2 Kings: Take The Plain Path

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, April 17, 2016
Chapters: 2 Kings 6-8
Message: 2 Kings: Take The Plain Path

Hello My Friend,

You do not have to be a prophet or physic to see the events that bring utter chaos to a person or even a country. I will admit there was a time in my life that I believed physics existed, I use to think I had physic abilities. That was until I discovered that learning the fate of someone was not being a physic, it was just common sense based on the lifestyle they were living. If you watch someone long enough you will see a pattern that leads up to them pretty much destroying their lives. I am a firm believer that while God can intervene at any time and certainly knows what will come of us, He gives us the free will to walk our own path, if we seek His will than He will direct that path. “Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” - Psalms 27:11-14.

Many times you will read something through the Bible and cringe at the thought of what they were doing, the first thing you think of is how could things have gotten so crazy. The truth is, the flesh is weak, it enjoys the pleasures that the world has to offer, and it will do anything to get them. So, when the things of the world get taken away and they are left trying to survive life after their fun they will go to such extremes. We have heard of people going to extreme measures to survive, even eating people. I cannot imagine being in such a state, but it happens more than you think. The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) was in invaded by Syria, and a severe famine arose.

“And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.” - 2 Kings 6:24-31.

“If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?” Do you see the pattern here? The world only thinks of taking care of themselves. Never believe for a moment that the world does not know God exists or that He controls things. If any of the people would have come to God He would have provided for them. We knew all this was going to happen because they were warned of it by Moses, but like everyone today who ignores the word of God, they did also, and there they are stooping to the lowest level of eating dung and people to try and stay alive. Let me tell you, if I have to choose between eating something so disgusting and dying, I choose dying because at least I know I will be with Jesus. As Christians, we are not to worry about provisions, God will give them, seek first Jesus and everything else will be added.

“Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” - Matthew 6:8,31-33.

The first thing the world does when realizing the path they were taking led to their destruction is go after the men or women that spoke about it. If they just learn to trust God, His decisions, and wait patiently for them He will take care of them. Instead of trying to help the people the king went after Elisha, but a little while later some lepers discovered something, the entire Syrian camp was empty. They went in and began feasting and grabbing everything they could hold in their hands. Then they realized they ought to share the wealth.

“So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were. And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within. And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city. And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see. And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.” - 2 Kings 7:10-13,16,17.

“according to the word of the LORD.” The king lost his life that day because he was too stubborn to realize that God was helping them. It's amazing how God always takes care of His people, we do not have to resort to detestable things to survive, we simply need to trust Him. We must be willing to starve a little and take a risk, I do not mean going crazy, but do something to prove to God that we trust Him. This is a perfect illustration of salvation, Jesus has given us a way to escape death and hell, we can choose Him and live, or we can deny Him and die, the choice is ours, but if we just sit there, we die. “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” - 2 Timothy 2:11-13.

At any time when we are seeking answers from God we can open His word and allow the Holy Spirit guide us to the answers. Sometimes we have to add prayer and fasting and dig deeper into the word to get answers, many times we just have trust Him. Quite often it takes a tragic event for someone in the world to go to God for answers, and they usually go to a man or woman of God. Elisha never refused to help anyone who came to him seeking answers from God, so when the king of Syria got sick he sought him to get answers from God if he was going to be healed. Elisha discovered something he probably wish he had not.

“And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.” - 2 Kings 8:7-13.

“Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel:” When Elisha discovered what Hazael was about to do to Israel he cried. It really is sad to see our nations falling apart and discover what the fate of every nation will be. One day Jesus will return, the earth will be destroyed, and every person, dead or alive will stand before Him for judgment. Only those who chose the path of Christ, who humbled themselves, admitted they have sinned, and received Him as their Saviour for their sins will survive this judgment. All that receive Christ are good before God and will be saved. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” - John 5:28,29.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the noise that spooked the Syrians and allowed Israel to go into their camp for food (7:6). And by Elisha, who wept when he realized what Hazael would do to Israel and its people (8:12). Jesus wept for Jerusalem when He saw they had no faith in Him after Lazarus had been dead. “Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.” - John 11:35-38.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for freewill, You do not force us to do anything, You accept any decision we make regarding You and the life we choose. I do not want to be in my own or someone else’s will, I want to be in Your will and to take the path that You would have for me. I know that Your path is straight and narrow, I know it will not always be easy, I will face some famines in life, but I am trusting You to provide for me and keep me on the plain path. Lord, lead me and guide me, teach me Your ways, and give me the power, strength, and wisdom to walk in them. I love You and ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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