The Sword of Jehu – Pt. 1

2 Kings 8:25 – 9:37 (19:1-10)

 

Obviously you noticed that we are going to cover

A large portion of Scripture this morning.

 

There will be a lot of historical information come your way,

But hopefully in looking at this large sum,

We will also be able to see the point that is being made

About the seriousness of God’s judgment.

 

And as we have said in a couple of sermons,

This story doesn’t really start here.

 

This is now the 3rd and final piece of God’s prophetic puzzle.

Which He revealed to Elijah.

 

1 Kings 19:15-18 “The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. “It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

 

God revealed that the fires of revival would not change Israel

Instead, God would use the sword of judgment.

 

The sword would come in the hands of, Elisha, Hazael, and Jehu.

 

This morning we study the final piece of the puzzle,

And that is the man we call Jehu.

 

FIRST WE NEED TO SET THE SCENE

(8:25-27) “In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.”

 

Here we see yet another king rise to power.

This is the second king by this name.

 

Ahab was succeeded in Israel by Ahaziah and then Joram.

Jehoshaphat was succeeded in Judah by Joram and then Ahaziah

 

Two different kings, but they share the same name.

The problem was this king had the same problem as his father.

He was too heavily influenced by the household of Ahab.

 

2 Chronicles 22:1-4 “Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with the Arabs to the camp had slain all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.”

 

And so you see that the influence of Ahab has been far reaching.

It is bad enough that he completely corrupted the entire northern kingdom,

He is now corrupting the southern kingdom as well.

 

It is time for God to put a stop to the evil leaven of Ahab.

 

(8:28-29) “Then he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram. So King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick.”

 

Here we see that Ahaziah and Joram were real close,

For when Joram gets sick, Ahaziah goes to visit him.

 

What we don’t see recorded here is that this was all part of God’s plan

To bring both men together at the same time for destruction.

 

2 Chronicles 22:5-7 “He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the Arameans wounded Joram. So he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. Now the destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that he went to Joram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

 

God is doing this on purpose to completely remove

Ahab’s influence from the midst of Israel.

 

And that is the setting of the rise of Jehu.

 

God has gathered together these two kings who are very much of the school of Ahab, and now it is time for God to move.

 

Now, let’s see the rise and reign of Jehu.

2 main divisions to our text.

#1 THE SELECTION OF JEHU

2 Kings 9:1-13

 

• Elisha sends a prophet to Jehu

• Instructs him to find Jehu, take him into an inner room, anoint him, and run

 

THAT IS WHAT THE YOUNG PROPHET DOES.

 

AND NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS TO JEHU

It is Jehu’s destiny

 

(6-10) “He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. ‘You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. ‘For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male person both bond and free in Israel. ‘I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.'” Then he opened the door and fled.”

 

We notice that Jehu will be king over “the people of the LORD”.

 

It is a great reminder to kings that his subjects are God’s people.

It is a great reminder to preacher that his congregation is God’s flock.

 

Jehu would be a steward and one that must be found faithful.

This is not his kingdom, it is God’s kingdom.

These are not his people, they are God’s people.

 

He must do right, for God is the one who evaluates him.

 

FURTHERMORE WE SEE WHY GOD HAS RAISED JEHU UP.

It is to completely and thoroughly remove Ahab’s lineage from Israel.

 

And so the prophet anoints him, charges him,

And flees, just as Elisha told him to.

 

• Jehu then comes out, and all the captains are a little curious as to what happened.

 

• Jehu thought they had recognized him as a prophet and thought surely they knew, but they did not.

 

• And so Jehu told them, he said, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”

And at once the other captains instantly submitted themselves to Jehu

By proclaiming him as their king.

 

And we are reminded of just how smoothly God can make things work.

 

This whole thing could have failed at several levels.

Maybe the prophet refused to go…

Maybe Jehu refused to hear him out…

Maybe the other captains refuse to submit to Jehu…

 

But that wasn’t God’s plan.

 

God’s plan was that Jehu would be king, and it happened just that simple.

 

The Selection of Jehu

#2 THE SWORD OF JEHU

2 Kings 9:14-37 (14-16)

 

• Jehu wanted his information kept secret

• The army consents

• Jehu is on his way

 

READ (17-20)

 

The watchman sees Jehu coming and they want to know why.

 

They send a messenger who says, “Is it peace?”

 

They were not asking if he comes in peace,

That was taken for granted since he was commander of the army.

 

They wanted to know if he and the army had been victorious

In holding off the Arameans at Ramoth Gilead.

 

• Instead of sending the messenger back, Jehu enlists him

• Joram tries again, Jehu enlists him again

• The watchmen reports that is Jehu

 

READ (21-23)

 

And when Joram finds Jehu he asks the same question,

Only this time Jehu reveals the problem.

 

“Is it peace, Jehu?” – Did we get victory?

 

“What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel an her witchcrafts are so many?”

 

Jehu reveals that Joram is after the wrong kind of peace.

Aram isn’t your enemy, God is.

And there is no way you could possibly have peace with God

So long as you live in the wickedness began by your mother.

 

And all of a sudden Joram gets the message.

 

• He turns his chariot and screams, “There is treachery, O Ahaziah!”

 

AND THEN THE SWORD OF JEHU COMES OUT.

 

READ (24-26)

 

Jehu shot Joram with an arrow and it killed Jehu almost instantly,

And notice what Jehu did with his dead body.

 

(25) “Take him and cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite”

 

Jehu wasn’t buried, Jehu did not die in honor.

His body was thrown on the ground to rot and decay,

And be eaten by the birds of heaven

In the field that was taken by force by his father and mother.

 

JORAM DIED IN HUMILIATION

No funeral…

No glorious tomb…

No fancy burial garb…

 

In death he had the worth of a donkey.

There was no need to bury him, he wasn’t worth it.

 

Joram died in humiliation.

But Jehu wasn’t finished.

 

READ (27-29)

 

Now comes the death of Ahaziah, in which Jehu said, “Shoot him too, in the chariot.”

So they did, only he didn’t die there.

Scripture says he died in Megiddo and was brought home for burial.

 

The writer of Chronicles gives a little more information.

2 Chronicles 22:8-10 “It came about when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them. He also sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom. Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah.”

Apparently it was not the arrow shot that killed Ahaziah.

Jehu hunted him down along with those who ministered to him.

 

AHAZIAH DIED IN HIDING

 

He was not allowed to rest in his wickedness,

He had to remain on the run.

There was NO PEACE for him, NO COMFORT or security.

 

It is true that there is no peace for the wicked.

 

So Joram died in Humiliation

Ahaziah died in Hiding

But Jehu still isn’t finished

 

READ (30-37)

 

• When Jehu enters Jezreel, you would expect that Jezebel would also go into hiding, but she is much too arrogant for that.

 

• Instead she paints herself up to look like a Queen and boldly and confidently challenges Jehu.

 

(31) “Is it well, Zimri, your master’s murderer?”

 

DO YOU REMEMBER ZIMRI?

• He was the commander of Israel’s army who conspired against King Elah (son of Baasha) and killed him.

• But the army never supported him, instead they supported Omri (Ahab’s dad)

• Zimri reigned one week, and eventually burned his house down on top of himself.

 

Zimri was not anointed by the LORD, he took the honor and role of assassin upon himself, and it did not work well for him.

 

Jezebel now supposes that the same is true for Jehu.

She doesn’t expect him to last, and therefore she calls him Zimri.

 

But on this day, it is Jezebel who is mistaken.

 

Jehu asks if there are any up there with her on his side,

And when he finds some who are, he says, (33) “Throw her down”.

