2 Kings 8:1-6 – Divine providence

Second Kings 4:8-37 gave us the account of how Elisha ministered to a prominent barren woman in Shunem who was very hospitable toward him. This man of God not only predicted the birth of her son but also restored him to life after he had died of a serious headache. Now in 2 Kings 8:1-6, Elisha once again helped that woman. He warned her of a seven-year famine that the LORD was about to send to the land. Having been warned, she relocated and stayed in Philistia. As Elisha had said the famine hit the land. While she was spared suffering, she had to vacate her property. There is no mention of her husband here. We supposed that he must have died. When she left, her vacant property was probably possessed by the authority. When she returned after the famine was over, verse 4 tells us that she went to the king to reclaim her property.

As providence would have it, the king was having a conversation with Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, inquiring about the miracles that his master had done. It so happened that as Gehazi was narrating how Elisha had restored the dead son of a woman, she appeared. She came to appeal to the king for the return of her property. The timing could not be more exact. Many would have said that it was just a coincidence. But we know that for God’s people, there is no coincidence. There is only divine providence. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” God is always on time. Seizing the opportunity, Gehazi quickly pointed her to the king. “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.” What timing! What a timely introduction! Turning to her immediately, the king asked the woman about her concerns thus giving her the opportunity to explain her situation. The king then turned to an officer and instructed him to “Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now.”

What is God saying to us through in this passage? Nothing happens to us outside of God’s will for our lives! An account like this tells us that our lives are in God’s wonderful hands. There is no coincidence in the life of believers, only divine opportunity to help us progress in the Lord. We take heart knowing that our lives are in God’s good hand. Here are the lyrics of a song to encourage us to draw near to God, and walk with Him no matter what may happen in our lives.

I have a maker,
He formed my heart.  
Before even time began,
My life was in His hands.
 
He knows my name,
He knows my every thought.
He sees each tear that falls,
And hears me when I call.
 
I have a Father,
He calls me His own.
He’ll never leave me,
No matter where I go.
 
He knows my name,
He knows my every thought.
He sees each tear that falls,
And hears me when I call.

2 Kings 7:16-20 – Doubt can rob us of our potential and dream

The good news that the four lepers shared was proven true. When the team of decoys sent by the king returned from their reconnaissance, they affirmed what they had said was true. Now in this last paragraph of 2 Kings 7, we are shown two things the words of the Lord that Elisha pronounced came to pass.

Firstly, he predicted that “…a measure of fine flour would be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel.” Because the camp of the Arameans was plundered, everything became cheaply available. Both items were sold as Elisha had predicted. Secondly, the prediction Elisha gave concerning the officer who doubted what he had said also came true. Remember in 2 Kings 7:2 when Elisha predicted about the flour and barley being cheaply available, the officer who relayed the message to the king doubted. He said, “Behold if the Lord should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” Because of his doubt, Elisha pronounced a judgment on him saying, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it.” Verses 17-20 now show us how the word of the Lord through Elisha came to pass. That officer who doubted was now crushed to death by the hungry mob who thronged the city gate. What happened to him attested to the truthfulness of God’s Word through the prophet. This is a challenge for us to take God at His word and never doubt Him.

The lesson we learn from this passage is from the officer who doubted God’s words through Elisha. However, he was not the only one in the Bible. Scriptures have shown us other characters who doubted God, acted in disobedience, and received their just desert. We look at Lot’s wife who disregarded God’s word and looked back, as they were getting away from Sodom and Gomorrah. She was turned into a pillar of salt instantly for her doubt and disobedience. Adam and Eve listened to the devil doubted God, disobeyed, and caused mankind’s misery. Many dreams are robbed by doubts. When we trust God there is no limit to His blessings. In trusting and obeying Him we find the wisdom to attain our potential. But when we doubt him, our dreams get killed. More dreams are killed by doubts than failure. We must not allow doubt to kill God’s dream for our lives. May our prayer always be - Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!

2 Kings 7:9-15 – What is there to lose?

Driven by desperation, 2 Kings 7:4-8 describe how four lepers took the risk and went into the camp of the Aramean army. Their rationale was simple.  Either way, they would die. If they entered the camp of the Arameans and got caught, the worst that could happen was to be killed. And even if they wouldn’t take the risk and remain passive, they would die of starvation where they were. The burning question they had was “What was there to lose anyway?” So they took a gamble and went into the camp of the Arameans. To their amazement, when they entered the camp, they found it devoid of soldiers, except for their horses, donkey, and belongings. Entering one tent, they ate and drank to their hearts’ content. Then they went and plundered the whole camp going from one tent after another taking away silver, gold, and clothes.

Second Kings 7:9-15, continue and narrate what the band of four lepers did and what took place after that. Verse 9 said that it dawned on those four that they were not doing right by keeping silent about what they had discovered. Besides with time, the fact of the situation of the Arameans would come to light. When that happened, and they were found out to have already plundered the camp, they would risk being punished by the king. So they decided to alert the king of the situation. Being lepers, they could not speak to everyone, so they approached the people they could, the gatekeepers. Calling on them, they said, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor the voice of man, only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were.”    

What was told to the gatekeepers went around till the news soon reached the king. But he found it hard to believe what he had heard. Being suspicious and not a risk-taker, he reasoned that it was a ploy of the Arameans. So we read what he said in verse 12, “I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore they have gone from the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and get into the city.’”  The king falsely believed that the enemy was trying to lure them into their camp and then spring a surprise attack and destroy them. 

Fortunately, he had among him men who were rational. One of his more composed officers suggested that they sent a small team of men as decoys to test the situation out. We suspect that the one burning question that they had was also, “What was there to lose, anyway?” With the king’s agreement, they took two chariots with horses and went to do a reconnaissance. Verse 15 tells us that even as the team of decoys was heading to Jordan, they saw clothes and equipment strewn all the way. The Arameans had thrown them out in a haste to get away. The messengers then returned and told the king about it.

