“Standing Alone”

2 Kings 1-8

Pastor Brian Ã November 13, 2002

Last week, we finished the book of 1st Kings where we were able to read about the ministry of Elijah the Tishbite, the fiery prophet who suddenly appeared in dramatic fashion; the “foreteller” God used to announce judgment on King Ahab, the King of Israel who had “done more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of the Kings before him”, and his idolatrous wife, Jezebel. Elijah, who is described in James 5:17 as a “man subject to like passions as we are” showed incredible obedience, courage and faith. God used Elijah to confront those who sinned, and to announce judgment if they did not return to the Lord. His was a ministry predominately to the leaders of the land.

This week, we see the ending of Elijah’s ministry and the beginning of Elisha’s ministry. We would do well to notice the different gifts that each man has been blessed with and how God uses each man in a different way to bring glory and honor to God.

It might be important for us to remember that in the original Old Testament, there was no division between 1st and 2nd Kings.

Because of God’s Word, we can stand in a world filled with IDOLATRY.

1 After King Ahab's death, the nation of Moab declared its independence from Israel. 2 One day Israel's new king, Ahaziah, fell through the latticework of an upper room at his palace in Samaria, and he was seriously injured. So he sent messengers to the temple of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether he would recover. 3 But the angel of the LORD told Elijah, who was from Tishbe, "Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will get well? Is there no God in Israel? 4 Now, therefore, this is what the LORD says: You will never leave the bed on which you are lying, but you will surely die.'" So Elijah went to deliver the message.

2 Kings 1: Judgment of Fire

The last three verses of 1 Kings 22 inform us that King Ahaziah, the son of and successor to Ahab, was a wicked man whose heart had been unmoved by the recent judgments of God. We now see that neither the rebellion of Moab, nor the injuries from his fall brought Ahaziah to repentance. In fact, Ahaziah, after sustaining serious injury in his fall—and I do wonder, how did he manage to fall through the lattice work? Was he drunk?—sends messengers to a foreign God, Baalzebub, to find out if he’s going to live or not.

Verses 2-3 tell us that idolatry denies the PRESENCE of God in our lives.

Elijah delivers the message of God’s judgment to the King’s messengers, who in turn, deliver the message to Ahaziah. Ahaziah’s mistake is that he thinks the judgment is from Elijah instead of God and so he calls for his guards to deploy an officer and squad of fifty men to bring back Elijah to him.

Verse 4-8 tell us that idolatry denies the POWER of God in our lives.

9 Then he sent an army captain with fifty soldiers to arrest him. They found him sitting on top of a hill. The captain said to him, "Man of God, the king has commanded you to come along with us." 10 But Elijah replied to the captain, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and killed them all. 11 So the king sent another captain with fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God, the king says that you must come down right away." 12 Elijah replied, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!" And again the fire of God fell from heaven and killed them all.

I wonder what the second captain and his fifty men thought when they were sent to retrieve the political insurrectionist, Elijah. Did they tremble in the fear that they might meet the same fate as the group before them? Was there a point in our lives, before we became children of God—before we acknowledged the Lordship of Jesus Christ—when we trembled in fear of where we were headed? The third captain seems to get it because he certainly enters the presence of the Holy Man with fear and reverence. Did God use circumstances to transform the life of this army captain and his fifty men?

13 Once more the king sent a captain with fifty men. But this time the captain fell to his knees before Elijah. He pleaded with him, "O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants. 14 See how the fire from heaven has destroyed the first two groups. But now please spare my life!" 15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Don't be afraid. Go with him." So Elijah got up and went to the king. 16 And Elijah said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will get well? Is there no God in Israel? Now, since you have done this, you will never leave the bed on which you are lying, but you will surely die." 17 So Ahaziah died, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah. Since Ahaziah did not have a son to succeed him, his brother Joram became the next king. This took place in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

Ahaziah’s true purpose was to lead the people of Israel to worhip their true God and Redeemer. Ahaziah failed because of his addiction to idolatry.

We should be careful to understand that Idolatry denies the PURPOSE of God for our lives.

Horoscopes, crystals, money, addictions can all be idols in our lives—tools Satan will use to separate us from the love of God. But these tools work only if we choose to let them work.

Personally: Is there an IDOL IN MY LIFE that is standing between me and the presence, power, and purpose of God for my life?

Chapter 2: The Chariot of Fire.

There was a certain group a few years ago who decided that they had received a revelation from God announcing the time and date of Jesus’ return. So they dropped whatever they were doing, sold all their possessions, went to Idaho and waited.

