Knowing The God Of Israel Series

We have in the text this morning the revealing of the God of Israel - 2 Kings 6:8-23.

Each time the Arameans would make a raid into Israel, their plans were spoiled through the revelation given by God to Elisha.

• Elisha would inform the King of Israel, who would then take precautions against their invasions.

• He was able to foil the Aramean moves repeatedly (6:10 says ‘time and again…’).

• It wasn’t some good guesses or coincidences, but divine intelligence given by God.

This naturally enraged the King of Aram (6:11), who because of the repeated failure to ambush the Israelite army, thought there must be a mole in his own troops.

• Someone in his own force must have been supplying military leaks to Israel.

• He summoned his officers and demanded, "Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?" (6:11)

There wasn’t. It was this prophet of God in Israel, he was told. We do not know how they found this out.

• Elisha the man of God has been telling your plans to his King. They said, even “the very words you speak in your bedroom.” (6:12) – the words you said in secret.

The King of Aram just got an introduction to the God of Israel here. He is an all-knowing God.

• The prophet of God in Israel has been receiving intelligence from his God.

• The God of Israel knows everything and nothing is hidden from Him.

• Heb 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

God frustrates the plans of Israel’s enemy, no matter where, when or how they tried to raid Israel.

• He kept Israel’s King informed so that he would be always on guard wherever the possible assaults might be. (cf. 6:10)

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The King of Aram knew that if his plans were to succeed, he would have to get rid of Elisha.

• He wouldn’t be able to stop God but he could stop the prophet from telling the truth about what is to happen.

• This meant the prophet now became the object of his attack. His next order was to locate and capture Elisha.

• His men found him at Dothan and the King sent his army to surround the city.

If Elisha has been telling about the enemy’s every move, then he would likely have known of this move too.

• The Lord would have revealed this to him, as in all the previous revelations.

• If God had wanted him to flee from the Arameans, Elisha would have been gone by now. The Lord would have pre-empted him.

• But Elisha stayed and was prepared to confront the enemy WITH God’s presence.

• God has a different plan. God was achieving another purpose.

The King of Aram “sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.” (6:14)

• Imagine this, he sent horses, chariots and a STRONG FORCE to arrest an unarmed man!

• Elisha was not surprised nor afraid. He already knew that “those who are with him are more than those who are with them.” (cf. 6:16)

• The enemy has a strong force but he has a more superior force. The hills surrounding Dothan were filled with the army of the Lord.

We have an all-knowing God providing superior intelligence and an all-powerful God protecting His prophet with superior power.

• This is the God of Israel that the Arameans are fighting against. He is omniscient and He is omnipotent.

Elisha assured his servant, who could only see the physical and therefore, only the problem.

• 6:16-17 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17AND Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so 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.

• He ASSURED him with the truth (6:16) and PRAYED for him to SEE the truth.

• No optician can do that, only God can. God opened his eyes to help him see spiritual realities.

To have verse 16 alone is enough – that’s the Word of God. But for the ones struggling in faith, we PRAY for God to help them SEE His presence.

• That is Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers - Eph 1:18-19 “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and His incomparably great power for us who believe.”