Elisha's Ministry - Who Is The Traitor Among Us And Angelic Protection? 2kings 6 V 8-23 Series

ELISHA'S MINISTRY - WHO IS THE TRAITOR AMONG US AND ANGELIC PROTECTION? 2Kings 6 v 8-23

SERIES – MESSAGES ON ELISHA – HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY Number 17

THE SETTING

2Kings 6 v 8 Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel, and he counselled with his servants saying, “In such and such a place shall be my camp,” 2Kings 6:9 and the man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there.” 2Kings 6:10 The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him (refuge, safe maybe). Thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice.

In these days there was frequent conflict between Israel and Aram. Aram was the alternate name for Syria and Aram would be identified today in the national region of Syria and Iraq, not all of those two nations, but parts of. The reason for conflict is made very clear by the bible, even very early in Israel’s history. If God’s people walked according to His laws and goodwill, then Israel would be blessed, but if the people turned to evil to follow the heathen and despicable gods of the heathen, then judgement and correction would fall on them. These gods of Baal and Molech and Astarte and all the asherim, were not merely the inventions of the depraved human mind, but they were the cunning plans of Satan in the destruction of the worship of Jehovah. (this will match some of Romans 1 here).

When Israel turned (returned is better) to the worship of paganism, then God brought enemies in to afflict Israel with the aim of bringing the people back through correction. At this time in history, Aram was the nation to cause grief to Israel. Remember Israel (Samaria, the Northern Kingdom) did not have even one good king; all were pagan and evil.

Aram raided the land but was finding that all their plans were being thwarted. Who was the traitor in the midst? Ben-Hadad wanted the traitor to be exposed; however, the traitor was not among them. God had enabled Elisha to know Benhadad’s every move, and he kept informing Joram of Israel where to go to, to escape the army of Aram. It was God who was helping to protect Israel even though it was sinful with a very wicked king. It was as if God was allowing evil but His prophet Elisha was pivotal, and would bring glory to God in all this.

The account begins with, “Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel,” and this time slot was not very far distant from the healing of Naaman who was very closely linked with the king of Aram. I wonder how he saw the war against Israel, or did he perhaps understand why it was happening? Naaman led the king’s army. The king of Aram at this time was Ben-Hadad and Israel’s king was Joram or Jehoram. Jehoram was the son of wicked Ahab and Jezebel, but he was not as wicked as they were, and actually respected or honoured the prophet Elisha most of the time. Joram succeeded to the throne of Israel when his elder brother Ahaziah had died childless after his short reign of two years. Joram partly abolished the Baal-worship which had become widespread during the reign of his parents, but he showed no desire to return to the true worship of God. He did not do away with the golden calves which Jeroboam had set up in his kingdom. Nor did he do away with other forms of idolatry or with the false prophets.

THE REACTION

2Kings 6 v 11 Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” 2Kings 6:12 and one of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king, but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 2Kings 6:13 He said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him,” and it was told him, saying, “Behold, he is in Dothan,” 2Kings 6:14 and he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

Ben-Hadad was paranoid, suspicious and furious. Who was the traitor? He found out soon enough from one of his servants. Perhaps this servant knew Naaman, and then the connection with Elisha. In any case his rage was turned towards Elisha, and he set out to capture him. He wanted to do it himself, to satisfy his own hate and glory. It was vengeance that sought Elisha, the same way today the wicked of society try to persecute Christians and bring them down. Evil will always pursue the good. There is a constant battle where the forces of evil oppose the sons of light. The forces of evil are more numerous than the children of light in this world, but they are defeated. Our God is way greater. Evil wants to silence the good but will never succeed. It may win skirmishes but the battle of Armageddon lies ahead for all the evil forces of the world, and everyone will be compelled to bow down and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Good will triumph over evil because Jesus triumphed at Calvary.