Day 184 – Reading – 2 Kings 5 – 8

Read today’s Scriptures.  Do you see connections?

2 Kings 5.

The setting:

• Syria
• Samaria
• the Jordan River

Characters:

• Elisha the prophet,
• Gehazi, Elisha’s servant,
• Ben-Hadad II, King of Syria,
• Naaman, supreme commander of the Syrian army, 
• a young Jewish servant girl
• King Jehoram/Joram, (2nd son of Ahab to rule Israel),

Naaman (meaning gracious and fair) was highly regarded by the king of Syria, DESPITE having leprosy. (Lepers didn’t seem to be shunned and isolated as they were in Israel.)  He had conducted many successful raids into Israel on behalf of Ben-Hadad II, and on one of them had brought back a young Jewish girl to be servant to his wife. 

One day, this little girl was brave enough to tell her mistress that Naaman could be healed if he went to the prophet in Samaria.  The wife told Naaman. The Syrian king gave him permission, and sent Naaman to Samaria with a letter to King Jehoram.  He also took looks of gold, silver, and fancy clothes to pay for the healing.

King Jehoram  was shocked and thought Naaman’s request was a way to quarrel with him. But Elisha heard about it and told the king of Israel to send Naaman to him, “That he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Naaman goes, but is insulted that Elisha’s servant gives him the prescription for healing.  Not only does Elisha not come out to mee him, but he says to dip in the Jordan River seven times and he’ll be healed.

“I’m not doing that! Aren’t there better rivers in Syria?  And the guy didn’t even come out to talk to me in person. Doesn’t he know who I am?”   And Naaman gathered his company and his gifts and began to leave.  But…. one of his men asked if it wasn’t “worth a try” since they’d come all this way? 

Naaman relented and dipped in the muddy Jordan 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 times … and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child. He was “clean.”

He went back and tried to pay Elisha with all the treasure, but the prophet of God refused. GOD had healed Naaman, not Elisha. He was only the messenger.  And so Naaman headed back to Syria, a changed man, praising and worshipping the God of Israel.  Until…..

Greedy Gehazi, thought HE could use some of that loot.  On his own, he ran to Naaman, told him a lie (the master changed his mind because unexpected guests had come), was greedy and accepted two silver talents and two changes of extravagant clothing. Then Gehazi deceived his master and hid his loot from Elisha (who could see through walls and across miles) and then lied to him right to his face.  Of course Elisha confronted Gehazi about it, and in the end, the servant (and his descendants) got Naaman’s leprosy.

(UGH!  What lessons learned!!)

• A lesson about “instant” and “far-reaching” results to greed, lying, and deception (Gehazi)!
• A lesson about humility and obedience (Naaman). 
• A lesson learned about boldness to speak out for the LORD, no matter where you live (the slave girl)

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2 Kings 6 and 7.

The Setting:

• By the Jordan River
• Syria and Samaria
• Dothan, north of Samaria

The Characters:

• Elisha
• “Sons of the Prophets”
• Ben-Hadad II, King of Syria
• King of Israel
• four lepers

The group of student prophets came to Elisha and wanted to build a bigger lodging place down by the Jordan.  Elisha agreed and went with them.  While chopping wood, on young man heaved a mighty blow with his “borrowed” axe, and the head came off. The piece of iron went flying right out into the Jordan River.  Oh, no!  OH, NO! cried the man. 

NOTE: The man was responsible for the axe he borrowed. Moses’ Law said that if an item was LOST, the borrower would have to make full restitution. (Exodus 22:7-15)  The poor student prophet had no money for an axe, that’s why he borrowed it. He could NOT pay the price of a new one.  .

Elisha took pity on him, asked where it had gone in, then cut off a stick and threw it into the water.  THE IRON AXEHEAD FLOATED!.  The young prophet dashed into the water to get it.  A Miracle!

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Now this is kind of funny.  Wherever the Syrian King planned to attack Israel, God gave Elisha a “heads-up” and he told the king of Israel so they could be ready, or move away.  This happened again and again until the Syrian king was pulling his hair out.  “There must be a spy among us!”

But one of his servants said, “No, m’lord. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel. HE tells the king of Israel the words you speak in your bedroom.

The king ordered, “Go, see where he is that I may seize him.

“Behold, he’s in Dothan,”

So the Syrian army with horses and chariots surrounded the city. Elisha went out early that morning and saw them.  But his servant was terrified. “WHAT SHALL WE DO???”

“Don’t worry,” said the prophet of God. “Those who are with US are more than those who are with THEM.  And he prayed that the LORD would open the servant’s eyes. 

When the LORD did, the eyes of the young man saw, and behold, the mountain was FULL of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

When the Syrian army attacked, Elisha prayed that God would strike them with blindness.  Then Elisha went to the Captain and said, ” You are going the wrong way. Follow me and I’ll take you to the man whom you seek.”

And he led them right into the middle of Samaria.  Then he prayed that their eyes were opened, and they were.  EEK!!  And King Jehoram came out and said, “SHALL I KILL THEM ALL?”

“No,” cried Elisha.  “Set bread and water before them and then talk to their leader.”  King Jehoram went over and above. He served them a great feast.  And when they were full and drunk, he sent the away to their master.

And… (get this) “The Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.”

(That’s what comes from obey God and loving (being kind) to your enemies. HA!!  (a good lesson learned!)

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2 Kings 8.

Remember the Shunammite woman? Elisha came and restored her young son to life after he died of an illness.  Elisha had also said that she was to move away because a famine was coming for SEVEN years.  She listened to him and moved to the land of the Philistines. Now she was back after those years. She asked the king to have her land restored.  And, what do you know!  Elisha’s servant Gehazi just happened to be there talking to the king.  The king had asked to hear of some miracles of Elisha, and BEHOLD there was the woman and her son.  And so, the story told, the king restored the woman’s land to her, PLUS all the crops that had grown in the last 7 years.

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The Elisha went to Damascus the capital of Syria.  King Ben-Hadad II was sick.  The king sent Hazael, his servant, to ask Elisha if he would live or die. (He sent 40 camel-loads of goods along too.)

Hazael asked for the king, “Will he recover from this sickness?”

Well, Elisha knew the sad truth.  YES, Hazael would recover from the illness, but this messenger, Hazael, would kill him and become king in his place.  Elisha saw with grief all the horrible things that the new king Hazael would do to Elisha’s people, Israel. (Set fortresses on fire, rip open bellies of pregnant women, dash the little ones to pieces.)

“WHAT?” cried Hazael.  “Am I but a dog to do such a thing??”

“The LORD has shown me.”

Back in the king’s chamber, Hazael told Ben-Hadad he would recover … then suffocated him to death. He then became king of Syria.

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Next, we see a repeat of the story in Judah (2 Chronicles 21:4-20). Jehoshaphat dies and Jehoram his son becomes king in Judah (south).  He was evil like Ahab (Jehoram’s wife was the daughter of Ahab), but God did not destroy him for the David’s sake and the “promised Lamp” to come.

He died and Ahaziah his son reigns for one year. His mother was the wicked Athaliah. He got sick and died.

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The history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah is so discouraging. Israel has only wicked kings, but because of the intermarriage with the house of Ahab, the evil invades Judah too, until the wicked Athaliah is killed (Chapter 11).