QUITE A HANDFUL, ISN'T HE?!
Theme scripture: 2 Kings 6:8-23 New Living Translation
8 When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.” (2 Kings 6:8 NLT)
Aram was also known as Syria. The Arameans or Syrians were trying to launch some sort of offense / attack on the Israelites. They tried to use some element of surprise. The king of Aram often held meetings with individuals who from all indications were members of the Aramean Intelligence, cabinet ministers and other top government officials. With the aid of useful intelligence, one of the outcomes of such meeting was the Aramean leaders ability to reach a decision / conclusion: “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.” The venue of such meetings where war strategies are discussed are usually ear-tight. Ear-tight? Well, if an air-tight room is designed in such a way as not to allow air to enter or escape, imagine what an ear-tight room does. Got it? Good.
The Aramean Intelligence was able to gather sufficient information regarding the activities of the King of Israel. They knew when he would be leaving his domicile, where he would be going, and what he would be doing. This allowed the Arameans to plan their moves and onslaughts. They were able to determine when and where to strike. But surprisingly, despite the perceived accuracy of the intelligence gathered, nothing seems to be working out as planned by the Arameans. Why?
9 But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, “Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops there.” 10 So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by the man of God, warning the people there to be on their guard. This happened several times. (2 Kings 6:9-10 NLT)
When this happened the first time, the Aramean monarch may have assumed, “Well, it’s okay. It happens.”
Second occurrence: “Big deal. We’ll get another chance.”
Third occurrence: “Wait a second .........”
Fourth occurrence: “What is going on here ..........”
Fifth occurrence: “Do we have a mole in our midst? Every time we think we’ve got our targets where we want ‘em, they just seem to slip away and upset the apple cart. They seem to know when and where we’ll strike. Someone’s been tipping them off, isn’t it? Which one of you is leaking crucial information to the other side?
11 The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called in his officers and demanded, “Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?” (2 Kings 6:11 NLT)
The king was informed that he ‘d got it all wrong. The source of concern was not from within. It was from without (outside). The king was right about someone being behind the misfortune and setbacks. Just that the accusing finger was being pointed in the wrong direction. Contrary to the king’s suspicion, the person in question was not among the rank and file of the Aramean Intelligence or cabinet ministers or government officials.
12 “It’s not us, my lord,” one of the officers replied. “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!” (2 Kings 6:12 NLT)
“There is a man called Elisha, my lord. He is the one behind it. Not us.”
“Elisha? Who is Elisha? Is he the Chief Intelligence Officer in Israel?”
“No”
“Commander of the Armed Forces?”
“No”
“Then who is he?”
“He is what is called a prophet.”
“A prophet?! I am outwitted by a ....... what? A prophet?! Ahhh!”
“Well, my lord, you see, he is aware of what is going on. As soon as you make a plan, he knows all about the plan. He is with the king of Israel. The king of Israel is smart enough to have him as a buddy. So as soon as you plan anything against him, he divulges your scheme to him.”
“‘Really-?!”
“He’s the one making mincemeat of our intelligence. He taps into it easier than a finger dips into a cup of water. No matter what intelligence we think we’ve gathered, with this fellow, it’s nothing. It’s pouring resources after resources down the drain. As a matter of fact, how good is this fellow? He is so good at what he does, even what you do in the privacy of your bedroom, he is aware of it........”
“Aaargh! Prophet or no prophet, priest or no priest, seer or no seer, genuine or charlatan, real or perceived, military officer or not, he is a threat to me. He’s worse than a terrorist. I’ll show him how to make a fool out of me.”
These are individuals and kingdoms that compete with each other when it comes to intelligence sharing and security. There is the perception that superior intelligence implies being steps ahead of the competition or adversary. Compromised or faulty or inferior intelligence? Just unthinkable. The kind of recurring failure attributed to Elisha made the Arameans consider him a security threat. On the other hand, the Israelites consider him as an asset / ally who assists in affirming their territorial integrity against the insurgence of the likes of the Arameans. The Aramean monarch’s frustration mounted. Soon it got the better of him. He’d had enough of Elisha.
Hence,
13 The king commanded, “Go and find out where Elisha is, and we will send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” (2 Kings 6:13 NLT)
In no time, the Aramean Intelligence tracked the man of God down. He was accurately located at Dothan. “Surely he is in Dothan.” (New King James Version - NKJV). His whereabouts was not in doubt.