 

“So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses and he trampled her under foot.”

 

So Jezebel (the queen who lasted through the reign of 3 kings) was thrown down, and if that didn’t kill her, Jehu’s army of horses trampling her did.

 

Jehu then goes in to get a bite to eat and determines

That although she is wicked she still deserves a burial, but it is too late.

 

(35) “They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.”

 

Joram died in humiliation

Ahaziaih died in hiding

JEZEBEL DIED IN HORROR

 

It was a horrific way to die and sheer horror

To see her body ripped up and carried off by the dogs.

 

God is using Jehu to remove wickedness for Israel and Judah.

 

1 Kings 21:20-26 “Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. “Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin. “Of Jezebel also has the LORD spoken, saying, ‘ The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.’ “The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat.” Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife incited him. He acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the sons of Israel.”

 

And from that you and I should learn

That God does not make empty threats when it comes to judgment

 

When He promises judgment, He means it.

It is not a possibility, His judgment on the wicked is a certainty.

 

Ahab and his lineage should have believed Him.

 

But aside from simply focusing on the certainty of judgment,

It would also do us great benefit

To see why God was judging Ahab so severely.

 

In case you forgot, our text this morning reminds us.

 

There are three reasons.

1) THE REJECTION OF HIS WORD

 

(9:7) ‘You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.”

 

Yes there is the murder issue, which we will also deal with in a moment, but the emphasis there is not on murder, but who they murdered.

 

These men were killed because they spoke the word of God.

They were hated for preaching God’s truth.

 

And listen:

You don’t reject God’s word and expect Him to forget about it.

 

In Scripture God’s Word is often referred to as rain falling from heaven meant to water the earth.

 

Isaiah 55:10-11 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

 

The writer of Hebrews takes that imagery and reveals

The judgment on those who reject the rain of God’s word.

 

Hebrews 6:7-8 “For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.”

 

You don’t just reject God’s word and get away with it.

 

TURN TO: ISAIAH 30:8-17

 

Ahab was judged for the rejection of God’s Word

2) THE SPREAD OF IDOLATRY

 

(9:22) “When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?”

 

In case you have forgotten, God is pretty passionate

About being the most important part of your life.

 

Exodus 20:1-6 “Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

 

That certainly rang true here.

Ahab’s lineage was cursed because of his influence in their lives.

God demands and deserves to be #1 in your life.

 

Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”

 

God does not hope you will let Him be Lord of your life…

God does not hope you will love Him more than anything…

God does not hope you seek Him above all else…

HE DEMANDS IT

 

He is God and He demands first place in everything,

Anything less is inviting judgment just as Ahab did.

 

Ahab was judged for the rejection of God’s Word

Ahab was judged for the spread of Idolatry

3) THE CRY OF INNOCENT BLOOD

 

(926) “Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will repay you in this property,’ says the LORD. Now then, take and cast him into the property, according to the word of the LORD.”

 

O yes, innocent blood does cry out to God.

Genesis 4:9-10 “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.”

 

We even here the cry in Revelation.

Revelation 6:9-10 “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ” How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

 

And allow me to show you just how serious this offense is to God.

 

Numbers 35:30-34 “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. ‘Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. ‘You shall not take ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to live in the land before the death of the priest. ‘So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. ‘You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.'”

 

The shedding of innocent blood is a big deal,

So big that the only way to atone for it

Is the blood of him who shed the blood.

 

Let me prove that to you.

In a little while we will study a king named Manasseh.

2 Kings 24:3-4 “Surely at the command of the LORD it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the LORD would not forgive.”

 

A few years later Jeremiah would come on the scene,

Here is what he had to say about Judah’s judgment.

 

Jeremiah 15:1-4 “Then the LORD said to me, “Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not be with this people; send them away from My presence and let them go! “And it shall be that when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you are to tell them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Those destined for death, to death; And those destined for the sword, to the sword; And those destined for famine, to famine; And those destined for captivity, to captivity.”‘ “I will appoint over them four kinds of doom,” declares the LORD: “the sword to slay, the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. “I will make them an object of horror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.”

 

This is a serious deal to God.

 

And no matter if you do it directly, or indirectly, God will judge it

TURN TO: MATTHEW 23:29-38

 

Approval of those who shed innocent blood

Causes you to share in the blood they spill.

 

These are the things that infuriated God with Ahab,

And these are things that brought about the sword of Jehu.

 

THE POINT

Sin is a serious issue, and one that brings certain wrath.

 

The good news is that God has paved a way for forgiveness

Through the shed blood of the sinless Son of God.

 

All week at VBS the kids learned an amazing verse.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

That means if you find yourself on the wrong side of God’s judgment

Through dishonoring His Word,

Through loving something else more than Him,

Through directly or indirectly shedding innocent blood…

 

You can be forgiven through the sacrifice

Of One who shed His blood on your behalf.

 

RUN TO JESUS

 

“Jehoram: The King Who Chose Poorly”

2 Kings 8:16-24

 

Having ended the section that focused on the ministry of Elisha,

We now return to our systematic study of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

 

This morning it can be a little confusing

For we come to our second king named Jehoram.

 

The first Jehoram we saw was Ahab’s son, and he reigned as king over Israel.

This is a different Jehoram. This is Jehoshaphat’s son and he will reign as king over Judah.

 

But it is very interesting that as we end the section on Elisha,

This is the first king we deal with.

 

For you should remember that the main point of the section on Elisha

Was to clearly portray the difference between

The blessed life and the cursed life.

 

TO PUT IT CLEARLY THERE WERE TWO OPTIONS FOR MANKIND.

Even Moses made this clear.

 

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

 

Moses clearly spelled out two options that Israel would have.

They could choose to love, seek, and obey God which would result in the life of blessing, also referred to as “life”.

 

Or they could choose to reject and disobey God and serve foreign gods which would result in the life of the curse, also referred to as “death”.

 

They had a choice.

 

And time and time again as we studied the ministry of Elisha

We saw the choices of people ring true.

 

Well this morning we see it again.

We see Jehoram: The King who Chose Poorly

 

And this morning I want you to see yet again

The dangers of failing to choose God.

 

Now, all that being said,

I do wish to give some balance to this sermon this morning

By saying that I wholeheartedly believe in the sovereignty of God.

I also fully believe in God’s sovereign election.

 

That means that ultimately it is God who is responsible for our salvation

And not we ourselves.

 

I believe ultimately the choice is God’s and not ours.

 

You can see this with Israel:

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

 

You can see this with the disciples:

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

 

You can see this with the church:

Ephesians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”

 

And there are many other passages we could turn to

If our desire this morning was to prove the sovereign election of God.

 

But I merely remind you of that this morning because this morning

We are going to examine the other side of the coin,

WHICH IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAN,

And I do not want you to develop a lop sided theology.

 

Mostly I want you to remember that salvation is the work of God,

And it is far more than just a choice of mankind.

 

However, in a way that cannot be fathomed in the human mind,

The sovereign God who has chosen His elect

Somehow leaves a choice open to mankind.

 

We call this “Man’s Responsibility”.

 

And the point to that is this.

That while God is sovereign, and He chooses and predestines

And foreordains His elect for salvation and glory,

That in this divine mystery, those who are saved have also in their life had to come to the place where they also chose Him.

This is the basis for all invitations in Scripture.

 

It is on this basis that Jesus would say, “Come to Me all you that are weary and heavy laden…”

 

It is on this basis that Jesus would say, “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.”

