And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. And 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. ( 2 Kings 2:7-8 )
Matter was not created, it was changed from one form to another. Every action has an equal and an opposite reaction. Elisha instinctively knew this, and that when he needed God to do miracles, using water would make it easy.
Principia Mattymatica 