2 Kings 6 Elisha’s Greatest Hists Pt 3
Elisha’s greatest hits keep coming. Today he defies the laws of nature and closes and opens the eyes of men; in more than one realm.
Elisha keeps working for the Lord in the land of Israel. Even though the king is NOT a godly king, the Lord uses Elisha to save his life repeatedly. He keeps him out of the hands of the king of Syria.
The king of Syria almost looses his troops when he goes after Elisha directly. Instead of asking God to take them out of this world, Elisha leads them to a place where they receive mercy instead of death.
Elisha helps the prophets of God again also. Their numbers are growing and they need more room. THAT is a GOOD thing! Let’s rejoin our story as the Spirit takes us from moment to moment in Elisha’s ministry. I’m asking that He lead our journey too.
♥ ♦ ♥
Elisha’s home feels empty after Gehazi fled. As a leper, he couldn’t stay with Elisha. Elisha is comfortable with silence but too much is oppressive. Good thing he goes out nearly every day.
As Elisha travels each day, he ‘collects’ followers. Those who are so touched by his words that they leave all they have to follow him. He calls the truly devoted to come and live with him. To learn more of the Lord under his hand. Day after day, more and more come to stay with Elisha. He never complains that it is crowded or that there is no more silence in his home.
The others in the house though, begin to feel cramped. As more and more come, the house feels like it is bursting at the seams. Elisha would never ask any of them to leave, nor does he forbid any to come.
These men do everything they can to live in harmony with one another, but tempers are getting frayed. They are only men, not saints. Long lines to use the toilet, portions of food shrinking to feed one more mouth, sleeping sitting against a wall for lack of floor space, stepping over each other, … The list goes on and on. As bad as it is, NO ONE is volunteering to leave. A small group gathers under a tree one morning to discuss the issue.
“What we need is a bigger space for all of us.”
“We can’t make this one bigger. It is surrounded and has no space to grow.”
“We could go somewhere else.”
“I don’t want to go anywhere without Elisha. He is our father.”
“We could ask him to go with us.”
“What if he refuses?”
“We CANNOT continue on this way. We will put the idea to Elisha and leave the rest in the Lord’s hands. Even the decision to go or stay.”
All agree to this plan. Elisha is presented with the plan at the evening meal.
“See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there” (2 Kings 6:1-2a).
Elisha nods. He knows it is too crowded. “Go” (2 Kings 6:2b).
There is no force or sorrow in Elisha’s words. He is neither pushing them out, or holding them fast and reluctantly letting them go. The men look to one another. Finally, one of the men who met under the tree, speaks the next part of their discussion.
“Be pleased to go with your servants” (2 Kings 6:3a).
Without any hesitation, Elisha answers. “I will go” (2 Kings 6:3b).
A collective sigh goes up around the room. They will not be searching for a new master, teacher. Elisha will join them in their new home.
Preparations begin the next day. Tools are gathered or borrowed, meals are packed, and plans are quickly sketched for what the house will look like.
“There are enough of us that we can probably do it with one log apiece. If not, we will cut more.”
“Agreed. Whatever it takes to make a home big enough of all of us to live comfortably.”
“We need to choose carefully the place we build as well. There needs to be room to grow. I seriously doubt that men will stop coming to the Lord. Or at least I pray they won’t. We need to have room to add more dwellings, when that time comes.”
Heads nod all around.
“Do any of us have family that might be willing to give us a place to build?”
One of the men speaks up sheepishly. “I actually have land near the Jordan. My Abba passed it to me, but I left it behind when I followed Elisha.”
“Do you have a family you left behind” asks one man with fear of his response in his voice.
“No. I have no wife or children. I actually have no other family at all. My Ima and Abba are both gone, so I could easily pass my inheritance on to the sons of the prophets.”
“This is a WONDERFUL gift. We will make certain this gift is not squandered.”
That settled, the whole group is ready for the next chapter in their adventure with the Lord.
Two days after the decision was made, the sons of the prophets all set off together for the River Jordan. It takes all day to arrive, so they make camp within the trees for the night. They will start fresh in the morning.
The sounds of axes hitting trees rings out all day long. The crack of a tree breaking the last of its bonds to the portion left in the earth, the call of warning as trees fall, and the crash as a tree comes to rest on the ground follow as well.