14 So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. (2 Kings 6:14 NLT)
“A great army with many chariots and horses” were sent to take one man? Odd, isn’t it? Didn’t even have the guts / audacity to make their move in broad daylight. Were they thinking of catching him at what they consider to be his weakest moment or disposition? But what difference does it make anyway what time of the day they strike?
How tough is Elisha to warrant “a great army with many chariots and horses” being dispatched for a nocturnal invasion? Elisha’s strength cannot be explained in terms of the physical or in the same sphere as an average person. Though he was a human being, he was indeed a strong spiritual entity. I mean, he was “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). No kidding. A prophet of Elisha’s calibre had a rather unusual ministry with such an enormous and rare anointing and capability. He had the kind of ministry many men & women of God would like to have.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I assure you, many prophets and godly people have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but they could not. (Matthew 13:16-17 NLT)
Spiritually, he was a strong force to be reckoned with. Having stated that, what is the scoop on this fellow named Elisha? What is he all about? Well, let’s go down the memory lane........., I mean, the scriptural lane. Pardon me.
Elisha was prophet Elijah’s apprentice-in-training. The man of God’s little boy. Always hanging around him like a fly buzzing around a piece of red meat. Elijah’s right hand man, some might say. As far as mentoring and nurturing a future prophet is concerned, Elijah did a remarkable job on Elisha. He was not like Eli who failed to raise his sons to follow the path of the LORD in 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-24. (That notwithstanding, acknowledgement is due for the role Eli played in Samuel’s rise as a mighty prophet of the LORD – 1 Samuel 3:1-21) The quality of the spiritual mentoring was reflected in Elisha’s responses / preference when he was asked questions by Elijah shortly before the latter’s ascension to heaven in 2 Kings 2:1-12. See for yourself:
1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the LORD has told me to go to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went on together to Bethel. 3 The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Quiet!” Elisha answered. “Of course I know it.”
4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the LORD has told me to go to Jericho.”
But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho.
5 Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Quiet!” he answered again. “Of course I know it.”
6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the LORD has told me to go to the Jordan River.”
But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together.
7 Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River. .8.Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground! 9 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you before I am taken away?”
And Elisha replied, “Please let me become your rightful successor.” (2 Kings 2:1-9 NLT)
Keep in mind, Elisha was a young man. The psychological inclination of a typical youth is towards a lifestyle of lofty sentiments. This is usually reflected in the desire of an average youth. He was a young man, and like any one out there he had his needs and aspirations. Who does not want to live in luxurious house? Who does not want to ride in a fancy means of transportation? Who does not want to be surrounded by pretty women who are readily available to meet his manly needs? Who does not want to bask in the sunlight of riches and glamour? Who wants to waste his youthful time being tied to the apron of an old crone of a prophet when one can go out there, paint the town red, and enjoy what the world has to offer?
Elisha’s request was a rather unusual one. But did the scripture not state that
7 “Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. 9 You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. (Matthew 7:7-11 NLT)
Also
5 If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do. (James 1:5-8 NLT)
Elijah mentioned the criteria to be met for Elisha’s request to be granted.
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.” (2 Kings 2:10 NLT)
For Elisha to “see me when I am taken from you” has both physical and spiritual connotation. Hence, it was not as simple to just see him being “taken from you” as it might have sound at first. For him to see Elijah being taken away, he had to stay focused on him throughout their journey. Think that was easy for a young man who was susceptible to lofty sentiments? You know how easy it is for a youth to lose his / her focus due to one distraction or the other? That’s the physical connotation of “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.” What about the spiritual connotation?
11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between them, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his robe in two. (2 Kings 2:11-12 NLT).
Elijah was going to be taken away by “charioteers” (angels) riding on “a chariot of fire” (a golden chariot). The phrase “chariot of fire” describes the intensity of the brightness the chariot. The chariot was made out of an extremely high quality gold – the type of which can only be found in heaven. The untarnished purity of the gold yielded a very bright and brilliant appearance. The glitter it radiated was so dazzling it created the impression of “a chariot of fire” on the mind of Elisha. The glitter of the chariot literally blazed the sky. The “charioteers” (angels) are spirit beings who cannot be seen with the naked eye. It takes the grace of God for the veil to be pulled aside for the physical eyes to see what takes place in the realm of the spirit. The spirit realm is not a common place for human beings. What happens in the spirit sphere is not something the physical eyes and ears are privileged to comprehend. You see why it was not as simple to just see Elijah being taken away as it might have sound? As far as Elisha seeing “me when I am taken from you” is concerned, it depends partly on his human ability and partly on divine grace.