 

It is on this basis that Peter would say at Pentecost, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

 

It is on this basis that Paul would tell the Corinthians, “…we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

 

And so while it is true that God is the author and the offerer of salvation,

And that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them,

 

There also seems to be a balance in Scripture

In which at that point, mankind must make a conscious choice

To leave sin and embrace Christ.

 

And at that moment is really the conflict of salvation.

 

It is that moment where we choose who we will serve,

And the consequences of that choice are nothing short of eternal.

 

If you choose God, you inherit life and blessing.

If you choose sin, you inherit death and the curse.

 

And every man must choose.

That is why after Moses turned the reigns over to Joshua

He also exhorted the people.

 

Joshua 24:15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

 

It is the choice you also are faced with.

 

The tragedy is that most people make the wrong choice.

 

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

 

The reality is that most people choose the easy life

Apart from obedience to God and therefore inherit judgment.

Most people make the wrong choice.

 

Luke 13:23-24 “And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

 

Even as I speak this sermon, there are some in this room

Who have never made a choice to follow Christ.

 

And the emphasis this morning is to beg you

To rethink that choice, and to choose Christ.

 

For this morning I am about to show you a man

Who chose the wrong path and paid dearly for it.

 

This morning, let’s look at Jehoram.

4 divisions to our text.

 

#1 HE LIVED IN DECEPTION

2 Kings 8:16-18

 

Here we see the beginning of Jehoram.

While Joram was king in Israel in the north,

Jehoram became king in Judah in the south.

 

“He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.”

 

So he had a relatively short tenure as king in Judah.

 

And then the appraisal of this man.

 

(18) “He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.”

This king was no good.

 

2 Chronicles 21:1-6 “Then Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place. He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. Now when Jehoram had taken over the kingdom of his father and made himself secure, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israel also. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.”

 

So here we have an extremely wicked man.

Not chosen because of his worth, but chosen because of his age.

 

And a man who chose the wrong path for himself.

Instead of choosing to walk in the shoes of his father and grandfather, (Jehoshaphat and Asa)

Men who for the most part loved and honored God.

 

He chose to walk in the footsteps of Ahab, who was the most wicked man Israel had ever seen.

 

Jehoram chose to be a murdering, idolatrous, tyrant, just like Ahab.

 

And we even see why he did this.

(18) “for the daughter of Ahab became his wife;”

 

We do cut him a little slack her initially, for he did not choose her as his wife. This marriage was arranged by Jehoshaphat to ally himself with Ahab.

 

But we do fault Jehoram for listening to her.

 

We have just studied the past three weeks on Sunday nights

The role of men and women, and it is extremely clear what Paul said.

 

1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.”

 

God has called men to be men, to walk in authority, and to be strong.

It is obvious, that like Ahab, Jehoram did not.

 

He allowed his wife to influence him…

He allowed his wife to manipulate him…

He allowed his wife to lead him…

 

And it caused him to end up on the wrong path.

 

His life is characterized as a man who made the wrong choice,

And began walking down the wrong path.

 

He lived in deception

#2 HE EXISTED IN DENIAL

2 Kings 8:19

 

I chose to take a moment and look at this verse

For it speaks volumes about our great God,

But also gives insight into the reign of Jehoram.

 

Despite his wickedness, and despite God’s anger towards him,

God did not immediately destroy him, or wipe out his lineage.

The reason is because God is faithful,

And God had made promises to David.

 

But in regard to Jehoram, this reveals that he lived in denial.

 

Surely he thought that he maintained his throne by his own ability.

Certainly he assumed that his reign was secure because of his own worth.

 

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

 

The only reason he was king was because

He was living on the blessings of his ancestor David.

 

And this is crucial to understand in regard to the choices we make.

 

There are many in this world today who have chosen not to accept Christ,

And have chosen not to take up His cross,

And have chosen to walk their own path.

 

And today, because they are still alive,

And because they have a job, and because they have a family,

They suppose that the decision they made was fine.

 

But if they make that estimation they are living in denial

Of why they are doing ok and where they are headed.

 

Jonathon Edwards preached about such vain denial by men.

“All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail. But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, “No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself — I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief — Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me.”

 

As he noted, men do not exist in comfort and ease

Because they have somehow outwitted God

And carved a life of comfort in spite of His promise against it.

 

They live in ease for some other reason.

For Jehoram it was because God regarded David.

 

And for the countless lost today it is because of another reason.

 

2 Peter 3:9-10 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”

 

Men who choose wrong and think they are safe

Are living in denial of the truth,

 

And there are countless examples of such people in Scripture.

 

The biggest that come to mind are the Pharisees.

 

Matthew 3:7-10 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘ We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

 

They thought themselves to be safe, but it was an unwarranted thought.

In reality they were a tree unaware of the axe man

Who was about to topple it.

 

So many today are in such a predicament.

They have chosen death by rejecting Jesus,

And do not even see the axe about to chop them down.

 

They suppose they live in peace and safety

When in reality they are in great danger.

 

So it was for Jehoram.

 

Lived in Deception

Existed in Denial

#3 REIGNED IN DEFEAT

2 Kings 8:20-22

Here we learn that because of his rejection of the LORD,

Things did not go great with him.

 

It is bad enough that he was an immoral king,

But he wasn’t even a good king.

 

Some men in the past have been immoral, yet suitable in matters of national defense, or national economy.

 

Jehoram wasn’t even suitable in those areas.

 

We initially read that Edom revolted under his watch.

 

Edom had been subject to Israel since the days of David,

And now they have had enough.

 

While he did go and win a battle against them,

He was still unable to bring them back into subjection.

 

Furthermore he lost Libnah.

 

WHO WAS LIBNAH?

Joshua 21:13 “So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands,”

 

Libnah was a city in Judah that was designated as a priestly city.

And this city basically succeeded from the union.

 

Obviously this city full of priests could not stomach

The blatant idolatry of Jehoram and so they revolted.

 

So now, not only has Jehoram lost a foreign slave,

But even his own country is unraveling before his very eyes.

 

The writer of Chronicles gets more specific as to the problem.

2 Chronicles 21:8-11 “In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up a king over themselves. Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck down the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots. So Edom revolted against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and led Judah astray.”

 

The writer of Chronicles reveals that his trouble was a direct consequence of having forsaken God and for engaging in idolatry.

 

He was allowed the throne because of David,

But he had no blessing upon his life.

 

He Lived in Deception He Existed in Denial He Reigned in Defeat

#4 HE DIED IN DISGRACE

2 Kings 8:23-24

 

Now in those two verses we don’t get much insight into his death.

However this writer did not have to include that info

Because it is readily available somewhere else.

 

He said, “The rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?”

 

So let’s see the rest.

2 Chronicles 21:12-20 “Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet saying, “Thus says the LORD God of your father David, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father and the ways of Asa king of Judah, but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot as the house of Ahab played the harlot, and you have also killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you, behold, the LORD is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all your possessions with a great calamity; and you will suffer severe sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.'” Then the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who bordered the Ethiopians; and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in the king’s house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. So after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable sickness. Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness and he died in great pain. And his people made no fire for him like the fire for his fathers. He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed with no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.”

 

And what we find is that Jehoram died in great pain and in disgrace.

There is nothing favorable in his life.

There is nothing worthy of honor.

 

He chose the wrong path and it led him to destruction.

 

And let me assure you that the same awaits

For all those who choose the wrong path.

 

TURN TO: PROVERBS 1:20-33

 

And we could continue.

Take the Rich Young Ruler who chose the wrong path.

Take the Rich man in Hades who chose the wrong path.

Take Zaccheus who chose the right path.

 

And throughout Scripture it immerges time and time again.

