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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadWorks of Arthur Pink: Pink, Arthur - Gleanings From Elisha: 21-Thirteenth Miracle - Eyes With New Sight
TOPIC: Pink, Arthur - Gleanings From Elisha (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 21-Thirteenth Miracle - Eyes With New Sight
Other Subjects in this Topic:
THIRTEENTH MIRACLE-EYES WITH NEW SIGHT
Chapter 21
In this incident we see Elisha discharging a different line of duty. No
longer do we see him engaged in ministering to the young prophets, but
instead we find him faithfully rendering valuable assistance to his
sovereign. Once more the lust of blood or booty moved the king of Syria
to war against Israel. Following the advice of his military counselors,
he decided to encamp in a certain place through which the king of Israel
was apt to pass, expecting to catch him and his retainers. God acquainted
Elisha with his master's peril, and accordingly the prophet went and
warned him. By heeding him, the king was preserved from the snare set for
him. It is required of us, as we have opportunity, to "do good unto all
men" (Gal_6:10). True, the Christian is not endowed with the
extraordinary gifts of Elisha; nevertheless he has a responsibility
toward his king or ruler. Not only is he divinely commanded to "Honour
the king" (1Pe_2:17), but "I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for
all men: For kings, and for all that are in authority" (1Ti_2:1-2). We
come now to the thirteenth miracle.
First, the Connection of the Miracle
"Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his
servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp" (2 Kings
6:8). Clearly, the opening "Then" bids us pay attention to the
connection. From a literary viewpoint we regard our present incident as
the sequel to what is mentioned in 2 Kings 5, taking 2Ki_6:1-7 as a
parenthesis, thereby emphasizing the base ingratitude of the Syrian
monarch for the miraculous healing of his commander-in-chief in the land
of Israel. There he had written a personal letter to Israel's king (2
Kings 5:5-6) to recover Naaman from his leprosy; but here he has evil
designs upon him. That he should invade the land of Samaria so soon after
such a remarkable favor had been rendered to him, made worse his offense
and made more manifest his wicked character. It is wrong for us to return
evil for evil, for vengeance belongeth alone unto the Lord; but to return
evil for good is a sin of double enormity; yet how often have we treated
God thus!
But there is another way in which this opening "Then" may be regarded,
namely, by linking it unto the typical significance of what is recorded
in 2Ki_6:1-7. We suggested a threefold application of that miracle.
First, this miracle supplies a picture of the sinner's redemption.
Viewing it thus, what is the next thing he should expect to meet with?
Why, the rage of the enemy, and this is illustrated by the attack of the
king of Syria.
Second, this miracle may also be regarded as showing the Christian how a
lost blessing is to be retrieved. And when the believer has peace, joy,
and assurance restored to him, what is sure to follow? This, "Then the
king of Syria warred against Israel." Nothing so maddens Satan as the
sight of a happy saint-blessed is it to see in what follows how his evil
designs were thwarted.
Third, this miracle can also be viewed as portraying how the Christian
may grow in grace-by mortifying his members which are upon the earth. And
if he does, and enters into an enlarged spiritual experience, then he may
expect to be an object of the enemy's renewed assaults; yet he shall not
be overcome by him.
"Then the king of Syria warred against Israel." Yes, my reader, there
were wars in those days; human nature has been the same in each
generation and in all countries. So far from war being a new thing, the
history of nations-both ancient and modern, civilized and uncivilized-is
little more than a record of animosities, intrigues, and fightings.
"Their feet are swift to shed blood" (Rom_3:15) is one of the solemn
indictments which God has made against the whole human family. There is
no hint anywhere that Ben-hadad had received any provocation from Israel;
it was just his own wicked greed and bloodthirstiness which moved him.
And this in spite of a serious defeat he had suffered on a previous
occasion (1Ki_20:1, 26-30). "The heart of the sons of men is fully
set in them to do evil" (Ecc_8:11), and nothing but the restraining
hand of God can stop them from executing their desires and devices.
Neither solemn warnings nor kindly favors-as this man had recently
received-will soften their hearts, unless the Lord is pleased to sanctify
the same unto them.
"Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his
servants" (2Ki_6:8). He asked not counsel of the Lord, for He was a
stranger to him. We are glad to see no mention is made here of Naaman. It
was with his "servants" rather than "the captain of the host" (2 Kings
5:1) he now conferred. We would hope that it was against the remonstrance
of Naaman rather than with his approval that the king now acted. Yet what
daring impiety to attack a people whose God wrought such marvels! If he
had been impressed by the healing of his general, the impression speedily
faded. "Saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp" (2Ki_6:8).
From the sequel it would appear that this particular "place" was one
through which the king of Israel had frequent occasion to pass; thus
Benhadad evidently laid a careful ambush for him there. Thus it is with
the great enemy of our souls: he knows both our ways and our weaknesses,
and where he is most likely to gain an advantage over us. But as
carefully as he made his plans, this king reckoned without the Most High.
Second, the Occasion of the Miracle
"And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that
thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down" (2
Kings 6:9). Yes, the king of Syria had left the living God out of his
calculations. God is fully acquainted with the thoughts and intents of
His enemies and, with the utmost ease, can bring them to naught. The
methods which He employs in providence are as varied as His works in
creation. On this occasion He did not employ the forces of nature, as He
did at the Red Sea when He overthrew Pharoah and his hosts. Nor did He
bid the king of Israel engage Ben-hadad in battle and enable him to
vanquish his enemy. Instead, He prompted His servant to give his royal
master warning and made the king believe him. The lesson for us is
important. God does not always use the same method in His interpositions
on our behalf. The fact that He came to my relief for deliverance in a
certain manner in the past is no guarantee that He will follow the same
course or use the same means now. This is to lift our eyes above all
secondary causes to the Lord Himself.
Observe that it was "the man of God" not merely "Elisha" who went with
this warning. "The Lord GOD... revealeth his secret unto his servants the
prophets" (Amo_3:7). Thus it was in his official character that he went
to the king with this divine message. Just previously he had used his
extraordinary powers to help one of his students; here he befriended his
sovereign. Whatever gift God has bestowed on his servants, it is to be
used for the good of others. One of their principal duties is to employ
the spiritual knowledge they have received in warning those in peril. How
merciful God is in warning both sinners and saints of the place of
danger! How thankful we should be when a man of God puts us on our guard
against an evil which we suspected not! How many disastrous experiences
shall we be spared if we heed the cautions given us by the faithful
messengers of Christ. It is at our peril and to our certain loss if, in
our pride and self-will, we disregard their timely "beware that thou pass
not such a place."
The course which the Lord took in delivering the king of Israel from the
ambush set for him may not have flattered his self-esteem, any more than
Timothy's was when Paul bade him "flee youthful lusts"; yet we may
perceive the wisdom of it. God was enforcing the king's responsibility.
He gave him fair warning of his danger; if he disregarded it then his
blood was on his own head. So it is with us. The particular locality of
peril is not named. The Syrian had said, "In such and such a place shall
be my camp," and, "Beware that thou pass not such a place" was the
prophet's warning. That the king would identify it in his mind is clear
from the sequel. Yet since there is nothing meaningless in Scripture,
there must be a lesson for us in its not being specifically named. We are
plainly informed in the Word that our arch foe lies in wait to ensnare
us. Sometimes a particular danger is definitely described; at others it
is (as here) more generally mentioned-that we may ever be on our guard,
pondering "the path of our feet" (Pro_4:26).
Though Satan may propose, God will both oppose and dispose. Before
passing on to the sequel, let us link up what has just been before us
with the typical teaching of the previous miracle-as the opening "Then"
of verse 8 of 2 Kings 6 and the connecting "And" of 2Ki_6:9
require-and complete the line of thought set out in our third paragraph
above. When a sinner has been delivered from the power of darkness and
translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, he at once becomes the
object of the devil's enmity; but God has graciously made provision for
his security and prevents the enemy from ever completely vanquishing him.