When facing tough circumstances different people would react differently. What would we do personally when we are confronted by a tough situation? Are we like the king or like his men? It all depends on our mentality. We can either focus and imagine the worst or explore solutions and take small steps to overcome them. A good question to consider when facing an adverse situation is: what is there to lose? The four lepers as well as the rational officers of King Jehoram asked that question. It had helped them to formulate solutions rather than be pessimists and be lured into passivity. This is also what we can do. A story was told of two salesmen who were sent to a remote town to survey and see if the shoes their company was making were marketable. So they went and one of them wrote back to his boss and said, “No market, nobody wears shoes here.” The other wrote back and say, “Great market, nobody wears shoes yet!” Which type of these two salesmen are we? We have the best news in Jesus Christ, what we will do with it depends on how we see the market. Jesus said, ‘I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Do we believe that? If we do, let’s act!           

 

 

 

 

2 Kings 7:4-8 – Living life proactively

Elisha’s prophecy that there would be food in abundance came to pass.  Second Kings 7:4-8 narrate how it all happened. The Aramean army who had put Samaria under siege had suddenly fled their camp. They took flight in the cover of the night, leaving their horses, donkeys, and even everything in their tents behind. Verse 6 tells us why they did so. It said that God had caused them to hear sounds of chariots, horses, and a great army approaching them. We surmise that the sound must be so deafening that they were terrified. So they concluded that the king of Israel had solicited the help of the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians. In their terror, they said to one another that those hired forces were coming against them and they were drawing near. So in fear, they fled their camp and left everything behind.

Meanwhile, four leprous men were living around the outskirt of the city because as lepers they were the society’s outcasts. They were camping at the gate of the city to beg for food from the people coming in and out. Verse 3 suggests that they were feeling the effect of the famine. Evidently, they were starving due to the lack of food. So they reasoned with themselves, asking why not do something more proactive? Why should they be passive, remained where they were, do nothing, and wait to die? They reckoned if they remained where they were they would die of starvation anyway. So they decided to take a chance and enter the enemy’s camp. When they came to the camp of the Aramean army, they were amazed that the camp was devoid of the enemy. Entering one of the tents they found food and ate and drank their fill, to their hearts’ content. Then they took the silver, gold, and clothes that the Arameans had left behind and hid them. After they had plundered one tent, they would go to another and do the same. It was a field day for the band of four lepers.

Here are two lessons from the four lepers. Firstly, we must live life proactively. Being proactive is being responsible for how we want to live our lives. We don’t blame our circumstances but act despite the setbacks that overwhelm us. Life comes with choices, and we can always do something positive to improve the situation. Secondly, we need to know that making a choice to live proactively requires us to take calculated risks. We need to be vulnerable if we want to be useful vessels. Are we prepared to take the risk to be effective? We have much more to lose if we don’t. Remember, to whom much is given much is required. We are ultimately answerable to God.              

 

 

 

 

2 Kings 7:1-2 – All things are possible to one who believes

Second Kings 7:1-2 would better go together with 2 Kings 6:32-33. It’s unfortunate the translators separated them into two different paragraphs. These two verses in 2 Kings 7 show us how Elisha responded to the king of Israel’s unbelief. The prophet had apparently counseled the king to trust the LORD and wait for divine intervention. The latter, however, could not wait any longer because of the deplorable condition in Samaria. Blaming the situation on Elisha and finally God, his final plan was to kill Elisha, break ties with the LORD, and surrender to the Arameans.

This is where 2 Kings 7:1-2 continue the account. Elisha was seen responding to the king’s decision. He promised that food would be cheap and in abundance by the next day.  How could the situation reverse so fast? It would take a miracle of God for that to happen. But Elisha was certain. For what he was speaking was on behalf of the LORD. In verse 1, he prophesied saying, “Listen to the word of the Lord; thus says the Lord, ‘Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’” 

However, in verse 2 we see the officer through whom the king of Israel was receiving Elisha’s message doubted the prophet’s words. He expressed his unbelief. To him even if God should send rain immediately, the problem could not be solved. For his doubt and dampening faith, Elisha then predicted that he would see the provision of God in plenty but would not have the opportunity to taste any of it. His faithless stunt of unbelief was not only an affront to the prophet but also an affront to God.

Doubt and unbelief in the assurance of God will cause one to be excluded from His blessings. Hebrews 11:6 asserts that without faith it is impossible to please God. Here the officer of  King Jehoram proved this to be true. He did not get to experience the plenty that God had promised through Elisha. Don’t let doubt and unbelief rob us of the wonderful promises of God. He will never lead us into caves, but only through tunnels where the light will definitely be experienced at the other end. He is the God who can make a way when there seems to be no way!   

 

2 Kings 6:32-33 – Growing through the experiences in life

We learned that Samaria was suffering famine and food shortage because it was besieged by the Arameans. Jehoram was the reigning king of Israel during this time. The siege gave him and the people a very difficult time, as we have seen in 2 Kings 6:24-31. The king then blamed the plight of the nation on Elisha and swore to have him killed on that day. So he sent his men to take down the prophet’s head.  

Meanwhile, 2 Kings 6:32-33 tell us that Elisha was sitting in his house conversing with the elders. Referring to the king as “the son of a murderer,” he told the elders that Jehoram was after his head. Calling him “the son of a murderer,” he was essentially calling Ahab a murderer. He then instructed the elders to resist the king’s order, close the door and keep it shut. From Elisha’s question, “Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” we conclude that after the king had dispatched his messenger, he went after them. He could have regretted his order, so he went after his messenger.   

In verse 33, we are told that the king’s messenger bulged into Elisha’s presence and on behalf of the king asked, “Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” This implied that Elisha could have previously counseled the king to trust the LORD and wait for His intervention. The king had now realized that the calamity they were encountering was the LORD’s doing.  So he decided to act defiantly. He felt that since the calamity came from the  LORD, why not just break ties with Him, kill his prophet, and surrender to the Arameans.   