Midway through the day, one of the sons of the prophets was felling a tree near the water’s edge. As he struck a blow, an unusual sound came from the axe he is wielding. It doesn’t register in his mind, but it was the sound of the block holding the axe head fast to its handle breaking. Unaware of what has happened, the man pulls the axe from its latest slice in the tree. As he does a backswing to prepare for the next blow, the axe head flies from the handle and lands in the water.
The man feels the shift in weight and turns in time to see the axe head splash into the river and sink from sight. He falls to his knees in anguish. It was not his axe head and he doesn’t have the means to replace it. He cries out in anguish.
Several of his brothers see him kneeling by the water’s edge and hurry over to him. Elisha is among them. “What is troubling you” Elisha asks.
“My axe head flew into the water and sank.”
“I’m sure one of your brothers will share with you.”
“Alas, my master! It was borrowed” (2 Kings 6:5).
Elisha realizes the reason for the man’s grief. “Where did it fall?” (2 Kings 6:6) Elisha asks.
“It went in right there” the man points to the place.
Elisha walks over to a pile of limbs that have been cut from several other trees. He takes up a branch and cuts a portion from it. He walks back over to the edge of the water and throws it in, in the place where the axe head went in.
The sons of the prophets watch as bubbles start to rise up and they bring the axe head with them. Their mouths drop open when it floats on top of the water.
Elisha looks at their dumbfounded faces. He speaks to get them moving. “Take it up” (2 Kings 6:7).
The man who lost the axe head wades into the water and retrieves the item he thought he would never see again. When he makes it back to the bank of the river, the brothers gather to inspect the axe head.
They all know the power that raised the axe and the man makes certain to give glory where glory is due. “Thank you master for interceding on my behalf. Praise be to God for rescuing me in my time of need.”
Once the excitement is over, they all return to work. By the end of the day, the trees needed are felled and limbed. In the morning, they will begin bringing them to the land where the new home will be built.
It takes three weeks of hard work to complete the new home. It is large enough for all those who have followed Elisha, with room to grow. It takes another month for them to all settle into a regular routine.
Elisha spends time at this new compound, but he cannot stay here all the time. After asking the Lord for direction, he appoints one of the eldest followers to be the head over this new company of the sons of the prophets. Elisha visits often and he takes one of the men with him as his personal assistant; servant. As it turns out, he is the man who lost and received back the axe head.
Elisha continues on his trips throughout the kingdom of Israel. As he goes about his daily business, the Lord sends him warnings for the king of Israel. He faithfully sees to it that these messages are delivered to the king.
Many of the messages have to do with the king of Syria setting ambushes for him. As the king of Syria sets out his intentions, the Lord tells Elisha of the details. Elisha sends word to Jehoram and warns him not to got to the places of ambush. Elisha’s warnings are always heeded and they have resulted in the king being saved from certain death.
The king of Syria is beyond frustrated. Every time he thinks his plan is perfect, the king of Israel leaves unscathed. He is desperate and determined to get to the bottom of this. He calls his servant. “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” (2 Kings 6:11).
The servant knows how deadly it would be for the man who betrays the king in this way. But there is none in Syria. He tells the king where the real ‘fault’ lies. “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” (2 Kings 6:12).
The king has heard of Elisha. He had no idea that he had the power to do this. It HAS to stop! “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him” (2 Kings 6:13a) the king demands,
No search had to be made, because his own servant knows the whereabouts of Elisha. Without even an ounce of regret, he discloses Elisha’s location. “Behold, he is in Dothan” (2 Kings 6:13b).
The king is not taking any chances. He musters his whole army and sends them to Dothan to bring back Elisha. “Dead or alive, I care not. For he will be dead in the end.”
The army of Syria comes in the night and completely surrounds the city of Dothan. They have every exit blocked. NO ONE will get in or out without their approval. “Elisha is as good as ours” their commander says to himself.
Elisha and his servant rise early the next morning. Their plan for this day is to go to Samaria and encourage the followers of the Lord who live there. They step out the gate of the city and Elisha’s servant knees go weak at the sight of Syria’s mighty army.
“Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15).
In a perfectly normal voice Elisha answers him. “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16).
Elisha’s servant is too afraid to take his eyes off the army to look and see if his master is kidding him. Elisha knows that his servant is still in fear. Elisha says a simple prayer that changes everything for his servant.
“O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17).
