“The robe of anointing” is an expression that encompasses many concepts. It is necessary to understand what the anointing is and what it literally means to wear a cloak. To illustrate this Bible study we will be citing the story of Joseph, Elisha and some other biblical characters to whom God made a special call. Do not miss this teaching that will build your life.
What is an anointing robe according to the Bible?
Although there are variations of the meaning of cloak in the Bible, the main idea is that of a covering, like a cloak or other article of clothing. In Biblical times, a cloak was typically a large, loose-fitting garment made of animal skin, probably sheepskin. Several people are mentioned to have worn it, including Job (Job 1:20) and Ezra (Ezra 9:5).
Prophets were known to wear cloaks as a sign of God’s call (1 Kings 19:13). The prophet Samuel wore a cloak (1 Samuel 15:27). The prophet Elijah “threw his cloak around Elisha” as a symbol of the ministry that was passed on to him.
The prophet’s cloak was an indication of his authority and responsibility as God’s chosen spokesman (2 Kings 2:8). Elisha was not confused as to what Elijah was doing; putting on the cloak made his choice clear.
Some theologians see the cloak as a symbol of the Holy SpiritFor this reason they call it “the mantle of anointing”, a thought that is not wrong if we take into account the examples of the Bible.
For example in 2 Kings 2:14 Elisha takes the mantle that had “fallen” from Elijah, similar to how Jesus received the Spirit “descending” upon Him at His baptism (Matthew 3:16).
The audible voice of God in Matthew 3:17 confirms Jesus as God’s chosen servant (Isaiah 42:1). We see a similar “fall” of the Spirit in Acts 8:15-16 and Acts 10:44. Only after Elisha takes the mantle does he perform miraculous works (2 Kings 2:14, 21, 24). The Holy Spirit is the Person who empowers people to do God’s work (Micah 3:8; Matthew 12:28; Ephesians 3:16).
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The cloak served the practical purpose of keeping people warm and protecting them from the elements. It also had a symbolic purpose, in the case of the prophets, showing that they were enveloped in the authority of God (anointed).
Taking into account all the images of the Old Testament, the cloak can be seen as a symbol of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which God so graciously gives to all Christians (1 Thessalonians 1:5–6 ; 1 Peter 2:9).
Your journey towards the anointing mantle
I believe that each and every one of us was born to wear the mantle of the anointing at some point. God is no respecter of persons, so we all have a purpose and position in life. Even the unconverted. What we do along the way is what will determine our time, however, God is the only one who knows the exact moment. It is necessary to take into account certain things:
- You are on a journey and in a process that cannot be rushed.
- You need to position yourself to receive the mantle of the anointing.
- You must respect the people who already own the mantle.
- You have to honor God.
- You need to serve others, just as Christ did.
- Learn from people who are more spiritually mature.
- Wait your turn because it is coming.
Mantle progression and levels
The mantles have a progression; They have different levels. Let’s use Jose as an example, the first cloak was his father’s coat of many colors. His brothers took him when they sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:23). Does this mean it was stolen? No. You can’t steal someone’s mantle.
God put him there so we can see his progression, which means he moved from one position to another, from one level to another. Then he got a second mantle when he became the head of Potiphar’s house.
In Genesis 39: 15-16, we see that when Potiphar’s wife accused him of rape, he left that cloak and ran. He Again he changed his robe! He was then given the final mantle from him when he became Prime Minister of Egypt (Genesis 41:42).
In a practical senseSo, if you’re in the field of arts and entertainment, you can have the mantle of being an actor who later changes into a director and then a producer. All of these roles had authority, but I progressed further and further. It is a progression. Each of these levels has authority in its position.
You have a process that you have to go through. If God gave you the final mantle now, you would probably fail because there are many things you need to learn before you can assume that position. That is why you need to learn from the people who have the mantle of the anointing in order to then exercise authority.
David served under Saul. Elisha served under Elijah. Samuel served under Eli. Once you know what your mantle is, ask God to show you where you need to serve. Don’t manipulate the situation, just have faith. God will show you the exact moment in which you must act under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
How will I know which coat I have?
Who anointed David? God. Samuel didn’t even know who he was anointing when he went to Jesse’s house. He was operating under instructions. (1 Samuel 16). Who anointed Elisha? God. Elijah did not know Elisha until God told him where to find him when he was hiding from Jezebel. On the other hand, Elisha had no idea that he was going to receive that mantle until Elijah showed up. (1 Kings 19:15-19).