Jehoram’s experience tells us, believers, that in every of life’s experiences God has a lesson for us. We must seek to identify the lesson, learn from it, and take corrective actions, or else we can see a lesson, choose to act defiantly, and break our tie with God. We will be foolish if we chose the latter. Every experience, positive or negative, can help us to know and love God more deeply. Let’s learn to discover and grow through our God-allowed experiences in life! He’s working everything together for our good!     

 

 

2 Kings 6:24-31 – The need to appraise life rightly

Second Kings 6:24-31 describe the Aramean’s invasion of Israel. Instead of sending marauding bands to raid and plunder different towns in Israel, this time the Aramean army besieged Samaria. The siege brought about a famine in Samaria.  The intention of the king of Aram was to starve the people of Israel into submission. What the Arameans did caused inflation and drove up the prices of food. So costly were things that even prices of unpleasant stuff such as a donkey’s head and dung of doves were driven up. Some people had interpreted the dung of doves as a type of beans. But it is better to take it literally to mean the waste of doves. The donkey’s head and dung of doves were to show how bad the condition at that time was. The people could barely survive. They even had to go for things that they would ordinarily not eat.

So desperate was the condition of Samaria that when the king of Israel was passing by the wall that a woman cried out to him for help. Verse 27 recorded the pathetic response of the king. He was at his wit's end for the whole land was deprived of food. The king was evidently blaming God for their predicament. He was telling that woman that if the LORD would not help them where else could he find the food to feed them. Having made those negative remarks, the king turned and asked what her problem was.

The dilemma she brought up was much like the problem that Solomon had to deal with in the early years of his reign. Two women came to Solomon, each claiming that a living baby was hers. Solomon in his wisdom managed to solve the problem. For more details read 1 Kings 3:16-28. However, this present story in 2 Kings 6:28-29 was also about two women. The seriousness of famine in the land had led them to act atrociously. For survival, they agreed to eat the flesh of their children. They made a pact to eat their children one after the other for survival. So they boiled the first woman's son and ate up the flesh. On the next day when it was the turn for the child of the other woman to be eaten, she refused to honor the pact. Hence the first woman called out to the king, seeking his help to adjudicate the situation. When the king heard her account, he was angry and blamed Elisha for their quandary and swore to apprehend and have the prophet killed that day.

Evidently, the king had put the blame on Elisha for what the nation was going through.  He had quickly forgotten the numerous times Elisha had helped to solve the nation’s problems. The king obviously had failed to see himself as the problem. It was he and his ancestors’ unfaithfulness to God that had put the nation in this mess. It was their idolatrous worship that had brought about the chastening of the LORD. In times of trouble, there is a tendency for people to look for scapegoats without realizing that they themselves could be the problem. In life how we see the problem is often the problem itself. Failing to see the real problem, the king saw Elisha, his best asset, as his liability. Lest we mistake our best talent as our burden, there is a need to rightly appraise our lives in every difficult circumstance. Don’t live life in delusion!

 

 

2 Kings 6:20-23 – The power of prayer and grace

In the earlier verses, we saw how Elisha prayed for the army of Aram who came to Dothan to apprehend him to be stricken blind. And the LORD answered and did exactly as he had requested. Then he instructed that they be led to Samaria. Now in 2 Kings 6:20-23, we saw what happened when they came to Samaria. Elisha prayed for them again and this time he asked the LORD to open their eyes so that they might see. And as with the first request that he had made, the LORD  answered his prayer. The army saw and realized that they were in Samaria.

When the king of Israel saw what happened, he called out to Elisha asking, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” Instead of being given the instruction to slaughter them, the prophet instructed that they be treated with hospitality and kindness instead. For according to the rules of warfare, helpless captives should not be killed mercilessly. So he ordered that they set bread and water before them, that they might eat and drink and then return to their master. Verses 23 tells us that a great feast was prepared for the captured marauding band of Arameans. After they had eaten and drunk, they were sent home to their master. What Elisha did, dealt with the problem once and for all, and the Arameans did not attack Israel again.      

The first lesson we learn from this account is the power of prayer. Most problems we encounter in life are best dealt with through prayer. This is the weapon God had left for us believers to make His help available in times of our needs. Sadly, this is also where we often failed because we would come to Him only as the last resort and not our first option. We must bear in mind that God can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can ever ask or think or imagine. James 5:16 reminds us that the prayer of a righteous person is effective and can accomplish much.

The second lesson we can appropriate from this account is the power of grace. Refusing to take advantage of the Arameans’ helplessness, Elisha instructed that they be treated with kindness. Can’t imagine how the Arameans felt! But we know that it settled the problem once and for all. For they did not attack Israel again that way.  Grace is more powerful than revenge and aggression. When we choose to return good for evil, we demonstrate the effectiveness of what Christ had accomplished at the cross. Calvary is the greatest display of divine grace. Let us show grace and experience what can be accomplished!        

2 Kings 6:15-19 – Pray for spiritual perception

Having been told that Elisha was in Dothan, the king of Aram despatched his army together with horses and chariots and surrounded that city. Now 2 Kings 6:15 said that early the next morning the servant of Elisha was alarmed to find the Aramean army encircling Dothan. Exclaiming aloud, he asked, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” Elisha pacified him saying, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Turning to pray, the prophet asked the LORD to open the eyes of the servant that he might see. And He did. Immediately, the servant’s eyes were opened, and he could see the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. When the Aramean forces advanced toward Elisha, he again petitioned the LORD saying, “Strike these people with blindness, I pray.” Straightaway, the LORD answered the short request and struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha. The prophet proceeded to tell them that they were in the wrong place and led them to Samaria where the prophet's actual home was.

Like it or not, there will be times in life when we will be overwhelmed by circumstances that intimidate and terrify us. It’s in those moments that we need our spiritual eyes to be opened. We need to have a glimpse of the power that God has left at our disposal. In moments like this we need to pray for insight to see what’s available to help us solve our intimidating predicament. We have power available to us more than we can imagine. We can emulate Elisha and pray for spiritual perception.  