 

That while God is most certainly sovereign over salvation,

There will come a day when you must choose who you will serve.

And let me assure you.

It is not a decision to take lightly.

Nor is it an insignificant decision.

 

It is a decision to completely and totally forsake this life

For the sake of the next.

 

That is why Jesus always told people to count the cost.

 

Luke 9:57-62 “As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 

TURN TO: LUKE 14:25-35

 

And my point is this.

This is a decision that all men must make,

But do not assume you can cheat the system

By making some sort of half-way decision.

 

You are either all in or all out for Jesus.

You have either died to self or you haven’t.

You have either taken up the cross or you haven’t.

You have left a life of sin or you haven’t.

 

Salvation is all the work of God.

It is He who is the Savior.

It is Jesus who died and paid the penalty for sin.

And it is He who must offer it.

 

But when that offer comes your way, according to Scripture,

You must choose the path you will walk.

 

This morning I am asking you to choose to follow Christ.

I am asking you to die to self and to take up the cross and live for Jesus.

 

His way is the HARD way, it is the NARROW way,

It is the UNPOPULAR way, but it is THE way to life.

 

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

 

“The Man of God Wept”

2 Kings 8:7-15

 

This morning we come to the conclusion of the “Elisha” section.

 

It is not the end of his ministry, but it does end the section

Which focuses on his miracles and prophecies.

 

As you know this section has not really been about Elisha,

But rather it has been using the ministry of Elisha

To reveal how God is at work in Israel.

 

For those who are seeking and trusting God,

God has been using Elisha to bless them

With miraculous deliverance, and merciful and insightful warnings.

 

We called them “The Blessed”.

Regardless of their hardships they had God on their side

And therefore they always seemed to find deliverance.

 

But for those who did not seek or trust God,

God has been using Elisha to call them to faith in him.

 

We called them “The Cursed”

Regardless of the situation, life would never go as planned

And they found themselves suffering continuously because of their sin.

 

And through the ministry of Elisha

We have been able to see a very definite contrast between the two.

 

Today we close this section with a very vivid and tragic scene.

 

The section chronicling Elisha

Does not end with Elisha rejoicing over Israel’s repentance,

But rather weeping because of Israel’s coming judgment.

 

To put things in proper perspective,

You must know that this story began several years prior.

 

There was a wicked king in Israel named Ahab.

He was an idolatrous, murderous, rebellious man.

His wife’s name was Jezebel and she was even worse.

 

During the reign of Ahab, God sent a 3 ½ year drought on Israel

In order to get their attention.

 

As the drought was about to end, Elijah went to show himself to Ahab and what ensued was the show down on Mt. Carmel, in which Elijah humiliated the 450 prophets of Baal and the slaughtered them.

Following that event, the rains fell for the first time in 3 ½ years and Elijah ran back to Jezreel expecting revival.

 

What he found was a death threat from Jezebel and so Elijah fled to the mountain of God and awaited God’s counsel.

 

God revealed to Elijah that

He would completely remove Baal worship from Israel,

Though the manner in which God did it,

Would not be through revival, but rather judgment.

 

Here is what God had to say:

1 Kings 19:15-18 “The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. “It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

 

God was planning to remove Baal, but not solely through Elijah.

God would use 3 other significant characters to do it.

 

• He would use a prophet named Elisha who would confront the people…

• He would use a king named Jehu who would attack Baal…

• He would use a king named Hazael who would attack Israel…

 

This morning we see the fulfillment of the reign of Hazael.

He is about to come to power,

But that does not mark a pleasant thing for Israel.

 

Let’s look at our text.

 

3 things

#1 THE REVELATION

2 Kings 8:7-10

 

Elisha now has left Israel and is visiting the capital of Aram.

 

It was uncommon for Israel’s prophets to do this, but not unheard of.

(Jonah visited Nineveh)

 

But most likely Elisha is on this trip in reference to the prophecy

And to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

 

Now when he arrives we find once again that the PROVIDENCE OF GOD is at work, for there is another DIVINE APPOINTMENT.

 

Elisha does not have to find Hazael, Hazael finds Elisha.

The reason is because Ben-hadad is sick

And he wants to know if he will recover.

 

Ben-hadad is convinced that Elisha is legitimate.

He has had too many run-ins with the man, and he knows Elisha has great insight.

 

He also is willing to humble himself before Elisha

And to pay him an enormous amount for his services.

 

(Verse 9) “So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand, every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

 

And so you can see the humility and submission of Ben-Hadad,

And that this also has arranged the meeting between Hazael and Elisha.

 

Elisha’s response:

(Verse 10) “Then Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You will surely recover’, but the LORD has shown me that he will certainly die.”

 

Now that is an interesting statement.

IS ELISHA PURPOSELY LYING TO THE KING?

 

No, in regard to the sickness Ben-hadad inquired about, he will recover.

But he will also die, from another cause.

 

And that is the initial revelation from Elisha,

But the main idea is that it allowed he and Hazael to meet.

 

The Revelation

#2 THE REMORSE

2 Kings 8:11-13

 

And this is really the heart of our passage.

 

After the revelation of the kings recovery and death,

Elisha had a stare down on Hazael.

 

“He fixed his gaze steadily on him until he was ashamed…”

 

God had revealed to Elisha the conspiracy of murder in Hazael’s heart

And so Elisha stared him down.

 

Hazael planned to use this sickness

To murder the king and take his throne.

It may have only been conceived in Hazael’s heart, but Elisha knew it.

 

Many think that no one ever knew of Hazael’s act, since he was indeed made king, and that the only place this incident was ever revealed was under the inspiration of Scripture.

 

But none the less, because of his wickedness, Elisha stares him down.

 

I’m sure his gaze pierced Hazael’s heart, and just as it is with the word of God, there was nowhere for Hazael to hide.

 

But as soon as Hazael reached a point of shame,

Elisha instantly changed the mood.

 

(11) “He fixed his gaze steadily on him until he was ashamed, and the man of God wept.”

 

So just when Hazael is at his breaking point,

It is not he, but Elisha who breaks into tears and begins to weep.

 

That poses a legitimate question:

(12) “Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” Then he answered, “Because I have seen the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their little ones you will dash in pieces, and their women with child you will rip up.”

 

Now of course Hazael denies it with false humility

VERSE 13

 

The main point is that when Elisha is given a glimpse from God

As to what this man will do, he begins to weep.

 

And the answer is to why he is weeping is very clear.

“Because I know the evil…”

 

Elisha is weeping because in Israel it has come to this.

Israel is so stubborn, and so obstinate, and so defiant, and so hard of hearing

That in order to get their attention it has resorted to this.

 

• It would have been nice if the 3 ½ year drought or the 7 year famine would have changed their hearts…

 

• It would have been nice if the marauding bands of Arameans had accomplished the purpose…

 

• It would have been nice if the preaching of Elijah and Elisha had accomplished this, but Israel refused them all.

 

And so now it has come to an oppressive tyrant

Who will absolutely mutilate Israel.

And when Elisha sees the coming judgment all he can do is weep.

 

And let me remind you that Elisha is God’s representative on the earth,

And so you are not just seeing the tears of Elisha,

But the tears of Almighty God.

 

God is mourning, God is in remorse, for this was not God’s intention.

 

In fact, Scripture reminds that God does not favor judgment.

 

Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, ‘ As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’”

 

The prophet Isaiah gave tremendous insight into God’s judgment.

Isaiah 28:21-22 “For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the valley of Gibeon, To do His task, His unusual task, And to work His work, His extraordinary work. And now do not carry on as scoffers, Or your fetters will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts Of decisive destruction on all the earth.”

