Burunche’s Blog

 Kings 10:28 – 36 “Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel, but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”

Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehu, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? And Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz reigned in his place. So the duration of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Remember Jehu, the successful army commander, the man who wiped out Baal worship in Israel, fulfilling God’s word? Even though Jehu made all kinds of references to the God of Israel, he did not follow God whole – heartedly. For reasons known only to himself, Jehu combined worship of God with worship of the golden calf idols established by Jeroboam at Dan and Bethel.

Why would anyone make such a foolish choice? The problem was that although Jehu spoke a lot about God, his knowledge was all second – hand. Jehu was relying on things he had heard Elisha and other say; however, Jehu himself was not a true God – worshiper. In addition, Jehu never really had an experience of God’s presence. Perhaps Jehu viewed himself as a rough tough military commander who had no use for anything that he could not see or touch. Perhaps Jehu had been raised as a worshiper of the golden calf from his youth. The golden calf was an Egyptian idol that represented several things including fertility, but those altars had been there for a long time. Perhaps Jehu was afraid to worship God for fear that people would then want to travel to Jerusalem in the kingdom of Judah. At any rate, Jehu did not worship the God of Israel, even though he claimed to have carried out God’s will.

Jehu’s apostasy had terrible results. It was that during Jehu’s reign that God began to reduce Israel’s territory as Hazael of Syria took back all the land east of the Jordan. In other ways, Israel continued to slide downhill spiritually.

APPLICATION: One of the first things we learned when we came to Ghana a long time ago was to ask a pertinent question. When people would tell us that they loved God, we learned to ask “which god are we talking about?” This question was not an idle one. We soon learned that there were those who were masquerading as Christians; however, once we got through the thin veneer of Christianity, we soon learned that they were following other gods. One denominational leader was actually practicing an Eastern religion and had set up an altar with fruit and flowers in a room with black walls that he kept locked. It was only when this man stepped down and others entered the headquarters that they discovered this place. There were those church members whose families worshiped fetishes and who made regular trips to the shrine and sacrificed animals and white cocks.

Jehu is really a tragic figure because he had so much potential and he wound up wasting it. In the beginning, Jehu was doing the work of God. But when Jehu assumed the throne, suddenly the God of Israel wasn’t enough for him. When the pressure was on, Jehu reverted to the same mistakes Jeroboam had made, even though God’s prophets repeatedly criticized Jeroboam and warned rulers not to follow the same course that he did.

Perhaps part of Jehu’s problem was a desire to maintain power. As a military commander, Jehu had a great deal of control. But as a king, Jehu needed a means of rallying people to himself. Perhaps Jehu turned to the worship of the golden calves much as Jeroboam had, to keep people in Israel rather than encouraging them to go to Judah.

Because Jehu did the work of the Lord at one point, God allowed him to have four generations who would rule after him. But what might have happened had Jehu truly worshiped God? At that point, God might have established Jehu’s throne for centuries, rather than for generations.

What do we really worship? In what do we trust? Do we rely on our jobs to give us significance? Do we rely on leadership positions in the community? If those things that make us feel important were to suddenly disappear, what would we trust in then?

God is the only One in whom we can safely trust. Psalm 46:1 – 3 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

Don’t make the mistake that Jehu made! Jehu did God’s work for awhile but then wandered off into idolatry. Trust God and follow Him whole – heartedly! You will never regret that decision.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to continue to follow You, even when we are tempted to do something else to maintain control. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 10:18 – 27 “Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.”

But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.

And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.

Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.” And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”

When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.”

So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day.

FROM TEMPLE TO LATRINE! Jehu is still carrying out God’s commands, and God wants Baal worship to be eliminated. To that end, Jehu pretends to become a fervent Baal worshiper. Jehu calls for all the men who are Baal worshipers to enter the temple and to wear the ritualistic garments. Jehu also warns the priests to make sure there are no servants of the Lord in the crowd. So the Baal worshipers crowd into the temple. Meanwhile, Jehu has stationed eighty soldiers outside the temple; as soon as the sacrifices are complete and worshipers are concentrating on the priests, these soldiers enter the temple and slaughter everyone. The soldiers throw the bodies of the Baal worshipers out and collect all the sacred items, including the pillar of Baal and burn them. Then Jehu’s men demolish the temple and make it into a latrine! Once the temple grounds have been desecrated by people defecating there, the temple can never be rebuilt on that site.

APPLICATION: God really has a sense of humor. For years, God’s chosen people have prostituted themselves before the demon god Baal. Baal was believed to control rain as well as crop fertility. Baal worshipers indulged in all kinds of perverted worship practices. Finally, God has had enough. God moves Jehu to slaughter the Baal worshipers and priests and to burn all the sacred items so that nobody can keep something privately in their home. The pillar of Baal is destroyed and the temple put to the torch. Then the site of the temple is used for a latrine, clearly demonstrating what God thinks about Baal.

Here Jehu does well, carrying out God’s will. If only Jehu would continue to serve God whole – heartedly, all would be well. Later on, Jehu himself falls into idolatry, but for today, Jehu does the right thing. Avenger #2 is fulfilling God’s assignment.