Paul’s letter to the Church in Thessalonika warned the believers there not to wait idly for Jesus’ return but to continue to do the work God prepared them for.

Chapter 2 opens with the Lord leading Elijah from Gilgal to Bethel to Jericho to the River Jordan. Verses 1-6 shows us that Elijah was walking with PURPOSE. Philippians 2:13 (NIV) says, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

We go from Gilgal—the first place Israel camped when crossed the Jordan and entered the Promised Land.

Gilgal was the point of new beginnings.

Bethel was the point of surrender—the holy place designated by God; the place of the altar where Israel came to worship and surrender to the Lord.

Jericho was the point of battle—where the power of God gave Israel an impossible victory.

The River Jordan was the point of transformation—where Israel marked their end to their wilderness wanderings.

We can appreciate the obedience of Elijah to God’s prompting—realizing that God does not force Elijah into retirement but continues to use him even up through his final day on earth.

6Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, for the LORD has told me to go to the Jordan River."But again Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you." So they went on together.7Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River.8Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!9When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, "What can I do for you before I am taken away?"And Elisha replied, "Please let me become your rightful successor."10"You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah replied. "If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won't."11As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between them, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.12Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and charioteers of Israel!" And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his robe in two.13Then Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak and returned to the bank of the Jordan River.14He struck the water with the cloak and cried out, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.15When the group of prophets from Jericho saw what happened, they exclaimed, "Elisha has become Elijah's successor!" And they went to meet him and bowed down before him.

If Elisha does as Elijah asks and stays behind, he would have missed the double portion that God intended for him to have. Sometimes we have to stand on our promises to God—Elisha does this with his reply to Elijah in verses 2 and 8, "As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you." Elijah may have only been putting his pupil to the test.

Chapter 2 also shows us how when we walk with God, we walk with PROGRESS.

Let’s not forget that years before, Elijah wanted to die in the wilderness. But God certainly had another plan for Elijah—a plan to go out in glory rather than in fear, apparent hopelessness and dejection.

What does Elisha ask for? The NLT takes away much of the drama in Elisha’s answer in verse 9. The NIV says that Elisha replied,

"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.

Notice how Elijah responds to his servant’s querie in verse 10? The choice is clearly God’s, not Elijah’s.

Elijah is called up in the whirlwind in verse 11. Elijah’s dramatic journey into heaven gives credence to the fact that there is an afterlife. There are those in this world who live for today as if there is no afterlife. We should live with the goal in mind (with purpose)—to be sitting in heaven at the feet of the Father.

We need to understand that when we walk with God, we walk with GOD’S PROMISES.

Chapter 2 finishes with Elisha’s first miracles:

In verses 19-22, Elisha cleans the towns water supply with a new bowl of salt and the Lord.

In verses 23-25, Elisha shows a gang of 42 unruly, ungodly youths that there is a God in Israel.

Chapter 3—(War between Israel and Moab) opens with a war breaking out between King Joram, Ahab’s son, and King Mesha of Moab. Joram musters his army and does a smart thing—he asks King Jehoshaphat of Judah if he would join in. King Jehoshaphat comes to the aid of his Israelite brother and they set off (along with the King of Edom and his army) through the desert to fight against Moab.

The king of Edom and his troops joined them, and all three armies traveled along a roundabout route through the wilderness for seven days. But there was no water for the men or their pack animals.10"What should we do?" the king of Israel cried out. "The LORD has brought the three of us here to let the king of Moab defeat us."11But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD with us? If there is, we can ask the LORD what to do." One of King Joram's officers replied, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah's personal assistant. "12Jehoshaphat said, "Then the LORD will speak through him." So the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom went to consult with Elisha.13"I want no part of you," Elisha said to the king of Israel. "Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother! "But King Joram said, "No! For it was the LORD who called us three kings here to be destroyed by the king of Moab!"14Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I would not bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah.15Now bring me someone who can play the harp." While the harp was being played, the power of the LORD came upon Elisha,16and he said, "This is what the LORD says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water!17You will see neither wind nor rain, says the LORD, but this valley will be filled with water. You will have plenty for yourselves and for your cattle and your other animals.18But this is only a simple thing for the LORD, for he will make you victorious over the army of Moab!1 9You will conquer the best of their cities, even the fortified ones. You will cut down all their trees, stop up all their springs, and ruin all their good land with stones."20And sure enough, the next day at about the time when the morning sacrifice was offered, water suddenly appeared! It was flowing from the direction of Edom, and soon there was water everywhere.21Meanwhile, when the people of Moab heard about the three armies marching against them, they mobilized every man who could fight, young and old, and stationed themselves along their border.22But when they got up the next morning, the sun was shining across the water, making it look as red as blood.23"It's blood!" the Moabites exclaimed. "The three armies have attacked and killed each other! Let's go and collect the plunder!"24When they arrived at the Israelite camp, the army of Israel rushed out and attacked the Moabites, who turned and ran. The army of Israel chased them into the land of Moab, destroying everything as they went.25They destroyed the cities, covered their good land with stones, stopped up the springs, and cut down the good trees. Finally, only Kir-hareseth was left, but even that came under attack. 26When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he led seven hundred of his warriors in a desperate attempt to break through the enemy lines near the king of Edom, but they failed to escape.27So he took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall. As a result, the anger against Israel was great, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.

