THE GOD OF ANGEL ARMIES
2 Kings 6:8-23
2 Kings 6:8 Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel.
Elisha served as the prophet of God for 50-60 years. During that time Israel faced many problems.
Drought, famine, diseases, and constant wars with their neighbors.
During this time, the Arameans (Syrians) were the enemy they fought most often.
They would fight a while and call a truce.
Peace for a while then surprise attacks and war again.
It is during one of these periods of war that we pick up the story once again.
On the surface it seems this is a story about Elisha, but it is actually a story about God and how He responds to His people when the enemy attacks them.
How does God respond? He responds with His might and power as Jehovah Sabaoth, the God of Angel Armies!
1. THE SCHEMES OF THE ENEMY.
2 Kings 6:8 Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he [c]counseled with his servants saying, “In such and such a place shall be my camp.”
It is a dark time because Aram was a stronger nation than Israel during this time. They are constantly making surprise attacks on the border towns, but are looking for an opportunity to destroy all of Israel and enslave them.
* Maybe you feel that you are under attack this morning. You’re being constantly attacked in various parts of your life.
* Maybe it’s your finances. Health. Family. Marriage.
2 Kings 6:9-10 9 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.” 10 The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice.
As the enemy plans one attack after another, God gives a Word to Elisha and he warns the king so they are prepared to thwart the attacks.
* The first word of advice I give you this morning is spend time in God’s Word.
Many of the attacks we encounter today can be solved by being prepared for them or avoiding them all together.
* Study Proverbs and we can avoid many short-term financial issues.
* Learn to live a holy life and we can avoid many diseases/heartaches.
* Study and apply Eph 5, 1 Cor 13, and Song of Solomon and you might just avoid problems in your marriage relationship.
* We need God’s Word today and we often need a Word from God!
* Here we see the King of Israel receiving a Word from God and protecting himself and his people from attack.
2 Kings 6:11-13 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?” 12 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.” 13 So 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.”
The king is furious and calls in his servants and tries to find out which one of them is a traitor that is warning Israel of his plans. They tell him that Elisha is the problem. His God is telling him everything we are about to do and he is warning the King of Israel. So, a scheme is set in motion to capture Elisha and take back his advantage.
* Here’s the ironic thing. The king hasn’t considered that the same God that warns Elisha of the attacks on Israel will also warn Elisha of the schemes that the king plots against him! Silly king!
2. FEAR IN THE DARKNESS.
2 Kings 6:14-15 14 He sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
The enemy came by night and just before daylight, the servant sees the enemy. It’s always darkest just before dawn. Servant is terrified.
Some things the servants didn’t realize that we also need to know:
(1) We have an enemy that wants to destroy us. Yes, the servants knew Israel had an enemy, but now it is personal. Satan wants to destroy you.
(2) We each get our own turn to be attacked. We must be ready for that attack if we are going to stand firm against it.
(3) The Real Battlefield is in the mind. The enemy knows that if he can shake our faith, he can easily conquer us.
Satan's greatest weapon is fear.
* Fear causes us to make irrational decisions.
* Fear causes us to not trust God and believe in Him.
* Fear causes us to give up the fight and surrender.
** The servant is terrified. His problem is not the army outside of the city, but of the faith that is lacking in his heart. His fear has caused him a problem of perception.
He comes to Elisha and cries out “What shall WE do?”
He is focusing on his own strengths and abilities.... or the lack of them.
He needs to shift his focus from what he can do to what God can do!!
3. FAITH IN JEHOVAH SABAOTH.
2 Kings 6:16-19 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Strike this [g]people with blindness, I pray.” So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he brought them to Samaria.
The main thing I notice here is that while the servant is terrified, Elisha is as cool as a cucumber.
How can Elisha remain calm while everyone around him is trembling with fear?
It is because Elisha has 2 things the others lack:
(1) Faith in the Lord
(2) ability to see in spiritual realm.
Elisha strengthens his servant.
(1) Words of Encouragement.
He said to him “Fear not. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
When your whole world seems like its falling apart. When you are feeling crushed under the load you are carrying, it is important to surround yourself with people of faith.
* Stop filling your life with people who will help you drown your sorrows..... find people who will lift you out of them!
* Negative people will lead you to give up and quit. Positive people will encourage you to keep fighting and clawing your way out.
* I’ve read somewhere that the Bible commands to “fear not” 365 times– once for each day of the year.
God doesn’t want you to waste even one day living in fear. Let’s not give the devil an easy victory.
(2) Spiritual Vision.
Elisha asked God to open the eyes of his servant so that he could see what is really going on in the spiritual realm. What did he now see? Yes, he still saw the enemy army that encircled him and the city. But, he also saw the Army of Angels that encircled the enemy. The enemy that once seemed so large has now become so small. What he now understands is that the Jehovah Sabaoth is there! In fact, He had been there all along.
His fear had blinded him to the presence of Almighty God!
As we face life’s battles, it’s easy to focus on the problems in front of us. When we turn our eyes toward heaven, though, our focus is on the God who delivers instead of the enemy that destroys. With our focus on God, we can stand in faith.
(3) God’s Deliverance.
After praying for his servants eyes to be opened, Elisha prayed for the eyes of the enemy to be closed. God then blinded the eyes of the enemy and they were completely helpless.
* God wants to do the same for you.
He wants to save you.
He wants to defeat the enemy of your soul for you.
He wants to deliver you.
* If we are going to secure God’s deliverance for us, though, we must believe in Him and trust Him.
4. THE VANQUISHED ENEMY.
2 Kings 6:20-23 20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” 22 He answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.
Elisha leads that blind army all the way from Dothan to Samaria, the capital of Israel.
The enemy is totally at the mercy of Elisha and the king.
The king asked Elisha if he should kill them.
Elisha responded, “No, instead do this.... prepare for them a feast and give them all they desire to eat and drink and send them on their way.”
** This is a way to shame them. They came to conquer and kill. They have been blinded and humbled. The shame they live under is heightened by the mercy their enemy showed them. It is humiliating!
It greatly reminds me of the great day of shame and humiliation Satan experienced at the Cross.
Colossians 2:13-15 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
As Satan waged war against Jesus at that Passover. He thought he had beaten Jesus and destroyed Him as He was arrested, tortured, crucified and buried. It looked like he had won a great victory. His celebration, though, was premature. His victory turned into defeat. His pride turned into shame. His power turned into weakness. All power that he had held over man thru sin, had now been broken.
The God of Angel Armies defeated Satan at the Cross and He stands ever ready and able to defeat the enemy of your soul each and every day!
* But you must come to Him in faith, believing and trusting in Him!
