2 Kings 6:1-33
6:1 This group referred to as the sons of the prophets is the body of people who train under Elisha's ministry. Elisha has been so impactful that the group has grown significantly and requires a larger dwelling space.
6:2 Elisha is approached by them and is asked to consent to the construction of a larger building. They wish to go to the Jordan to retrieve beams with which to build it. Elisha consents, no matter how many, the people seeking to follow God will be accommodated.
6:3 But the people wish only to proceed with Elisha and they ask him to join. Elisha once refused to leave Elijah's side and this behavior is similar in that they wish to remain close to their mentor.
6:4-5 So Elisha joins them and they begin cutting down trees with an iron ax. But the ax falls into the water and the holder of it cries out in alarm. He is upset because he borrowed the ax and shamed to have lost someone's property. He cries out for Elisha's help.
6:6-7 Elisha asks where the ax feel and is shown the place. The prophet cuts a stick and throws it into the water; the iron begins to float. Elisha instructs the man to retrieve the now visible iron ax. The man reaches out and retrieves it (God has done his part, man has done his). There is beauty in the mutual effort between God and one of his children. When we cannot, figuratively, reach something, He places us on His shoulders to reach it for ourselves. He provides what we need to be strong and independent and able.
This simple occurrence speaks an important lesson: when we are earnest, respectful and hard-working individuals, God will now allow what is important to us to be out of reach. If need be, God will rewrite the laws of the universe to bless and protect His children.
The prophets of the Bible bring about spectacular miracles and each of them serve to give us hope and an understanding of God's willingness and ability to provide for us. God earnestly seeks to ensure His children are full of pure and radiant joy. Nothing is too small or insignificant to trust Him with. Whatever you believe you have lost, or want and do not have, if it belongs in your life and contributes to your joy, He will help you find it. If it does not, He will replace it; He will tailor a blessing more suited to you and more extraordinary than you hoped for.
6:8-10 The recent corrupt kings of Israel could not be trust by God to protect His children, the body of people they reigned over. Therefore, God provides prophets to support and protect in the areas the kings did not. The Syrian army begins an effort against Israel and plan a place of attack. Elisha informs the king to stay away from that specific area. The kings sends a scout to keep watchful in that place.
6:11-12 The king of Syria is annoyed that Israel has received intelligence on their would-be surprise attack. He suspects a spy, but none of his men betrayed him. God is the spy. The king's servants tell him that the culprit is Elisha, God's prophet. The servant tells the king that Elisha even knows what the kings speaks in the most private places.
6:13 The king commands his army to find Elisha and capture him.
6:14-15 Elisha and his students awake early to find the Syrian army in their midst. (Again we see God's sense of humor. The prophets are entrusted with beautiful, miraculous work but none of it easy and all of it requiring great courage. After all, how would you like to awake to an enemy army outside of your bedroom because God told you something you were not supposed to know?). Elisha's students panic and ask him what to do.
6:16 Elisha's first words are: do not fear. This is advice directly from God; He tells us not to fear many times in scripture because He has the situation, every situation we entrust Him with, under control.
6:17 Elisha then prays to God, asking Him to open the eyes (spiritually) of his fearful servant. The servant is able to see the roaring protection of God encircling Elijah. No enemy could ever pass the barrier. Regardless of the situation outside the building, Elisha and his students were safe.
We would benefit from praying to God in the same manner: a prayer to see from His perspective in times of fear. A prayer that would bring comfort and reassurance of His impenetrable defense over us.
6:18 Elisha prays that these enemies be struck with blindness; and God indeed does so. The corrupt men are already spiritually blind, otherwise they would not challenge God, His prophet or His children. The blindness rendered the army vulnerable entirely to Elisha. Certainly our enemies are unable to see the massive, intimidating defense God places around us. But it changes our life to be aware of it, the spiritual army He positions around us.
6:19-20 Elisha leads the spiritual blind army into Samaria. When they arrive, Elisha asks God to open their eyes (literally) to teach a spiritual message.
6:21-23 The Syrian army is suddenly brought into the presence of the king of Israel. The king asks Elisha if he should kill the men, but Elisha tells him not to kill his captives. They have already learned how easily God can make them submissive.
Instead, Elisha tells the king to prepare a feast for them. After the feast, Elisha sends them home and no other raiders return to from Syria. Elisha fed them the truth of God's power and it was enough to keep them away. There was no need to kill. From this we learn how much our enemies truly dangle from our own fingers (as long as we give God authority over the works of our hands).
So although God asks His prophets and frequently even his children to do courageous things, we can trust that He has made our enemies submissive to His will. He has provided protection for our mission, as long as our mission is a righteous one. Elisha did not wish to kill his enemies. He only wished to teach them, and also to teach his ministry students, that God is in control.
Humanity is allowed free will by God. He allows us to play kingdom and battle and war here on earth but all of our actions come to a screeching halt at His command, if He commands it. And He does give the halt command whenever any enemy assembles against one of His righteous children. He has full authority over every atom in this universe.
Indeed God has a sense of humor; He can afford to have one. He can afford to allow enemies to surround His children because He has the power to completely disintegrate them, no matter how close they get. God does not find humor in our fear, His finds enjoyment in our astonishment at how quickly He quells it.
6:24-30 Although some Syrians begin to fear God, the king does not. He surrounds Samaria and effectively causes a famine. Israel is still not an entirely faithful nation; it is led by a corrupt king and though Elisha is working tirelessly to restore the faith, it is not complete. God fully protects those who ask Him to. But if people choose false gods, He respects their decision. Therefore, Israel's main defense depended on inanimate objects. The faithlessness therefore leaves the corrupt king of Israel's city vulnerable to enemies. The famine becomes severe and gruesome.
6:31 The king of Israel becomes furious and blames Elisha for the famine; he threatens to kill the prophet.
6:32-33 The king sends men after Elisha but Elisha informed before the messenger even reaches him. Elisha tells the elders sitting with him that the king himself will follow after his messengers. The king comes himself, not even waiting for the messengers to complete their mission first, because he begins to admit his own blame in the situation; he feels that the calamity has been brought by God. He understands that resolution can only come through his acknowledgement of God. The famine captures the attention of the corrupt and forces them to consider their lifestyles.