“But,” you ask, “what if some of those people in that temple were actually innocent?” Good question. That’s why Jehu ordered the priests of Baal to weed out any servants of the Lord who might have wandered in to satisfy their idle curiosity. We must conclude that God knew the hearts of all those left in that temple and that those men refused to repent.

Curiosity in the operations of the occult can be very dangerous. Many years ago, a local chief invited a fetish priestess to come do sooth – saying after several young people had died mysteriously. Our little village was swarming with demons. One of our hospital workers who was on her way to the chief’s palace to witness this event was nearly raped by one of the young men. A watchman at a local school committed suicide, allegedly at the urging of the traditional bush spirits. Church members who were foolish enough to insist on watching the fetish priestess suffered for their lack of judgement.

These days, there are many programs on television, videos, and YouTube channels promoting the occult. We watch these things at the peril of our immortal souls. Playing with darkness is always dangerous. Although we may delude ourselves into thinking that we are strong and can resist any influence, we have no idea what will actually happen to us. Darkness and light cannot exist at the same time in the same place. At any moment we are choosing to walk in the light or to turn away from it. But returning to the light may prove difficult or nearly impossible.

The Apostle John warns us in 1 John 1:5 – 10, “And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.”

John had about as much practical experience as any of the disciples. After leaving his career as a fisherman, John became the disciple closest to Jesus, the one to whom Jesus entrusted his mother Mary at the time of His death. John traveled throughout the known world at that time and was later exiled as a prisoner to the island of Patmos. John lived to be more than ninety years and was one of the most respected elders of the early church for good reason.

God clearly demonstrated His feelings about Baal and the other demons when He moved Jehu to turn the temple of Baal into a latrine. Why should we exchange light for darkness?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are those who are reading these words who may be tempted to involve themselves in the occult for the sake of secret knowledge and power. Open their eyes to see that such games are deadly and that they can lose not only their own souls but those of their family members as well. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 10:1 – 17 “1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying: “When this letter arrives, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weaponry, select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

 But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”

So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”

Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”

Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city. And when the letter arrived, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.”

And Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” The next morning, Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these? Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.”

So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.

Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds, Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”

“We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered, “and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”

Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.

When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?”

“It is!” Jehonadab replied.

“If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.”

So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot, saying, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” So he had him ride in his chariot.

When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down everyone belonging to Ahab who remained there, until he had destroyed them, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah.”

EVIL BRINGS ITS OWN PUNISHMENT! Although Ahab did all kinds of evil deeds, the act that finally brought God’s curses down was the murder of Naboth, a completely innocent man, on trumped up charges with the subsequent seizure of his vineyard. In 1 Kings 21:21 – 22, Elijah told Ahab, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’” Although Ahab repented sufficiently that his body didn’t suffer indignities after his death, God promised that Ahab’s descendants would be wiped out. Now that day of retribution has come.

Jehu sends a challenge to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab’s seventy sons. Jehu suggests these men select the best of Ahab’s sons to act as king and to fight on behalf of his family. But the elders are worried that they all will die as a result. After all, Jehu has been the commander of the forces of Israel for years; he has already killed two kings. There is little hope that any of Ahab’s sons will be able to defend the citizens of Jezreel. The elders then send a message of surrender to Jehu, asking for his orders. Jehu then commands the elders of Jezreel to slaughter all seventy of Ahab’s sons, sending the heads to Jehu as proof.

But Jehu is not finished. Remember that King Ahaziah of Judah was Ahab’s grandson. For all the males of Ahab’s family to be eliminated, relatives of Ahaziah must also die. Jehu meets forty – two of Ahaziah’s relatives and immediately kills them. Proceeding on to Samaria, Jehu makes a complete end of the males of Ahab’s family and slaves. God’s vengeance against Ahab is now complete.

APPLICATION: Ahab ruled during the ministry of Elijah, one of the greatest prophets who ever lived. Despite the witness of Elijah, Ahab persisted in idolatry and all kinds of other sins. God gave Ahab innumerable chances to repent, but there was only one instance in which Ahab repented at all. Eventually, God eliminated all the males in Ahab’s family, thereby making it impossible for that family to ever rule again.

Why is this story important for us? God has not changed. God still warns nations and individuals when they are going astray. These days, climate change is getting lots of publicity. New and deadly insect pests are appearing in places they have never been before. Economies are in trouble. God is trying to get our attention, but we are refusing to listen.

The promises of God remain valid for nations and individuals. The Sentinel Organization has documented many instances around the world in which environments that have been ravaged by years of abuse have suddenly rebounded when the people of those lands have truly repented and have sought God’s favor.

When Balak, the king of Moab, summoned Balaam, the seer, to curse the Israelites, God had the final say in the matter. Numbers 23:19 tells us, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Deuteronomy 29:19 – 20 says, “When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. The Lord will never be willing to forgive them; his wrath and zeal will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will fall on them, and the Lord will blot out their names from under heaven.”

It’s time for us to pray for our nations, confessing our national sins and begging God for forgiveness. Daniel prayed on behalf of Israel, even while he was a captive in exile in Babylon, and God heard his prayers. Our problem is that we fail to intercede.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have gone our own way and that we have ignored Your commandments. We confess that we have slaughtered the innocent and that we have tried to justify our sins. Lord, forgive us! Hear our prayers! Heal our lands! You are our only hope; without You, we perish. Guide our leaders into the ways of peace, of righteousness, of justice, and of truth. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 9:30 – 37 “Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window. And as Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, O Zimri, murderer of your master?”

