Open Our Eyes, Lord

Sermon on 2 Kings 6:8-29

Title: Open Our Eyes Lord

Theme:  God protects his people

Goal:  to encourage the congregation that God protects his people

Need: We often wonder about the protection of God.

Introduction:  Where we have been with Elisha series.

Three themes: 

1.     Elisha has the spirit of God on him.

2.     God gives life to the obedient in surprising ways

3.     God punishes those who disobey.

1.     Before the theme, we need to talk about some of the timing on this passage.

a.     Well it must be after the stories just mentioned

                                                              i.      That’s just the way the stories go.

b.    But maybe it happened earlier because of some of difficulties.

                                                              i.      The servant is mentioned again. 

1.     If this is Gehazi then it had to be prior to the story of Namaan the leper being healed and Gehazi being cursed with his leprosy

                                                            ii.      The vagueness of the officials mentioned.  One of the surely would be Namaan.  Wouldn’t he be mentioned by name.

                                                          iii.      There are other difficulties that make us wonder if perhaps we should realize this is an after thought to inform the reader of the situation between Aram and Israel before Namaan came to Israel.

1.     Such and such a place.  What kind of description is that?

                                                         iv.      When its vague in the Bible, it should do a couple of things.

1.     Lead us to notice more carefully the things that are mentioned clearly.

2.     Not fret over the details of the things that are not mentioned.

3.     Oral tradition was the way that stories were passed originally.  If details were not recalled, they could not have been critical to the telling of the story.

2.     Elisha has the power of God.

a.     Knowing the plans of the enemy king.

b.    Blinding and opening eyes

                                                              i.      Blinding the eyes of the Arameans

                                                            ii.      Being aware of the forces of God

                                                          iii.      Opening the eyes of his servant

                                                         iv.      Opening the eyes  of the enemy forces

3.     God gives life to the obedient

a.     Elisha and the servant are surrounded by the enemy forces.  They are facing at least capture, captivity.  Maybe even death.

b.    Through the work of Elisha the raids on the towns of Israel stop.  God’s people don’t need to worry any longer.

4.     God punishes the wicked with death.

a.     The wicked in the story are??

b.    Notice what happens to them.  Death.  No

c.     They are spared.  Completely the opposite of what we would expect.  On this occasion, they are captured. 

d.    The bothersome question, would you kill the ones you captured with your own sword?  What is the answer.  YES.  They probably would have.  Even the virtuous kings did that.  Killing the enemy.

e.     But on this occasion, the completely opposite happens.  They are given mercy.  They are released even though they hoped to capture Elisha.

f.      What a picture of mercy, the grace of Christ.  We go against Christ.  We go against the kingdom of God.  Maybe not in organized attacks, but our foolishness of sin.  Its just little attacks.  But enough that we could be captured and destroyed.  The disobedient deserve death.  But inspite of what we deserve, we are given the feast.

5.     The feast is a banquet that we await in the end.  Brought blindly to the king, our eyes are opened and we are allowed to feast with him.