When it debuted in 2006, the award winning One Night with the King quickly made the list of the highest-grossing motion pictures the week it was released. It chronicled the life of Queen Esther based on the biblical narrative from the book of Esther. Of the two major Jewish characters in this book, Esther was mentioned 53 times whereas Mordecai’s name appeared 58 times. Politically, Mordecai actively engaged in the Persian government, he was well known in the palace, and he foiled a coup to save the king’s life. Socially, he was respected within the Jewish community and prominent among the Persians.
Mordecai was a bold defender of Jewish people and their culture, a lover of God, and a true servant leader. He was the teacher, motivator, and the compassionate foster father of Esther before and after she was crowned the Queen. How did Esther become the heroine of the story when she ought to be the one in the shadows?
This case and many more in the bible provide credence to John 14:12. Jesus said, “Timeless truth, I tell you: ‘whoever believes in me, those works which I have done he will also do, and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to the presence of my Father.” The quality of followership a person gives correlates proportionately to the level of leadership the person gets. The secret of a follower becoming greater than the leader is the quality of stewardship. Loyal and valuable followers are rewarded with double quality of their leaders’ honor; authority and power.
Like Esther, Elisha became greater in productivity than Elijah, such that he performed twice the amount of Elijah’s miracles. The applicable principles are laid out in 2 kings 2:1-14;
- Elisha cared less about anything but following the passion of his leader.
- He invested in knowing his leader such that he did not need anyone to tell him when Elijah was ascending to heaven.
- When he came to Gilgal which symbolizes the desires and temptation of the flesh, he chose to deny the flesh and follow.
- Bethel represents the lust of the world. Elisha refused to settle at Bethel, but moved on with Elijah.
- At Jericho, he dealt a blow on Satan’s deception, discouragement and delusion to keep his focus on following.
- River Jordan was the place of death and resurrection. Elisha crossed River Jordan with Elijah before he received an outpouring of double portion anointing.
Leaders are designed to forerun their followers. Jesus went ahead of all Christians to dismember principalities and hell, conquer death and grave, and tore the veil of hindrance to grant unfettered access to the totality of Godhead. By stepping up the quality of our followership no matter what comes our way we increase our access, and authority for greater works.
2 Kings 2:1-13
And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.
3 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho. ”But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on. 8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.