After Elijah's bout with depression and the long trip to Mt. Horeb, he returned to Israel to complete his work for the Lord.  An item of clothing would take a prominent position in the rest of Elijah's life on the earth.  He wore a mantle, which was an outer garment, also called a cloak.  The first time it was mentioned was when Elijah was at Horeb and God called him out of the cave to talk to Him.  Elijah wrapped his mantle around his face as he talked with God, probably to avoid seeing Him, knowing that no one could see God and live.

As soon as Elijah left Horeb, he went to find Elisha, who was to be his successor as prophet of Israel.   He found him plowing and just walked by him and threw his mantle on him.  There was no conversation between the two men.  Elijah said nothing to Elisha about following him.  He just threw his mantle on him.  Of course, Elisha knew what this action symbolized.  He knew Elijah wanted him to follow, so he ran up to him and said,  "Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you." (I Kings 19:20)  Elijah replied, "Who said I want you to follow me?  Just go on back."  So Elisha took the oxen he had been plowing with, boiled their flesh using the wood from his plowing equipment, gave the food to the people of his community and followed Elijah.  Elisha was a man who sacrificed everything to follow the Lord and His prophet.  Matthew 6:33 teaches that we are to put the kingdom first, and Romans 12:1 says that we are to be living sacrifices to the Lord.  Unless we are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to please God, we cannot be saved.  Elisha gave up everything, even his way of making a living, to live for God.

It was now time for Elijah to leave the earth, so he tried to get rid of Elisha so he could do it on his own.  But Elisha was determined to stay with him.  Elijah tried to leave him at Gilgal, but to no avail.  Next, he tried to leave him at Bethel, but Elisha would not allow it.  The next stop was Jericho, and Elisha continued to stick with Elijah in spite of his efforts to lose him.  Elijah then said he was going to the Jordan, and Elisha insisted on tagging along.  When they got to the Jordan, Elijah took off his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water.  The river part, allowing passage for the two prophets on dry ground.  As they walked and talked, a chariot of fire with horses of fire swooped down and Elijah got on board.  He was taken up in a whirlwind so that Elisha saw him no more. 

But Elijah left a piece of clothing.  Elisha looked down and saw that Elijah's mantle was lying on the ground.  He picked it up and proceeded back toward the Jordan.  When he got there, he took the mantle and struck the water.  As before, the water parted and he walked to the other side on dry ground.  There is no doubt that Elisha had received the spirit of Elijah.