2 King 13
Key verse 17,23
17 "Open the east window," he said, and he opened
it. "Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The LORD's arrow of
victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared. "You will
completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."
23 But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and
showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his
presence.
This chapter is about two kings of Israel, Jehoahaz, and Jehoash. Even though Jehu exterminated Baal
worshippers and took over the Kingdom Israel as God ordained, he kept on following the ways of Jeroboam. We know
that Jehu (9:1-3), as well as Hazael (8:10-15), was anointed according to the
Lord’s command to Elijah (1 Kings 19:15-16). As long as Israel did not turn to
the Lord fully, and chose to live by the way of the founder of the kingdom,
Jeroboam, the Lord would put pressure on Israel so as to bring them back to Him
again. To do so, the Lord would use Hazael, King of Aram. This was first noted
in 10:32 In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel.
Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory. In other
words, the Lord was using Aram (Hazael) as his instrument to disciplines
Israel.
Aram became the source of trouble for Israel since Hazael
was anointed. This continued throughout
the period of the Jehu dynasty (Jehu, Jehoash, Jehoahaz, Jeroboam II). In this chapter, the history of the two kings
of Jehu’s dynasty Jehoash, and his son Jehoahaz, both were cited by the Lord
for following the way of Jeroboam and suffered from the attack of Aram.
After almost 40 years of silence, Elisha reappears with the
story of his death bed. Here Elisha gave King Jehoahaz how he could defeat Aram
(Hazael or his dynasty).
1.
[1-9] When Jehoahaz became king of Israel and
how long did he reign (1)? What evil did
he commit (2)? How did the Lord punish them (3; Lev 26:16-17; Deu 28:25)? When
and why did the Lord provide a deliver for Israel (4; Lev 26:40-42; Deu
30:1-5)? What was the result (5; Lev 26:45)?
Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and
he reigned seventeen years. His kingship was noted on one thing: 2 He
did evil in the eyes of the LORD by following the sins
of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did
not turn away from them. As his father Jehu did, so did he do the same
thing. Because of this, the LORD’s anger burned against Israel. As was noted in the
reign of Jehu, as long as they walked the ways of Jeroboam the Lord would not accept
them for his blessing.
As long as Israel
kept on following the sins of Jeroboam, the Lord put them under the power of
Aram, King Hazael, and his son Beh-Hadad. – the Lord anointed Hazael for this
purpose. This was the implementation of the law of Covenant in Lev 26:17 I
will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies;
those who hate you will rule over you,
and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.(Also Deu 28:25)
As the Lord hoped for,
under great stress, Jehoahaz sought the
LORD’s favor and the LORD listened to him, and provided a deliverer
for Israel because he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel
(5).
Who was the deliverer that God sent? The Bible does not say
who. Most likely Elisha.
2.
[6-13] After returning to their own homes, what
did they continue to do (6)? What was
the condition of the army (7a)? Why (7b)? Who succeeds Jehoash (8-9)?
Anyhow Israel was delivered from the oppression of Hazael
and the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before (5). But what
did they do after they were delivered and regained the comfort of home?
Did Israel learn the grace of God? Not at all. They kept on sinning
the sins of Jeroboam and in addition, they kept the Asherah pole(6b). They ran
the cycle of sin, repentance, deliverance, and back to sin again as what
happened during the period of Judges. In other words, entire works of Elisha speaks to the fact that God was
right there with her and if she would seek Him, he would deliver them.
This was the strong emphasis on the Covenant promise and this promise, the Lord
was in waiting mode.
40 “ ‘But
if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—their
unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostile toward
them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their
uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42 I will remember
my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham,
and I will remember the land.(Lev 26)
When God’s graceful deliverance was unappreciated and they remained
unthankful, the Lord added more to put them under more stress.
7 Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz
except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the
king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing
time.