Though Elisha was a youth, he set his eyes and heart on the right things; the things that matter and that really count. And he reaped the benefit at the end of the day. Which reminds me of another young man in the bible who defied trends / youthful tendencies in his preference / choice:
5 That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” 6 Solomon replied, “You were wonderfully kind to my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued this great kindness to him today by giving him a son to succeed him. 7 O LORD my God, now you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am among your own chosen people, a nation so great they are too numerous to count! 9 Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s reply and was glad that he had asked for wisdom.” (1 Kings 3:5-10 NLT)
I suppose Solomon’s response / preference shocked the host of heaven including God Himself. He asked for what? Wisdom?! My goodness, Solomon, you are just a twelve year old! Don’t you want to ask for every imaginable (and unimaginable) thing that can lead to a seriously decadent lifestyle? Don’t you want to just look around you and ask for just about anything and everything, and see how much you can get away with? I mean, this is the Most High God putting Himself at your mercy by asking you “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Don’t you want to take advantage and go wild in your request? Make God regret He ever made the mistake of committing Himself by saying, “Ask, and I will give it to you!” Couldn’t you at least have asked for the lives of your enemies in a vain attempt to make the throne more secured for yourself? As soon as you attain a lofty height, is targeting and eliminating potential competition or adversary not a foremost initiative? What about those fellows out there who might undermine your reign? Whether the perception of threat is real or perceived, sincere or exaggerated, don’t you just love to flex some muscle and have the living daylight knocked out of some ‘enemies’? Come to think of it, Herod massacred hundreds of children for a similar reason / excuse in Matthew 2:16-17. Who’d blame you if you do the same? Or to put it another way, who will dare blame or question you?
God seems to be saying: I will give you what you asked for, and what you did not ask for, and a whole lot more. Including making your territory safe – even though you did not seek the destruction of your enemies.
11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for a long life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies—. 12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and honor! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:11-14 NLT)
And was Solomon’s territory ever safe throughout his reign and life?
24 Solomon’s dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace throughout the entire land. 25 Throughout the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. And from Dan to Beersheba, each family had its own home and garden. (1 Kings 4:24-25 NLT)
Voila!
Solomon did not experience wars and invasions throughout his reign. This is quite contrary to the political wrangling and warfare that characterized the reign of the two kings (Saul and David) who reigned before him. David (Solomon’s father) had more than his fair share of warfare; in fact, he was referred to as “a man of war” (2 Samuel 17:8) and “a bloodthirsty man” (2 Samuel 16:8).
Now let’s shift our focus back to our man Elisha. In case you are wondering: So what’s the big deal about having twice Elijah’s spirit? There are prophets. And there are prophets! Get it? Not all prophets fall in the same category. Elijah is usually ranked among the calibre of men of God whose ministry left a jaw-dropping legacy. Moses and Samuel are deemed to be in that category as well. Well, how about giving you an insight into the extent of Elijah’s spiritual might?
18 “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the LORD and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. 19 Now bring all the people of Israel to Mount Carmel, with all 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who are supported by Jezebel.” 20 So Ahab summoned all the people and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long are you going to waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. 22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the LORD who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. 23 Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. 24 Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed. 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.” 26 So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal all morning, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced wildly around the altar they had made. 27 About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or he is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or he is asleep and needs to be wakened!” 28 So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. 29 They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no reply, no voice, no answer. 30 Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the LORD’s altar. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.” After they had done this, 34 he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even overflowed the trench. 36 At the customary time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” 38 Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the ditch! 39 And when the people saw it, they fell on their faces and cried out, “The LORD is God! The LORD is God!” 40 Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there. (1 Kings 18:18-40 NLT)
No kidding! Now that you have an idea what kind of prophet Elijah was, does that give you an insight into what having twice his spirit and anointing implied?
Let me allude to a relevant phrase under the topic FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST, LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT: “Can we prove to be red hot as the Master? YES. In fact “the truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father .......... (John 14:12) Was this scripture fulfilled in Elisha’s life or not? You be the judge.
13 Then Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak and returned to the bank of the Jordan River. 14 He struck the water with the cloak and cried out, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across. 15 When the group of prophets from Jericho saw what happened, they exclaimed, “Elisha has become Elijah’s successor!” And they went to meet him and bowed down before him. (2 Kings 2:13-15 NLT)
Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” ............ (2 Kings 2:15 NKJV)
And did Elisha proved / demonstrated that indeed “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”? See for yourself:
1 One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small. 2 Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.”
