2. The Lord Shall Fight For You

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Hymns: 284 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus 288 Are You Washed In the Blood? 297 Jesus Saves

Life of Elisha

(Serving Our Faithful God)

– The Lord Shall Fight For Thee

2 Kings 3:1-27

 

1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

 11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. 16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. 25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. 26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. 27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

 

OUTLINE

  • Stumbling While Fighting Our Own Battle (v1-10)
  • Stirring to Seek the Lord for Help (v11-19)
  • Seeing the Deliverance of the Lord (v20-27)

 

INTRODUCTION

The guidance of God toward His people is certain and sure. They are but to seek Him to experience His goodness. The psalmist in Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. Pause and ponder this wonderful promise of help to all His weary children. Our Lord is just a call away. He is a safe refuge to all who seek Him. We are exhorted to trusted Him at all times. Especially in those times of perplexity, we can pour out our hearts to Him. Prayer invokes God’s omnipotence hand to intervene and order life aright for us.

In a time in Israel when the worship of the living and true God of Israel has been diluted and compromised by idolatry and faith in God wanting, God raised prophets in Israel to help His people to come back to Him.

Elisha was such a man whom God called to serve Him in the midst of gross spiritual darkness. He had begun his ministry whom his mentor left behind after the latter was miraculously caught up to heaven. Elisha began his ministry, as we saw last week, with 3 recorded miracles in 2 Kings 2. The scene opens before us is at the death of king Ahab. God proved Himself faithful to Elisha. And we shall see how God is always a present help to Elisha as he endeavoured to help God’s people to seek their God and rebuild their weak spiritual lives. He proved himself to be a faithful, dependable servant of the Lord, always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:18).

It was during the reign of Johoram, the son of Ahab, king of the Northern Kingdom in Samaria that this event of the rebellion of the Moabites took place threatening the security of Israel. In the south, Jehoshaphat was the ruler. An alliance was quickly formed by Jehoram when he sought help from Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom. There would be an ensuing battle. As we shall see, how God was not in the battle plan initially and how God came into the picture through the prophet Elisha and how the battle was won against the Moabites with God’s help.

 

Three thoughts:

  • Stumbling While Fighting Our Own Battle (v1-10)
  • Stirring to Seek the Lord for Help (v11-19)
  • Seeing the Deliverance of the Lord (v20-27)

 

(1) Stumbling While Fighting Our Own Battle (v1-10)

1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

Our story began with the introduction of Jehoram, king of Israel who took over from Ahab. Recall, there was the brief reign of Ahaziah before Jehoram came to the throne. Jehoram would rule for 12 years. God was not pleased with his reign as our text tells us because he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord although he did put away Baal worship. We recall Jezebel brought many Baal prophets as missionaries to Israel to install Baal worship in Israel. The effort was thwarted by Elijah who decisively defeated the Baal prophets at Mount Carmel. The calf-worship that Jeroboam set up many generations back still plagued Israel during Jehoram’s reign.

4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

During the reign of Ahab, Moab was a vessel state of Israel, paying tribute with their chief produce – lambs and rams and wool. When Ahab died they stopped! There was a loss of tribute income for Israel when this took place. He wanted to recover this lost source of tribute and decided to go into battle. The Lord was not sought. It was Jehoram’s inititative. What did he do

6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

 By the arms of the flesh he thought he would win his battle. He took stock of his military might by counting the number of soldiers he has.

7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

 Then, he finds his friends who could fight together with him. Moab was their common enemy. He came to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. This was not the first time Israel’s king sought help down south. Recall Ahab sent to him for help when the Syrian army came.

1 Kings 22:4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

This was the same reply Jehoshaphat gave to Jehoram – “I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.” The king of Edom was also enlisted in the battle who had his vested interest to join the coalition. Notice up to this point, the Lord was not sought!

