“ELISHA AND THE SYRIANS - II Kings 6:8-23
8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp (this was some time, even possibly several years, after the healing of Naaman).
9 And the man of God (Elisha) sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. (Despite Israel’s spiritual degeneracy, the Lord helped them through Elisha. He disclosed three or more times the plans of the king of Syria.)
10 And the king of Israel (Jehoram) sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? (The Syrian king thought someone in his cabinet was relaying vital information to Israel.)
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: But Elisha, the Prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber. (For this man to know this means that Elisha evidently made no secret of the instructions that he was giving to the king of Israel concerning the king of Syria. It seems from this that the king of Syria should have been convicted in his heart for his misdeeds, but he was not. Man’s ability to resist God is simply amazing! In his stupidity, he sends his army to take Elisha.)
13 And he said, Go and spy where he (Elisha) is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about (all for just one man).
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? (The Holy Spirit is telling us here not to be daunted by that which appears on the surface. The Believer is not to walk “after the flesh,” but rather “after the Spirit” [Rom. 8:1]. The trouble with most Christians is, they know what is happening, but they don’t know what’s going on.)
16 And he (Elisha) answered, Fear not (over 300 times in the Word of God, the Holy Spirit tells us, “Fear not”): for they who be with us are more than they who be with them (we should ever remember this; for the Promise applicable then is most assuredly applicable now!).
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray You, open his eyes (the eyes of the servant), that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. (The Holy Spirit allowed this to happen that you and I may understand by Faith that we are surrounded by such, even though not seen by the natural eye. What an encouragement! In this Passage, we are given a glimpse into the spirit world of Righteousness.)
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray you, with blindness. And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. (The same Gospel that softens also hardens. As well, that which opens blinded eyes can close open eyes. The Gospel always has a powerful effect on anyone, whether it be positive or negative. The effect is according to the response of the individual.)
19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. But he led them to Samaria. (No, this was not a lie. Their intention was to stop Elisha, because he was hindering them from getting to the king of Israel. The king of Israel was the one whom they were really seeking.)
20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
22 And he (Elisha) answered, You shall not smite them: would you smite 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 (this Verse pictures a great work of Grace; the king of Israel would kill them; however, Elisha proclaims the Love of God to them).
23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel (at least at that time!).”
JSM
The scripture says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. Has the enemy surrounded you today? Are you facing divorce, marriage problems, foreclosure, children out of control, financial problems, problems on the job, problems of not wanting to go to work, sickness and disease, fear, anxiety, oppression, depression, bondage to drugs, alcohol, pornography? Whatever the problem, situation, that has surrounded you, remember - FEAR NOT FOR THERE ARE MORE FOR US, THAN BE WITH THEM!!!!!!!
How do we receive this help from Jesus the Captain of the Host of the LORD's army?
8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp (this was some time, even possibly several years, after the healing of Naaman).
9 And the man of God (Elisha) sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. (Despite Israel’s spiritual degeneracy, the Lord helped them through Elisha. He disclosed three or more times the plans of the king of Syria.)
10 And the king of Israel (Jehoram) sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? (The Syrian king thought someone in his cabinet was relaying vital information to Israel.)
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: But Elisha, the Prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber. (For this man to know this means that Elisha evidently made no secret of the instructions that he was giving to the king of Israel concerning the king of Syria. It seems from this that the king of Syria should have been convicted in his heart for his misdeeds, but he was not. Man’s ability to resist God is simply amazing! In his stupidity, he sends his army to take Elisha.)
13 And he said, Go and spy where he (Elisha) is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about (all for just one man).
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? (The Holy Spirit is telling us here not to be daunted by that which appears on the surface. The Believer is not to walk “after the flesh,” but rather “after the Spirit” [Rom. 8:1]. The trouble with most Christians is, they know what is happening, but they don’t know what’s going on.)
16 And he (Elisha) answered, Fear not (over 300 times in the Word of God, the Holy Spirit tells us, “Fear not”): for they who be with us are more than they who be with them (we should ever remember this; for the Promise applicable then is most assuredly applicable now!).
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray You, open his eyes (the eyes of the servant), that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. (The Holy Spirit allowed this to happen that you and I may understand by Faith that we are surrounded by such, even though not seen by the natural eye. What an encouragement! In this Passage, we are given a glimpse into the spirit world of Righteousness.)
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray you, with blindness. And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. (The same Gospel that softens also hardens. As well, that which opens blinded eyes can close open eyes. The Gospel always has a powerful effect on anyone, whether it be positive or negative. The effect is according to the response of the individual.)
19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. But he led them to Samaria. (No, this was not a lie. Their intention was to stop Elisha, because he was hindering them from getting to the king of Israel. The king of Israel was the one whom they were really seeking.)
20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
22 And he (Elisha) answered, You shall not smite them: would you smite 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 (this Verse pictures a great work of Grace; the king of Israel would kill them; however, Elisha proclaims the Love of God to them).
23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel (at least at that time!).”
JSM
The scripture says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. Has the enemy surrounded you today? Are you facing divorce, marriage problems, foreclosure, children out of control, financial problems, problems on the job, problems of not wanting to go to work, sickness and disease, fear, anxiety, oppression, depression, bondage to drugs, alcohol, pornography? Whatever the problem, situation, that has surrounded you, remember - FEAR NOT FOR THERE ARE MORE FOR US, THAN BE WITH THEM!!!!!!!
How do we receive this help from Jesus the Captain of the Host of the LORD's army?