To See Or Not To See.

TO SEE OR NOT TO SEE.

2 Kings 6:14-23.

The king of Syria suspected that he might have a spy in his camp, because the king of Israel somehow kept evading his ambushes. But no, informed one his servants, it was not one of us, but Elisha the prophet who kept telling the king of Israel ‘the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber’ (2 Kings 6:8-13). So the king of Syria sent a sizable force to apprehend this one man, and “horses and chariots, and a great host” came by night and surrounded the city of Dothan where Elisha was currently residing (2 KINGS 6:14).

Whatever business Elisha’s servant had to do “early” in the morning, when he had “gone forth” he beheld “an host compassed the city, and horses and chariots.” To his (physical) eyes it looked like an invasion force, and he feared for the lives of all whom that may affect. “Alas, my master!’ he cried, “What shall we do?” (2 KINGS 6:15).

“Fear not,” answered Elisha (2 KINGS 6:16a; cf. Genesis 15:1; Matthew 1:20). “For they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 KINGS 6:16b; cf. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8; 1 John 4:4).

Then he prayed, “LORD, open his eyes” (2 KINGS 6:17a). O that the LORD would open the eyes of our faith that we might ever see the power of His presence with us, even in the midst of adversity (cf. Psalm 34:7)!

The LORD gave a favourable answer to Elisha’s first prayer. And now the servant saw “horses and chariots” – and that OF “FIRE round about Elisha,” to his utter protection (2 KINGS 6:17b; cf. 2 Kings 2:11). Fire is a symbol of the LORD’s visible presence (cf. Exodus 3:2; Exodus 13:21).

In perfect symmetry with the above, Elisha’s second prayer was that the LORD would “smite” the Syrian army with “blindness” (2 KINGS 6:18). This word for ‘blindness’ is unusual, and is only used here and in Genesis 19:11. It perhaps speaks of them being dazzled by the presence of the holy, leaving them bewildered and confused (cf. Mark 4:12a).

It is somewhat ironic that the very man whom they had come to apprehend now offered his services: “Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek” (2 KINGS 6:19). Their ‘blindness’ was such that they followed the first man who offered to direct them, and in doing so they did not perceive that they had found their man! “But he led them down to Samaria.”

Having brought his enemies into Samaria, Elisha’s third prayer was “open their eyes that they may see” (2 KINGS 6:20). Again the LORD complied. Imagine their shock as their wits returned: “they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria!”

It is interesting to observe the deference and respect paid by the king of Israel to Elisha on this occasion: “My father” (2 KINGS 6:21). To the king it would appear that it was the prophet who had made the capture, and that these were his prisoners. Nevertheless, the repeated, “shall I smite them, shall I smite them” betrays the king’s keenness to destroy these enemies while they were helpless before him.

Elisha replies in kind: in effect, ‘if they were your prisoners, would you slay them?’ And without waiting for a reply, he orders them a meal (2 KINGS 6:22; cf. Proverbs 25:21-22). Thus the prophet ‘overcame evil with good’ (cf. Romans 12:20-21).

The king of Israel did as Elisha had said, and richly provided for his enemies, and sent them back to their master (2 KINGS 6:23). Thus it became apparent to the Syrians that this mode of warfare by “bands” or ‘companies’ (cf. 2 Kings 5:2) was fruitless, and they ceased from it.