2 Kings 8:1-29


Our lives are in the hand of the almighty God who created and sustains the universe.  It is within His power to protect as well as to destroy.  God is never taken by surprise and He does not worry about the events that happen or the circumstances on earth.  Famine, illness and even rebellion do not catch God off guard.  We can rest assured that He not only knows of our circumstances but that He is using them to bring about His will in our lives and realize His plan in the world.

GOD RESTORES THE PROPERTY OF THE SHUNAMMITE: The Shunammite woman had ministered to Elisha and God blessed her with a son that died and God brought him back from the dead through Elisha.  Once again God shows special care for this woman and her family as Elisha warns them of the coming famine and allows them to flee to a place where they could get food.  However, when they return, their land had been inhabited by others.  Providentially, when she goes to appeal to the king concerning her land; Gehazi, Elisha’s helper, was telling the King of this miracle and so the king is quick to grant her request and even give her the funds from what was grown on the field during her absence.  It was far more than coincidence that Gehazi was in the right place at the right time.  God cares and provides for those who faithfully serve Him.

GOD REPLACES THE KING OF THE SYRIANS: When Ben-hadad, king of Syria, becomes ill he sends Hazael to inquire of Elisha as to whether or not he will recover.  It seems strange that these foreign kings would seek out this type of relationship with Elisha.  They obviously trust him and recognize that he knows the will of God.  It would be great if ministers today had this same reputation and were regularly consulted by the leaders of this world to find out the will of the Lord.  Elisha tells Hazael that Ben-hadad will die soon and that he will be king in his place.  Hazael decides to hurry along the death of Ben-hadad and he assumes the throne in his place.  God rises up and takes down leaders according to His will and sovereign plan.  We can trust that He knows what He is doing and is in control of the leaders that are established on the Earth.

GOD REJECTS THE KINGS OF JUDAH: After Johoshaphat died, his son and grandson reigned in his place.  Unfortunately they were both heavily influenced by the evil king Ahab through his daughter.  These kings had short reigns and their time in power was marked by constant war and conflict.  God preserved the kingdom because of his promise to and love for David but these kings were rejected by God because of their sin and disobedience.  We must be very careful about the influences that we allow to be a part of our lives and the lives of our families.  Jehoshaphat was a godly king; however, he was constantly cooperating with the godless kings of Israel to the point of allowing his son to marry the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.  This relationship ultimately brought great heartache to the family.  It is far better to trust the Lord than it is to trust in the alliances we make with other men.  This alliance may have made sense from a political point of view but it ended up costing the lives of his son and grandson.

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