8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

Here, again, Jehoram nor Jehoshaphat sought God when they drew their battle plans. They relied upon their own wisdom which they shall find sorely lacking. Before long, the army, camped in the desert place in the south ran out of water! It was here that Jehoram began to blame God for their plight – Alas! That the Lord has called this coalition for a lost cause!

 

(2) Stirring to Seek the Lord for Help (v11-19)

11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

Elisha was God’s man who could tell the people what was the will of God. Jehoshaphat provided a sanctifying influence to the other two kings. His advice to seek Elisha’s help, or God’s help, won the day.

12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

Elisha was forthright with Jehoram, mincing no word, he bluntly asked him why did he not seek the Baal prophets for help. If you are Baal worshipper, then it is Baal you should seek for help! Why come to the God of Israel? For Jehoram, it was a trip of expediency. He wanted to get back his tribute income. If Israel’s God can help, he would go to Israel’s God!

Here we see the sanctifying influence of Jehoshaphat in the alliance. Jehoshaphat still fear God in his heart.

14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

Elisha made it clear that it was for the sake of Jehoshaphat and Judah that he has agreed to seek God’s help on their behalf.

15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

Elisha sought a minstrel, singer who sings to musical instrument accompaniment. The purpose was to worship God.

Psalm 150:3-6 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

When we worship God, we give to Him our worries and in return, we receive His wisdom. Worship brings the restless and unsettled heart to a state of rest and trust in God. It calms the heart and inclines the heart to receive His worship. The highest act of worship is in listening to God’s Word declared.

16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

God heard the prayer of Elisha. Just like his mentor Elijah who prayed for rain and God gave the rain. The Lord would provide the needful supply of water for the army and the Lord also helped the coalition to win the battle.

The instruction was that they would dig trenches in the valley and God would bring the water to provide the water needful for them and livestock.

The military strategy was given to the kings through Elisha just like the strategy given to Joshua to take down Jericho. God promised the victory as they followed His instruction.

 

(3) Seeing the Deliverance of the Lord (v20-27)

20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

A morning sacrifice was made by Elisha and God caused water to fill the trenches. The soliders and the livestock were nourished for battle.

21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:

A miracle was wrought to cause the Moabite army to see the pool of water as blood. They had the impression that the three armies had turned on one another and there was a bloodbath. It was, therefore, an opportune time for them to attack their enemy.

 

23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

The Moabites were sorely mistaken. They did not realize that the coalition was waiting for them to make the move. They counter-attacked and as able to defeat the Moabites.

25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. 26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

The Moabite king in the hope of overturning their defeat offered his eldest son as a sacrifice to their God Chemosh as the supreme act of devotion to their pagan deity. Recall the LORD had warned Israel against such gross abominations when entered the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

 Micah 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Whitcomb commented, “The superstitious (and increasingly polytheistic) Israelites are so terrified at the prospect of what Chemosh, the god of Moab, would do in response to this supreme sacrifice, that they gave up the siege and returned to their own land. And so it was, as in the days of Elisha’s predecessor, that the nation continued to halt between two opinions as to who their God really was.”[1]

Elisha provided a sanctifying influence to preserve the nations of Israel and Judah from the ravages of a Moabite invasion. God is still there on the throne. Indeed, we serve a faithful God who takes care of His own providing them opportunities of His grace that they may come to repentance.

God fought for the coalition to give them the victory. Truly, we see the reality of a problem-solving God. We can come to Him for help and find help indeed!

 

CONCLUSION

Stumbled while fighting our own battle (v1-10), stirred to seek the Lord for help (v11-19), seeing the deliverance of the Lord (v20-27). Amen.

[1] John Whitcomb, Unpublished Teachers Annonated Notes on Elisha to Daniel, Christian Workman Schools of Theology – George Harton, “The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:2,” Grace Journal (Fall, 1970).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] John Whitcomb, Unpublished Teachers Annonated Notes on Elisha to Daniel, Christian Workman Schools of Theology – George Harton, “The Meaning of 2 Kings 3:2,” Grace Journal (Fall, 1970).