Day 184—We are NOW in the seventh month of Bible reading – halfway through the year. Praise God!  Hopefully, we have established a good habit that will continue to December 31st and beyond!

    Day 184 – 2 Kings 5 – 8. (God working His grace through Elisha’s “double portion”)

1 Kings 5. Here is the familiar story of Naaman, an Israeli servant girl, and Elisha. Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Syria. In a recent war with Israel, he acquired a young girl who became a servant to his wife.

Naaman had leprosy, and this little girl told his wife he should visit the prophet (Elisha) in Samaria and be healed.  Naaman requested leave and got it, plus a note to King Jehoram in Samaria and a large payment from his personal wealth. Naaman went to King Jehoram, who was terrified, thinking the Syrians were seeking a quarrel with him. 

But Elisha heard of it and sent a note to Naaman. “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be clean of leprosy.“

But Naaman was insulted and said he could bathe in a Syrian River. He gave up and headed home when one of his men told him, it was really “nothing” to bathe in the Jordan. Why not try it.

Naaman reconsidered, bathed in the river, and became healed. (It’s a wise leader to listen to his servants.) 

In gratitude, he tried to give all his wealth to Elisha, but the prophet declined, wanting the man’s gratitude to go to God alone.  But Elisha’s servant thought he might enjoy some of it and ran after Naaman with a story that Elisha had unexpected guests, and some of that loot would be helpful. Naaman gladly gave the servant a sizable gift. When Elisha heard of his greed and lying, Naaman’s leprosy was immediately transferred to the servant.  

1 Kings 6. The next story tells how Elisha retrieved an iron axe head a young prophet was using when it flew off and fell into the river. God, through Elisha, made the axe head float!

Elisha often told King Jehoram about specific movements of the King of Syria’s army, which Israel could avoid and be safe. The Syrian king thought he had a mole, but his servants told him about Elisha. He sent his army to get rid of the snitch. 

Elisha’s servant was terrified to see that hoard coming to get his master.  But Elisha asked God to open his eyes.  Behold, the hills surrounding Elisha were full of horses and chariots of fire protecting Elisha.  When the Syrian army approached, Elisha asked God to make them blind, then he led them to Samaria. King Jehoram asked if he should kill them all, and Elisha said he should feed them a great feast instead.  After that “the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.”

Later, a severe famine hit Israel. They had begun to eat their own children! The king sent to kill Elisha, blaming him for the famine. Elisha told him there would be food aplenty the next day, but the king’s main Captain in charge did not believe him. Elisha countered, “You shall see it with your own eyes but not eat it.”

And it happened this way. The Syrians encircled Samaria, but in the night, God caused a noise of chariots coming. It scared the Syrian army, and they fled in fear, leaving their tents, supplies, horses, and donkeys.  Four lepers decided to investigate – either way, they would die either from starvation or by soldier swords. But they found the camp deserted and ate their fill.  Then they told the king, and sure enough, when the crowds came out to gather the spoil, there was food aplenty.

But that Captain was trampled to death by the people rushing out the gate to get the food.

2 Kings 8. In this chapter Elisha was in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Ben-Hadad, the king was sick and he sent to Elisha to discover if he would get well. Elisha said he would, but that he would then die, and it happened that way. He got over the illness, but Hazael killed him. Elisha wept at this prediction because he knew the horrors Hazael, as king, would do to Israel in war.