He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?”

And two or three eunuchs looked down at him.

“Throw her down!” yelled Jehu.

So they threw her down, and her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

Then Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of this cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was the daughter of a king.”

But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands.

So they went back and told Jehu, who replied, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke through His servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour the flesh of Jezebel. And Jezebel’s body will lie like dung in the field on the plot of ground at Jezreel, so that no one can say: This is Jezebel.’”

WICKEDNESS NEVER PAYS!!! For years, Jezebel has been parading around the palace, being as mean as possible to everyone. Nobody has dared to cross Jezebel; after all, not only is she the queen but she is also a very powerful witch. Nobody wants to die from one of Jezebel’s curses. But today things are going to change! Having disposed of Joram and Ahaziah, Jehu is now entering Jezreel. Feeling quite secure, Jezebel paints her face, puts on her hair ornaments, and then comes to an upstairs window to reproach Jehu. But today things are different. As Jezebel approaches the window, she fails to notice that several eunuchs who work in the palace have come up behind her. If Jezebel notices these men at all, she probably assumes that they are simply coming to gawk at Jehu. Surely, Jezebel has nothing to fear from these insignificant weaklings!

But Jezebel has made a bad assumption. After years of threats and abuse and untold beatings, these eunuchs are spoiling for revenge. When Jehu calls out, “Who is on my side? Who?” these men come to the window. As soon as Jehu orders them to throw Jezebel down, they do so with the greatest of pleasure. Jezebel’s body hits the walls on the way down and then splatters onto the courtyard, spooking the chariot horses. The horses rear and then trample back and forth over Jezebel’s body, reducing it to a bloody pulp.

Jehu goes on in to eat and then decides to send servants to bury whatever is left of Jezebel. But the scavenger dogs that roam the city have already accounted for most of Jezebel’s body. All that is left of this proud Sidonian sorceress is her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. The dogs have devoured everything else. When the servants return to Jehu to inform him of the condition of Jezebel’s body, Jehu recognizes that these results are the fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy over Jezebel.

APPLICATION: There are some gory passages in the Bible, but this is one of the goriest. Why has God allowed such a description to stand for thousands of years? Yesterday, we quoted Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Jezebel spent her entire life serving demons, never repenting even though she had so many opportunities. Jezebel viewed repentance as a sign of weakness, something those feeble Israelites needed but that she obviously did not need. The demons were leading Jezebel down into an ever – deepening abyss, and she was enthusiastically following them.

In the end, Jezebel suffered one of the most appalling fates possible. To be eaten by dogs or scavenging birds was shameful. For there to be nothing left of a body to bury was equally shameful. In the end, it was Jezebel who chose her own fate, dying by the same kind of violence she had meted out to others.

We face choices at every turn daily. And daily, we have the opportunity to choose to serve God or to turn away from Him to please only ourselves. Will we choose to serve God and choose the path of life, or will we choose to turn away, choosing spiritual death?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to continue to choose to follow You all the days of our lives. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.       

2 Kings 9:1 – 14 “1 Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak under your belt, take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead. When you arrive, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in, get him away from his companions, and take him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and declare, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run. Do not delay!”

 So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead, and when he arrived, the army commanders were sitting there. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said. “For which of us?” asked Jehu. “For you, commander,” he replied.

So Jehu got up and went into the house, where the young prophet poured the oil on his head and declared, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the LORD’s people Israel. And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel. The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, (one version says “all who urinate against a wall”) both slave and free, in Israel. I will make the house of Ahab like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. And on the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour Jezebel, and there will be no one to bury her.’ ”

Then the young prophet opened the door and ran. When Jehu went out to the servants of his master, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?”

“You know his kind and their babble,” he replied.

 “That is a lie!” they said. “Tell us now!”

So Jehu answered, “He talked to me about this and that, and he said, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ ”

Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”

Thus Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram.

(Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had suffered at the hands of the Arameans in the battle against Hazael their king.)

So Jehu said, “If you commanders wish to make me king, then do not let anyone escape from the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.”

Then Jehu got into his chariot and went to Jezreel, because Joram was laid up there and Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.

Now the watchman standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, and he called out, “I see a company of troops!”

“Choose a rider,” Joram commanded. “Send him out to meet them and ask, ‘Have you come in peace?’ ”

So a horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’ ”

“What do you know about peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.”

And the watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.”

So the king sent out a second horseman, who went to them and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’ ”

“What do you know about peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.”

Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the charioteer is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi —he is driving like a madman!”

“Harness!” Joram shouted, and they harnessed his chariot. Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu on the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.

When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”

“How can there be peace,” he replied, “as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”

Joram turned around and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!”

Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.

And Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Pick him up and throw him into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. For remember that when you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab, the LORD lifted up this burden against him: ‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, so will I repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.’ Now then, according to the word of the LORD, pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground.”

When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled up the road toward Beth-haggan.

And Jehu pursued him, shouting, “Shoot him too!”

So they shot Ahaziah in his chariot on the Ascent of Gur, near Ibleam, and he fled to Megiddo and died there. Then his servants carried him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his fathers in his tomb in the City of David. (In the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king over Judah.)

