2 Kings 6:18-23 Overcome Evil with Good!

 “So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria. So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria! Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.” II Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Strike this people, I pray, with blindness: The Syrian soldiers could not see the spiritual army, so they did not hesitate to approach Elisha. But just as he previously prayed that God would give sight to his servant, he then asked God to strike this people… with blindness. God answered this prayer, just as He previously answered the prayer to give perception to the servant.

i. This shows us that God may grant sight or send blindness, according to His wisdom and in response to the prayers of His people.

ii. “Not with a total blindness, that they could see nothing, for then they would not have followed him; but with a partial blindness, that they could not distinctly discern the man they sought; which might be by some alteration made by God in their brain, or in the air.” (Poole)

b. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek: Here Elisha told a technical truth but certainly intended to deceive. He did in fact bring them to the man they sought (when their eyes were opened, Elisha was there with them). However, he led them back to Samaria – the capital city of the kingdom of Israel and an unfriendly place for a group of Syrian soldiers.

i. Yet, Elisha’s gentle deception demonstrates a principle: the blind are easily deceived. Those who are spiritually blind should appreciate that they can be easily deceived regarding spiritual things.

c. You shall not kill them: Instead of killing these enemy soldiers, Elisha instead commanded the king of Israel to treat them with kindness and generosity. This practice of answering evil with good successfully changed the policy of free-lance raiders from Syria (So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel). (Guzik)

Overcome Evil with Good!

Paul explains this principle in the book of Romans!

“Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When I was still working there was a certain click of people that disliked me, they would say or do anything they could to make my job harder. One small act of kindness I would do was hold the door open for them. One individual would push the door closed in front of me. But after six months they were holding the door open for me! If they needed help I would gladly provide it. I was applying the principle, overcome evil with good.

Have you applied this biblical principle?

Blessings 

2 Kings 6:14-17 Spiritual Reality!

 “Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Alas, my master! What shall we do: When Elisha’s servant saw the horses and chariots and a great army surrounding their city, he was naturally afraid. He knew that there was little chance of escaping or surviving an attack from so many.

b. Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them: This seemed unbelievable to Elisha’s servant. He saw the horses, the chariots, and the great army surrounding them. He could not see anyone who was with Elisha and him.

i. We also notice that Elisha gave his servant a reason to not fear. This was not empty hope or wishful thinking; it was a real reason for confidence, even if the servant could not see it.

c. LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see: Elisha did not pray that God would change anything in the situation. His only request was that his servant could actually see the reality of the situation. Yet, Elisha also did not try to persuade the servant of the reality of those who are with us. The servant could not have this explained to him nor could he be persuaded into it. He had to see it.

d. Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw: God answered Elisha’s prayer. When a person is blind to spiritual reality, only God can open his eyes. God may do it through the words someone speaks, but the work of spiritually opening eyes is spiritual work and belongs to God alone.

e. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha: When his eyes were opened, the servant saw the reality that he could not see before. He saw that there really were more with him and Elisha than those assembled against them.

i. The previous lack of perception on the part of Elisha’s servant did not make the reality of the spiritual army any less real. If there are 50 people who do not see something, it doesn’t invalidate the perception of one who does see.

ii. “Faith is never the imagining of unreal things. It is the grip of things which cannot be demonstrated to the senses, but which are real. The chariots of horses and fire were actually there.” (Morgan)

iii. “That you have not perceived spiritual things is true; but it is no proof that there are none to perceive. The whole case is like that of the Irishman who tried to upset evidence by non-evidence. Four witnesses saw him commit a murder. He pleaded that he was not guilty, and wished to establish his innocence by producing forty persons who did not see him do it. Of what use would that have been? So, if forty people declare that there is no power of the Holy Ghost going with the word, this only proves that the forty people do not know what others do know.” (Charles Spurgeon, Three Sights Worth Seeing)

iv. Horses and chariots were the most sophisticated and mighty military instruments of the day. But the invisible army of God had literally more firepower than the horses and chariots of the Syrians. The spiritual army had chariots of fire all around Elisha.

v. “If our eyes were opened, we should see the angel-hosts as an encircling fence of fire; but whether we see them or not, they are certainly there.” (Meyer)

(Guzik)

Spiritual Reality

“When a person is blind to spiritual reality, only God can open his eyes.”

Our spiritual reality, this is what Jesus said to Nicodemus!

“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.””

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“When we respond to God’s call with repentance and faith in what Jesus Christ has done for salvation, we are born of the Spirit.” (gotquestions.org)

When you die your soul departs from body and goes to one of two places, heaven or hell. 

Have you been born of the Spirit?

Blessings 

Born Again?

