(REFLECTIONS ON 2 Kings 3:1-27)

Elisha, prophet of the Lord, taking the baton from Elijah to continue in the Lord’s work, ministered as Elijah did in the midst of corruption, political conflict, and human depravity. Despite the darkness, the servants of the Lord did what they could to remain faithful to the Lord and minister to His people.

In today’s Scripture from 2 Kings 3, we see Elisha serving as prophet of the Lord in the midst of an alliance between Jehoram king of Israel, Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and the king of Edom. They came together at Jehoram’s request to fight against Mesha king of Moab.

However, this was not a holy battle, because Jehoram king of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. Although he was not as wicked as his father Ahab, he still clung to the sins of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel after the northern kingdom split from Judah.

Jehoshaphat king of Judah, however, did what was right in the sight of the Lord (1 Kings 22:43), though he did not completely remove the high places of worship apart from the temple. Since Jehoshaphat still sought the Lord, he approached Jehoram and said,

“Is there not a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?”

One of the king of Israel’s servants suggested Elisha. However, when the king of Israel approached Elisha, the prophet replied,

“What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.”

Elisha was referring to the prophets of Baal. Yet because this alliance also included Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Elisha said,

“As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you.”

Elisha then spoke the word of the Lord, saying,

“Make this valley full of trenches…You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts.”

The Lord would indeed provide for them. The water also became like a mirage to the Moabites, who saw it appearing red like blood in the morning sun. This led the Moabites to think that the three kings had turned against one another and slaughtered each other, so they rushed forward to attack.

However, when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites so that they fled before them. Israel pressed forward into the land, striking down the Moabites and destroying their cities.

Interestingly, the campaign did not end in complete victory, because as mentioned earlier, this was not a holy battle.

“When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.”

In the end, this battle led to the king of Moab sacrificing his own son. Perhaps this drove the Moabites into a desperate fury, causing them to fight Israel with even greater wrath and resolve. And when Israel witnessed what the king of Moab and his people were willing to do, and the madness and desperation in their eyes, perhaps they realized this battle had descended into something deeply dark and horrifying. So they returned to their own land, unwilling to continue down that path of destruction.

These were the conditions in which Elisha ministered. Yes, less than ideal, and in many ways unimaginable. Yet, brothers and sisters, this reminds us that we too minister in a world that rejects Jesus Christ, rejects God, and rejects the Holy Spirit. We minister in a world where people will fight until the very end to preserve their own beliefs rather than submit to the sovereignty of God.

We also minister within the church, where we sometimes encounter corruption, pride, division, and religious politics. Yet we must remain faithful to the Lord. We do not stop serving, stop worshiping, or stop ministering simply because the environment is less than ideal. Rather, we press in even more, because these are exactly the kinds of places where servants of the Lord are needed most.

Brothers and sisters, rise up! In the darkness, rise up! In the hopelessness, rise up! In the corruption, rise up! For He is with us, He is for us, and He will fight for us!

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 2 Kings 3