Likewise when a believer has been enabled to regain his peace and joy,
Satan will renew his efforts to encompass his downfall; but his attempts
will be foiled, for since the believer is now in communion with God, he
has light on his path and clearly perceives the place to be avoided. So
also when by means of mortification the Christian enjoys an enlarged
spiritual experience, Satan will lay a fresh snare for him; but it will
be in vain, for such a one will receive and heed divine warning.
"And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God [not
'Elisha'!] had told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not
once nor twice" (2Ki_6:10). Here we see the king's skepticism (cf. 2
Kings 5:7). He had some respect for the prophet's message or he would
have disregarded it, yet he had not full confidence therein or he would
not have "sent" to investigate. It was well for him that he went to that
trouble, for thereby he obtained definite corroboration and found the
caution he had received was not groundless. Ah, my reader, the warnings
of God's servants are not idle ones, and it is our wisdom to pay the most
serious heed to them. But alas, while most of our fellow men will pay
attention to warnings against physical and temporal dangers, they are
deaf concerning their spiritual and eternal perils. There is a real sense
in which we are required to emulate Israel's king here: we are to follow
no preacher blindly, but we must test his warnings, investigating them in
the light of Scripture: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good"
(1Th_5:21) and thereby we shall obtain divine corroboration.
"Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this
thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show
me which of us is for the king of Israel" (2Ki_6:11). It never
crossed his mind that it was the Lord who was thwarting him. Being a
stranger to Him, he had no place in his thoughts for God; and therefore
he sought a natural explanation. Instead of recognizing that God was on
the side of Israel and blaming himself, he was chagrined at the failure
of his plan. He suspected a traitor in his camp and sought a scapegoat.
"And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the
prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou
speakest in thy bedchamber" (2Ki_6:12). Even the heathen are not in
entire ignorance of God; they have sufficient light and knowledge of Him
to render them "without excuse" (Rom_1:19-20, 2:14-15). Much more so is
this the case with unbelievers in Christendom. This verse also shows how
the spirituality and power of a true servant of God is recognized even by
his enemies. The spokesman here may have been one of those who formed the
retinue of Naaman when he came to Elisha and was healed of his leprosy.
Yet observe there was no recognition and owning of God here. There was no
acknowledgment that He was the one who revealed such secrets to His
servants, no terming of Elisha "the man of God," but simply "the prophet
that is in Israel." He was regarded merely as a "seer," possessing
magical powers. Neither God nor His servant is accorded His rightful
place by any but His own people.
Third, the Location of the Miracle
This miracle occurred at Dothan, which was to the west of Jordan, in the
northeast portion of Samaria. Significantly enough, Do-than means "double
feast," and from Gen_37:16-17 we learn it was the place where the
flocks were fed. "And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send
and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan" (2
Kings 6:13). Even now, the Syrian monarch was unwilling to recognize that
he was fighting against Jehovah, but determined to remove this obstacle
in the way of a successful carrying out of his campaign, even though that
obstacle was a prophet. God allowed him to have his own way up to this
point, that he might discover he was vainly flinging himself against
God's "brick wall" and be made to feel his own impotency.
This verse illustrates the persistence of our great adversary, who will
not readily accept defeat. As the Syrian now sought to secure the one who
had come between him and his desired victim, so the devil makes special
efforts to silence those who successfully warn the ones he would like to
take captive.
"Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host [of
infantry]: and they came by night, and compassed the city about" (2 Kings
6:14). That he had some realization of the power Elisha wielded is
evident by the strength and size of the force he now sent forth to take
him prisoner. Yet the fact that he did not deem him to be invincible is
shown by the plan he put into operation. Though the wicked are rendered
uneasy by the stirrings of conscience and their convictions that they are
doing wrong and following a course of madness, yet they silence the one
and treat the other as vain superstitions, and continue in their sinful
career. The surrounding of Dothan "by night" illustrates the truth that
the natural man prefers the darkness to the light, and signifies that our
adversary follows a policy of stealth and secrecy, ever seeking to take
us unawares, especially when we are asleep.
Fourth, the Subject of the Miracle
"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth,
behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his
servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?" (2Ki_6:15).