“All right,” he told them, “go ahead.” 3 “Please come with us,” someone suggested.
“I will,” he said. .4.When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. .5.But as one of them was chopping, his axe head fell into the river. “Ah, my lord!” he cried. “It was a borrowed axe!” 4 When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. 5 But as one of them was chopping, his axe head fell into the river. “Ah, my lord!” he cried. “It was a borrowed axe!” 6 “Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water. Then the axe head rose to the surface and floated. 7 “Grab it,” Elisha said to him. And the man reached out and grabbed it. (2 Kings 6:1-7 NLT)
An iron axe head floating on the surface of a river like a balloon?! Ah! Now I’ve seen everything. Or have I? Wait, there is more.
19 Now the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. “We have a problem, my lord,” they told him. “This town is located in beautiful natural surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive.” 20 Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. And he said, “This is what the LORD says: I have made this water wholesome. It will no longer cause death or infertility.” 22 And sure enough! The water has remained wholesome ever since, just as Elisha said. (2 Kings 2:19-22 NLT)
I rest my case.
And there is more of such astounding miracles to be found in 2 Kings 4:8-37. 2 Kings 4:8-37. 2 Kings 4:38-41. 2 Kings 4:42-44. 2 Kings 5:1-26. 2 Kings 7:1-20. 2 Kings 8:1-6.
Now let’s shift our focus back to when “the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.” (2 Kings 6:14 NLT)
15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Ah, my lord, what will we do now?” he cried out to Elisha. 16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” (2 Kings 6:15-16 NLT)
“Are you crazy?’, the servant may have panicked, ‘There are hundreds of soldiers out there. And it’s just the two of us. And you are telling me “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” What are you talking about? Are you in a denial? What are we going to do? You think we can take on these soldiers? You have no military background, and I on the other hand I’m just a servant. What’s this indifferent countenance of yours all about? Why are your feathers unruffled?”
“Well, I could tell you, but what’s the point? Will you understand? Will you even believe? If you know what I know, and see what I see, you’ll react the way I reacted. Seeing is believing, isn’t it? Well, here goes.”
17 Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened his servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. (2 Kings 6:17 NLT)
Poor servant. I suppose he almost fainted when he saw the legions of guardian angels riding on golden chariots. Elisha must be used to their presence. Not the servant though. The whole experience must be new to him. He actually beheld the appearance of creatures whose very existence some school of thought have erroneously taught us to deny. After all, what you don’t know can’t hurt you, so the saying goes. Well, sometimes, what you don’t know may not only hurt you, it may kill you – more so if you don’t believe in it. Take for instance, if you don’t believe in the existence or presence of guardian angels, if you mess with them, they may knock you down. Check the scriptures and see for your self.
In Numbers chapters 22, 23 & 24, King Balaak of Moab offered prophet Balaam gifts and managed to convince him to embark on a journey that was to culminate in the latter cursing the Israelites. Balaam was foolhardy enough to embark on that kind of mission. He of all people should have known better.
21 So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and started off with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was furious that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the LORD to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, 23 Balaam’s donkey suddenly saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, ............ (Numbers 22:21-23 NLT)
Smart donkey. Wish I could say the same about the rider. The donkey was not about to fall for that adage that states that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. It must have realized that what its rider did not know may not only hurt him, it can kill both of them! So “the donkey bolted off the road into a field.” Once again, smart donkey. Imagine a donkey (a lower animal according to biological classification) having more sense than a human being (a higher animal according to biological classification). An higher animal demonstrating a subliminal form of intelligence that made a lower animal look like a sage? What an embarrassment that Balaam was to his race – the human race - that is. And how did Balaam express his gratitude for the donkey’s life-saving move?
27 .......... when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat it again with his staff. (Numbers 22:27 NLT)
Of course, the LORD’s angel would not allow him to go any further because 20 ........He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! 21 No misfortune is in sight for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the LORD their God is with them; He has been proclaimed their king. 22 God has brought them out of Egypt; he is like a strong ox for them. 23 No curse can touch Jacob; no sorcery has any power against Israel. For now it will be said of Jacob, ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’ 24 These people rise up like a lioness; like a majestic lion they stand. They refuse to rest until they have feasted on prey, drinking the blood of the slaughtered!” (Numbers 23:20-24 NLT)
Any attempt to direct a curse at such people will result in a boomerang effect: When a boomerang is thrown, if it does not make contact with the target, it comes spinning back at the thrower.