Remember how Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus. Here’s how he prayed for them in Ephesians 1:18-21, ^“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what the hope of His calling is, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority  and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” 

Even before we encounter unwelcome circumstances, the best thing to do is to pray for spiritual perception. We need to pray to know that God is greater than what’s against us. We need to know the unsurpassed power of God working within us. Beloved, we are on victory ground. Take heart!  

2 Kings 6:8-14 – God’s guide to a victorious walk

Second Kings 6:8-10 describe the king of Aram, most likely to be Ben-hadad, sending marauding bands of men to trouble Israel. It was not an all-out assault but a guerrilla type of warfare. They would attack Israel in one location after another.  This happened on multiple occasions. His intention we guess would be to wear out the king and the people of Israel. However, each time he was up to his mischief, God’s servant Elisha would send word to the king of Israel warning him of Ben-hadad’s impending plot. The latter would then station his men in readiness for the foray. This apparently frustrated Ben-hadad so much.  

So verse 11 said that Ben-hadad was furious. He thought he had a traitor among his men who was leaking secret information to his enemy. He did not know that it was Elisha who had been uncovering his plot to the king of Israel. So he demanded to know who was leaking information to his enemy. Exasperatedly he asked, “Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” It was then that one of his servants revealed that none of them had betrayed him. But that Elisha, the prophet of God of Israel was the one warning the king concerning their attacks. This prophet had divine ability to know things spoken in secret. Ben-hadad ordered that Elisha be captured. He sent a reconnaissance team to find out where the prophet was. They returned saying that he was located at Dothan. The king of Aram then sent horses, chariots, and a great army, and surrounded that city that night seeking to arrest him.

Let’s bring the lesson of these verses into our spiritual journey. Like the king of Aram, our spiritual enemy is also sending marauding forces to plot our downfall in the different areas of our spiritual journey. We are warned in 1 Peter 5:8 to “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.” He said, “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The devil and his marauding bands are plotting to get us to offend God. The good news is that as God’s children we have the Holy Spirit in us. He is like what Elisha did for the people of Israel. He will warn and help us to stay on course with God. Through Him, we will be provided with personal guidance to walk with God. How does the Holy Spirit guide us in our walk? He will prompt us in our hearts either to do or to avoid a certain thing. Remember, in Ephesians 4:30 we are told not to grieve the Spirit and in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, we are told not to quench the Spirit. We grieve the Spirit when we do the things, He tells us not to do. And we quench the Spirit by not doing the things He tells us to do. These two commands tell us that walking within these guideposts will keep us in line with God’s will in our walk with Him. Be sensitive to His promptings!

 

 

2 Kings 6:1-7 – Restoring our cutting edge

There were prophetic schools both in Elijah as well as in Elisha’s time. They existed to train prophets. The trainees were referred to as the sons of the prophets. What happened in 2 Kings 6:1-7 was that more students were enrolled and the place where the training that was taking place was getting too small for the increase in intake. One of the trainees representing the body of student prophets took initiative and came to Elisha saying, “Behold now the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us takes from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.” He was essentially getting Elisha’s permission to get some beams from the wood near Jordan to enlarge the school as it was getting more crowded.

Elisha gave permission for them to go. But being submissive, the students wanted him to go along with them. So they gently nudged him saying, “Please be willing to go with your servants.” And he agreed. So they went to the wood near the Jordan and began to cut trees. As one of the prophets was cutting the trees, his ax head flew off and fell into the water. Honestly, he came to Elisha and told him that the ax he used to cut the tree was a borrowed ax. Elisha then inquired which part of the water did the ax head fall into. The trainee quickly showed him where his ax head had fallen. Elisha then cut off a stick and threw it into the place where the ax head had purportedly fallen. Immediately the ax head floated. He then instructed the student prophet to pick it up which he did. And we imagine that he then resumed his cutting.

Few things could be said of the trainees. Firstly, they were people of initiative and willing to work. Realizing that the place was getting smaller they wanted to contribute to expanding the place. Secondly, they were not insubordinate people. They did not take matters into their hand without seeking permission from their leader. Thirdly the interns, especially the one whose ax head had flown off were honest and would face up to his wrong. He could have gone on pretending as if the ax head was still there and just used the handle to beat at the tree. But he didn’t. He owned up to his problem. They had shown themselves to be perfect candidates for the service of the Lord. They not only had the initiative but were also hard-working and honest.

The crux of the story is not about the miracle of the ax head that could float. It is about the need to restore our cutting edge when we have become blunt. What good would an ax do when it does not have a head that can cut. When the intern realized that his ax head had flown off, he immediately paused to seek help. Elisha got him to identify where the ax head was lost and then to retrieve it. What Elisha did to cause the ax head to float points us to Calvary. The stick he threw into the water points us to the cross of Calvary. The most important lesson we take away from this passage is: have we lost out cutting edge in life and ministry? We need to pause and return to the Calvary where we first found our cutting edge. Steven Covey's seventh habit of sharpening the saw echoes this call. When our lives are blunt and had lost their cutting edge, we will be merely going through the motion and accomplishing nothing. The call is for us to pause to restore our cutting edge. Go back to the source where the power and strength come from!

 

                  

2 Kings 5:20-27 – Don’t be seized by greed

In 2 Kings 5:20-27, we saw Gehazi, Elisha’s personal servant being infected by greed. We are told how he was overcome by it and how he ended. The account has it this way. After his healing, Naaman wanted to show his gratitude to Elisha. So he offered the prophet a gift which he turned down. So they parted ways. But Gehazi his servant thought otherwise. He felt that Elisha was too obliging by not accepting a reward for the healing he had helped the commander to receive. So he ran after the commander, who apparently was taken by surprise that he should pursue him. He turned around and asked Gehazi was everything well and was told that all was well. The latter then concocted a tale to deceive him. He said, “My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’” Believing his lies, Naaman gave him the silver and the clothes he requested, which he quickly stashed away before Elisha could discover.