 

Of course the New Testament continues this thought.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

 

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

 

God does not rejoice in judgment, nor does He take any pleasure in it.

It is peculiar to Him, it is strange to him, and He does not enjoy it.

 

As we said last week.

God is not a tyrant, nor is God a thief, or destroyer.

GOD IS A SAVIOR – seen most clearly in the person of Jesus.

 

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

 

You may remember when Jesus and His disciples were heading through Samaria:

Luke 9:51-56 “When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them, [ and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they went on to another village.”

 

And the point is seen over and over that

God does not rejoice in destroying men, but in saving men.

 

In fact Scripture says:

Luke 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

 

God is a Savior, He wants men saved.

He takes no pleasure in having to exercise divine judgment.

 

Yet that is precisely what Israel has pushed Him to,

And so through the eyes of Elisha, God is weeping.

 

And I wish I could say that this was an isolated incident.

I wish I could say that this is the only time in Scripture

In which God showed remorse through His messengers.

 

BUT IT IS NOT.

 

When Jeremiah was God’s prophet:

Jeremiah 9:1 “Oh that my head were waters And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!”

 

Jeremiah 13:16-17 “Give glory to the LORD your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, And turns it into gloom. But if you will not listen to it, My soul will sob in secret for such pride; And my eyes will bitterly weep And flow down with tears, Because the flock of the LORD has been taken captive.”

 

Jeremiah 14:17-18 “You will say this word to them, ‘Let my eyes flow down with tears night and day, And let them not cease; For the virgin daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow, With a sorely infected wound. ‘If I go out to the country, Behold, those slain with the sword! Or if I enter the city, Behold, diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest Have gone roving about in the land that they do not know.'”

 

It was even Jeremiah who wrote an entire book of weeping.

We call it “Lamentations”.

 

God wept through Jeremiah over the coming judgment on Judah.

 

In regard to Israel the Psalmist had this to say:

Psalms 119:136 “My eyes shed streams of water, Because they do not keep Your law.”

 

Paul shared his grief as he wrote of their rejection by God.

Romans 9:1-3 “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,”

 

But of course ultimately the weeping of God was seen through Jesus.

Luke 19:41-44 “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

 

Time and time again we God weeping

Over the coming destruction of His people.

 

It is not the pleasure of God to send men into judgment.

He gets no satisfaction from it.

 

BUT WHY DOES IT UPSET GOD SO?

 

Elisha answered that.

“Because I know the evil…”

 

DO YOU KNOW WHY GOD IS SO MOVED OVER THE JUDGMENT OF MEN?

 

Because God knows better than anyone what hell is like.

 

If we truly knew what hell was like,

Then we would be just as distraught as God is

Over the fact that men and women are rapidly filling that place.

 

J. Hudson Taylor said, “Would that God would make hell so real to us that we cannot rest; heaven so real that we must have men there.”

 

And so this morning,

Allow me to remind you about this dreadful place we call hell

 

I do not wish to manipulate you, or to move you emotionally,

Only to help you see what the Bible says about this dreadful place.

 

Let me give you a few describers of this place called hell.

 

1) Outer darkness

Matthew 22:13 “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

 

2) Place of weeping and gnashing of teeth

Matthew 24:51 “…in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

3) Eternal punishment

Matthew 25:46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 

 

4) Furnace of Fire

Matthew 13:42 “and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

5) Lake of Fire

Revelation 20:15 “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

 

6) Fire and Brimstone

Revelation 14:10 “he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”

 

7) Unquenchable Fire

Matthew 3:12 “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

 

8) Place that destroys both the body and the soul

Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

 

9) A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF IT

Isaiah 30:33 “For Topheth has long been ready, Indeed, it has been prepared for the king. He has made it deep and large, A pyre of fire with plenty of wood; The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire.”

 

If you want some illustrative descriptions of hell,

We have some of those as well.

 

TURN TO: Luke 16:19-26

 

TURN TO: Revelation 9:1-11

 

The point is that hell is a terrible place.

 

And when God sees mankind headed there,

It does not cause Him joy, but grief.

He does not resort to singing, but weeping.

 

The thought of men enduring a judgment He so desperately tried to save them from, is extremely grievous to Him.

 

Hell is a dreadful place.

Jesus even gave an indicator of how badly it should be avoided.

 

TURN TO: Mark 9:42-48

 

The idea is that hell is no place to go.

 

Jerry Vines once said, “There are three reasons why you should be saved. Number one, you don’t want to go to hell. Number two, you don’t want to go to hell. Number three, you don’t want to go to hell.”

 

And yet men continually choose that place

Over the salvation of God.

 

IS IT ANY WONDER GOD IS WEEPING?

 

Elisha is weeping because

He sees the judgment of God being poured out,

And he knows what the children of Israel are about to endure.

 

“Because I know the evil…”

 

So we see the revelation

We see the remorse

#3 THE REALIZATION

2 Kings 8:14-15

 

And the point is that what Elisha said would happen is being fulfilled.

 

Hazael suffocated the king and seized the throne,

And now it is only a matter of time

Until the promised judgment is also realized.

 

And that is something that this world

Desperately needs to understand.

 

Hell is not a possibility, hell is a reality.

There are men there now, and more are headed.

 

God has promised it for those who reject Jesus,

And some day with tears in His eyes

He will most certainly cast men there.

 

What I tell you about this morning is not a myth.

What I tell you about this morning is not a gimmick.

What I tell you about is absolute truth.

 

1) If you are not saved, then be saved today.

• Repent of your sin and wickedness and the evil of your life…

• Turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and submit your life to Him…

• Trust in His saving work as absolutely sufficient to save you forever…

 

DO NOT REJECT JESUS

 

 

2) If you are saved, then warn a lost and dying world.

We spend much of our lives attending funerals, but contrary to what 95% of the funeral preachers are telling you. NOT EVERYONE WHO DIES IS IN HEAVEN.

 

In fact Scriptures says that most people who die are in hell.

 

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

 

Most people do not go to heaven. Most people go to hell.

That tells me that our job is urgent.

 

Men must be warned.

 

But long gone is the weeping of the church.

No longer do we weep for the lost.

 

We laugh with them…

We socialize with them…

We entertain them…

We sympathize with them…

We work with them…

But seldom do we weep for them.

 

Charles Spurgeon said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned or unprayed for.”

 

It is a call to a church for a general concern for the lost.

 

 

 

Hell is real And men are suffering And more will join them.

 

Don’t be one of them.

 

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

 

“The Blessing of God’s Warnings”

2 Kings 8:1-6

 

As you know we have been on quite an extensive study

Of two various types of livelihood.

 

We have been examining the difference between

“The Blessed Life” and “The Cursed Life”

 

And as we have studied, it has become increasingly obvious

What makes up the difference.

 

The difference between the blessed life and the cursed life

Can be summed up in one word: GOD

 

Those who had God on their side and at their side were blessed.

Those who tried to live this life apart from God were cursed.

 

We don’t have to study long to find that

He is indeed the key ingredient to life.

We were created for Him, and without Him life is not fulfilling.

 

Time and time again we have been told this in Scripture.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 “Thus says the LORD, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD. “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.”

 

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”

 

It is the presence of God that makes a difference in a life.

Those who have Him find themselves continually blessed.

Those who do not find themselves in a life of difficulty and futility.

 

Therefore we obviously learn the importance of

Seeking and keeping God’s presence in our lives.

 

HOW?

 

This is also spelled out in Scripture.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

 

There is a definite link to the presence of God and obedience to His Word.

