God’s Sovereignty seen by Elisha, 2 Kings 6

Theme

Spiritual sight and blindness and God’s sovereignty over man’s ability to perceive spiritual and temporal truth.

Time: About 850 to 845 BC.

Personalities

King of Israel: Jehoram, son of Ahab. Jehoram was the 4th and last king of the Omride dynasty, and became king after his brother Ahaziah fell thru a second story lattice and was mortally injured (2 Kings 1). He suppressed the Baal worship of his mother and father, Ahab and Jezebel, but continued the calf worship at Dan and Bethel that was begun in the reign of Jeroboam (2 Kings 3). He was a contemporary of Jehoshaphat of Judah, with whom he had formed a military alliance to put down a rebellion in Moab. (Moab was a vassal state to Israel at that time.) We see from the account of the Moabite campaign that Elisha did not respect Jehoram as a God-fearing king, since Elisha directed him to consult the prophets of Baal kept by his mother and father.

King of Syria: Benhadad II, son of Benhadad I. Name hadad seems to be related to the Syrian god Rimmon, so his name would mean the son of Rimmon. This passage of Scripture recounts the events of the 3rd of 4 conflicts Benhadad II fought with the Northern kingdom. Syria, which became a dominant power in the region, had expanded its territory at Israel’s expense under Benhadad I (see the account of Israel’s King Baasha and Judah’s King Asa in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 16). Syria was the dominant power of the region from this time until the Assyrians conquered them and destroyed the Northern Kingdom in 721 BC.

Geography

Dothan, a fortified hill town where Elisha lived. Dothan is approximately 10 miles north of Samaria (Jehoram’s capital) and 45 miles north of Jerusalem.

Background

Benhadad II was launching raids into Israel, perhaps designed to lessen the overall defensive ability of the country in some way. The account seems to indicate a type of guerrilla warfare where Benhadad sought to avoid a pitched battle, but instead inflicted military or economic damage on the Northern Kingdom.

The sight of Elisha and the blindness of the unsaved

2 Kings 6:8-10

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. 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. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

Benhadad’s raids into Israel attempted to exploit weakly protected areas in the Northern Kingdom.

The first instance of the theme of “sight and blindness” is presented in these verses. Benhadad attempted to surprise the Israelites, but God, all seeing, passed vital intelligence of Syrian moves to Elisha, who warned Jehoram. Jehoram was willing to receive Elisha’s warnings of temporal danger in this instance. He was willing to act on a supernatural revelation by God to Elisha regarding temporal conditions. Contrast this with Jehoram’s unwillingness to accept spiritual advice regarding his condition and stewardship of the nation. Men are often willing to accept insights regarding material well being, but are seldom willing to hear of their spiritual well being. Jehoram heeded Elisha's warnings of temporal danger, but ignored his spiritual warnings. Matthew Henry said that people will head warnings that save one’s life, but still ignore warnings that will save the soul.

Jehoram typifies the living aspect of the unsaved’s natural, physical person and the deadness of their spiritual soul. The theme of man’s blindness, God’s sovereign action in permitting some to see, and especially God’s work in controlling the actions of the uncalled for the benefit of those He has called, runs throughout this passage. One marvels at the blindness of the unsaved to “get it”, especially Benhadad and Jehoram, but recognizing the dual nature of man (spiritual and physical) and especially the dead state of the unsaved soul as taught in Scripture provides the only valid insight into man's foolishness.

Benhadad typifies the enemies of God, who are always looking to spoil His people where ever and whenever an opportunity exists to do so, but God is completely in control of all situations and the Knower of all men’s hearts. God demonstrated His sovereignty in the passage by direct revelations to man (which we have today, in Scripture), answers to prayer, the ability to reveal conditions to faithful and faithless men alike, and the ability to use faithful and faithless men alike to accomplish His will.

For warnings to be effective to the hearer, they must be heeded (Ezekiel 33 -- the watchman). God's purpose is always fulfilled, however. Moses gave God's Word to Pharoah, but God had intended it to harden Pharoah's heart (Exodus 7). God's Word always accomplishes the purpose for which it is sent (Isaiah 55:11), whether to save (Romans 1:16) or to harden (Isaiah 6:9-10). This passage highlights the critical necessity of receiving teaching and exhortation in light of sound doctrine, heeding the warnings of God’s Word in our lives (James 1:21).
 

Benhadad finds a "leak" - Naaman’s witness continues

2 Kings 6:11-12

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 shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? 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.