2 Kings 6:8-13 A Welcome Visitor!

 “Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.” Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?” And one of his servants said, “None, my Lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.”” II Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. And the man of God sent to the king of Israel: Elisha did not support the corrupt monarchs of Israel, but he knew that it was even worse for Israel to be conquered and subjugated under Syria. Therefore, he gave the king of Israel information from divinely inspired espionage.

i. “A more sensible king, Jehoram, now sits on the throne of Ahab, and the prophet of the Lord is no longer a dreaded antagonist, but the king’s trusted counselor. Elijah was a fugitive constantly on the run from a wrathful king, but now Elisha is a welcome visitor in Jehoram’s court.” (Dilday)

b. Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel: The king of Syria was naturally mystified by the way the king of Israel knew all of Syria’s plans beforehand. He was convinced there was a traitor among them until one servant revealed that Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, knew and revealed these things. (Guzik)

A Welcome Visitor!

“but now Elisha is a welcome visitor in Jehoram’s court.”

Recently after an emergency surgery I awoke in post op to see my wife, a friend (a man of faith, a welcome visitor) and his wife providing support and to pray for me to have a speedy recovery.

Have you ever had a welcome visitor in a time of need?

Blessings 

2 Kings 6:4-7 Means!

 “So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.” II Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The iron ax head fell into the water: This was a significant loss. Iron was certainly present at this time in Israel, but it was not common enough to be cheap.

b. Alas, master! For it was borrowed: The man who lost the ax head was rightly sensitive to the fact that he lost something that belonged to someone else, making the loss more acute.

i. “The iron axe-head (Hebrew ‘iron’) had been asked for, that is, begged or prayed for, and not necessarily ‘borrowed.’” (Wiseman)

c. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float: This was an obvious and unique miracle. There was no trickery in the way that Elisha put the stick in the water; it was simply an expression of his faith that God honored.

i. “God can do all things, he can make iron swim – we cannot – and yet you see the prophet did it, and he did it by the use of a stick. He cut down a stick. Was there any connection between the stick and the iron? I can’t see any, and yet God does use means, and he would have us use means.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “The chief value of the story lies in its revelation of the influence Elisha was exerting in the nation. The growth of the school of the prophets was most remarkable.” (Morgan)

d. Pick it up for yourself: Conceivably, God could have arranged a way for the ax head to appear right in the man’s hand without any effort on his part. But this miracle worked in a familiar way – God did the part only He could do, but He left to man the part that he could do.

i. “Elisha then caused the submerged ax head to surface and instructed the pupil to retrieve the ax; thus he would personally participate in the miracle.” (Patterson and Austel) (Guzik)

Means!

“God does use means, and he would have us use means.” (Spurgeon)

Yes God can do all things which includes using us, the weak to confound the wise! All we need is faith, so we can use means!

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”” Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So we can use means, we have to be willing to say “Here am I! Send me.”

Are you willing?

Blessings 

2 Kings 6:1-3 Significant Impact!

 “And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.” Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.””

‭‭II Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The place where we dwell with you is too small for us: This indicates that at this time Elisha had a significant impact on the nation. The old facility for housing the sons of the prophets was not large enough to meet the needs of all those who wanted to be trained in ministry.

b. Please consent to go with your servants: Elisha did not initiate or lead this work of building a new center for training the prophets, but it could not happen without his approval and blessing. (Guzik)

Significant Impact!

Like Elisha, is your church making a significant impact for your community?

Since joining our church eleven years ago it has expanded with two other campuses in two different cities, livestream every service, have a social media presence, monthly food truck, and various other ministries making a significant impact for our community and Jesus.

Is your church making a significant impact?

Blessings 

2 Kings 5:25-27 Divine Witness

 “Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Did not my heart go with you: Elisha knew. We don’t know if this was supernatural knowledge or simply gained from observation and knowing Gehazi’s character. One way or another, Elisha knew. All Gehazi’s attempts to cover his sin failed.

b. Is it time to receive money: It seems that Elisha had no absolute law against receiving support from those who were touched by his ministry. Yet it was spiritually clear to Elisha, and should have been clear to Gehazi, that it was not appropriate at this time and circumstance.

i. Money… clothing… olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants: Obviously, Gehazi did not bring all of these things home with him from Naaman. Yet he wanted all of these things, and Elisha exposed his greedy heart.

ii. “The deepest wrong in the action of Gehazi was that it involved the Divine witness which had been borne to the Syrian, Naaman, by the action of the little serving maid in his house, and the prophet Elisha. Their actions had been wholly disinterested, and for the glory of God.” (Morgan)

c. Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever: This was a severe judgment, but as a man in ministry Gehazi was under a stricter judgment. When he allowed himself to covet what Naaman had, he thought only in terms of the money Naaman possessed. God allowed him to keep the riches, but also gave him the other thing Naaman had – severe leprosy.

i. “Gehazi is not the last who has got money in an unlawful way, and has got God’s curse with it.” (Clarke)

ii. “We see here a pagan who by an act of faith is cured of leprosy and an Israelite who by an act of dishonor is cursed with it.” (Dilday)

(Guzik)

Divine Witness

Paul wrote of God as his witness,

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,” Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

And Job said,

“Surely even now my witness is in heaven, And my evidence is on high.” Job‬ ‭16‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God sees all, He is the Divine witness! 

Do you believe He is your Divine witness too?

Blessings