 

When we love and obey God we can expect a life of blessing. When we deny and disobey God we can expect a life of hardship.

 

It is not just because God punishes those who disobey,

But also because there are natural consequences

When we do things the wrong way.

 

God’s word is the right way, and when we refuse that way

We naturally invite hardship upon ourselves.

 

And so the point of the section has been clear.

 

• Time and time again we have seen God bail out His children from hardship and distress.

 

• And we have also seen the wicked inflict themselves with numerous griefs simply because they would not seek and trust God.

 

This morning we continue to learn this valuable truth,

But in a new way yet again.

 

Thus far we have seen two main categories.

 

God using miracles to bless those who love Him

Poor Widow

Prominent Woman

Prophetic Witnesses (3 times)

Naaman the Aramian

 

God using His prophetic word to prove Himself to the wicked

Jehoram (by delivery from the marauding bands)

Jehoram’s Attendant (by seeing him crushed under the starving people)

 

This morning we see one more vitally important concept.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD’S WORD

AS PROTECTOR FROM DANGER

God’s Word is not just an evangelistic tool.

 

Yes it is true that the gospel is the power of God for salvation.

Yes it is true that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

Yes it is true they cannot be saved without a preacher.

 

God’s word is also valuable for those who love God.

It is a continual guide and blessing to those who will trust it.

 

That is why the Psalmist said.

Psalms 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

 

Psalms 19:7-11 “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.”

 

TURN TO: PSALMS 1

 

The Word of God is far more than an evangelistic tool,

It serves great benefit to those who already believe.

 

And that is very clearly seen this morning.

 

Once again we see the blessing of obedience,

Only this time we see it in a life that has already been blessed.

 

We see again: The Shunammite woman.

 

This morning we learn that through His Word

God continues to bless those who will obey Him.

 

Again I remind you that the Kings is not in chronological order.

 

You’ve probably already noticed that Gehazi is back, and therefore we know that this story happens before the cleansing of Naaman.

 

That means this is prior to the deliverance from the marauding bands…

This is prior to the story of war we saw last week.

 

This story is even prior to the cleansing of the prophets stew

And the multiplying of their food supply.

 

We know this because that event occurred during a famine

And this event occurs before the famine comes.

 

WHY IS THIS EVENT RECORDED HERE THEN?

We just read a heart wrenching story

Of what those living under the curse will do during a famine.

 

We actually saw women eating their own children.

 

Now the writer wants to show the difference

If God had been on their side when famine hit.

 

Those women resorted to eating their own children,

This woman won’t suffer at all.

 

It is a major difference.

 

3 divisions to our text.

#1 A DIVINE WARNING

2 Kings 8:1-2

 

Now this is truly an interesting event, and one that deserves some consideration, for it is anything but ordinary.

 

The first thing we notice is that Elisha

Gives this woman some very valuable information.

 

Elisha reveals to her that there is about to be a 7 year famine on the land.

Elijah called for a 3 ½ year drought, now Elisha’s lasts 7 years.

Israel is hard headed and God is turning up the heat.

 

But the mercy of God extends to those who love Him so much so

That He does not require this woman to experience the famine.

 

So he tells her to go somewhere else

 

Put yourself in this woman’s shoes.

• We already know she is a prominent woman.

• We know her husband has at least one field he works.

• We know she has a house with an upper room.

 

The point is, this woman has roots in Israel.

Elisha tells her to leave.

 

I hope you realize the cross roads she is at.

DO YOU LOVE YOUR HOME OR DO YOU TRUST GOD MORE?

 

What a decision to have to make.

 

THIS STORY IS FAR FROM UNIQUE

 

You are aware that Israel was exiled into Babylon

Because of disobedience to God.

 

After 70 years many were very comfortable there.

 

And when they allowed to return to Israel, many desired not to go.

Jeremiah 50:8-10 “Wander away from the midst of Babylon And go forth from the land of the Chaldeans; Be also like male goats at the head of the flock. “For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon A horde of great nations from the land of the north, And they will draw up their battle lines against her; From there she will be taken captive. Their arrows will be like an expert warrior Who does not return empty-handed. “Chaldea will become plunder; All who plunder her will have enough,” declares the LORD.”

 

Jeremiah 51:5-6 “For neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken By his God, the LORD of hosts, Although their land is full of guilt Before the Holy One of Israel. Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, For this is the LORD’S time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her.”

 

Jeremiah 51:45-48 “Come forth from her midst, My people, And each of you save yourselves From the fierce anger of the LORD. “Now so that your heart does not grow faint, And you are not afraid at the report that will be heard in the land — For the report will come one year, And after that another report in another year, And violence will be in the land With ruler against ruler — Therefore behold, days are coming When I will punish the idols of Babylon; And her whole land will be put to shame And all her slain will fall in her midst. “Then heaven and earth and all that is in them Will shout for joy over Babylon, For the destroyers will come to her from the north,” Declares the LORD.”

 

ANOTHER FAMOUS WARNING

 

TURN TO: Genesis 19:12-26

 

THAT’S FINE PREACHER,

BUT WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH US?

 

Do you realize that there is coming a day when the same could be required of you?

 

First let me read to you out of the book of Revelation

Of an event in the end.

 

Revelation 18:4-8 “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. “Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. “To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.’ “For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.”

 

TURN TO: Luke 17:22-37

There is extreme danger in becoming so comfortable in the world

That we are unwilling to leave it during a time of judgment.

 

That is why Jesus gave that sobering 3 word warning.

“Remember Lot’s wife”

And the same is being said to this woman.

She is really in a unique situation.

 

Imagine God warning you to leave all that you have acquired

For the sake of saving yourself from judgment.

 

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO LEAVE IT ALL?

(The Rich young ruler wouldn’t)

 

That is what makes this woman so special.

 

She loves and trusts God more than this world,

Therefore she leaves her possessions behind.

 

And based upon what we saw last week,

You and I know that this was a good idea.

 

AND SO LETS BRING SOME PERSPECTIVE HERE.

 

There are times when the word of God asks us to do things

That seem unpleasant or unfavorable.

 

But it only does because we do not know all the facts.

 

God knows what is coming, and therefore His divine warnings

Should be seen as a tremendous act of mercy.

 

I’m not saying that God may tell you to leave your home,

Or your city, or state or even this country.

 

But if He did, would you be willing?

Would you trust God that much?

Would obedience to Him outweigh your personal treasure?

 

It might just save you from the coming judgment.

 

So first – A Divine Warning

#2 A DIVINE APPOINTMENT

2 Kings 8:3-5

 

Now it is 7 years later and the famine is over.

 

This woman has been living in the land of the Philistines.

(That tells us that the famine was only in Israel – a true judgment of God)

 

And now she has come back and she goes to the king

To petition for her land back.

 

(It is quite possible that others have moved in)

Some would see this is a greedy move,

In which she only is concerned about her wealth.

That is not true, she already proved that.

 

God does not oppose for a person to own property.

 

Did He not give the Israelites land as their inheritance?

Was not Esau even punished for giving up his birthright?

 

God is not opposed to people having possessions.

God is opposed to people treasuring those possessions

More than they treasure Him.

 

This woman loved God more than her possessions,

And that is perfectly fine in God’s eyes.

 

Furthermore she even used her possessions

To meet the needs of God’s prophet.

 

Why wouldn’t God put resources in the hands of those

Who will use it for His kingdom?

 

The Bible says He will:

2 Corinthians 9:10-12 “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.”

 

And that is where we find this woman.

Now returning home and about to petition for her land back.