God uses Elisha to announce his Word—his judgments and his promises.

Because of God’s Word, we can choose to stand under difficult situations.

Chapter 4

1. Elisha Helps a Poor Widow (vv.1-7)

2. Elisha and the Woman from Shunem (vv.8-37)

In the 19th century, there arose a phenomena across the prairie lands of America called the “Shunamite” house. Itinerant preachers would travel the countryside to visit their flocks, and certain families decided to add a room in their house with a bed and a lamp for the preacher.

Personally: Is the HOUSE AND HEART that God provided to you open for his bidding?

3. Miracles during a Famine in Gilgal (vv.38-44)

A. Elisha removes the poison out of the soup (vv.38-41)

B. Feeding the 100 prophets (vv.42-44)

Chapter 5: The miracle of Naaman

(vv.1-19) The king of Aram had high admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the LORD had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy.* 2Now groups of Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman's wife as a maid.3One day the girl said to her mistress, "I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy."4So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said.5"Go and visit the prophet," the king told him. "I will send a letter of introduction for you to carry to the king of Israel." So Naaman started out, taking as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold,* and ten sets of clothing.6The letter to the king of Israel said: "With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy."7When the king of Israel read it, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, "This man sends me a leper to heal! Am I God, that I can kill and give life? He is only trying to find an excuse to invade us again."8But when Elisha, the man of God, heard about the king's reaction, he sent this message to him: "Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel."9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha's house.10But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: "Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of leprosy."11But Naaman became angry and stalked away. "I thought he would surely come out to meet me!" he said. "I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the LORD his God and heal me!12Aren't the Abana River and Pharpar River of Damascus better than all the rivers of Israel put together? Why shouldn't I wash in them and be healed?" So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.13But his officers tried to reason with him and said, "Sir, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply to go and wash and be cured!"14So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his flesh became as healthy as a young child's, and he was healed!15Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, "I know at last that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Now please accept my gifts."16But Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts." And though Naaman urged him to take the gifts, Elisha refused.17Then Naaman said, "All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer any burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the LORD.18However, may the LORD pardon me in this one thing. When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the LORD pardon me when I bow, too."19"Go in peace," Elisha said. So Naaman started home again.

Leviticus 13 reminds us how leprosy was considered an illustration of sin. All of Naaman’s victories could not hide the fact that Naaman was a condemned man.

Not only was Naaman a leper, but he was also an enemy of Israel, a Syrian commander. The maid should be commended for her faith and witness in trying circumstances. She has been taken away from her home and forced into slavery. Yet, she remembers who her God is.

Naaman makes all of the human mistakes trying to cure his leprosy. He goes to the King of Syria who can do nothing, then goes to the King of Israel who cannot offer a cure. How many lost sinners run from one person to the next looking for a cure for their sickness, when all they have to do is turn to Jesus Christ, who paid the price of all of our sins?

Naaman is called by Elisha, just like Jesus calls us. Naaman resisted God’s way of salvation because it was too simple. God’s plan of salvation is simple, but you must believe.

God used a miracle to bring Naaman to believe. God uses miracles to bring us to a saving faith.

Verse 20 through the end of the chapter talks about the greed of Gehazi. Elisha had refused the gifts of 750 pounds of silver and 150 pounds of gold and 10 sets of Brooks Brothers suits. Gehazi decides that he should profit from God’s miracle so he chases Naaman down and makes up a lie in order to receive some of the gifts that his master, had refused.

Then he lies to Elisha upon returning from his mission by saying, “I haven’t been anywhere.” Elisha’s reply in verses 26-27 say it all:

"Don't you realize that I was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and clothing and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and servants?27Because you have done this, you and your children and your children's children will suffer from Naaman's leprosy forever." When Gehazi left the room, he was leprous; his skin was as white as snow.

