“Then Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.” And the king said to Hazael, “Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ” So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ”” II Kings 8:7-9 NKJV
a. The man of God has come here: The leaders of Syria once tried to capture or kill Elisha. Since God miraculously delivered the prophet so many times, he was now respected and welcomed in the courts of the Syrian king. He was especially welcome on account of the king’s illness.
b. Take a present in your hand: Wanting to know the outcome of his present illness, the king of Syria asked the prophet – and with his extravagant gift did whatever he could to prompt a favorable message.
i. “Whether the prophet received it or not, is not here mentioned; but it is most probable that he did not, from his former practice, chapter 5, and because the reasons which then swayed him were still of the same force.” (Poole)
(Guzik)
Illness!
Like king Ben-Hadad we’ve all experienced illness or disease because we live in a fallen world!
I especially recall one time years ago when I had the flu, my wife was working and I was sick in bed. My parents lived three miles away and my mother came by to check up on me. I recall when she came into my bedroom and asked how I was doing I said, just shoot me and get it over with! 😳
Having an illness or disease isn’t fun and I am reminded of this verse,
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalms 23:4 NKJV
No matter what you are going through, remember the Lord is with you!
Blessings
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