The problem with lying is that it has a cascading effect. People who tell lies find that they often must tell more lies to cover the first one. This was evident in Gehazi's experience. When he was standing before Elisha, his master asked him where did he go? He lied that he did not go anywhere. Unfortunately, he was trying to deceive a man of God who could see through his falsehood. Elisha then followed up with a poignant question. “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you?” Elisha was asking Gehazi if he had any thoughts for him and the ministry when Naaman turned back to meet him. It is undeniable that Elisha felt betrayed. So in a third question, Elisha showed that the ministry was and never should be about personal gain. With that, he pronounced leprosy that Naaman was healed of would be upon Gehazi and his descendants forever. Immediately, he went away with his skin white with leprosy.

What happened to Gehazi can happen to anyone. Many lives had been ruined because of greed. Remember the story of Achan in Joshua 7? He greedily kept a part of the ban loot from Jericho for himself. As a result, he and his family had to be put to death because of his greed. Then we learned about Demas, who was Paul's ministry companion. In 2 Timothy 4:10 the aged apostle lamented saying “For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” Greed is a disease of the heart. Since greed is a disease of the heart, we must heed Proverbs 4:23 and “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” 

 

 

 

2 Kings 5:15-19 – Worshipping and serving with a pure conscience

In 2 Kings 5:14, we were told that Naaman finally obeyed and did all that Elisha told him to do. After he had washed himself in the Jordan seven times, his leprous skin was cleansed and restored to that of a child. This new paragraph in 2 Kings 5:15-19 then describe his response. Here he was, with his company of men standing before  Elisha to express his gratitude. His words in verse 15 evidently tell us that he understood that his healing did not come from Elisha but from God. So he confidently said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but Israel.” What a testimony! What a truth! Truly no one except this awesome God could heal and restore. In what Naaman had said, he indirectly also brought an indictment against the king and people of Israel who had forsaken this God for worthless idols.  

Apart from the confession of his faith in God, Naaman also offered to give Elisha a present for what he had done. The latter refused to accept the offer of a gift. He said to Naaman, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” Despite the insistence of Naaman, Elisha did not want it for he didn’t want to give the impression that he was peddling his ministry. He served to magnify Yahweh and not to make a profit. This is a needful lesson that every true servant of God must learn. Every ministry God has entrusted to a person is to serve His purpose and glorify Him. Ministers of God must not do ministry for the sake of profit. God is well able to support and see his servants through all their needs in life. There should never be a need for a servant of God to peddle the ministry and seek monetary gain. However, we must have a balance concerning supporting a minister. God through Paul in 1 Timothy 5:18 said that we must not muzzle the ox that threads the corns, and that “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Ministers should not demand to be paid for any service rendered, but if it is a kind gesture voluntarily given, he may accept it gratefully.   

In verse 17, we have an unusual request from Naaman. He requested to bring two mules’ load of earth from Israel back with him to Syria. Clearly, he had already made up his mind not to offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to other gods except Yahweh. While he would not worship other gods, he was still serving the pagan king of Aram. He realized that there would be times when he had to accompany his master to the house of Rimmon when the latter would worship his gods. In those circumstances, he would have to give a helping hand that might require him to bow down. Here he was clarifying his conscience. It might appear as if he was worshipping the god, but his conscience would remain clear that he was not. His heart and allegiance would always be with the God of Israel and wanted only His pardon. So Elisha permitted him to do so. Like Naaman, we must serve God with a good conscience. He wanted the two mules’ loads of earth not to turn them into a god for worship but to be a reminder to him of who His God was. It’s like modern Christians who wear a cross around their neck not to worship it but as a witness that he or she belongs to God.   

 

 

     

2 Kings 5:8-14 – Being channels of God’s blessings

Though the king of Israel felt that the king of Aram was seeking a quarrel with him, Elisha did not think so. So when he heard of the king of Israel’s tirade, 2 Kings 5:8 said that he sent word to the king asking why was he in such a fit? Persuading him, he asked that Naaman be allowed to come to him. Then he would know that there’s a prophet in Israel. Indirectly, he would also know that Israel serves the real God.

When Naaman arrived with his entourage and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha, instead of going out to greet him Elisha merely sent a message to him through a messenger. He was told to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times, and that his flesh would be restored and be made clean. Naaman did not expect such a reception. For he was after all a highly regarded and militarily skillful commander. Besides, he also came with a personal letter from the king of Aram. He felt that the reception Elisha gave him was inappropriate for a person of his caliber. It dealt a heavy blow to his pride. That was hard for Naaman to swallow.

Naaman anticipated Elisha to come to meet and stand before him, calling on the name of the Lord his God, and waving his hand over the place and cure him, the leper. But the prophet did none of these and only told him through a messenger to wash seven times in the River Jordan. Feeling insulted, Naaman spoke his mind aloud, sneering at the suggestion of Elisha. “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he left in a rage.

Second Kings 5:1 tells us that his servants tactfully intervened and used common sense to reason with him. They told him that Elisha's instruction was not something difficult. If he had asked him to do a harder thing, he would most likely obey. Now what he asked Naaman to do was to simply go and wash in the Jordan. That made sense to him, so he went and did what he was told by the man of God. Miraculously his flesh was made clean, and his skin was instantly restored to that of a little child.   

There are many lessons we can glean from this passage.  Here are three: Firstly, God is ever willing to meet people’s needs, all He needs is an instrument that will point others to Him. We can be like the captive slave girl or the servants who reasoned with Naaman. Are we willing to be His instrument? Secondly, pride like that of Naaman can prevent a person from receiving the blessing God has installed for us. Just imagine if Naaman’s hurt pride had prevented him to yield to the reasoning of the servants, he would go away poorer. Thirdly, from Naaman’s miraculous healing we learn that our God will never do an incomplete job. He was not only healed but his skin was made as good as new. In the same way, our salvation is complete. He has made us His new creation. Our old has passed away, and all things have become new. What a glorious God!    

2 Kings 5:1-7 – Living with perspective

In the opening verse of 2 Kings 5, we are introduced to Naaman, the commander of the Aramean army. He was well regarded and a highly skilled military commander. Through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. Unfortunately, he was inflicted with leprosy. In one of his exploits, they captured an Israelite girl, who became his wife’s maid and waited on her.    

