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2 Kings 8:7-10 An unexpected house guest - Day 300

Trying to catch up a little bit.  Spending our last Sunday in Madison.  Another example of picking a passage weeks ago and having it relate to the sermon of the day.

Blessings,

Jeff

Several questions jump out of this passage.

Why does Elisha go to the capital of Israel's enemy? Why does the king of Syria think Elisha can answer his question?  What difference does it who is the king of Syria make in redemptive history?

Possible answers:

The Syrian army has just fled for their lives from a non-existent physical opponent.  What do they say to the king when they show up in Damascus and there is no army following them?  There are no casualties, no  one is injured.  Maybe they said, It was the God of Israel who threw us into confusion and chaos.  

King of Syria had sent Naaman to Israel to be healed and he came back healed.  Syrian army had been sent to capture Elisha, they were temporarily blinded, captured by Israel and then sent home.  And now his army came back with the story about hearing an army approaching them.  So maybe the penny finally dropped for the king when Elisha shows up.  

On the other side of the story is Jehoram, the king of Israel.  He has been the beneficiary of all these things and remains committed to idolatry, denying the living God, the Holy One of Israel.  The penny has definitely not dropped for him.  While Ben-hadad has inflicted some suffering on Israel, Hazael (one who sees God) is to do even worse.  

Writing this after Jonathan's sermon on man born blind and the question of suffering.  God has his purposes.  He was constantly exposing Israel to His power by delivering them despite their rebellion.  Have you had enough yet?  Are you finally going to come to your senses? 


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