The Unseen Hand of God: II Kings 6:8-17

In the above passage we have a fascinating story of the king of Aram attempting to attack the Israelites. He had a problem, however. Every time he made plans the Israelites escaped because they knew what he was planning. The king assumed that someone in his camp was tipping them off and demanded to know who it was. In verse 12 we read that one of his officers told him, “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” 

The king had an easy solution to that problem. He would send his army to capture Elisha who was living in Dothan. Verse 14 records “He sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.”

When morning came a servant of Elisha got up and went outside, probably to draw water for a cup of coffee. We can only imagine what went through his mind when he looked out and saw the city surrounded by an enemy army. I Kings 6:15 records how he said felt. It reads, “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” The Bible does not give the tone with which conversations took place, but I suspect this was more than a simple question. Read that with the same tone you might have if you looked outside and saw a tornado bearing down on your house.

Elisha looked up from his I-pad and said, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Most of us know what followed. Verse 17 tells us “Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Here’s the problem we too often have when we read this. We get hung up on the issue of angels and their protection of us. We too easily miss the truth that it was not the angels that were protecting Elisha but God. In that case it appears He used His angels. I am sure He often sends His angels to watch over us and care for us, but it is never about angels, it is always about God.

Note the important lesson here. God has our back even when we can’t see it or understand what He is doing. Just because the servant couldn’t see the protection did not mean he was alone in that difficult time. We are never alone.

In this pandemic our heavenly Father would say to us, ““Don’t be afraid.  I am with you and that is all you need to know.”

Praise: 

1. Another good zoom service and opportunity to not only look together into God’s Word but to fellowship in a small way

Prayer: 

1. Bill H.’s sister-in-law Deb has been diagnosed with a spot of cancer on her lung.
2. Remember our first responders and health workers.