In 2 Kings 5:3, this servant girl confidently expressed a wish to her mistress saying, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.”  She was convinced that Elisha would be able to heal Naaman’s leprosy.  When the commander learned of what the girl had said, he related it to the king of Aram. The latter then told him saying, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman took ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothes with the letter written by the king of Aram to Israel. 

In the letter, the king of Aram expressly said that he was sending  Naaman to be healed of leprosy by his servant, meaning Elisha. At once, the king of Israel received the letter and read it, he went into a tirade. He tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?” His initial conclusion was that the king of Aram was seeking a quarrel with him.  

From this account, we learn about perspective in life. The little slave girl was certainly the unsung heroine in this story. She had a great perspective and though she was a captive in a foreign land, she was not bitter and did not lose her witness. Instead, she became the instrument to introduce Naaman to the prophet Elisha. A lesser person would have sat, mobbed, and moaned her plight. But she did not. Apart from serving her mistress, she found ways to help. Her perspective of life would have been limited if she had focused on her plight. Having a larger perspective than herself, God could use her as His instrument for someone else’s well-being.  The king of Israel on the other hand had a different perspective. He saw the king of Aram’s request for help for Naaman as an act of provocation.  Perspective has a way of transforming life. Our world could be turned around just by a little change in our attitude.  It is not our aptitude but our attitude that will determine our altitude in life. 

 

2 Kings 4:42-44 – A little in God’s hand becomes much

God has the capacity to do however little we offer to Him to meet the needs of many. We were told in John 6 how Jesus fed the 5,000 men with a boy’s five loaves and two fish. Here in 2 Kings 4:42-44, it was said that a man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing twenty loaves of bread to Elisha. He baked them from his first fruit harvest of barley and fresh ears of grain. This probably took place in Gilgal where Elisha had come to visit the school of the prophets.

Elisha then instructed that the loaves be given to the people that they may eat. But the attendant felt that it was not enough to feed everyone. So he exclaimed, “What, will I set this before a hundred men?” But Elisha insisted that he should give them to the people to eat, prophesying that they would eat and still have leftovers. So he obeyed and gave to the people to eat and as Elisha had said, there were indeed leftovers.  

Lesson: what happened here underscores again that God’s supply is always greater than demands. That is his economy. So from here, we see that there is no resource too small that the Lord is not able to multiply and meet the needs of many. All we need is to offer whatever we have, in total surrender to Him. Our resource when offered to God can meet more people than we can ever imagine. We must not be limited by our small thinking. The attendant whom the bread was handed over, thought that the amount was only good for less than a hundred. But Elisha’s faith was large, he knew that the 20 loaves would be more than enough to feed the multitude and still had leftovers. Nothing is too little when it is offered to God. In the same line of thoughts, no one is too insignificant that God cannot use. What is required is a life yielded in total surrender and He can do with us what we cannot even imagine. Question is: Have we surrendered? 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Kings 4:38-41 – Be careful what truth we receive

As Elijah’s successor, Elisha would move around the region to exhort and encourage the trainee prophets. Second Kings 4:38-41 describe how Elisha made a pot of poisonous stew edible during his visit to the prophetic school in Gilgal.   

Verse 38 tells us that there was a famine in the land. The prophets there were sitting before him, and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” Because of the famine, they would go out to the field to gather herbs to cook for the meal. One of the prophets collected some wild gourds mistakenly, not knowing that they were poisonous. He then had them sliced and cooked together in the pot of stew.

As the stew was distributed and they were eating it, they exclaimed to Elisha, saying, “O man of God, there is death in the pot.” In other words, the stew distributed to them was poisonous and they were unable to eat it. Elisha quickly asked for some flour which he then added to the stew and restored it. So they had the restored stew dished out and ate them.

What lessons can we apply from this short passage? The first lesson is from the wild gourds that one of the trainee prophets picked from the field. We can liken the wild gourds as wrong teachings that can contaminate, disrupt, and poison the sound doctrines of the Word that we have received. We must be careful with the teachings we receive, be sure that they are not distorted, impure principles that are gleaned from the world. The second lesson: one way to correct wrong teachings that had been taught is to replace them with sound doctrines derived from the Word of God. Only learn and apply the Word of God!

 

2 Kings 4:25b-37 – Have a tenacious faith

In 2 Kings 4:18-25a, we learned that the son of the lady from Shunem, whom Elisha prophesied, was seized by a headache one day and died. Requesting a donkey and a servant from her husband, she went in search of Elisha. She firmly had the faith that God’s prophet Elisha could do something to help restore her son and bring him back to life. After all, it was he who had prophesied that she would have this son. When the prophet saw her from a distance, he suspected that something was not right, although he could not quite put his finger on what was wrong. So he despatched Gehazi to inquire from her if everything was alright with her, her husband, or her son. Refusing to disclose to Gehazi the real problem, she cursorily responded saying said to him, “It is well.” She was effectively declaring what she believed would be the outcome.

But when she came face to face with Elisha, she caught hold of his feet. Instinctively Gehazi trying to protect his master pushed her away, but he was stopped by Elisha. For being the prophet of God, he could sense that her soul was troubled, and wondered why the LORD did not reveal it to him. When the lady opened her mouth, she could not even bring herself to say that the son she was given had died. But from her two questions, Elisha surmised that her son was dead.

Summoning Gehazi, Elisha said, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the lad’s face.” Although Elisha had sent Gehazi, the woman was not prepared to accept that arrangement. Her words to Elisha were:  “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” She was in effect insisting that Elisha must personally attend to her son. Understanding what she wanted, Elisha went with her.

