

For older children: Paul said in Colossians 3:12, "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Say: In today's story, we're going to learn about the mantle of Elijah the prophet, and how he GAVE IT to a young person named Elisha. Let's get reading!

___________________________________________

Walking the Mantle Story

The following scripture exercise takes its cue from the story itself: Elijah walks and talks with Elisha, stops to ask questions, and crosses over the Jordan with him. Have students grab their Bibles (or you can read the story to them) --then walk to different locations -stopping to read a part of the story and ask a question. With older children, assign the reading-speaking roles of Elijah and Elisha. The "things to say" are optional. Walking will provide a fun memory hook for the content. Think about where you might walk to in your church to reinforce the imagery of the locations in the story.

Here's the text of 2 Kings 2: 2-15 (NRSV) story with "walking directions," location notes, and questions:

Starting at the village of Gilgal and walking towards Bethel, read verse 2. "Gilgal" means "stone circle" and was an ancient sacred site of worship near Jericho. "Bethel" means "house of God" and was a prominent place of worship, so you might walk towards your sanctuary.

2 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, “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.

Question: "Beth-el" literally means "House of God." Do you think Elijah was testing Elisha? What was Elijah trying to discover about Elisha?

Now walk to Bethel and continue reading...

3 The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, 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.

Question: Who are "the company of prophets" in our church today? Why do you think Elisha didn't want to leave Elijah's side?

Now walk toward Jericho and continue reading once you get there...
Jericho was the first city conquered by Joshua and the Israelites. It was a fortress and oasis.

5 The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “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.” So the two of them went on.

Question: The Jordan River marked the border between Israel and the wilderness. What other famous prophet would later preach and baptize at the Jordan? (John)

Now walk towards the Jordan River...
When it's time to arrive at the Jordan River, be in a location that has water! (a sink, a bathroom, a water fountain)

7 Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood and watched at some distance from them, as both Elijah and Elisha came to the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

Question: What famous story does this remind you of... waters parting, crossing on dry ground? (Red Sea) Elijah's mantle was not only a symbol of authority, but that God was with Elijah. How can people tell that YOU are "with" God?

Now cross the Jordan...
The Jordan was a traditional boundary between civilization and wilderness. It was a sacred river that brought life to the region.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10 He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.”

Comment: What's a "double share?" Was Elisha being greedy, or praising Elijah? Elijah is saying, if you are with me until the end, care to be with me, then you deserve the gift.

Now walk a little further into the wilderness...
They were walking deeper into the wilderness. People often went into the wilderness to feel closer to God.

11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

Comment: Only two people in the entire Bible ascended into heaven. Who was the other one? (Jesus) What does this tell you about the importance of Elijah in our faith?

Now go back to the Jordan River...
By going back to the Jordan boundary, Elisha is making a choice about the direction he is willing to go to serve God.

14 He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

Comment: Elisha cried out to God. What was God's answer?

End up walking back to Jericho
15 When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”

When your Elishas return back across the Jordan at the end of the story, find yourselves back at the Art Table ready to make your Elijah's Mantle T-shirts.

Possible follow up questions:

What did Elijah learn about young Elisha when he kept following him?
(He learned Elisha cared, was faithful, and was serious!)
What did Elisha ask from Elijah?
(The power to become his successor, to have Elijah's spirit, ...what was that spirit?)
How are YOU like Elisha in this story? And who are the Elijahs in your life?

___________________________________________

Design and Paint

As seen in the photo on the right, Elijah's "hair" has been cut from the printout, taped inside the blue masking tape box on the t-shirt, and painting has begun.

In advance, print and cut multiple copies of the Elijah's Hair template -one per T-shirt.
In advance, place a masking tape box on each shirt to create an area to paint in. It provides a nice clean edge on the design, and keeps students from over-doing the paint.
Place a piece of butcher paper between the t-shirt layers so the paint doesn't soak through to the back of the shirt.
Use loops of masking tape placed on the back of the hair template to stick it to the T-shirt.
Demonstrate how to brush paint away from the edge of the template rather than towards it so paint doesn't leak underneath the hair template. (Start your stroke on the template and brush towards the tape box.)
Strongly remind students NOT to paint inside of Elijah's hair, but to leave it blank for now. After they are done applying the outer coat of paint, they will be removing and discarding the hair template.

Elijah-Tshirt-3
After everyone has finished painting Elijah's hair on their shirt, pause the activity to share with them about the "meaning and spelling of Elijah's name." This information is contained in the Elijah Super Set's Bible Background.

As they write Elijah's name, tell them a bit more about Elijah's story "before" the whirlwind. Elijah's name tells you his message. Elijah spoke to the children of Israel and its rulers to make Yahweh their God. They were chasing after false gods. What's a false god? It's what people are willing to give up everything to possess, it's what controls their life, it's values and beliefs that don't come from Jesus. Elijah's name means "My God is Yahweh!" (Eli-jah). This is the mantle he passed on to Elisha —to be faithful to God above everything else.

Tip: Have students practice making the Elijah letters on paper BEFORE doing it on their shirt. Some students may have trouble centering the letters under their hair design, so suggest they paint the middle two letters FIRST.

Tip: Have a fan going during the painting activity to help the paint dry as you're putting it on.

Tip: Keep the colors from bleeding into each other by leaving white space between color lines.

See more tips below.

Reflect

Take a walking tour of everyone's mantles. Circle around, join hands, and pray that each of us would wear Elijah's mantle proudly so that people would know that WE TOO DECLARE: "My God is Yahweh!" ...and live our lives to prove it!

Remind the students that people will likely ask what the Hebrew lettering and "hair" painting is all about. If you have time, go around the circle and have kids practice their answers to those questions.

Tips and Adaptations

If your pastor wears a robe and/or stole, bring one in, or invite the pastor to show it. They are a "mantle." A mantle is a message. What is the message of the robe and stole?

For younger students and classes with less time, prepare as much of the template and T-shirt ahead of time. For younger students, FOLD the T-shirt into a square -leaving only the "hair box" to paint on so that there is less likelihood of them getting paint on other parts of the shirt during painting.

Lightly trace the Hebrew letters of Elijah's name on the shirt using a fine tip sharpie pen.

Other T-shirt mantle examples:

The above mock-up shows a "Super Elijah" emblem below the hair which has been been colored in using black fabric paint. To do so, place the template on the T-shirt, trace it with a pencil, then fill in with fabric paint.

The above mock-up above shows how you can create backwards letters on your mantle very quickly by using pre-cut letter stencils and laying them backwards on the shirt and painting around them. Why backwards and from right-to-left? Because Hebrew is read from right-to-left!

This graphic about Elijah's Name is also used in the Cooking Workshop in the Elijah Lesson Set. Elijah's name in Hebrew ("Eli-jah" = "My God is Yahweh!") tells you who he follows, and his message to everyone else.

The top line is Elijah's name in Hebrew. The four consonants are read from right to left, which is why we've spelled "Elijah" from right to left in the graphic. The points below each letter are the vowels. Not only does Elijah's name tell you his message "My God is Yahweh!" but learning how to read it is a great memory hook. Putting it on the shirt also presents an opportunity for the student to share Elijah's message when others ask, "what does THAT mean?"