THE KING’S BUSINESS
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well as safe. These horses and chariots, unseen to the natural eye, were real. The The horses and chariots were there before the servant saw them, so he was safe; but things that we cannot see are as rear as the things we see. v. 18. “And when they came down to him, .Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blind ness according to the word of Elisha." Here we see God acting according to the word of a man: it is a wonderful thought that the infinite God is ready to do as we say. But God will not act according to every man’s word: God acted according to Elisha’s word because Elisha acted accord ing to His word (1 John 3:22; Prov. 26:9). vs. 22-23. “And he answered, Thou shall not smite them: wouldst thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. And he pre pared great provision for them: and when they had .eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.” These ancient people, so many hundreds of years before Christ, car ried on war in a more humane and noble manner than professedly Christian monarchs do today. This generous treatment of his enemies on the part of the King of Israel paid. It brought abiding peace to the land. The generous treatment of enemies always pays. Questions: How was the ehild Jesus saved from Herod? Matt. 2:13-16. How did God frustrate Isaac’s plan to give Esau the blessing ? Gen. 27:27-29. What is wiser than the counsel of men? 1 Cor. 1:25. Is it possible to outwit God? Héb. 4:13. What do the wicked say? Ps. 73:11. ,
v. 16. "And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them," Elisha himself was not at all afraid; he could see what the ser vant could not. In the servant we have the “despair of sense” : in Elisha we have the “confidence of faith.” If we walk by sight, there will be much to fill us with fear, but there will never be anything to a ffright us if we walk by faith (John 14:1; Phil. 4:6, 7; Heb. 13:6; Isa. 12:2; Ps. .56:3). To his frightened servant, Elisha says “Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” We hear God con stantly saying in His Word, “Fear not” (Gen. 25:1; Ex. 14:13; Deut. 1:21; Ps. 3:6; 11:1 r 27:3; Isa. 41:10-13; Luke 12:32; Acts 18:9, 10; 27:42, etc.). The reason for not being afraid is worthy of especial note, “They that be with us are more than they that be with them.” This is always true of the believer; it often seems as if we were out-numbered, but in reality we never are (Rom. 8:31; 2 Chron. 32:7, 8; Matt. 28:20), : v.' 17. “And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of lire round about Elisha.” Elisha not merely reassured his servant; he prayed for him, prayed that his eyes might be opened. This was a most important prayer, and God heard it, and the servant’s eyes beheld “the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire” (cf. Ps. 68:17; Heb. 1 :13, 14; Matt. 26:53). now that he saw them he became sure as (1) Foreseeing Danger, vs. 8-12. The-king of Syria was at war with Is rael, v. 8. Elisha warned the king of Israel of a plot, v. 9. The king of Syria was troubled about it. ■v. 11. His servant informs him that Elisha, the prophet, has revealed the plot, v. 12.
LESSON OUTLINE
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