Chapter 6-8 Elijah had a ministry of fire. Elisha’s ministry is certainly different. There is no fire raining down from heaven.

Elisha’s ministry is a ministry of the SPIRIT.

Zechariah 4:6 (NIV): So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

1. (6:1-7) Elisha restores the axe head. Elisha was not to proud or busy as God’s prophet numero uno to help a poor, missionary school trying to enlarge their quarters. Elisha sees the fear of a young missionary who was so poor that he had to borrow the axe that he was using. With God’s help, he arranges for the axe head to float in the water so that it could be retrieved. Does God care for us any less?

2. (6:8-23) God uses Elisha to rescue Israel from the King of Syria and his vaunted Aramean army. When Elisha is fingered as the culprit who is foiling the King’s plans, the King turns to capturing Elisha.

(vv.15-17) When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere."Ah, my lord, what will we do now?" he cried out to Elisha.16"Don't be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!"17Then Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!" The LORD opened his servant's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

We should be reminded at this point that we have this kind of protection available to us. I know of many stories where certain, impending doom was allayed because of something supernatural—God’s intervention. God does intervene for his people.

3. God rescues Israel fro Ben-hadad (6:24-7:20) We cannot be sure how many years pass between verses 23 and 24. We do know that Ben-hadad has decided to fight Israel once more, and he is not fighting with a rag–tag team of small bands of invaders like he did in 1st Kings. The capital city is besieged until there is very little food. What happens when drought or frost hits our farmlands here in America. INFLATION—(v.25) After a while even a donkey's head sold for two pounds of silver, and a cup of dove's dung cost about two ounces* of silver.

King Jehoram hears the story of the widow who killed and ate her son in order to stay alive, and he blames Elisha and the Lord for all of this mess. He points fingers.

When the army officer shows up at Elisha’s door as commanded, Elisha gives this prophecy in starting in Chapter 7:1--Elisha replied, "Hear this message from the LORD! This is what the LORD says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of fine flour will cost only half an ounce of silver,* and ten quarts of barley grain will cost only half an ounce of silver. "2The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, "That couldn't happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!" But Elisha replied, "You will see it happen, but you won't be able to eat any of it!"

Good news for Israel. Bad news for the officer of the King’s army.

(7:3-11) The four lepers. 3Now there were four men with leprosy* sitting at the entrance of the city gates. "Why should we sit here waiting to die?" they asked each other.4"We will starve if we stay here, and we will starve if we go back into the city. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway."5So that evening they went out to the camp of the Arameans, but no one was there!6For the Lord had caused the whole army of Aram to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. "The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians* to attack us!" they cried out.7So they panicked and fled into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, and they fled for their lives.8When the lepers arrived at the edge of the camp, they went into one tent after another, eating, drinking wine, and carrying out silver and gold and clothing and hiding it.9Finally, they said to each other, "This is not right. This is wonderful news, and we aren't sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some terrible calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let's go back and tell the people at the palace."10So they went back to the city and told the gatekeepers what had happened--that they had gone out to the Aramean camp and no one was there! The horses and donkeys were tethered and the tents were all in order, but there was not a single person around.11Then the gatekeepers shouted the news to the people in the palace.

The King awakes and sends scouts—he still does not believe. But all the 4 lepers reported was true. So the Israelites plunder the Syrian camp. (vv.12-20) 16Then the people of Samaria rushed out and plundered the Aramean camp. So it was true that five quarts of fine flour were sold that day for half an ounce of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain were sold for half an ounce of silver, just as the LORD had promised.17The king appointed his officer to control the traffic at the gate, but he was knocked down and trampled to death as the people rushed out.So everything happened exactly as the man of God had predicted when the king came to his house.18The man of God had said to the king, "By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of fine flour will cost half an ounce of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain will cost half an ounce of silver."19The king's officer had replied, "That couldn't happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!" And the man of God had said, "You will see it happen, but you won't be able to eat any of it!"20And so it was, for the people trampled him to death at the gate!

(Chapter 8:1-6) The woman from Shunem returns home.

(vv.6-15) Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

(vv.16-24) Jehoram’s rule in Judah

(vv.25-29) Ahaziah’s rule in Judah. 28Ahaziah joined King Joram of Israel in his war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. When King Joram was wounded in the battle,29he returned to Jezreel to recover from his wounds. While Joram was there, King Ahaziah of Judah went to visit him. And this is our segue into next week.