Nothing happened when Gehazi who rode ahead of them and laid the staff on the son’s face. So when he returned and met  Elisha with the lady, he told his master saying, “The lad has not awakened.” When Elisha arrived at her home, he found that the son had indeed died. He entered the room where the boy was laid and shut the door behind him, leaving the mother and Gehazi outside. Then he prayed to the Lord for the lad. What he did next to restore the lad was unusual. Verse 34 said, “And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm.” In verse 35, we are told that he paused a while and paced in the house before he went and stretched himself on the boy again. An astounding thing happened. The lad sneezed seven times before life returned to him and he opened his eyes. Elisha then called for Gezahi to summon the lady to the room. When she came in to meet him, the prophet presented her son to her alive and told her to take him up. Before she did so, she fell at Elisha’s feet and bowed herself to the ground, then took up her son and went out.

This account teaches us true faith is tenacious and resolute. A person with such kind of faith is enabled to spiritually see the outcome of believing in God before it happens. Because true faith is the substance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen. It makes us resolute and enables us not to take no for an answer. Furthermore, it helps us to stay focused refusing to be distracted by neither opposition nor obstacle. Without such faith, Hebrews 11:6 says, it is impossible to please God. True faith empowers us to believe that God is capable to see us through and will reward us when we faithfully and diligently seek Him. We must trust God with tenacious faith, in order to achieve great things!    

2 Kings 4:18a-25 – Stay trusting God

Elisha made a prophecy that the prominent lady of Shunem would bear a son the following year and it came to pass. Now in 2 Kings 4:18, we are told that the son had grown. One day, he went out among his father’s reapers and seemed to be seized by a tremendous headache. Nothing was mentioned concerning his condition. But it was said that he ran to his father, probably crutching his head crying, “My head, my head.” Not knowing what to do, the father quickly summoned a servant and had him despatched to the mother, who placed her precious son on her lap. Unfortunately, he eventually died in her lap. Her first thought was Elisha. It’s an indication of how much she trusted the prophet, the man of God.   

Verse 21 said that she brought him up to the room she had created for Elisha and laid him on his bed. Then she went out and shut the door after her. Without telling her husband that their child had died she beelined for Mount Carmel to elicit the help of the prophet. She asked her husband for a servant and a horse to get her to Elisha and back. The husband wanted to know why she was so insistent since there was no special occasion that should warrant the presence of the prophet. She was evasive when questioned by him. All she said was “It will be well.” She then made haste and came to Elisha at Mount Carmel.  

Given the same circumstance, many would panic and run desperately everywhere and anywhere seeking any advice. But not this lady. She was composed and clear-minded. From 2 Kings 5:18-25, we can see that her first thought was to approach the man of God. The outcome of our problem is often determined by who we approach for help in the time of need. In approaching Elisha she was essentially running to God. For he was God’s servant ministering to the people on His behalf. If there is a clear lesson we can draw from this woman, it has to be her right response in her time of desperation. She was certain Elisha could help her and then went straight for him. She even instructed the servant to “Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.” In her desperation, she remained single-minded. What about us? Are we as calm and composed in our difficult moments? We must stay confident that God alone has the solution, no matter how difficult our situation may seem. We must make it a point to “seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” Truly, He alone has the answer and there is no problem too big for Him to solve. Trust Him!

2 Kings 4:8-17 – The truth about being hospitable

In 2 Kings 4:8-17, we see another miracle of Elisha. There was a prominent barren lady in Shunem who had an old husband and was childless. Convinced that Elisha was a man of God, she invited him to a meal when he was passing Shunem. Since that first meal, every time Elisha passed that city, he would stop over for a meal with her.  She was so hospitable that she discussed with her husband about building a room in the upper chamber of their home, complete with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lampstand to accommodate him every time he came by. Her intention was to provide the prophet a comfortable resting place. Obviously, the lady did not have any need except that she and her husband were childless.

One day Elisha stopped over and checked into the room that had been provided by that lady and her husband. After he had rested, he summoned his servant Gehazi. Having experienced the warm hospitality of the lady, Elisha wanted to do something for her. So he sent Gehazi to find out what she would like him to do for her. Instructed by Elisha, Gehazi told her that she had indeed been very hospitable and caring. Then she was asked if there was something that she wanted Elisha to do for her. The prophet was even prepared to talk to the king or the captain of the army to get her a position or protection. But she wanted neither. For she was contented with her simple life. All she wanted was to live humbly among her people.

Elisha then enquired of Gehazi about what could be done for her. The servant responded by saying that she had no son, and her husband was old. Immediately, Elisha knew what he could do for her. She was summoned and as she stood at the doorway, Elisha said to her,  “At this season next year you will embrace a son.” Unbelievingly she responded by telling Elisha not to lie to her.  But verse 17 said that “The woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.”

We learn here that being generous and hospitable, especially toward servants of God, will not go unrewarded. When we sow kindness and generosity, we will reap the same and much more. The law of cause and effect or the law of reciprocity always takes effect. This was seen in the life of this lady from Shunem. In the New Testament, believers are also exhorted to show hospitality. This is a good practice. For in serving others, especially the needy, Christ said that we would in effect be serving Him. First Peter 4:9 exhorts us saying “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” Let’s show New Testament hospitality and be assured that our kindness will beget kindness in return.      

 

 

2 Kings 4:1-7 – In God’s economy, supply always exceeds demands

In 1 Kings 17:7-24, we saw how Elijah ministered to a poor widow at Zarephath and her only son. Because of the drought, she only had a bowl of flour and a dab of oil left. She was out picking wood when Elijah met her and requested a cup of drink as well as a piece of bread. She responded by saying that she could not accede to his request because she only had enough flour and a dab of oil left to prepare one last meal for herself and her son. She was going home with the wood she had picked for the last meal, and then would probably wait to starve to death. In verse 13, Elijah then assured her that God had the answer to her problem. Telling her not to fear but to go home as she had intended and to first bake a bread cake, bring it to him, then afterward bake another one for herself and her son. Elijah prophesied to her in verse 14 saying, “For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.’” And everything happened as the prophet had told her. Another incident described in the same chapter was how Elijah raised the same widow’s son from the dead.

But now in 2 Kings 4:1-7, we see Elisha also called upon to help a widow, the wife of one of the sons of the prophets. Elisha by this time had assumed the leadership among the prophets. Recognizing his leadership, the widow came pleading with him for help. Her God-fearing husband had died and left her with a debt to pay. She was afraid that the creditor would come and take their two children to be his slaves. Elisha then asked her what she had left in her house so that he could do something to alleviate her situation. Replying to him she said that she had nothing except one last jar of oil.

