INTRODUCTION: This lesson shows the Lord to be in charge even against unthinkable odds and in the most difficult of circumstances. Whether it be an army surrounding you or a horrible famine, God’s grace is sufficient.
- THE RECOVERY OF THE AXE HEAD (2 Kings 6:1-7)
- The Decision to Build a New Place (2 Kings 6:1-3)
- The need (2 Kings 6:1)
- The place of dwelling was too strait.
- The word strait means narrow or restricted (Job 36:16; Isaiah 49:20; Matthew 7:13-14).
- The solution (2 Kings 6:2)
- To get wood
- To build a place sufficient to dwell
- The guarantee (2 Kings 6:3)
- One of them requested the presence of Elisha.
- Elisha agreed to go.
- The Loss of the Axe Head (2 Kings 6:4-5)
- Their work (2 Kings 6:4)
- They went to Jordan.
- They cut wood.
- Their emergency (2 Kings 6:5)
- The loss of the axe head
- While felling a beam
- It fell into the water.
- The cry of the man
- Unto Elisha
- It was borrowed (Exodus 22:14).
- The Recovery of the Axe Head (2 Kings 6:6-7)
- Elisha went to where the axe head was lost (2 Kings 6:6).
- He asked, Where fell it?
- The man showed him the place.
- Elisha threw a stick into the water (2 Kings 6:6).
- He cut down the stick.
- The iron did swim.
- Elisha had the man take the axe head (2 Kings 6:7).
- THE FRUSTRATION OF THE SYRIANS (2 Kings 6:8-12)
- Elisha Revealed the Syrian Movements (2 Kings 6:8-10).
- The king of Syria warred against Israel (2 Kings 6:8).
- The king of Syria planned the attack (2 Kings 6:8).
- Taking counsel of his servants
- Planning the place of his camp
- Elisha warned the king of Israel of the location of the Syrians (2 Kings 6:9).
- Elishas warning saved the Israelites (2 Kings 6:10).
- The king of Israel heeded the warning.
- The Israelites were delivered several times.
- Elisha Was Revealed as a Major Syrian Problem (2 Kings 6:11-12).
- The plea of the king of Syria (2 Kings 6:11)
- His heart was sore troubled.
- He inquired who was informing the king of Israel.
- One of his servants answered (2 Kings 6:12).
- None of your servants are informants.
- The prophet Elisha informs the king of Israel.
- He tells the words that you speak in your bedchamber (Ecclesiastes 10:20; Psalm 139:1-4).
- THE PROTECTION OF ELISHA (2 Kings 6:13-17)
- The King of Syria Sent to Fetch Elisha (2 Kings 6:13-14).
- The king of Syria sent to locate Elisha (2 Kings 6:13).
- They went to spy him out.
- They found him in Dothan.
- The king of Syria sent to fetch Elisha (2 Kings 6:14).
- He sent an army.
- They came by night.
- They surrounded the city.
- Elisha Revealed the Army of God (2 Kings 6:15-17).
- The discovery of the servant of Elisha (2 Kings 6:15)
- He rose early in the morning.
- He saw the army with horses and chariots.
- He cried in despair to Elisha.
- Elisha calmed his servant (2 Kings 6:16).
- The revelation given to the servant of Elisha (2 Kings 6:17)
- Elisha prayed for the opening of his eyes.
- The Lord opened the eyes of the servant.
- He saw the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 2:11; Isaiah 66:15).
- THE BLINDING OF THE SYRIANS (2 Kings 6:18-23)
- Elisha Led the Syrians to Samaria (2 Kings 6:18-20).
- Elisha asked the Lord to blind the eyes of the Syrian army (2 Kings 6:18).
- The Syrians followed Elisha to Samaria about 12 miles (2 Kings 6:19).
- The opening of their eyes in Samaria (2 Kings 6:20)
- According to the prayer of Elisha
- In the midst of great confusion
- Elisha Sent the Syrians Home (2 Kings 6:21-23).
- The confusion of the king of Israel (2 Kings 6:21); shall I smite them?
- The treatment of the soldiers of Syria (2 Kings 6:22)
- To be treated as captives taken in war
- To be given bread and water
- To be allowed to go home
- The response of the Syrian army (2 Kings 6:23)
- They ate and drank their fill.
- They went home and came no more into the land of Israel.
- THE SIEGE OF SAMARIA (2 Kings 6:24-30)
- The Crippling of Samaria (2 Kings 6:24-25)
- The siege of Samaria (2 Kings 6:24)
- After the preceding events
- By Benhadad king of Syria
- The famine of the city of Samaria (2 Kings 6:25)
- A great famine in the city
- As indicated by the prices
- An asss head for 80 pieces of silver
- A quarter of a cab of doves dung for five pieces of silver
- A cab was a dry measure equal to about two quarts.
- Modern scholars try to change this passage to refer to something else, but there is no need. This was a time of extreme famine when mothers were eating their own children to stay alive. See another description of famine in Lamentations 4:5 where those brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
- The Woman Who Cried to the King (2 Kings 6:26-29)
- She cried unto the king for help (2 Kings 6:26).
- He stated his inability to help (2 Kings 6:27).
- If the Lord do not help
- Then the king cannot help
- She told her story (2 Kings 6:28-29).
- At the request of the king (2 Kings 6:28)
- She told of her agreement with another mother (2 Kings 6:28).
- To eat her son one day
- To eat the other son the next day
- They ate the first mothers son (2 Kings 6:29).
- But the second mother hid her son (2 Kings 6:29).
- The Response of the King (2 Kings 6:30)
- He heard the words of the woman.
- He rent his clothes.
- He revealed the sackcloth under his clothes.
- THE DECISION TO KILL ELISHA (2 Kings 6:31-33)
- The Kings Determination to Kill Elisha (2 Kings 6:31)
- The king blamed Elisha for the problems he had caused.
- The king determined to kill Elisha.
- Elishas Anticipation of the Kings Messenger (2 Kings 6:32-33)
- Elisha sat in his house with the elders (2 Kings 6:32).
- The king sent a messenger to call for Elisha (2 Kings 6:32).
- Elisha prophesied of the kings intent (2 Kings 6:32).
- This son of a murderer
- Has sent to take Elishas head
- Elisha planned a response to the king (2 Kings 6:32).
- Shut the door behind the messenger.
- His master will not be far behind.
- Elisha made a proclamation (2 Kings 6:33).
- This evil is of the Lord.
- There is no need to wait any longer.
CONCLUSION: Elisha spares the king of Israel on numerous times only to have the king blame him for the terrible famine of the land.