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THOSE WHO ARE WITH US ARE MORE!

2 Kings 6:8-23

Key verse 16

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Introduction

Nothing is more important than spiritual eyesight. Jesus says in Matthew 6:22, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light". Here our Lord points out that the eye is a lamp which lights the entire body. Our eyes are the entrance to our hearts and minds. They provide a doorway to our very souls. When He referred to “good” eyes, He meant eyes that not only see well, but also perceive well. It is not only what we see, but how we perceive what we see. Bad eyes lead to bad perception, but if our eyes are good, our whole person will be illuminated. If we are in a lighted room, we see everything clearly. We can move around obstacles and locate whatever we’re looking for. But walking in darkness results in stumbling, falling, and groping for some secure thing to hang on to. In Genesis 1, the earth was chaotic but God said, “let there be light.” Today’s passage shows that Elisha prayed to open the eyes of his servants as well as to blind the eyes of the enemies. May the Lord help us to see what we should see in light of God’s presence and His Almighty power no matter what happens around us. Amen.

Read verses 8-14. What made the king of Aram very angry? (8-11a) What did he do as he found out the reason for his continuous defeats? (11b-14) How can we win every spiritual battle like Elisha despite Satan’s strong forces and schemes?

1-1, Read verses 8-14.

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

1-2, What made the king of Aram very angry? (8-11a)

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” 9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. 11 This enraged the king of Aram.

1-3, What did he do as he found out the reason for his continuous defeats? (11b-14)

He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

1-4, How can we win every spiritual battle like Elisha despite Satan’s strong forces and schemes?

Elisha was called as the man of God twice. God knows Satan’s every plan from the beginning.
Humanly speaking it is impossible to know Satan’s plan because he always outfits us.
But when we depend on God and His words, we become wise enough to be ready for spiritual battles.

Read verses 15-18. How did Elisha convince his servant as they were surrounded by the enemy? (15-16) What can we learn from his prayers for the servant and the enemy? (17, 18)

2-1, Read verses 15-18.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

2-2, How did Elisha convince his servant as they were surrounded by the enemy? (15-16)

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

“Those who are with us are more” must be God’s angels. Heb 1:14 says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
Angels are sent to help us and to guard us, but remember, it is not in angels that we put our trust in.
Though they are powerful and glorious beings, and we thank God for them. But our trust ultimately is not in angels, our trust is in God.

2-3, What can we learn from his prayers for the servant and the enemy? (17, 18)

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.”

Elisha did not pray that God would change anything in the situation. His only request was that his servant could actually see the reality of the situation.
Yet, Elisha also did not try to persuade the servant of the reality of those who are with us. The servant had to see it.

Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

God answered Elisha’s prayer. When a person is blind to spiritual reality, only God can open his eyes.
When his eyes were opened, the servant saw the reality that he could not see before. He saw that there really were more with him and Elisha than enemies.
Horses and chariots were the most sophisticated and mighty military instruments of the day.
But the invisible army of God had literally more firepower than the horses and chariots of the Syrians. The spiritual army had chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

The Syrian soldiers could not see the spiritual army, so they did not hesitate to approach Elisha.
But just as he previously prayed that God would give sight to his servant, he then asked God to strike these people with blindness.
God answered this prayer, just as He previously answered the prayer to give perception to the servant.
This shows us that God may grant sight or send blindness, according to His wisdom and in response to the prayers of His people.

Read verses 19-23. Describe the way Elisha led the Aramean army to Samaria. (19-20) How did he show generosity? (21-23) What can we learn from Elisha who captured the enemy with prayer, and released them?

3-1, Read verses 19-23.

Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”

22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

3-2, Describe the way Elisha led the Aramean army to Samaria. (19-20)

Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

The enemy army saw Elisha, they should have known who he was. Maybe it was well known that he was a bald man. But Elisha did not wear a disguise.
Instead he just said to them plainly “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” It’s funny because they were looking for Elisha.
If they really knew where they were going, they would not have entered Samaria. It was like entering a lion’s den.
Samaria was the capital of Israel, and a secure, walled city that was the least and last place they wanted to be.
What we can see here is how easily we can be deceived when we are blinded. If we are blind to God, we can be easily deceived, and easily led astray.
Movies and television give us the wrong idea about sex, drugs, alcohol and violence.
Without a firm foundation in God, we are influenced by godless people in and around our lives. We may follow in the footsteps of our parents.
Even if we fall into the sins of our parents, we can still be influenced to deny the truth about God.

3-3, How did he show generosity? (21-23)

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”

3-4, What can we learn from Elisha who captured the enemy with prayer, and released them?

We see how Satan uses human instruments and all kinds of methods to do whatever it takes to nullify the ministry of believers.
But the power of God is always greater. In fact, he often uses these very situations to manifest that power in order to draw men to himself.
Elisha relied on prayer and he showed God’s mercy on his enemies. We should not be deceived by visible enemies and problems per se.
Rather we must grow in our spiritual eyesight to see God and God’s power. The word of God is active. At the same time we will have God’s power through prayer.

Conclusion

“The horsemen and chariots of fire” were not merely images, but they are real, spiritual beings that exist, that we cannot see because God has hidden a spiritual world from our sight due to the fact that the god of this age made us blind spiritually as a result of our sins. The Bible does tell us a lot about angels and what they do. Psalm 34:7 says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” This sounds a lot like what the angels are doing for Elisha and his servant. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear God, and delivers them just as God had done for Jacob when he was in deep trouble. Psalm 91:9-11 says, “If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;” God sends his angels to guard us in our ways, for those who trust in him. Jesus Christ is the commander and king over the armies of angels. They submit to God, as we should as well. That is why Elisha’s name was described as the man of God continually in chapter 6 to focus on God Himself and His ultimate power. He protects us and provides us what we need without fail.

One word: We are the man and woman of God!