If you remember God’s instructions to Elijah on Mount Horeb, you will recall that God told Elijah to anoint Elisha as prophet in his place and to anoint Hazael as king over Syria and Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel. God promised that each of these three men would carry out God’s intents to punish the Israelites. Hazael is now king over Syria and now Elisha is delegating a young prophet to anoint Jehu, the third avenger.

Unlike some earlier prophets, this young man does his work well, singling out Jehu and requesting a private audience with him. The young prophet goes on to anoint Jehu as king of Israel, ordering him to strike down Jezebel and every male in the house of Ahab, including all of the male slaves. Once this young man has delivered his message, he escapes and runs back to Elisha, following Elisha’s instructions completely.

When the army commanders question Jehu, at first Jehu tries to make them believe that the young prophet is mad. But when the army commanders press Jehu for the truth, he admits that the prophet has anointed him as king over Israel and that he has received a commission to wipe out Ahab’s family, including the male slaves.

Remember that Joram King of Israel has been wounded and has retreated to Jezreel and that Ahaziah King of Judah is visiting Joram. Now Jehu and his men drive as fast as possible to Jezreel. When King Joram and King Ahaziah go out to meet Jehu, Jehu orders his archers to shoot them. Joram dies on the spot, and Jehu has his body dumped on the land belonging to Naboth to fulfill the word of the Lord. Presumably, dogs eat Joram’s body. Ahaziah is severely wounded and flees to Megiddo, where he dies. Ahaziah’s servants carry his body back to Jerusalem. The only reason God allows Ahaziah’s body to be buried is because of His promises to David; otherwise, dogs would eat Ahaziah’s body.   

APPLICATION: Newton’s Third Law states “for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Ahab worshiped demons and stole and murdered. Now Ahab’s descendants are reaping the results just as God has prophesied. (https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/newtons-laws-of-motion)

Galatians 6:7 -8 tells us, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

While there are many people today who want to throw out moral absolutes, it is fascinating to note that these people only want to throw out principles when it suits them. But the same people are horrified if someone else demands the same right to ignore those principles. God does not change. God is not mocked, although many people have tried. God remains sovereign, and those who violate His Law will wind up paying the price for their poor choices.

Ahab and Jezebel cut a wide swath through Israel, stealing, murdering, and doing all kinds of evil. Jezebel tried to kill Elijah on several occasions. But their reign did not last and now their descendants are about to be wiped out, all because they refused to listen to God’s prophets and repent. God continues to speak today; however, there are many who have shoved their fingers in their ears, hoping to block out the sound of God’s voice. At some point, God will simply say, “Your will be done,” and let them die in their sins without repenting.

All of us have choices. Today, will you choose to turn away from your sins and to serve God, or will you make the same bad choices that Joram and Ahaziah made?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that nothing we have done is enough for us to earn our way into heaven. Lord, forgive us our sins. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.     

2 Kings 8:16 – 29 “In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab over Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat succeeded his father as king of Judah. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.

And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Yet for the sake of His servant David, the LORD was unwilling to destroy Judah, since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king. So Jehoram  crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. When the Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, he rose up and attacked by night. His troops, however, fled to their homes.

So to this day Edom has been in rebellion against the hand of Judah. Likewise, Libnah rebelled at the same time.  As for the rest of the acts of Jehoram, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And Jehoram rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David. And his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.

In the twelfth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab over Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah.  Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. And Ahaziah walked in the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

Then Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to fight against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram. So King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab, because Joram had been wounded.

THE BAD INFLUENCE OF JEZEBEL AND AHAB IS LIKE A PERSISTENT LP GAS LEAK! THE ODOR NEVER GOES AWAY!

Jehoshaphat was a righteous man; however, his son Jehoram is not. Lacking a firm spiritual foundation, Jehoram compounds his problems by marrying Athaliah, one of Ahab and Jezebel’s daughters. Jezebel is a priestess of Baal, so her daughter would copy her. At this point, the nations of Edom and Libnah both have rebelled against Judah, and when Jehoram tries to bring Edom back under his control, his own troops desert him! God is punishing Jehoram and Judah; however, they are too spiritually dense to realize that God has removed His hand of protection from them.

Jehoram only reigns 8 years, after which his son Ahaziah reigns for one short year. Ahaziah’s mother is Ahab’s daughter and Omri’s granddaughter and is a vile woman. To compound problems, Ahaziah also marries one of his cousins from Ahab’s family and follows her horrible example, doing evil in the sight of the Lord. Ahaziah teams up with King Joram of Israel to fight Hazael, the king of Syria; however, Joram gets wounded and returns to Jezreel to recover. Ahaziah, king of Judah, goes to visit Joram, putting two descendants of Ahab in the same place.

Even though Jehoram, king of Judah, was evil, God has allowed him to die a natural death and to be buried with his fathers for the sake of the promises God had made to David. But Ahaziah king of Judah and Joram king of Israel are both Ahab’s grandsons. Remember that God has cursed Ahab’s descendants. 1 Kings 21: 24 “Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.” As we will see in the next chapter, those curses are about to come true for both kings.

