Elisha Wins A Battle For Israel:
The kings of Israel, Judah, and the king of Edom needed the prophet Elisha to consult the LORD before they went into battle with the king of Moab. Before we go into battle in our life we also need to call upon the LORD for guidance and instruction.
2 Kings 3:1–27
Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. He did 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.
Nevertheless he embraced the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin. Jehoram made Israel to sin; he did not depart from his sin. Jeroboam made Israel sin, by his baiting he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
Mesha king of Moab was a sheep master, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. After the death of Ahab the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
King Jehoram went to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and told him the king of Moab had rebelled against him and asked King Jehoshaphat to join him in battle against Moab. They then went to the king of Edom to join in the battle.
The kings then needed a prophet of the LORD to enquire of the LORD. They sought out Elisha. The LORD came to Elisha and told the three kings to fill the valley full of ditches. Thus said the LORD, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your beasts.
The LORD said he would deliver the Moabites into their hands. He said they 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.
It came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering (offering to the LORD God) was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
When all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armor, and stood in the border.
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: they thought the kings had slain each other. Moab were going to gather the spoils.
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. 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.
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong 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. 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.
What Can This Story Teach Us?
The LORD God won the battle, but Israel lost the war. The miracle of the LORD God performed won the initial battle for the king of Israel and his allies. But Israel had set out to subdue Moab, forcing the king to begin paying the tribute exacted by an earlier ruler. This goal was not achieved.
This miracle demonstrated that when God fights for his people, they will be victorious. Israel’s failure to reclaim dominion over the Moabites also revealed another truth: without the Lord, Israel could expect ultimate defeat.
The kings of Israel, Judah, and the king of Edom needed the prophet Elisha to consult the LORD before they went into battle with the king of Moab. Before we go into battle in our life we also need to call upon the LORD.
We must always put our trust and faith in the LORD because He will never let us down. Especially if we obey His guidance and instruction. We ought to obey God rather than men.
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:29-31).
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Elisha Wins A Battle For Israel:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Feb 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2248,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, February) “Elisha Wins A Battle For Israel:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2248,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Elisha Wins A Battle For Israel:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (February), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2248, (accessed).