 

DON’T YOU FIND IT INTERESTING THAT GOD WAS ALREADY AT WORK FOR HER?

 

• God had already put it in the King’s heart to want to hear about Elisha’s miracles.

• God had already sent Gehazi to relay those miracles to the King…

• And it just happened to be her miracle that was being spoken of the moment she hit the door…

 

And we are reminded once again:

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

 

We call this a divine appointment.

 

It is a sovereign God making it easy for those who will trust Him,

And working out their difficulties ahead of time.

 

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED FOR YOU?

 

I could relate to you several times it has happened to me, but I’ll just share the first time. (at least the first time I recognized it)

 

I was in Seminary and had been praying for opportunity to share my faith more often. A BOY WALKED ACROSS CAMPUS.

 

So it is with this woman.

God is on her side and things are just working out for her.

 

She obeys and loves God more than anything else,

And God is at work for her.

 

A Divine Warning

A Divine Appointment

#3 DIVINE RESTORATION

2 Kings 8:6

 

Let me ask you, does that seem a little strange to you?

 

If you had been in a land that endured 7 years of famine,

And you had struggled and suffered, and had survived it.

 

And some person who took off for those seven years came back when it was over and wanted all their property back,

HOW SYMAPTHETIC WOULD YOU BE?

 

Furthermore, it is not like we are dealing with a saint of a king.

We know Jehoram does not fear God…

We also know what is truly in Gehazi’s heart…

 

And yet this king gives her back her land, and not just her land,

But also every bit of produce she would have had coming to her

When she up and left.

 

THAT IS CALLED RESTORATION.

 

And that makes this a truly remarkable story.

 

WE LEARN:

• God was not taking the land from her…

• God was not asking her to give up her harvest…

• God was saving it for her and saving her family.

 

Please allow me to remind you of an obvious truth this morning.

GOD IS NOT THE THEIF

 

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

 

• God is not out to get you…

• God does not want all your possessions…

• God is not out their craving all your money…

 

In fact:

Psalms 50:9-12 “I shall take no young bull out of your house Nor male goats out of your folds. “For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. “If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains.”

 

God is not out to get what you have.

God is out to save you from the hardships of life.

 

• When He asks you to give, it is because He knows you need to learn not to depend on money but on Him.

 

• When He asks you to sacrifice, it is because He knows you need to see that He is taking care of you.

 

• When He asks you to leave your possessions behind, it is because He is saving you from some unseen hardship that you would rather not endure.

 

It is not God who is out to get you.

God is out to save you.

 

Scripture tells us that the most perfect revelation of God

Came in the form of Jesus Christ.

 

John 1:17-18 “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

 

If you want to know what God is really like, then look at Jesus.

Jesus is the greatest revelation of God.

 

That tells us then that God is by nature a Savior.

 

• He is not a thief…

• He is not a tyrant…

• He is not cruel…

• He is not indifferent…

 

He is an all-knowing, merciful, loving Savior.

 

And when He tells you to do something that seems strange to you,

It is in your best interest to listen for He is only trying to save you.

It is apparent that the Shunammite woman knew that.

 

And the pages of Scripture of filled with people who did the same.

 

• We see the blessing of Abraham for leaving Ur of the Chaldeans…

• We see the blessing of Noah for believing God and building a boat…

• We see the blessing of Moses for leaving Egypt and leading the Israelites…

• We see the blessing of Peter, James and John for leaving their fishing businesses…

 

And all along Jesus was saying:

Matthew 19:29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.”

 

On the flip side He said this:

Matthew 16:25-27 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”

 

 

This morning I hope you can see that

What God wants for you is salvation.

 

The plans God has for you are good.

And God can always be trusted.

 

Just trust Him.

 

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

 

“The Cursed Life”

2 Kings 6:24 – 7:20 (24-31)

 

You know that we are presently in a very interesting time

In the nation of Israel.

 

And we have been looking at

Two very distinct and different types of people.

 

1 type is the Blessed Life.

It was those who had God ON their side and God AT their side.

It is those who have chosen to choose God

Over this world and to seek Him out.

 

Poor Widow

Prominent Woman

Prophetic Witnesses

Naaman the Aramean

 

The other type is the Cursed Life.

 

We already saw one man, and that was Gehazi.

 

A man who loved money more than the things of God.

He wanted to attain the world so bad

That he ended up being cursed with leprosy.

 

And so the distinction has been clearly seen in this portion of 2 Kings.

 

And carrying on this theme a little, I wanted to take a moment

And show you that this is a very foundational truth.

 

In fact, when God was about to send His people into the Promised Land,

He first gave them a very pointed book of instruction.

 

We call it the book of Deuteronomy.

In that book, God outlined the difference between

The Blessed Life and the Cursed Life.

 

Close to the end of the book, God throws down a very important invitation.

TURN TO: DEUTERONOMY 30:15-20

 

And so you see that God has warned Israel from the beginning

That once she was in her land,

She should seek out God and thus live the blessed life.

 

But they have overwhelmingly refused that mandate.

 

And so in Israel we have many who are living “The Cursed Life”.

We are in a section in which Elisha is trying to get through to them.

He is not using miracles, he is using fulfilled prophecy

 

But you and I know that:

SOME PEOPLE INSIST ON LEARNING IT THE HARD WAY

 

There have always been those who refuse to learn anything the easy way. They won’t just listen to God, they force God to pound them first.

 

Israel has commonly found herself in this role.

TURN TO: ISAIAH 1:1-9

 

TURN TO: AMOS 4:6-13

 

Jeremiah 5:3 “O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent.”

 

And if we had time we could continue.

• About how Ezekiel in Ezekiel 3 was sent to a stubborn and obstinate people, and so God promised to make his forehead as hard as their foreheads.

 

• We could read Isaiah 28 as God tells them not to be like ground that refuses to be plowed or like seed that refuses to be crushed.

 

• We could hear Jesus in Matthew 23 weeping over Jerusalem saying, ”How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.”

 

• We could go and see Paul in Acts 18 in the Corinthian synagogue frustrated with the unbelief of the Jews finally saying, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

 

And so the list goes on and on.

 

The Bible is full of people who prove to be tough nuts to crack.

 

And certainly that is the type of people that Elisha is dealing with here.

 

So allow me this morning to reveal to you a host of different characters to help you better see, “The Cursed Life”

 

There are 5 main personalities I want us to see.

 

#1 A CURSED PEOPLE

2 Kings 6:24-29

 

Let’s examine this disturbing passage just a little closer.

 

First we recognize that Aram and Ben-Hadad are back.

The marauding bands have truly stopped raiding the border,

But now we find Israel in all out war.

 

By this time, Ben-Hadad has made his way all the way to Samaria,

Has surrounded the city, and has cut off all supplies from it.

 

Believe me when I tell you this did not happen overnight,

But we are allowed to see the story at the height of despair.

 

And now the result of this city under siege is that of severe famine.

 

And to see the severity, we go to the local market.

 

(25) “a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.”

 

“A donkey’s head” was the least nutritious part of a filthy unclean animal, and yet it was fetching a high price.

 

“dove’s dung” may have either been literal dung, or a slain name for seed pods that were commonly fed to animals, but either way, it was also fetching a high price.

 

And one could say they were at rock bottom.

 

Certainly the king thought so,

Until he decided to take a stroll on the wall.

 

And while walking on the wall a woman cries out to him for justice.

 

Please notice his sarcasm when he says:

(27) “If the LORD does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”

 

Obviously both of those places were empty,

He was speaking sarcastically

And unfortunately he was blaming the situation on God.

