Free Bible lesson for kids · Elijah and Elisha
The Chariot of Fire
When the time came for the LORD to take Elijah up into heaven, Elisha would not leave him. Elijah struck the Jordan with his mantle and the waters parted, and then a chariot of fire and horses of fire came between them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha took up Elijah’s mantle, struck the waters, and they parted for him too.
- Bible passage
- 2 Kings 2:1–15
- Big idea
- God is with those who stay close to Him, and His work goes on.
- Memory verse
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2 Kings 2:11 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up into heaven, Elijah told Elisha three times to stay behind. Each time Elisha said, “I will not leave thee” (2 Kings 2:1–6). At the Jordan River, Elijah struck the water with his mantle, and it parted so they crossed on dry ground (2 Kings 2:8). Elisha asked for “a double portion of thy spirit” (2 Kings 2:9).
As they walked and talked, a chariot of fire and horses of fire came between them, “and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11). Elisha cried, “My father, my father,” and saw him no more (2 Kings 2:12). He picked up Elijah’s mantle, struck the water, and asked, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” The water parted for him too (2 Kings 2:13–14). The prophets said, “The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha” (2 Kings 2:15).
Read it in the Bible: 2 Kings 2:1–15 (KJV)
1And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. 3And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 4And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. 5And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 6And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. 7And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. 8And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 9And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 10And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 15And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Questions to ask
What did Elisha keep saying to Elijah?
“I will not leave thee” (2 Kings 2:2).
What did Elisha ask for?
A double portion of Elijah’s spirit (2 Kings 2:9).
How did Elijah go up into heaven?
By a whirlwind, when a chariot of fire and horses of fire parted the two of them (2 Kings 2:11).
What this story teaches
- God was in control of Elijah’s last day on earth (2 Kings 2:1).
- Faithful friends stay close and do not give up (2 Kings 2:2, 6).
- Heaven is real, and God took Elijah there (2 Kings 2:11).
- The God who helped Elijah also helped Elisha (2 Kings 2:14).
- God keeps His work going from one generation to the next (2 Kings 2:15).
Jesus Went Up to Heaven
Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. Jesus also was taken up into heaven, and He will come back the same way He went.
Acts 1:9–11
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us stay close to Him and to the people who teach us about Him. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God is with those who stay close to Him, and His work goes on.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say 2 Kings 2:11 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes
Pass the Mantle
You need: A cape or blanket, music
- Pass the “mantle” around the circle while the music plays.
- When it stops, whoever holds it puts it on and leads everyone in a motion.
- Then the music starts again.
Elijah went up into heaven, and Elisha took up his mantle and kept serving God.
For youth group · game · outdoors · about 15 minutes
Glow Baton Relay
You need: A glow stick as a baton, a field at dusk
- Run a relay at dusk with a glow-stick baton.
- Dropped batons must be picked up by the next runner.
- Talk: who passed the faith on to you? Who will you pass it to?
Elisha wouldn’t leave Elijah, and he received a double portion of his spirit. Faith is passed on.
Pray
Ask God to help us stay close to Him and to the people who teach us about Him.