Elisha’s Ministry - Ben-Hadad, Hazael And The Reprobate Nature Of Man 2 Kings 8:7-15 Series

2Kings 8 v 10 Then Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall surely recover,’ but the LORD has shown me that he will certainly die,”

Did you understand that? The pronouns are interesting. “YOU shall surely recover” and “HE will certainly die”. That is, Ben-hadad is going to recover, but he is going to die. Almost contradictory. The first statement was said TO Ben-hadad and the second was said ABOUT him. Elisha was not suggesting anything to Hazael, but God had revealed to him what would happen. It was a short and precise message. One commentator says, “‘The Lord hath shown me that he shall surely die, by another means, though not by the disease’.”

2Kings 8 v 11 and he fixed his gaze steadily on him until he was ashamed, and the man of God wept.

If I am not mistaken, this is the only time that Elisha’s emotion is revealed in the book. The reason he fixed his gaze on Hazael was that Elisha was so stirred up with emotion because he knew what was going to happen. Hazael blushed with embarrassment. Benson says, “Elisha fixed his eyes on Hazael, and looked upon him so earnestly, so long, and with such a settled countenance, that Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending that the prophet discerned or suspected something of an evil and shameful nature in him.” Elisha then wept. He broke down at that point. What a surprise that would have been for Hazael who would have held this man in the highest esteem.

2Kings 8 v 12 Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” Then he answered, “Because I know the evil that YOU will do to the sons of Israel: their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their little ones you will dash in pieces, and their women with child you will rip up.”

In answer to Hazael’s question, the reason for Elisha’s grief is given and it is very unpleasant. It is a great evil. It is a summary of what Hazael will do to the Israelites. He will do evil to Israel; he will set the strongholds or fortresses on fire (often with the people inside); he will kill the young men with the sword (they will all be killed who are found); he will smash the young children; he will rip open the wombs of pregnant women. What could be more immoral and beastly than that? It from hell itself. People are corrupt but this corruption is on another level. Such is the hate people have for one another. The “atrocities of war” is a common expression. It is not recent.

2Kings 8 v 13 Then Hazael said, “But is your servant but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” and Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram,”

Can a man be shocked? Hazael was. He could never accept that he was capable of doing such revolting things. The dog is the lowest despised animal, an unclean animal in scripture. In Hazael’s eyes, Elisha was making out he was like a dog. That was a shock for Hazael, but it happened. Man does not know his own heart or the depravity he is capable of. Look at the depravity associated with the world’s dictators over the centuries. Look what was done to Christians in the first few hundred years of Christianity, and in the Middle Ages and right through to now. One shock is followed by another shock. Elisha declared Hazael is going to be king over Aram.