Benhadad rightly attributed his lack of success in this campaign against Israel to an “intelligence leak”. As a heathen, he accused his lieutenants of treason, attributing his own base motives to those around him, unable to consider that God saw his heart, including all of his schemes. Contrast this attitude with the one that should be displayed by believers (I Corinthians 13). A readiness to attribute evil motives to others can sometimes be a warning sign regarding one's own heart-attitude.

One of Benhadad’s servants recalled how God's power was manifested by Elisha’s dealings with Naaman. Note that:

The lieutenant had no limitations in his belief - he was ready to attribute anything to the power of Elisha based on the witness of Naaman. However, this type of belief did not (and does not) produce saving faith, Just as many of Christ's miricles did not bring the Jewish rulers to faith. Christ's miricle of raising Lazarus was a clear demonstration of His power and of His Messianic office, but only incited the rulers to murder Him (John 11:45-53).

An evil trap is designed for God’s man

2 Kings 6:13-14

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. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

It is possible that Benhadad knew of Elisha’s predecessor Elijah calling down fire from heaven to consume several platoons of men sent to fetch him by King Ahaziah (1 Kings 1). It is also possible that he, like his lieutenant, attributed great powers to Elisha, who had demonstrated God’s power over Naaman’s leprosy (2 Kings 5:1-19). Or, he may simply have decided to send a force large enough to overpower any counter-force sent by Jehoram, guided by Elisha’s intelligence. Benhadad was took no chances, at least in his own mind.

God’s sovereignty over natural and spiritual sight

2 Kings 6:15-16

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? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

The presence of an unnamed servant indicates a successor to Gehazi, who proved unqualified to serve the man of God (2 Kings 5:20-27). Like Benhadad and Jehoram, Elisha’s new servant was able to see the physical manifestation of Benhadad’s military threat, but completely unable to perceive the spiritual situation until he was permitted to see by God.
Spiritual understanding of the reasons for a sound trust in God's faithfulness was available to the servant by means of the Scriptures:

Elisha may or may not have been able to physically see the army of God protecting him, but it is clear that he saw the protecting army of God by faith, just as his mentor Elijah spiritually heard the sound of a mighty storm in I Kings 18:44. Spurgeon notes that the old saw of “seeing is believing” is not true, but to the Christian “believing is seeing” when we trust in God and His promises. This account of Elisha demonstrates that principle.

The spiritual view of these heavenly armies gave peace to Elisha, while those about him were in panic and confusion. Elisha exhibits the attitude of David in Psalm 18:

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Today, the Scriptures are the source of spiritual sight, as Psalms 119:105 says: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Elisha's spiritual sight did not cause him to be haughty and puffed up. Instead, he demonstrated a deep understanding and a deep care for his servant, which is shown by his actions. This is shown by his speaking to the servant’s fears. The word Elisha spoke in verse 16 demonstrates his knowledge of Scripture. This is an example of the need to know the Word of God and apply it, not only in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us.

God’s will working thru Elisha’s prayer

2 Kings 6:17

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 fire round about Elisha.

Elisha cared for his servant by praying for him, and by praying for what he knew to be his servant’s need. He could not make his servant see; only God could do this work. The servant needed to have God reveal His great power to him. For the servant to use the wonderful promises of the Psalms, he not only had to know them, but he needed the spiritual sight to apply their principles to his heart.) This does not imply that the servant was saved during this experience, since Balaam’s sight was also opened by God under similar circumstances.)

Furthermore, Elisha prayed for his servant rather than trying to convince him of God’s care. Spiritual sight or conversion are not a matters of which one can be convinced -- in an individual, it is the grace of God that allows the heart to see and believe. John 1:12-13 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Under the topic of Efficacious Grace in his Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge tells us:

“It is no less clear that efficacious grace is not of the nature of “moral suasion.” By moral suasion is meant the influence exerted by one mind over the acts and states of another mind, by the presentation of truth and motives, by expostulations, entreaty, appeals, etc. Under the influence of this kind of moral power, the mind yields or refuses. Its decision is purely its own, and within its own power. There is nothing of all of this in the exercise of omnipotence. Healing the sick by a word, is an essentially different process form healing him by medicine. A living man may be persuaded not to commit suicide; but a dead man cannot be persuaded into life. If regeneration be effected by the volition, the command, the almighty power of God, it certainly is not produced by a process of argument or persuasion.”
Even though God is sovereign over the calling of men’s souls, Elisha still exhibited both outward and private, prayerful inward concern for the spiritual and physical well being of his servant. Christians are called to have compassion for the lost, both in prayer and witness. No more is heard about the servant after this point. God answered Elisha’s first prayer -- Matthew Henry observes that “The opening of our eyes will be the silencing of our fears”. Today for believers, God provides His Scriptures as the means of opening our eyes to His will for us.

