14. A More Sure Word of Prophecy

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Hymns: 311 Does Jesus Care? 314 Nearer Still Nearer 319 It Is Well With My Soul

Life of Elisha

(Serving Our Faithful God)

– A More Sure Word of Prophecy

2 Kings 8:7-15 

7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. 8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. 11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. 12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. 13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. 14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. 15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

OUTLINE

  • God’s Word Spoken (v7-12)
  • God’s Word Fulfilled (v13-15)

INTRODUCTION

In Acts 6:4, Luke wrote the concerning the commitment of the Apostles to prayer and the study and proclamation of God’s Word, “But we will gives ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The Chinese Evangelist word Watchman Nee wrote in his book “The Ministry of the Word” observing well that “the work of serving men with God’s word is known as the ministry of the word, and the persons who are involved in this service are called ministers of the word. Ministry refers to the work, while the minister refers to the person. The ministry of the word occupied a very important place place in God’s work. The announcing of God’s word and the ministry of this word to men follow specific principles, and God’s servant should learn these principles well. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God spoke. He spoke in the Old Testament. He also spoke in the New Testament at the time of the Lord Jesus and through the church. The Bible shows us that the most important work of God on earth is the speaking out of His Word. If we removed His word from His work, there is practically nothing left of His world.”

He observed further, “The main item of His work in this world is His speaking. Without the word, there would be no work. As soon as His word is removed, His work is void. God’s work is carried through His word. In fact, His word is His work. How did God release His Word? It is amazing and unusual to realize that God’s word is released through man’s mouth. This is why the Bible speaks not only of God’s word but also of the ministers of the word. He chose to speak through man. In the Old Testament, the ministers of the word are the prophets, in the gospels –the Lord Jesus Christ and New Testament ministers of the word are the Apostles.”[1]

The Apostles Peter said in 2 Peter 1:19-21 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Peter was speaking concerning the certainty of Word of God that every word is true and can stand the test of time to help us to through life and instructs us concerning the future. The context involves the certainty of Christ coming again when he said in 2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Peter was speaking these words at the close his life. He wanted to put the church in remembrance of the certainty of God’s return so that her members will be vigilant to live holy lives and not be entangled with the filth of the world that defiles the man of God.

He tells them of “the more sure word of prophecy” speaking of the reliability of God’s prophetic word, the Old Testament supports the New Testament, to affirm the truth concerning Christ’s coming again. And Peter himself was an eye-witness of Jesus Christ at the transfiguration to the truth of the glory of His coming again.

 The second coming of Jesus Christ is the greatest prophecy in the Bible yet unfulfilled. We are reminded that God’s Word will surely come to pass.

Today, the ministry of the Word is to declare what God said in His Word as recorded and preserved in the Bible. The ministers of the word are to be faithful to declare the whole counsel of God as is revealed in the Bible.

We see the veracity of God’s Word in the Old Testament during the ministry of Elisha. As we said, he was in the work of serving men with God’s word.

God send him to speak to kings and God’s people rebuking sin, speaking concerning the future. Here in our text, we see a snapshot of Elisha’s God-sent mission to Damascus for the aged and sick king of Syria, Ben-hadad I, sought healing from the prophet for illness.

About 10 years had passed since Elijah’s ascension that Elisha carried out this mission. Elijah was alone with God after running from Jezebel and God spoke to him out of his discouragement?

1 Kings 19:10-19 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

 Two thoughts:

  • God’s Word Spoken (v7-12)
  • God’s Word Fulfilled (v13-15)

(1) God’s Word Spoken (v7-12)

7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. 8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 

Elisha was a prophet whose ministry God authenticated. Recall not so long ago, Elisha defeated the Syrian army at Dothan, the city. God smote all the Syrian soldiers with blindness and they were led to Samaria captive and finally fed with food and released. They were mercifully treated by the king of Israel at the instruction of Elisha.

And so the king of Syria instructed his servant Hazael to meet Elisha with a handsome present. of a caravan of 40 camels and the good produce of Damascus. Hazael came therefore with this rich gift for Elisha.

The enquiry is of course to seek the prophet’s help to heal the king.

10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die.

 Notice the strange words that Elisha said to Hazael, “You go and tell the king he will recover but the LORD has already shown me that he will certainly die!”

What do we understand by these words Elisha? Did Elisha already knew that Hazael would not tell his master the truth of his imminent death and commanded him to carry out his scheme, just as God told Balaam to go with the messangers to Balak (Num. 22:20-22), and was Jesus told Judas to begin his evil work of betrayal (John 13:27)? Certainly it was a prediction as we shall see in verse 15 that Hazael would murder by choking the king to death with a cloth over his face that will end the king’s life when he returned! [2]

The commentator Bob Deffinbaugh observed well, “The king’s question was very specific: “Will I recover from this sickness?” The answer to this question is simple and specific as well: “No!” Ben Hadad did not die of his malady; he was murdered. His servant, Hazael, suffocated him. Elisha’s words were completely true, though they did not tell the king all that he would have wished to know. Elisha the prophet did not lie to the king, but neither did he inform the king concerning all that was going to happen. This is because the time for judgment upon Israel had come.”[3]

11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

Elisha was given the vision by the Lord of the coming judgment upon Israel perpetrated by this man Hazael.

12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.

 Many thousands in Israel will fall at the hands of this cruel man and he stared at him in awe, and then broke down and wept.

(2) God’s Word Fulfilled (v13-15)

13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. 14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. 15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead. 

The fulfilment of Elisha’s words are recorded in 2 Kings 10:32; 13:3-7, 22 in the light of Amos 1:3-5.[4]

2 Kings 10:32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

2 Kings 13:3-7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days. 4 And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime. 6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.) 7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

2 Kings 13:22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

Amos 1:3-5 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad. 5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.

Indeed, telling Ben-hadad only half of the prophet’s words (v8), which is a complete lie, Hazael dipped a bedsheet into the water and choked the king to death. There is no mention of whether Elisha anointed Hazael or not (1 Kings 19:15), but the cold-blooded murder of Ben-hadad saw the beginning of God’s chastening hand of His stubborn people!

CONCLUSION

  • God’s Word Spoken (v7-12)
  • God’s Word Fulfilled (v13-15)

 

Indeed, God’s Word is yea and amen. May God help us to live by the protective care of His Word. Amen.

[1] Watchman Nee, The Ministry of God’s Word, Living Stream Ministry, 1993, 3-11.

[2] John Whitcomb, From Elisha to Daniel, Christian Workman Schools of Theology, VII6-7.

[3] https://bible.org/seriespage/21-life-and-times-elisha-prophet-what-it-takes-make-prophet-weep-1-kings-1915-18-2-kings

[4] John Whitcomb, From Elisha to Daniel, Christian Workman Schools of Theology, VII6-7.