Speaking very personally again, dear reader, we have longed for and desired with all of our heart, the “double portion”.  Its revelation began in the wilderness with Moses and the children of Israel, and its prophetic fulfillment is coming very soon (we hope and pray!).

 Then the LORD (YHWH) said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”  Exodus 16: 4-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 

          The “bread” referred to here is what we have all heard called manna, which is the Greek pronunciation, but which in Hebrew is simply called man, pronounced mahn.  Jesus made it clear that the “bread” had much more significance than simply filling one’s stomach.  He equated it with the very words from God’s mouth.  He also made it clear that these words had NOT stopped, that they were still proceeding from His mouth.  (For reasons that are unclear to us, the fact that Father is still speaking is offensive to some.  We apologize if pointing it out is offensive to you.  Hearing God’s voice is a part of mature sonship and one of the most blessed of experiences available to every believer everywhere.  See Hear, O Israel!)

          Each night, we ask Father for our portion of the daily “bread” for the coming day, just as the Lord Jesus instructed.  Everyone, nearly, knows this passage by heart, but how few understand it or pray it on a daily basis!  We are not asking for food for our pantry, or even for money to buy food–we are asking for the very words of God to fall into our heart, for these words are spirit and life to us.  But on the day before the sabbath, we ask for a double portion, so that we will not be required to gather on the sabbath.  Do you understand that the prohibition is not about “not working”?  It is instead about remembering that on God’s sabbath, He intends to pour out of His spirit a double portion of Himself!  It is instead to bear in mind that Father will fulfill that which He has promised for His sons.

          In the later stages of the wilderness journey, YHWH/Jesus made it clear that certain ones would not receive an inheritance of land; instead, they would receive an inheritance of Himself.  In other words, YHWH/Jesus would be their “portion”.  In particular the entire tribe of Levi, consisting of priests and Levites (their priestly assistants/relatives), would have no portion of the land–in their special case, YHWH would be all they needed throughout their generations.

Then the LORD (YHWH) said to Aaron, “ You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.  Numbers 18:20

Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, just as the LORD your God spoke to him.  Deuteronomy 10:9

           In later passages, it can be seen that the double portion was a part of the birthright given to “the firstborn son”.  This should begin to be a clear tip-off that Father’s firstborn Son would receive a double portion, and that all who are in Jesus will have a part in the double portion.  The passage is referring, in context, to the Law of the Unloved Wife, but clearly references the “right of the firstborn” to receive more the material possessions of the father than later children were to receive.

(B)ut he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.  Deuteronomy 21:17 English Standard Version (ESV Online)

         Nevertheless, commencing with the period of time that Stephen called the “church in the wilderness” which others have called the “Passover Age” of the Church, and continuing through the times of the kings of Israel and Judah, the connection between the portion promised by YHWH to the Levites and the double portion right of the firstborn was not made until Elisha was selected to follow in the steps of the prophet Elijah.

          Elisha succeeded Elijah as the prophet to Israel by the instructions God gave to Elijah.  As he was preparing to be taken up to God, Elijah asked Elisha what final gift or deed that might be given or done for Elisha.  His request:  a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”  2 Kings 2:9-10 ESV

           In the remarkable story that follows, Elisha did indeed see Elijah taken up, and went on to perform 16 miracle/attestation-signs, compared to the 8 performed by Elijah.  The spirit of Elijah was promised to be sent again as the forerunner to Messiah, and Jesus himself confirmed that it had been fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist.  But what has become of the double-portion spirit, which we may refer to as the spirit of Elisha?  In order to understand the comparison of the spirit of Elijah to the spirit of Elisha, we must first see the comparison of the priesthood of Levi’s son, Aaron, to the priesthood of Melchizedek (Malki-Zadok) which has been equated to the new priesthood of Jesus.

          An in-depth comparison is beyond the scope of this post.  But in brief, Aaron’s priesthood was based upon geneological qualifications for priests that have terminating lives; but Melchizedek’s priesthood is “without father or mother”, and lasts forever.  The main difference is that Christ Jesus’ priesthood is based upon the power of an indestructible life–the divine-nature life, zoe,of which we wrote earlier.

          The main point is this:  the Melchizedek priesthood, which is the priesthood of Jesus Christ and the mature sons (offspring) of God, who are sometimes called “overcomers”, who rule with Christ for 1,000 years, operate by the spirit of Elisha, the double-portion spirit that fulfills the promise of Father:  I am your double-portion, promised to the firstborn of creation–Jesus.

          In the well-known and loved–even famous–passage of Isaiah 61, the prophet Isaiah prophesied of the messianic 1000 year reign of Jesus, quoted in part by the Lord Jesus Himself to the extent it was applicable at that time, and speaks of the fulfillment of the double portion in those who aspire to the Melchizedek priesthood with Jesus:

But you will be called the priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.  You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.  Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.  Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.  For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering;
And I will faithfully give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them.  Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples.   All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom the LORD has blessed.  Isaiah 61:6-9 NASB

Blessed are You, Lord of Hosts, the king of forever, for You have promised to give satisfaction to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and purity of heart for the sons of God.  Bless Your offspring by a double portion of Yourself as an everlasting covenant.  Satisfy all those who desire to enter in where our High Priest goes–first, make them one with Him, even as You and He are one, and second, let them shout for joy over their portion, whose name is Jesus!

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