Notice its subject is termed a servant, not of "Elisha" but of "the man
of God." It is in such small but perfect details that the devout student
loves to see the handiwork of the Holy Spirit, evidencing as it does the
verbal inspiration of the Scriptures-God guiding each penman in the
selection of every word he employed. This man, the successor of Gehazi,
was new in the prophet's service, and therefore he was now being tested
and taught. When a young believer throws in his lot with the people of
God he will soon discover they are hated by the world; but he is called
upon to share their reproach. Let not his older brethren expect too much
from him while he is young and inexperienced; not until he has learned to
walk by faith will he be undaunted by the difficulties and perils of the
way.
"Alas, my master! how shall we do?" See here a picture of a young, weak,
timid, distracted believer. Is not the picture true to life? Cannot all
of us recall its exact replica in our own past experience? How often have
we been nonplussed by the trials of the way and the opposition we have
encountered. Quite likely this "young man" (2Ki_6:17) thought he
would have a smooth path in the company of the man of God, and yet here
was a situation that frightened him. And did we never entertain a similar
hope? And when our hope was not realized, did we never give utterance to
an unbelieving "Alas!" How shall we act-shutting God completely out of
our view, with no hope of deliverance, no expectation of His showing
Himself strong on our behalf? If memory enables us to see here a past
representation of ourselves, then let compassion cause us to deal
leniently and gently with others who are similarly weak and fearful.
It should be borne in mind that the young believer has become,
constitutionally, more fearful than unbelievers. Why so? Because his
self-confidence and self-sufficiency has been shattered. He has become as
"a little child," conscious of his own weakness. So far so good; the
great thing now is for him to learn where his strength lies. It should
also be pointed out that Christians are menaced by more numerous and more
formidable foes than was Elisha's servant, "For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places" (Eph_6:12). Well might we tremble and be more distrustful
of ourselves were we more conscious of the supernatural beings opposing
us. "And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than
they that be with them" (2Ki_6:16). A realization of that will dispel
our doubts and quiet our fears. "Greater is he that is in you, than he
that is in the world" (1Jo_4:4).
Fifth, the Means of the Miracle
"And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he
may see" (2Ki_6:17). How blessed is this! "Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee"
(Isa_26:3). There was no trepidation on the part of Elisha; perfect
peace was his, and therefore could he say, "Fear not" to his trembling
companion. Note there is no scolding of his servant, but instead a
turning to the Lord on his behalf. At first the writer was puzzled at the
"Elisha prayed" rather than the "man of God"; but pondering this brought
out a precious lesson. It was not in his official character that he
prayed, but simply as a personal believer-to show us that God is ready to
grant the petition of any child of His who asks in simple faith and
unselfish concern for another.
Sixth, the Marvel of the Miracle
"And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold,
the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha"
(2Ki_6:17). Proof was this of his "they that be with us are more than
they that be with them": the invisible guard was now made visible to the
eyes of his servant. Blessed illustration is this that, "The angel of the
LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them" (Ps.
34:7). "Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb_1:14).
Doubtless the angels took the form of "horses and chariots" on this
occasion because of the Syrian horses and chariots which "compassed
Dothan" (2Ki_6:14). What could horses of flesh and material chariots
do against celestial ones of fire! That they were personal beings is
clear from the "they" of 2Ki_6:16; that they were angels may also be
gathered from a comparison with Heb_1:7 and 2Th_1:7-8.
Seventh, the Meaning of the Miracle
Here we are shown how to deal with a young and fearing Christian. The
strong "ought to bear the infirmities of the weak" (Rom_15:1 ). Many of
God's little ones are living far below their privileges, failing to
apprehend the wondrous provisions which God has made for them. They are
walking far too much by sight, occupied with the difficulties of the way
and those opposing them. First, such are not to be browbeaten or
upbraided; that will do no good, for unbelief is not removed by such a
method. Second, their alarm is to be quietened with calm and confident
"Fear not," backed up with, "For they that be with us are more than they
that be with them," and, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom.
8:31), showing their fears are needless. Third, definite prayer is to be
made for the shrinking one that the Lord will operate on and in him, for
God alone can open his spiritual eyes to see the sufficience of His
provision for him.
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