Which reminds me of what happened one night to the Assyrian army. King Sennacherib of Assyria was foolhardy enough to go against King Hezekiah of Judah. Sennacherib bragged about overrunning kingdoms after kingdoms despite their profession of faith in the might of their deities. He taunted Hezekiah and Judah that they would not be an exception despite their profession of faith in the ability of Jehovah God to deliver them from their adversaries. Sennacherib launched a psychological warfare to wear his would be victims down. He sent messengers / agents into the land he planned to invade. He had his agents mingled with the local population to spread fear and alarm. This served its purpose as the people panicked and cried openly. He even got the agents to convince the people to mistrust the Most High God that King Hezekiah professed his trust in. For Hezekiah, it was just a question of time before the illusion of mass rejection set in. This improves the chances of revolt and hostility. Winning this form of psychological warfare is very crucial for Sennacherib as the drumbeat of war quickens its pace. Before the move by the Assyrians, the people would have been rendered downcast, confused and frightened out of their wits. Resistance at that point seemed futile as their hands would have been weakened by Sennacherib’s propaganda. Gaining the upper hand whenever the insurgent finally occurred seemed easier. This is a common practice in war times. During the World War II, the Nazi regime employed a similar strategy. The Nazi leadership had propaganda leaflets dropped from airplanes that flew over targeted countries. The territories marked for invasion were apprised of the regime’s plans and intentions ahead of time. Horrifying, intimidating and demoralizing tactics were employed. It seemed to work on the people who lived in the invaded territories as they lined the streets and watched helplessly the enemy aircrafts flew overhead.
How did Hezekiah react to the horrifying, intimidating and demoralizing tactics of Sennacherib? He took the letters (the Assyrian despot’s ‘leaflets’) to the temple of the Most High God. 14 After Hezekiah received the letter and read it, he went up to the LORD’s Temple and spread it out before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the LORD: .......... (2 Kings 19:14,15 NLT)
Did the LORD answer him? Yes, He did.
32 “And this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: His armies will not enter Jerusalem to shoot their arrows. They will not march outside its gates with their shields and build banks of earth against its walls. 33 The king will return to his own country by the road on which he came. He will not enter this city, says the LORD. 34 For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David, I will defend it.” (2 Kings 19:32-34 NLT)
Did He keep His word of promise? Yes, He did. In God’s way mysterious, too. One might think the LORD’s response lied in His divine ability to prevent the enemy troops from leaving their country. The LORD did nothing to stop them from mobilizing themselves towards Hezekiah’s land. In fact, they got far enough to necessitate stopping and camping for the night. Then the Most High God who had been erroneously perceived as either dormant or dead sprung to life at His appointed time.
35 That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian troops. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. (2 Kings 19:35 NLT)
185,000 men went to bed. Not a single one of them woke up the following morning. And the cause of death? The autopsy did not reveal anything. 185,000 death. 185,000 autopsy. 185,000 revelation of nothing. And to think the Assyrian monarch wanted to convince the people of Judah about not letting “this God you trust deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria. 11 You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have crushed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different? (2 Kings 19:10, 11 NLT) And the LORD God Almighty emerged from being seemingly dormant to undeniably dominant. That’s the power of the Most High God for you.
12 Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? The former kings of Assyria destroyed them all! 13 What happened to the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?” (2 Kings 19:12-13 NLT)
Well, what happened to the King of Assyria?
36 Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there. 37 One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria. (2 Kings 19:36-37 NLT).
The kind of angel that hit the Assyrian camp reminds one of a similar angel that carried out the execution of the firstborn (the tenth plague) in Egypt. Related teachings on the tenth plague can be found under OF SOWING AND REAPING (based on Exodus 1:1-22, Exodus 11:1-10 and Exodus 12:29-30). Related teachings concerning angels and their activities can be found under OF ANGELS AND CATEGORIES.
Did the scripture not affirm that
14 You will live under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away; you will live in peace. Terror will not come near. 15 If any nation comes to fight you, it will not be because I sent them to punish you. Your enemies will always be defeated because I am on your side. 16 I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy. 17 But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. And everyone who tells lies in court will be brought to justice. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken! (Isaiah 14:14-17 NLT)
A preacher once pointed out, ‘When my God deliver me from your terror, who will deliver you from his wrath?’ How appropriate that saying! Will make a good epitaph for the likes of the Sennacherib, Balaak and King of Aram, don’t you think? Related teachings concerning Sennacherib and his troop’s move against Hezekiah can be found under IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? And THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU, OH LORD . The teachings are based on the biblical accounts recorded in 2 Kings 18:17-37 and 19:1-37.