APPLICATION: Demons transfer through sex and your choice of a mate can bless or blight your family for generations to come! When Ahab chose to marry Jezebel, a Sidonian princess and a priestess of Baal, he brought in bloodlines that had no place in an Israelite kingdom. The Law of Moses specifically forbade marrying outside the faith; however, King Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, many of whom were from pagan idol – worshiping tribes. It was these women who lured Solomon away from truly worshiping God. Not only did Solomon set a horrible example, but he also introduced foreign blood into the royal bloodlines. Any king who married outside Israel after that could use Solomon as their excuse. Once Ahab and Jezebel established their evil household, their descendants would bring spiritual confusion to anyone who married them.    

Here in Ghana, on several occasions we have seen the results of Christian young men marrying young women from fetish families. (Fetish families are families that serve traditional gods, making blood sacrifices to them.) In every case of which we are aware, the results have been confusion and despair for the young men. Even when they have continued to attend church, they have been badly affected by the demonic influence from their wives.

In America, one Christian speaker who got caught up in witchcraft as a teen described how his coven employed sex to lure in the unwary and get them to commit to witchcraft. There is an old saying, “You lie down with dogs; you get up with fleas.” The same thing could be said for demons.

Spiritual compromise is deadly! We might feel superior because we have never engaged in any idolatrous practices….we think. But what is playing on the video screen of your mind? Once internet cafes caught on in Ghana, the owners soon realized that they had to put controls on their machines and monitor things in addition; otherwise, young men were accessing pornographic videos online. These days with cell phones rampant, cell phone users themselves must monitor their own viewing.

Proverbs 5:1 – 14 describes the plight of a man who follows a forbidden woman. Here is the conclusion:

“7 So now, my sons, listen to me, and do not turn aside from the words of my mouth.

8 Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house,

9 lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel;

10 lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner.

11 At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent,

12 and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!

13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my mentors.

14 I am on the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”

Proverbs 4:23 tells us “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” Ahab never guarded his heart, and the results remain obvious. The next few chapters will tell us of the horrible outcome of that deplorable decision.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to truly love You and worthily magnify You. Help us to follow hard after You and to follow Your leading when we are choosing a mate. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Then Elisha came to Damascus while Ben-hadad king of Aram was sick, and the king was told, “The man of God has come here.”

So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand, go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD through him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”

So Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift of forty camel loads of every good thing from Damascus. And he went in and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”

Elisha answered, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover.’ But the LORD has shown me that in fact he will die.”

Elisha fixed his gaze steadily on him until Hazael became uncomfortable. Then the man of God began to weep.

“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”

“But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael.

And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”

So Hazael left Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha say to you?”

And he replied, “He told me that you would surely recover.” But the next day Hazael took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over the king’s face. So Ben-hadad died, and Hazael reigned in his place.”

Remember God’s words to Elijah when Elijah was in the cave on Mount Horeb in 1 Kings 19:15 – 17? “Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram. You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet. Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.”

Israel has fallen into idolatry and those who have done so will be punished. There is no record of Elijah visiting Damascus after God gave him this word; however, Elijah anointed Elisha to succeed him as prophet. Now Elisha is carrying out the command of the Lord by coming to Damascus. Elisha’s reputation as a prophet has preceded him, and Ben – hadad, the king of Syria, sends Hazael, his aid, to ask counsel from Elisha. Ben – hadad is so worried that he sends forty camel loads of “every good thing from Damascus.” It is highly unlikely that Elisha accepts this gift; after all, he has no fixed abode and travels very lightly. But God is actually sending Hazael to Elisha because Elisha has a commission to anoint Hazael as the next king over Syria.

When Elisha sees Hazael, Elisha is obedient but not happy. As soon as Hazael enters the room, Elisha has an immediate vision of Hazael leading an army that will set fire to Israelite fortresses, kill their young men, dash the Israelite children to pieces, and rip open the wombs of pregnant Israelite women. This vision is so sickening that Elisha begins to weep bitter tears. Hazael is amazed at this behavior and asks Elisha what it means. Elisha tells Hazael that in the future Hazael will lead an army that will destroy the Israelites and their cities. Elisha is weeping over the horrors he foresees. When Hazael asks how this will happen, Elisha tells Hazael that he will be the next king of Syria. Elisha counsels Hazael to tell Ben – hadad that Ben – hadad will recover; however, Elisha goes on to anoint Hazael as king of Syria. Hazael returns to the palace and gives Ben – hadad the message; however, the very next day, Hazael smothers Ben – hadad and ascends the throne of Syria.

APPLICATION: Is Elisha sending a lying message to Ben – hadad? Here, Elisha orders Hazael to tell Ben – hadad, that he will recover; meanwhile, Elisha knows that Ben – hadad will die very soon. Elisha is carrying out God’s commission. Obviously, if Elisha were to message Ben – hadad that Ben – hadad was going to die, Ben – hadad might start a purge, beginning with those most likely to take over after his death. God has already selected Hazael to become the next king of Syria, so endangering Hazael would not help anything. On the other hand, Ben – hadad wants to know if he will recover from this illness. Elisha knows that Ben – hadad will die very soon; however, Elisha may also know that Ben – hadad’s current illness will not be the cause of his death. Strictly speaking, Elisha is not lying. We must realize that originally there might have been far more to the message than the words recorded here. It’s amazing that even though Hazael sneaks in and smothers Ben – hadad, it’s an open secret that has survived thousands of years. There are no secrets in a palace!      