Responding to her, Elisha instructed her to go and borrow as many large vessels as she could from her neighbors. When she had borrowed them, she was to go to her house, shut the door with her sons, and pour out the oil into those borrowed vessels. She obeyed as she was told. Second Kings 4:5-6 describe what happened saying, “So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not one vessel more.” And the oil stopped. She came to report to Elisha, who was referred to here as the man of God. He told her to go and sell the oil. From what she would make from selling the oil she was to pay the debt and survive on the rest of the earnings made from the sales of the oil.

From what God did for the two widows, we can be assured that we have a reliable God who is more than able to see us through our most desperate moments in life. He saw to the needs of the widow of Zarephath through Elijah and in 2 Kings 4:1-7, He saw to the needs of the widow of a trainee prophet. On both counts, it was God who had brought about the miracles through His prophets. The problem we see in the widow of the trainee prophet was not a small one. It involved the death of her husband, the man of the house leaving her deprived of any means to survive. And then he also left behind a huge debt that the widow could have no means to pay. She would have to allow her sons to be taken away for slavery. Coming to Elisha was her best decision. It was certainly better than staying quiet and suffering. God always has the solution for all our needs.

Lessons:

(1)     God is more than able to handle our problems no matter how big they may seem.

(2)    God has the solution to our predicament, so we don’t need to suffer in silence.

(3)  We need to surrender what little we have when we come to Him, and trust Him completely.  

(4)    God’s supply always equals or exceeds the demands.

Hallelujah, what a generous God! 

 

2 Kings 3:21-27 – Don’t be over-confident and act presumptuously

Second Kings 3:21 said that the Moabites heard of the combined forces of the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom coming to attack them. So all the men of Moab who were of age for military duty and even older men were summoned. They all came and stood at the border ready to defend their land. The coalition forces had obeyed the instruction of Elisha and dug the trenches in the valley. And supernaturally God filled the trenches with water despite the absence of wind or rain. This was indeed God’s miracle.  

According to 2 Kings 3:22-25, as the sun rose in the morning and shone on the water, the Moabites saw a red glow from the water reflected by the sun. They presumed and mistakenly concluded that the combined forces of Israel, Judah, and Edom had fought among themselves and killed each other. Thinking that their enemies had killed each other, and it would be easy for them to just go out and collect the spoil, the Moabites let down their guard and went forward.  When they drew near, the Israelites sprung a surprise and struck them. They pommelled the Moabites and pursued them into the land, slaughtering and destroying their cities. Each man did his job and buried any good land with rocks. They cut the water supply off from every well and felled every good tree. The only place they did not destroy was Kir-hareseth, which was probably a fortress. There they left the stone untouched although they did attack it.

Verses 26-27 say that seeing the battle was too hot, the king of Moab took with him 700 men who drew swords and attempted to break through the king of Edom. But he was unsuccessful. As a last-ditch attempt to save the situation, he took his son who was to succeed him on the throne, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. He was probably seeking to appease Chemosh, a deity of Moab, to influence the outcome of the battle. What he did stir up anger against the Israelites, and made them leave for home without finishing the Moabites off.   

A lesson we learn from what the Moabites did is not to be presumptuous and over-confident. If they had been more cautious, they would not have concluded from merely seeing illusions. In our walk with God, we don’t want to be presumptuous or over-confident. We put our reliance on God. Like Jehoshaphat, we must inquire of the Lord and seek His direction. It is in walking according to the plan and purposes of God that we meaningfully achieve our God-given goal in life. Another indirect lesson is implied in verse 25 where it said, “each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it.” This suggests that every individual was involved in the fight. If we are to succeed in the ministry God has assigned for us, the collaboration of every one of us is needed. We must not assume that just because someone is already doing the task, we can adopt a nonchalant attitude. With teamwork, we can accomplish more for God. We each must do our part and work side by side with each other to achieve the maximum result. We need one another in God’s Kingdom!

 

2 Kings 3:13-20 –Living a life that can influence outcome

When the three kings came before Elisha, the prophet could not help but sneer at the king of Israel. It was obvious that he despised him. Although Jehoram had removed his father’s sacred pillars dedicated to Baal, he was still idolatrous at heart. So Elisha sarcastically asked why he did not consult one of Baal’s prophets whom his parents trusted. To save his own skin, Jehoram borrowed the presence of Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom. He forwarded the reason that it was the LORD who had set them up and led them into the hand of Moab. His excuse showed how conceited he was to suggest that their predicament was the LORD’s making. He certainly had a very faulty view of God.  

He was fortunate that Jehoshaphat was with him. It was on his account that Elisha accommodated them and was willing to seek God on their behalf. He told the wicked king that it was because of Jehoshaphat’s presence that he entertained him. He then asked for a minstrel. It was only as the musician played his instrument, most likely a harp, that the Lord moved and told them what to do. Through Elisha, the LORD revealed to them what they should do.

In verses 16 -17 the LORD  told them to dig trenches in the valley for he was going to bring water despite the arid condition. Even without wind or rain, the LORD would fill all the trenches with water, so that they, their cattle, and the animals would have water to drink. Furthermore, the LORD  promised to deliver Moab into their hand so that they could do whatever they would to them. God told them saying, “…you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’” Verse 2o said that as Elisha had unfolded, everything happened as he said. In the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

In this account, the presence of Jehoshaphat brought blessings to an otherwise adverse situation. On his account, Israel and Edom were rescued from their certain destruction. Do we have the power of influence like Jehoshaphat whom people are blessed by God because they are in our company? Have we built a relationship with God so that He will make us His channel of blessing to the lost? Like Abraham, we have a mandate. We are blessed so that we can be blessings to others. Like Jehoshaphat, we can cultivate a rich relationship with God and be His instrument that can influence outcomes. Let’s do it for the glory of God!