Now let’s shift our focus back to when “Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened his servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” (2 Kings 6:17 NLT) Alright, so let’s move on.
18 As the Aramean army advanced toward them, Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please make them blind.” And the LORD did as Elisha asked. (2 Kings 6:18 NLT)
How were they supposed to seize him if they can’t see? How were they suppose to recognize him if and when he emerged in their midst? What had years of training, and expertise amount to without the sense of sight? In light of the awesome power of the LORD, what did the might of the Aramean Intelligence and military amount to? Incapacitated? Neutralized? Null? Void? Pick your choice.
19 Then Elisha went out and told them, “You have come the wrong way! This isn’t the right city! Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria. (2 Kings 6:19 NLT)
Easy. This is just too easy. This is like taking candy from a child. Or in this context, taking what seemed an apparent victory out of the hand of blind kids. Not only did they “come the wrong way”, and were not in “the right city,” they were all along backing up the wrong tree! They picked the wrong fellow to mess with. They picked the wrong customer to bargain with. Before they realize it, they’d sauntered into the territory of The Power That Be - The LORD God Almighty. Elisha and his Master were so much in rapport with each other that they constituted a mystery that was hard to unravel. They created such an impact that proved hard to beat, and hard to believe.
17 .......... but to preach the Good News — and not with clever speeches and high-sounding ideas, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power. 18 I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” 20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:17-21 NLT)
With their eyesight gone, Elisha had no difficulty taking them for a ride. And what a jolly ride that was!
20 As soon as they had entered Samaria, Elisha prayed, “O LORD, now open their eyes and let them see.” And the LORD did, and they discovered that they were in Samaria. (2 Kings 6:20 NLT)
Alas! Trouble! They were supposed to take him but they got taken for a ride. They were led to a point where entertaining the idea of carrying out their mission was out of question. Even worse, retreat is impractical. The eyes of the Arameans opened to the harsh reality of their situation: they were stuck. No way out. This is the point where the conquered soldiers surrender their weapons to their captors, and drop on their knees in surrender.
21 When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them?” (2 Kings 6:21 NLT)
Kill them? Under the circumstances, an average human would revert to the natural instinct based on the notion of ‘kill or be killed’. The Arameans would most like entertain the same notion if the shoe were on the other feet. Remember how Solomon stunned God with his response / preference? Is killing conquered adversaries the best option? Will a mass execution highlight the superiority of the conqueror? Will a mass execution really drive fear into the heart of the enemy? A mass execution might be carried out just to send a message regarding who is superior in terms of ability to defend one’s territorial integrity. But will the other side see it that way? What are the odds that message would be clearly understood?
22 “Of course not!” Elisha told him. “Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again to their master.” (2 Kings 6:22 NLT)
“Give them food and drink”? You mean give them food and drink – that are laced with poisons? Or laced with sedatives and drugs that will make it easier to subdue and torture them? “Of course not!” Elisha told him.
23 So the king made a great feast for them and then sent them home to their king. After that, the Aramean raiders stayed away from the land of Israel. (2 Kings 6:23 NLT)
Elisha was his name. The Spirit of the Most High God rested mightily on him – as it did Elijah. Twice as hot too! Even though he appeared in human flesh, he was indeed an embodiment of the power of He that rules the universe. A conduit of the power of He that governs the destiny and affairs of mankind. When the Arameans contented against Him, little did they realize they were biting more than they can chew. He’s hard to swallow, difficult to spit out. A real pain in the neck. He is too hot to handle, and He is more than they can handle. For “you are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 NKJV)
Quite a handful, isn’t He?
4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 These people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God; that is why those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception. (1 John 4:4-6 NLT)
Again, the end result?
After that, the Aramean raiders stayed away from the land of Israel. (2 Kings 6:23 NLT)
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19 NKJV)
6 ......... It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty. 7 Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will flatten out before him! Then Zerubbabel will set the final stone of the Temple in place, and the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’” (Zechariah 4:6-8 NLT)
God bless.
Yours
Adekunle Majek’
H I A F E M
Of impact, quality & excellence
That’s the Spirit!
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