Perhaps God actually has intended some other means of death for Ben – hadad; however, Hazael decides to hasten the process. Notice that Elisha does not order Hazael to kill his master, but merely says that his master will die.

Here Elisha is obediently carrying out a highly distasteful task. Although King Ahab spared Ben – hadad’s life at one point, Damascus isn’t exactly a friendly place. When God gives Elisha a vision of Hazael spreading mass destruction in Israel, Elisha would probably like to leave immediately. But God has sent Elisha to anoint Hazael as king and Elisha does so.

The lesson for us here is Elisha’s obedience. Even as Elisha is about to anoint Hazael as king over Syria, Elisha clearly sees the wanton destruction that Hazael and his troops will bring in the future. Left to himself, Elisha would rather do anything else; however, God has given Elisha orders and Elisha is faithfully carrying them out.

Sometimes God calls us to bless people who have criticized us or even betrayed us. At that point, we must choose whether to obey or to draw back in rebellion. Obedience is critically important. When we obey God, we open ourselves up for His blessings. But if we try to act as our own amateur providences, following our own intuitions, we put ourselves in harm’s way spiritually and we also mess up God’s plans for those people. Only God knows the end from the beginning.

Many times, God has called us to help those whom we know to be undermining us. At such times, obedience becomes very difficult. Obedience in such circumstances can be compared to running along a knife edge path in the mountains. There is only one narrow way that leads to safety; any misstep will be disastrous. Let us be careful to listen to God, so that God can guide us safely through.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to obey even when it is difficult or distasteful and even when our obedience will bless those who have been attacking us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 8:1 – 6 “Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land.”

So the woman had proceeded to do as the man of God had instructed. And she and her household lived as foreigners for seven years in the land of the Philistines.

At the end of seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to the king to appeal for her house and her land.  Now the king had been speaking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things Elisha has done.”

And Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought the dead back to life. Just then the woman whose son Elisha had revived came to appeal to the king for her house and her land. So Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is the son Elisha restored to life.”

When the king asked the woman, she confirmed it. So the king appointed for her an officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers, along with all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the country until now.”

THE NEED WAS IMMEDIATE! Elisha knew that there was going to be a terrible famine that would last for seven years. Naturally, Elisha warned the Shunammite woman who had sheltered him and whose son he had raised from the dead. This lady took Elisha’s advice and left for the coastal lands of the Philistines, where the famine did not reach. But in the woman’s absence, others moved into her home and tried to take over her fields. Now the woman was returning to Israel, but she needed the king’s help to re – claim her house and lands.

Meanwhile, Gehazi was chatting with the king of Israel. Perhaps this story took place before Gehazi became a leper; at any rate, Gehazi was thrilled to have the opportunity to brag about Elisha. Gehazi was telling the king about the Shunammite woman and how God had given her a son despite her husband’s old age and how God had used Elisha to raise that boy from the dead. Just then, the lady herself entered the king’s court, accompanied by her son. Little wonder then, that when the lady confirmed the story that Gehazi had just told, the king immediately issued the order to restore her house and lands.

This is such a simple story that we might well overlook it. “Ho hum,” we think. “What’s the big deal about a lady getting her house and lands back?” But in thinking like this, we are overlooking the customs of the day. Once that lady left for Philistia, it was quite likely that one of her husband’s near relatives moved in swiftly to take over everything. After seven years, it was going to take a major effort to evict this man, and by now the Shunammite woman’s husband might have died, leaving her even more vulnerable. If the individual who took over the Shunammite woman’s property had proven reasonable, she wouldn’t have needed to appeal to the king. Obviously, this guy was banking on the idea that possession was nine tenths of the law.

The timing was crucial. Had the lady arrived prior to Gehazi informing the king of her matter, the king might have ignored her. It’s likely that as the lady was going to the king, the man who had taken over her house and lands was also sending a representative, possibly bearing a bribe. But God arranged events so that just as Gehazi was recounting this lady’s story, the lady and her son approached the king. Realizing that this woman was a special friend of Elisha’s, the king swiftly granted the lady’s request and restored everything to her. After all, who would want to mess with a prophet who can raise the dead?

APPLICATION: During our missionary careers, there have been times when we have trusted others with large sums of money, only to learn later that they diverted the money, keeping much of it for themselves. Obviously, such events are very distressing; however, we have also learned from this. The funds that flow through us belong to God and not to us. This means that if someone mishandles funds once we have paid them out in good faith, those individuals will have to answer to God. (This, however, does not mean that we need to make the same mistake twice!) As long as we continue to handle God’s resources faithfully, God will continue to supply our needs. God can multiply or restore resources, and the final result will remain the same.

The Shunammite woman in this story needed God’s assistance. Returning to Israel after a seven years’ absence, this lady found herself in an extremely difficult position. But God knew the day and moment when the Shunammite woman would reach the court, and God moved the king of Israel to quiz Gehazi for miracle stories.

