Relevant Life

2Ki 6:8  Whenever the king of Aram was fighting against Israel, he asked for advice from his officers about where they were to camp.

2Ki 6:9  So the man of God would send a message to the king of Israel, \”Be careful not to go by that place. The Arameans are hiding there.\”

2Ki 6:10  Then the king of Israel would send someone to the place that the man of God told him about. Elisha warned them so that they would be on their guard. He did this repeatedly.

2Ki 6:11  The king of Aram was very angry about this. He called his officers and asked them, \”Won\’t you tell me who among us is a spy for the king of Israel?\”

2Ki 6:12  One of his officers answered, \”No one, Your Majesty. Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel everything you say-even what you say in your bedroom.\”

2Ki 6:13  The king said, \”Find out where he is. Then I will send men to capture him.\” The king was told, \”He is in Dothan.\”

2Ki 6:14  So the king sent horses and chariots and a large fighting unit there. They came at night and surrounded the city.

2Ki 6:15  When the servant of the man of God got up in the morning and went outside, he saw troops, horses, and chariots surrounding the city. Elisha\’s servant asked, \”Master, what should we do?\”

2Ki 6:16  Elisha answered, \”Don\’t be afraid. We have more forces on our side than they have on theirs.\”

2Ki 6:17  Then Elisha prayed, \”LORD, please open his eyes so that he may see.\” The LORD opened the servant\’s eyes and let him see. The mountain around Elisha was full of fiery horses and chariots.

2Ki 6:18  As the Arameans came down to get him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, \”Please strike these people with blindness.\” The LORD struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

2Ki 6:19  Elisha told them, \”This isn\’t the way! This isn\’t the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you\’re looking for.\” So he led them into Samaria.

2Ki 6:20  When they came into Samaria, Elisha said, \”LORD, open the eyes of these men, and let them see.\” The LORD opened their eyes and let them see that they were in the middle of Samaria.

2Ki 6:21  When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, \”Master, should I kill them? Should I kill them?\”

2Ki 6:22  Elisha answered, \”Don\’t kill them. Do you kill everyone you take captive in combat? Give them food and water. Let them eat and drink. Then let them go back to their master.\”

2Ki 6:23  So the king prepared a great feast for them. They ate and drank, and then he sent them back to their master. After this, Aramean troops didn\’t raid Israel\’s territory anymore.

 

Sometimes it feels that we live in a hopeless world where evil seems to be dominate. The truth is that God is always in control regardless of how dire things may be. 

Elisha the prophet faced some similar situations as we will see today. Let’s look at the comparison.

1. Elisha was blamed for the failures of King Aram and for being against him. Today we see some hating Christians and blaming them for many of the issues today and for going against the status quo. 

2. The King wanted to capture Elisha and make him pay. Many in the USA want to make Christians pay and get rid of their influence. Jesus even said that this would happen in the last days. ( Matthew 5) The world will hate us because of Jesus.

3. Elisha’s apprentice was afraid when he physically saw the army of King Aram surrounding the city. Some believers easily throw in the towel because the physical realm seems to be so doom and groom.

4. Elisha forever saw the spiritual realm because he understood that he was not of this world. Christians need to see the same. We are in this world but not of this world. 

5. The Apprentice of Elisha soon realized that the army of God is greater than the Army of man. That army of God is still working in our lives today as well. It might seem like evil is winning but evil will never win in the long run. 

 

May the Lord open our eyes today like he did with the apprentice of Elisha. The Lord is still working on our behalf and will continue even to the end of time. Evil is not winning. Evil is not in control. What say you?