 

It is amazing how the wicked can live in sin, spurn God,

Disobey His commands and yet somehow find a way

To pin the blame for all their adversity on God.

 

But that is precisely what Jehoram does.

 

And then we read one of the most horrifying accounts in Scripture

 

(28-29) “And the king said to her, “What is the matter with you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ “So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.”

 

Now obviously we have to pause a moment

And deal with the absolute horror of cannibalism.

This is a level of depravity that literally blows the mind.

 

But that isn’t even the most shocking part of the story.

 

The most shocking part is the woman’s indifference.

 

This woman obviously sees nothing wrong

With that course of action for she openly reveals it to the king.

In fact she is upset because she has can’t eat another baby.

 

They are not just starving

They are completely and totally depraved in their thinking.

 

COULD YOU EVER IMAGINE SUCH A SITUATION OCCURRING?

God could.

 

In fact God prophesied it.

TURN TO: DEUTERONOMY 28:47-57

(curses start in 28:15)

 

God knew this day was coming.

It was a consequence of being under the curse.

 

They are literally a cursed people in need of God.

 

First, A Cursed People

#2 A CONFUSED KING

2 Kings 6:30-33

 

And so you see the immediate response of the king.

The account horrified him so much so that he tore his clothes.

 

Tearing clothes was a sign of horror and ultimate frustration.

 

Those on the ground below the wall, were able to see that

“he had sackcloth beneath on his body.”

 

“sackcloth” was a black fabric woven from goats hair.

 

It was almost always associated with repentance for it was uncomfortable to wear and seen almost as a sort of self-abasement.

 

And so the King is wearing “sackcloth”

And so immediately some would read this and say,

“Well why is God allowing this, the king is repenting?”

 

Scripture doesn’t say he repented.

 

“Scripture says he wore sackcloth,

And wearing sackcloth does not make you right with God”

 

In fact there is no religious exercise that will do that.

There is no emotional display that can make it happen.

 

Perhaps you remember Esau, the man who sold despised his own birth right.

Hebrews 12:15-17 “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.”

 

Emotional response and religious displays mean nothing to God

If not accompanied by the heart.

 

God wants a change of behavior, not a change of underwear.

 

TURN TO: JOEL 2:12-20

 

This king is clearly confused about how to entreat the favor of the Lord.

 

And if there was any doubt as to his hypocritical repentance,

He wipes it away with his statement.

 

(31) “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.”

 

Here we have an idolatrous, murdering, son of a Baal worshiper

Blaming the plight of the country on Elisha.

 

No doubt Jehoram is angry because Elisha counseled him to let Aram go

When he had the army under his thumb earlier on.

 

But it was not Elisha who let Ben-Hadad escape.

(In fact, those that Elisha dealt with did not return to Israel)

 

1 Kings 20:34 “Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” Ahab said, “And I will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.”

 

It was Ahab who defeated Ben-Hadad, and Ahab who let him escape.

 

 

Later the prophet approached Ahab and said:

1 Kings 20:42 “He said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.'”

 

It was Jehoram’s daddy who let Ben-Hadad go, not Elisha,

But Elisha is still the enemy.

 

Jehoram is confused.

 

If that is not enough, look at his next step.

Verses 32-33

 

So Jehoram is going to capture Elisha and behead him.

 

Apparently he learned nothing from the last king

Who tried to capture Elisha.

 

He is clearly a confused man

 

And look at what he says to Elisha:

(33) “Behold, this evil is from the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

 

Now we see the other reason Jehoram is angry.

 

Obviously Elisha has counseled him to “wait for the LORD”

And now that deliverance has not come, Jehoram is angry at Elisha.

 

But you understand when Scripture says to “wait on the LORD”

It does not mean continue in sin until God delivers.

 

• Aside from waiting Jehoram should have been tearing down those two golden calves of Jeroboam that he was clinging to.

 

• Aside from waiting Jehoram should have been doing something about that wicked queen mother Jezebel who was killing the prophets.

 

• Aside from waiting Jehoram should have been punishing the gross immorality of the nation such as cannibalism.

 

The true idea of waiting is that of trusting God

With faithful obedience until He delivers.

 

You can’t live in sin and expect God to change His mind about your plight.

 

This is one confused king.

 

First – A Cursed People Second – A Confused King

#3 A CONFIDENT PROPHET

2 Kings 7:1-2

 

There is Elisha, that rock of a man.

 

He isn’t the least bit concerned about the wrath of Jehoram,

For he still has that unmovable faith that seems to carry him.

 

And even after he is scorned for his belief by an arrogant officer,

Elisha still holds his ground.

 

And it is then that he makes a very confident prophecy.

(2) “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you not eat of it.”

 

There is not even a hesitation if Elisha’s voice.

He is a confident man.

 

A Cursed People – A Confused King – A Confident Prophet

#4 A CURIOUS LEPER

2 Kings 7:3-14

 

Now we have God doing an amazing thing.

 

It is one that is brought to light by four leprous men.

(Let us remember that Jesus said that Elisha purposely did not heal a single leper in Israel, only Naaman the Aramean – that is because none of these lepers would seek God.)

 

They reason that they are as good as dead either way,

And so they determine to take their chances with Aram

And see if they can’t get some food.

 

When they enter the camp, they find it deserted.

 

We know why.

(6) “For the LORD had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us.”

 

Earlier God affected their sight, here God affects their hearing.

 

God delivered according to the word of Elisha.

And these lepers find it.

 

They return and take word to the King,

And even after the word of Elisha he is still skeptical.

But God has given a great deliverance.

 

#5 A CRUSHED OFFICER

2 Kings 7:15-20

 

There you find that God has indeed delivered

And the people are enjoying what God has done.

 

The interesting part is that arrogant officer who doubted Elisha

Has been stationed at the gate to oversee the distribution.

 

And as a casualty of his placement he is trampled

By the rushing of people to get food.

 

And then the writer repeats the prophecy of Elisha.

Verses 18-19 “It happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, will be sold tomorrow about this time at the gate of Samaria.” Then the royal officer answered the man of God and said, “Now behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And he said, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it.”

 

The reason the writer repeats it again is because

He wants you to understand that this is the point of the story.

 

• He doesn’t want you to leave this morning thinking about the horrors of cannibalism…

 

• He doesn’t want you to leave this morning thinking about the free for all in the Aramean camp…

 

HE WANTS YOU TO READ THIS STORY AND UNDERSTAND THAT GOD’S WORD CAN BE TRUSTED.

 

Isaiah 55:11 “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

 

Psalms 19:7-11 “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.”

 

This is what faithless Israel should have learned

And it is also what we should learn.

In addition to that, we must understand how crucial it is then

To be obedient to this perfect word of God.

 

You cannot disobey God and expect to live a life of blessing.

You cannot reject His word and expect to have a life of fulfillment.

 

We should certainly learn this in a nation

That seems to try and remove God’s word from everything.

 

And I am not just talking about schools

That take the 10 Commandments off the wall,

 

I’m talking about PULPITS that omit the word of God,

CHURCHES that disregard the word of God

And HOMES that neglect the word of God.

 

You cannot reject God’s word and expect to live a blessed life.

 

And if this morning you realize

That you have neglected God’s word

And you have decided you want to return to God.

 

Then learn also that repentance is from the heart.

 

Returning to God is far more than just returning to church.

“Rend your hearts and not your garments”

 

 

BUT THE POINT IS THAT GOD’S WORD IS TRUSTWORTHY.

 

Israel should have learned this back in the desert

When Moses was preaching, but they didn’t.

 

And because of that, they are having to learn the HARD WAY.

 

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

 

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”