Being defrauded is always painful and frightening. We wonder what will happen if we lose our hard – earned savings. Those who have trusted in Social Security are perpetually struggling with its limitations, wondering how they will pay for food, medicine, rent, etc. In telling this story, I am not trying to sugar – coat circumstances. But my husband and I can testify that God has continued to multiply our resources. Many times, we have encountered situations and have feared that we would be caught short; yet, somehow, God has always come through for us.

Are you stuck like the Shunammite woman? Is your back to the wall with no help in sight? Beg God for His assistance. God does not change, nor does He play favorites. The same God who restored the Shunammite woman’s house and lands to her stands willing to help you as well.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are those reading these words who are in dire straits. Social Security has proven inadequate. Perhaps there are no family members who can or will help in any fashion. But You are the God of Israel, the same God who restored everything to the Shunammite woman. Today, help those in need to appeal to You and hear the cries of their hearts. You are a God of infinite variety and Your provision can come in ways we cannot possibly anticipate. Hear us, Oh Lord! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 7:1 – 20 “Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the LORD says: ‘About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, a seah of fine flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel.’” (A seah is approximately 6.6 dry quarts or 7.3 liters (probably about 8.2 pounds or 3.7 kilograms of flour. A shekel is approximately 0.4 ounces or 11.4 grams, probably of silver. 2 seahs is approximately 13.2 dry quarts or 14.6 liters (probably about 19.3 pounds or 8.8 kilograms of barley)

But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” replied Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it.”

Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate, and they said to one another, “Why just sit here until we die? If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.”

So they arose at twilight and went to the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the outskirts of the camp, there was not a man to be found. For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.”

Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives.

When the lepers reached the edge of the camp, they went into a tent to eat and drink. Then they carried off the silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them. On returning, they entered another tent, carried off some items from there, and hid them. Finally, they said to one another, “We are not doing what is right. Today is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until morning light, our sin will overtake us. Now, therefore, let us go and tell the king’s household.”

So they went and called out to the gatekeepers of the city, saying, “We went to the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a trace—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents were intact.”

The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported to the king’s household.

So the king got up in the night and said to his servants, “Let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving, so they have left the camp to hide in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will take them alive and enter the city.’ ”

But one of his servants replied, “Please, have scouts take five of the horses that remain in the city. Their plight will be no worse than all the Israelites who are left here. You can see that all the Israelites here are doomed. So let us send them and find out.”

Then the scouts took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and see.” And they tracked them as far as the Jordan, and indeed, the whole way was littered with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in haste. So the scouts returned and told the king.

Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. It was then that a seah of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

Now the king had appointed the officer on whose arm he leaned to be in charge of the gate, but the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king had come to him. It happened just as the man of God had told the king: “About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour will sell for a shekel.”

And the officer had answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?”

So Elisha had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” And that is just what happened to him. The people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.

LEPROSY!!! Few sicknesses were more feared than this condition. Spread by the bacteria mycobacterium leprae, leprosy dulls nerves so that sufferers have no idea when they are incurring infection or injury. In Elisha’s day, there were probably also patients with other skin diseases such as eczema who were labeled as lepers. At any rate, lepers were social outcasts, forced to exist on the fringes of towns. The Syrians were besieging Samaria, and the famine was so severe that people were eating donkey heads, dove feces, and even in one case, killing and eating a child. Sitting outside the city gates, four lepers decided that it was far better to go to the Syrian camp than to remain at Samaria and die. But when these men reached the Syrian camp, the Syrian army was nowhere to be found! At dusk, the Lord had caused the Syrians to panic and flee, leaving their supplies at the camp and a trail of belongings that stretched all the way to the Jordan River.

Meanwhile, back in Samaria, Elisha had told the king of Israel that by the next day, 7.3 liters of fine flour and 14.6 liters of barley would sell for a mere shekel. The king’s macho body guard scoffed, insisting, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?”  For this show of disdain, Elisha advised the officer that he would witness this phenomenon but he would not eat any of the food.

The four lepers initially looted one or two tents but then began to feel guilty and returned to Samaria and informed the king. When the king sent scouts to investigate, they verified the report. Desperate for food, the people of Samaria rushed to the Syrian camp. When the king’s body guard attempted to control the crowds, he was trampled to death in the rush. Truly, this man witnessed the flow of food without eating any of it.

APPLICATION: It’s interesting that it was the king’s body guard but not the king himself who doubted Elisha’s prediction. Perhaps the king was slowly realizing that Elisha would only speak truth. Whatever the case, this man mocked God and paid for his arrogance with his life. No matter how strong a man might be, a starving desperate crowd can take him out! DON’T MOCK GOD!

David Guzik in his Enduring Word commentary has this to say about the king’s body guard. “All in all, the officer well illustrates the conduct of unbelief:

· Unbelief dares to question the truthfulness of God’s promise itself.

· Unbelief says, “This is a new thing and cannot be true.”

· Unbelief says, “This is a sudden thing and cannot be true.”

· Unbelief says, “There is no way to accomplish this thing.”

· Unbelief says, “There is only one way God can work.”

· Unbelief says, “Even if God does something, it won’t be enough.”