Spiritual Blindness -- its nature

2 Kings 6:18

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 blindness according to the word of Elisha.

Dothan stood on a hill in the midst of a plain, but the Syrians may have deployed on a ridge that projected onto the plain. Therefore, as Elisha had come out of the city to meet the Syrians, they had to come down to meet him.

Elisha asked God to strike the army with blindness, but this was not blindness in the literal sense. The Syrians did not recognize Elisha nor, later in the passage, the city of Samaria, but they could see Elisha and follow him on the road to Samaria. God removed their ability to recognize certain things and people. This is the view of Calvin, Keil, and Matthew Henry. This is the sort of blindness referred to in Isaiah 59:10 "We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men" and Isaiah 6:9-10 "And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed."

The word translated “blindness” twice in this verse is the Hebrew word “sanvarim”, a plural noun which means sudden blindness. The only other place where this word occurs is during a similar blinding of the Sodomites by Lot’s heavenly visitors in Genesis 19:11. John Calvin has this observation concerning this blindness:

“Whereas, Moses says, that the men were smitten with blindness, we are not so to understand it, as if they had been deprived of eyesight; but that their vision was rendered so dull, that they could distinguish nothing. This miracle was more illustrious, than if their eyes had been thrust out, or entirely blinded; because with their eyes open, they feel about, just like blind men, and seeing, yet do not see. At the same time, Moses wishes to describe their iron obstinacy: they do not find Lot’s door; it follows then, that they had labored in seeking it; but, in this manner, they furiously wage war with God. This, however, has happened, not once only, and not with the men of Sodom alone; but is daily fulfilled in the reprobate, whom Satan fascinates with such madness, that when stricken by the mighty hand of God, they proceed with stupid obstinacy to advance against him. And we need not seek far, for an instance of such conduct; we see with what tremendous punishments God visits wandering lusts; and yet the world ceases not, with desperate audacity, to rush into the certain destruction which is set before their eyes.”
Some of God's incomprehensible power and the severity and finality of His judgement of sin and sinners is demonstated here. God's actions also highlight the infinite nature of the grace which He has bestowed upon believers and the mighty power of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. God's sovereignty over spiritual sight and blindness is reinforced by our Lord’s words from John 9:39 "And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind."

God’s plan continues uninterrupted, but Benhadad’s goes awry

2 Kings 6:19-20

And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria. And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

Elisha demonstrated God’s power to reveal what He wills to whom He wills. Since Elisha was not in the city of Dothan when he met the Syrian army, he brought them to the city he was in when he got there -- Samaria. (This is a little bit like the old story of “if you lived here, you’d be home by now”.) The Syrians were allowed to see Elisha in God’s time and in God’s place.
Elisha again prayed and God, who willed to use the prayers of Elisha to carry out His plan twice before in this passage, for the third time used Elisha’s prayer to bring His designs to pass.

The success of God’s Plan was total:

2 Kings 6:21-23

And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest 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 prepared 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 events that must have seemed strange to Elisha’s servant, Jehoram, and Benhadad. Perhaps even Elisha himself did not know the final outworking of events that he participated in, since God often develops obedience in His servants in this fashion.

God’s discipline had its effect on Jehoram: he asked whether he should command the Syrians to be slain. Two lessons for Jehoram in this matter were His father Ahab’s failure to slay Benhadad in I Kings 20:35-43, and Saul’s failure to destroy Agag the Amalekite King in I Samuel 15.

But, as God showed Moses when he was commanded to speak to the Rock in Numbers 20, or as He showed David in waiting for the sound of the wind in the mulberry trees during his second battle with the Philistines in 2 Samuel 5:17-25, God does not always use the same method, and His purposes and plans are not always given to us. Blindly following the same course in a similar situation without consulting God in prayer leads to legalism. Spurgeon advises that, rather than attempting to keep the law, “it would be better far for us to look up to Him who has kept the law on His people’s behalf . . .”.

May God grant us all the sight to be able to see the Savior.

Resources

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew Henry

Commentaries on the First Book of Moses Called Genesis, John Calvin

Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge

Commentary on the Old Testament, Keil and Delitzsch

The Zondervon Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, ed. by Merrill Tenney

Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit sermon #3117, “Eyes Opened”, Charles H. Spurgeon

Atlas of the Historical Geography of the Holy Land, ed. by George Adam Smith

Chronological Charts of the Old Testament, John H. Walton


(back to studies page)