You can’t choose your cloak. God is the one who decides what cloak you wear. The best thing you can do is ask the Lord to reveal what it is and how to carry it. There are many people who ask for robes for which they are not anointed, and this is not correct. we must use the one that God assigned, anointed and appointed.
How to receive the mantle destined by God for your life
Elijah’s mantle was more than a garment. It represented his calling as a Prophet of God. When she placed it on Elisha he was doing a prophetic act; he was declaring that the office of Prophet he represented was destined to be his in the future. (1 Kings 19:19). Here are some important lessons on how to receive the robe of God-ordained anointing:
1. Understand that God determines your cloak ahead of time
We do not select our coat; it is established by God. Elisha not only received Elijah’s mantle because he was in the place and at the time; it was already his by order of God. (1 Kings 19:16). Joseph knew from a very young age, through prophetic dreams, that God had called him to be a ruler.
A cloak is not ours to choose, God determines it in advance. The desire that the Lord places in our hearts is only an indication, among other confirmations, of the call that belongs to us. That is, it is a revelation of God’s plan.
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2. Service positions you for the mantle God has for you.
For a long time, Elisha was a servant to Elijah, supporting him in a service capacity and learning from him. (2 Kings 3:11). José practiced service for years; he first served his father, then Potiphar, then the director of the prison. All this, before receiving the mantle of government to which he was destined.
We may be tempted to go straight for a cloak, but like Joseph, God has set his time for our lives. The Creator places us with people and leaders from whom we can receive a teaching. Serving with faithfulness and a heart willing to learn is a powerful means to reach your God-ordained destiny.
3. Keep in mind that you can use a series of cloaks
Elisha was first a worker in his father’s fields, and then donned the garb of a servant, before taking up the mantle of Elijah. When God took Elijah, Elisha took his own cloak, the one he had worn as a servant, and tore it in two. There was no going back. (2 Kings 2: 12-13).
Joseph had a series of physical cloaks along the way. The ‘robe of many colors’ given to her by his father indicated his favor, as well as his position as overseer of his brothers. Later, he was given a cloak as a master slave in Potiphar’s house.
Finally, Joseph dressed in clothing that represented his position as ruler alongside Pharaoh in Egypt (Genesis 41:42). But he did not go from a young man with prophetic dreams directly to the palace. He wore a succession of cloaks, being faithful in each one, and so it should be with us.
4. Wait for the appointment to establish your mantle
Elisha was appointed by God as Elijah’s Prophet and successor, but God used Elijah to recognize, prepare, and establish that appointment. Likewise, God used Jacob, Potiphar, a prison warden, and ultimately Pharaoh himself, to place Joseph in a position in Egypt that was already his by divine intent.
We do not “appoint” ourselves to a mantle or ministry. God uses those who currently have authority to establish us in our rightful place. (Acts 6:6, Acts 13:1-3). It is our own Creator who directs our appointment.
5. Understand that your cloak always has a purpose.
When Joseph received the royal robe on his shoulders, he may have remembered the previous robes he wore. The richly ornate robe of many colors that his father gave him when he was young became another reason why his brothers hated him.
When his jealous brothers threw him down a well and sold him to Egyptian slave traders, his tunic was taken from him. That cloak became the evidence the brothers used to “prove” Joseph’s faked death to his father, Jacob.
Later, Joseph became a trusted slave, promoted and in charge of all of Potiphar’s property. But then Potiphar’s wife approached Joseph, wanting to seduce him. Yet she valued his teacher’s confidence, his purity, and God’s calling, so Joseph ran.
But Potiphar’s wife grabbed his cloak and used it to accuse him. Not only was that cloak removed from him, but it was used as evidence of a crime he did not commit. However, the truth was revealed as time passed and each of the cloaks fulfilled its purpose.
The time has come when you say: God, I thought that coat was yours. That cloak was promising. It was colorful. It represented good things to come. And now it’s lost, stolen. That role, that job, that ministry opportunity, why was it taken away from me?
But Father God is seeing the big picture, from Heaven’s perspective. Your Father wants to reveal to you what he is doing. Even if today you feel like you are in the middle of a trial, he wants to let you know how he is redeeming you and using you for his purposes.
It’s not too late. Because just like Joseph and Elisha, if you stay faithful and committed for the long haul, you will eventually receive the mantle of anointing that God has for you. And your ministry will be above and beyond anything you could have dreamed of.
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So, do you know what your cloak is? Let’s pray that God can reveal to you what it is
Yahweh, you knew me from my mother’s womb and you have formed me with . I pray now that you will show me the anointing and mantle that you have placed on my life. show me how…