(https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-kings-7/)

Elisha believed, and several miracles took place. The besieging army represented all the fighting men of Syria, probably more than 100,000 soldiers. This army had surrounded Samaria for so long that all the food supplies were running out and people were tempted to engage in cannibalism. The unbelieving king was in despair. Just when it seemed that things could not get any worse, God caused the entire Syrian army to panic and take to their heels back to Damascus (Miracle #1) leaving all their goods, their animals, and even their food supplies behind them. (Miracle #2) The siege was lifted, the famine was relieved, and there was so much food available that prices plummeted. (Miracle #3) God’s Word through Elisha proved true. Even though this deliverance was a new thing, a sudden thing, a miraculous thing, and something God had never done before, God accomplished it. And God’s deliverance was enough to save the people of Samaria.

The lessons for us are clear. Even if we feel a situation is hopeless, we must remember that God is still sovereign and that He is a God of infinite variety. God is constantly doing new things, if only we can see them with the eyes of faith. And God’s provision will always be enough and even more than enough. Not only did the Syrians leave foodstuffs behind, but they also left valuable horses and donkeys as well as silver and gold and quality garments and even tents. It’s likely that those soldiers may have even discarded their weapons in their haste to make it eastward across the Jordan. The king of Israel and his subjects gained untold riches as well as much – needed food.

Today, do you feel that your back is to the wall and you have nowhere to turn and no resources? Go to God in prayer, trusting that He already knows your situation. God can provide abundantly if only we will ask.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You, even when our situations become desperate. Thank You in advance for providing for us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 6:24 – 33 “Some time later, Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army and marched up to besiege Samaria.

So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, (80 shekels is approximately 2 pounds or 907.2 grams of silver) and a quarter cab of dove’s dung (or a quarter cab of seed pods; that is, approximately 0.28 dry quarts or 0.31 liters) sold for five shekels of silver. (5 shekels is approximately 2 ounces or 57 grams of silver.)

As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”

He answered, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?” Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?”

And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him.’ But she had hidden her son.”

When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin. He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!” Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?”

While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. And the king said, “This calamity is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

Things have become horrific in Samaria! Ben – hadad, king of Syria, has surrounded Samaria with his army and is systematically starving the city. With practically no food left, people are paying enormous sums of money for donkey’s heads and even eating dove manure. One woman has even killed her son and has shared his flesh with her neighbor, anticipating that the neighbor will reciprocate; however, the neighbor has hidden her son.

The king of Israel is distraught, but his responses are totally wrong. The king of Israel recognizes that this problem is from the Lord and is wearing sackcloth under his clothes; however, there is no evidence that he is actually repenting. Rather than humble himself and seek the Lord’s face, the king of Israel chooses to blame the Lord and tries to behead Elisha, the Lord’s representative. The king sends a messenger ahead to Elisha; however, Elisha already anticipates the king’s schemes and orders the door to be shut and barred to keep the messenger out.

The king’s response is fascinating. “Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?” Why indeed? What will the king accomplish by murdering Elisha? If the king believes that this catastrophe is from the Lord, he should be doing everything he can to propitiate the Lord, rather than killing the Lord’s prophet. The king is too short – sighted to realize that Elisha is really the best hope in this situation. God has used Elisha to raise the dead and to multiply resources. Without Elisha, Israel truly will be lost.

APPLICATION: We read this story and wonder how the king of Israel can be so short – sighted. But how many times have we been ready to give up on God? For many of us, our faith is a fair – weather affair. As long as everything is going well, we believe God is loving and blessing us. But as soon as something goes wrong, we begin doing just what the king of Israel did; we begin to blame God.

What was wrong in Israel? The Syrians were able to attack Israel because the country’s spiritual covering was largely gone. Israelites were no longer worshiping the One True Living God who had delivered them from Egypt and who had brought them into the Promised Land. When Jeroboam led the split of the Northern Kingdom from the Southern Kingdom, he immediately established idolatry, erecting enormous altars with golden calves at Bethel and Dan. Given this lead, the Israelites plunged themselves into full – bore paganism, including Baal worship, erecting Asherah poles, and all the other practices God had already forbidden. The king of Israel was correct when he said that this calamity was from the Lord; however, he refused to realize that God was trying to get his attention.

Today there are climate disasters in many parts of the world. Vicious insects such as murder hornets are appearing in places where they have never been seen before. Dengue fever and other hemorrhagic fevers are popping up in new places. While many people are trying to make political capital of these disasters, they are actually making the same mistake made by the king of Israel. God is trying to get our attention. It is time for us to repent individually and collectively for the sins of our societies and our nations.

“But I am only one person,” you may protest. “What can I do?”  We need to adopt the prophet Daniel as our role model. Daniel was a prisoner of war in Babylon. Despite the generally degenerate society in which Daniel found himself, Daniel continued to pray five times a day, interceding for himself and for his people. In Daniel 9 we read the prayer that Daniel prayed for his people. Daniel began by acknowledging God and His greatness and then continued by describing in detail the failings of the Israelites.

Finally, Daniel concludes this way: “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.” (Daniel 9:17 – 19)

It is time for us to stop blaming God and to confess our sins, individually and collectively. May we draw near to God so that He will hear us and answer our prayers!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned individually and collectively. We have not honored You. We have not worshiped You. We have stood by as our various societies have deteriorated and we have done little or nothing to stop it. Lord, we do not deserve anything, but we pray that for Your Name’s sake, You will turn our societies around. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.