ADVERSITY AND MINISTRY
An unsaved man is like a wild horse (adversity) being broken, being gentled, being ministered to
08-30-09
ADVERSITY PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR MINISTRY
(2 Ki 6:8-10) Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God [Elisha] sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
(2 Ki 6:11-14) Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber [Heb: the innermost chamber or apartment]. And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about [for what purpose?].
(2 Ki 6:15,16) And when the servant of [Elisha] the man of God was risen early [in the morning], and gone forth, behold, an host [Heb: army] compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him [to Elisha], Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
(2 Ki 6:17) And Elisha prayed [prayer is power with God (Jacob wrestled with the angel and “prevailed” Gen 32:28; Hos 12:3,4)], and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man [What eyes? Wasn’t he already seeing?] [1]; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire [2] round about [3-6] Elisha.
1. (Mark 8:22-25) And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored [to natural sight], and saw every man clearly.
2. (2 Ki 2:11) And it came to pass, as they [Elijah and Elisha] still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
3. (Job 1:9,10) Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
a. hedge = Heb: to entwine, i.e. shut in (for formation, protection and restraint).
4. (Psa 5:12) For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield [What kind of hedge or shield?].
5. (Psa 34:7) The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
6. (Psa 91:10-12) There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone [i.e., stumble over sin].
(2 Ki 6:18) And when they came down to him [Who?], Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people [the Syrian host], I pray thee [power with God], with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
1. (Gen 19:10,11) But the men [the two angels] put forth their hand [unity, acting as “one”], and pulled Lot [a “righteous man” 2 Pet 2:8] into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door [“I am the door” John 10:7,9].
AND MINISTRY:
being broken, being gentled
(presented herein in allegorical format – this interpretation is an unfinished work)
(2 Ki 6:19-23) And Elisha said unto them [the Syrian host], This is not the way [the way to Heaven], neither is this the city: follow me [the man of God Elisha (Jesus Christ speaking)], and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek [i.e., in reality, God, but first they had to be broken, gentled]. But he led them to Samaria. And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said [prayed, power with God], LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see [with spiritual eyes]. And the LORD opened their eyes [from blindness], and they saw [the Kingdom of God in type]; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? //// set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. And he prepared great [overabundant] provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away [and they took the ample remainder of the “great” provision with them], and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
1. Commentary: We may observe parallel double allusions to the Word of God in these verses, separated by the invisible synonyms of forgiveness, mercy, love, and salvation, which are represented by //// in the text.
a. “taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow” Symbolic of death, the sword and the bow are both allusions to the chastising Word of God that penetrates into people who are unwilling to receive it. The sword and the bow represent the Law which we are unwilling to accept, but according to God’s plan, we are inevitably all compelled to accept. The sword and bow forcefully pierce our bodies because we are unwilling involuntary recipients.
b. “set bread and water before them” Symbolic of life, bread and water are both allusions to the loving Word of God that enters into people who are willing to receive it. We voluntarily take it in. These two allusions represent the Grace that we are willing to accept. We therefore take them peacefully into our bodies as willing recipients.
c. Law and Grace are separated by //// forgiveness, mercy, love //// which are three aspects of salvation.
2. Commentary: “and they went to their master” full (inside) of the Word of God, and laden (outside) with the Word of God - like the ark of the covenant, covered inside and outside with gold (the OT symbol of the purity of God).
3. Commentary: “came no more into the land of Israel” because they had learned about the existence of God; they had learned first about Law (sword and bow), and then about Grace (bread and water); they had learned that “God is love” (1 John 4:8,16).
Amen