The prophet Elijah is a fascinating figure to explore. He was truly a man of God, used by Him to speak to a people that often ignored His words. In this story, though, we see the ultimate victory of Elijah. The man who once called fire down from Heaven was taken up into Heaven by a chariot of fire. The lesson here focuses on Elijah and his successor. Elisha saw his teacher depart, and pleaded with him to receive an extra measure of spiritual ability after he left. These crafts celebrate the flaming transport that took Elijah, as well as the concept of passing on duties to the next in line.
Verses or Captions to Consider…
And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. – 2 Kings 2:11-12
Pass on the torch…Carry the Gospel!
Keep it going… a Student for the Lord
Chariots of Fire…Elijah meets God!
Listen to teachers…carry on the Word!
Watch the video demonstration of this craft on our YouTube channel
Craft one: “Chariots of Fire”
You will need:
- Cups (foam or paper)
- Paper or cardstock
- Scissors
- String or pipe cleaners
- Glue or tape
- Crayons or markers
- Hole punch
- Popsicle stick or spoon (optional)
Procedure:
- Decorate your cup to make it a “chariot” seat. If desired, decorate a spoon or popsicle stick to place “Elijah” inside the chariot.
- Color and cut a horse picture, or cut out a horse from construction paper or cardstock.
- Use a hole punch to attach the horse to the cup using pipe cleaners.
- Cut out small circles for “wheels” and paper “flames”, and attach to the side of the chariot.
- Use your flaming chariot to recount the Elijah story from 2 Kings 2!
Craft Two: “Pass on the Baton Torch”
You will need:
- Paper (construction or cardstock)
- Markers or crayons
- Stickers, glitter, or other decorations
- Paper towel or toilet paper tube
- Scissors
- Tape or glue
- Tissue paper (optional)
Procedure (use one of these ideas or adapt and do others):
1. Decorate the towel tube with captions, verses, stickers, and other decorations.
2. Cut “flames” from construction paper, or use colored tissue paper for fire.
3. Glue or tape the paper fire elements into the tube.
4. Use the “torch” to recall the story of Elijah and importance of carrying on the legacy someone else starts.