The man’s spiritual eyes align with his physical ones and he sees exactly what Elisha is talking about. The mountains all around are FILLED with the army of the Lord. In it are horses, angels, and fiery chariots ready to descend on this pitiful army of the king of Syria. His fear melts instantly and is replaced by a smile.
Elisha says one more quick prayer as he walks out towards the commander of the army. “Please strike this people with blindness” (2 Kings 6:18).
Elisha stands right before the man, knowing full well that this man KNOWS what he looks like. Elisha knows full well that he does not recognize him at all. Instead of walking right past the army and leaving the people of Dothan to deal with them, Elisha decides to take them on a little trip.
“This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek” (2 Kings 6:19).
Elisha waits while they break camp. His servant stands beside him watching. He whispers; “What are we doing?”
“We are taking them where they need to go to see the hand of the Lord.”
Elisha’s servant nods once and waits to see what will happen.
Once the camp is packed and ready, the commander goes to Elisha.
“Lead on. We will follow.”
Elisha sets out as a moderate pace with his servant by his side and the army of Syria falls in behind him. They walk for hours. Up ahead, Elisha’s servant sees the walls of Samaria.
“Are we taking them to the king” he whispers to Elisha.
“We are.”
“What will he do when he sees them? We don’t want to be caught in the middle of a war!”
“Have faith.”
The whole group walks right into the gates of Samaria in the early afternoon. Jehoram’s watchmen had called out when he saw the huge contingent making its way towards the city. The only thing that held Jehoram back from sending his troops rushing out to meet them in battle was the news that ELISHA is leading them. Jehoram did alert his soldiers, in case they might be needed.
Elisha says another quick prayer once everyone is inside the city gates. “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see” (2 Kings 6:20).
The soldiers of Syria are shocked beyond words when they find themselves inside a city. They stand their gawking at their surroundings, unsure of what to do now. Jehoram quickly makes his way to where Elisha stands in front of the army. In a hushed voice he asks Elisha’s direction.
“My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” (2 Kings 6:21).
An indigent look crosses Elisha’s face before he answers. “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”
Properly chastised, Jehoram ordered a large feast be prepared. Sheep, goats, and oxen were roasted by the hundreds. Bread by the bushel and wine by the barrel all graced the table for the enemy of Israel.
Elisha and his servant shared the meal with the soldiers and they never even once mention taking him prisoner for their king. The soldiers were so impressed with their treatment by Elisha and the king of Israel that they told the king of Syria when they returned. For the rest of his reign, he did not send raiding parties into Israel. There wasn’t perfect peace, but there was a cessation of small forces raids.
Elisha returned to his daily journeys and calling the people of Israel back to the Lord.
(to be continued)
I had to look up what “sons of the prophets” meant. I have seen it several times and assumed that it meant prophets or their offspring. I was wrong. It is a group of people dedicated to following a specific prophet. Kind of like Jesus and His disciples, who traveled with Him. These were the people who stayed true to the Lord, even though the people around them were worshiping false gods. I want to give them a standing ovation!!! Not the easiest thing to do, especially when being known as a follower of the Lord could get them killed. These are probably the same men that Obadiah hid from Queen Jezebel.
I love how God cares about EVERY aspect of our lives. The young follower didn’t have to find a way to replace what he had borrowed. Elisha’s servant was able to release his fear when the Lord let him see His protection. Even the enemies of Israel were fed an amazing meal and sent on their way. Not only did they receive an ‘eye opening’, but so did Jehoram. He saw God’s mercy through human hands. And he was a part of that mercy. I wonder what he thought about the whole thing when it was all over. Did he worry about the cost of feeding such a large bunch or did he count it as a joy to have had a hand in touching their lives for the Lord?
What do we think about when the Lord uses us in some way? Do we bemoan what we missed while we were occupied doing something for Him? Do we worry about what it costs us financially? Or, do we replay the blessing and its impact it had on those we took the time to help? I try to do #3, but I’m not perfect. I have been known to choose one of the other options on occasion.
Father God, thank You for all the opportunities You bring me where I can sow into someone’s life. Sometimes are easier than others. Forgive me for being ‘stingy’ and worrying about what it costs me instead of what it benefits another. Let me be an instrument in Your hands for good. Give me boldness and peace in the places You call me to. And help me KNOW the difference between where You would have me walk and where Satin tries to coax me to climb into. Keep me walking in YOUR ways; not my own. And let me be a blessing along the way. I want to be Your ‘cracked pot’.
