Scripture Focus (2 Kings 6:8-18) – “Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice. 11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in Dothan.” 14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.”
I. A Vicious Enemy Made War (2 Kings 6:8-14)
A. The reality of the war (2 Kings 6:8) – “Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants…”
B. The resistance to the war (2 Kings 6:9-10) – “But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.” And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.”
C. The redoubling of the war (2 Kings 6:11-14)
1. A frustrated enemy (2 Kings 6:11) – “And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?”
2. A focused enemy (2 Kings 6:12-13) – “And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”
He set his sights on Elisha, the servant to the king
3. A furious enemy (2 Kings 6:14) – “So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city.”
He amassed a great force to defeat one man
II. A Seeing Prophet Interceded Confidently (2 Kings 6:15-17)
A. Elisha was surrounded by the hostile man (2 Kings 6:15a) – “When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city.”
B. Elisha was the shepherd of the fearful man (2 Kings 6:15b) – “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
C. Elisha was seeing through the spiritual man (2 Kings 6:16)– “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
D. Elisha was secure in the Eternal Man (2 Kings 6:17) – “Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
III. A Victorious God Received the Glory (2 Kings 6:18-23)
A. We turn to God first (2 Kings 6:18a) – “And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord…”
B. We trust that God will intervene (2 Kings 6:18b) – “…and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.”
C. We refrain from acting impulsively (2 Kings 6:19-22)
1. Speak to your enemy (2 Kings 6:19) – “Elisha said to them…Follow me…”
2. Speak to your Lord (2 Kings 6:20) – “Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see…”
3. Speak to your peers (2 Kings 6:21-22) – Elisha taught mercy and patience to the king.
D. We rest in God’s victories (2 Kings 6:23) – “And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.”