They did not have any military forces –they were stripped
off from all powers: made them vulnerable to all kinds of attack: rendered them
helpless and forced them to seek the Lord. This, at the same time, gave them a warning of
what would come if they would persist in rebellion. In the Covenant of the Law,
there are two, Covenant blessings and Covenant curses (Lev 26; Deu 28). In Lev
26, the covenant curses would increase stepwise 5 times. The last and final one
was
The fourth one says:
23 “ ‘If in spite of these things you do not accept my
correction but continue to be hostile toward me, 24 I
myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven
times over. 25 And I will bring the sword on you to avenge the breaking of
the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among
you, and you will be given into enemy hands. 26 When
I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in
one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you
will not be satisfied.
They would suffer unending anxiety, fear, and a threat to
lives. In other words, the reduction of Israel’s army to a meager ten thousand
soldiers and ten chariots spoke of the impending fall of the nation. Would they
repent? Or would they not? But if they
persist in their sins, the Lord would deliver the last Covenant curses
27 “ ‘If in spite of this
you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me,
28 then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish
you for your sins seven times over. 29 You will eat the flesh of your sons
and the flesh of your daughters. 30 I will destroy your high places, cut
down your incense altars, and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of
your idols, and I will abhor you. 31 I will turn your cities into ruins
and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing
aroma of your offerings. 32 I myself will lay waste the land so that your
enemies who live there will be appalled. 33 I
will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you.
Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins
Simply, a meager size of the army spoke of a great warning
to Israel that the fall of the nation Israel (the fifth curse) was almost at
the door. But could or would they repent and turn back to the Lord?
3.
[10-13] What was the one thing noted on
Jehoash’s reign (10-12)? Who succeeded
him (13)?
Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel and reigned
sixteen years. He had enough time to repent and to reform the nation. But he did
not do it. Instead he did evil in the eyes of
the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat,
which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them (11).
Since God anointed Jehu and empowered him to purge the sins
of Israel, Jehoash made the third generation. But he persisted in the sins of
Jehu, his grandfather. This leaves us a question, how long would or should the
Lord be patient on this dynasty or the nation Israel per se?
4.
[14-21] What did Jehoash cry out as he was
weeping over Elisha’s impending death? What did he mean by it? What did Elisha
teach Jehoash (15-17a)? As he shot the arrow, at what did Elisha shout
(17b)? Then what did he tell Jehoash to
do (18a)? How many times did he do (18b)? Why was the man of God angry with him
(19)? What does the story of a dead body touching Elisha’s bones teach us
(20-21)? Discuss the faith and spirit of Elisha that he imparted to Jehoash.
Elisha’s ministry began in 1 Kgs 19 and now, approximately
fifty years later, the aged prophet is near death. Jehoash rushed down
to him and saw at the final moment of Elisha’s life.
14 Now Elisha had been
suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down
to see him and wept over him. “My father! My
father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
Jehoash saw in Elisha a father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel.
We are to think in three ways:
a.
What did he see in Elisha that he believed to
be ‘chariots and horsemen of Israel’?
b.
What is the meaning of “The chariots and
horsemen of Israel!” and is it different from “a chariot of fire and horses of fire”
in 2 Kings 2:11?
c.
What is the significance to Jehoash that Elisha,
the chariots and horsemen of Israel was dying?
a.
What did he see in Elisha that he believed to
be ‘chariots and horsemen of Israel’?
During his father, Jehoahaz, Elisha was the deliverer of Israel
from the hand of Aram (Hazael, v4-5). At that time, as a young man, he saw how
Elisha rescued Israel from the hand of Hazael. It was not the size or strength
of the army but the power of Elisha that delivered Israel from the clutches of
Aram, of which Israel had suffered such a long time and unable to undo that clutch.
Also, it was likely that Jehoash came to see the power of God in and
through him to fight on behalf of Israel. What was the nature of the power of
God in Elisha?
b.
What is the meaning of “The chariots and
horsemen of Israel!” and is it different from “a chariot of fire and horses of
fire” in 2 Kings 2:11?
This phrase first appears when Elijah was translated into heaven
(2 Kings 2:11). At that time, the chariots of fire and horse of fire appeared and
separated Elijah and Elisha. At this time, Elisha called out, ‘“My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of
Israel!”(2:12). This was the confirmation of the fact that Elisha
received twice of the power of Elijah. Since then, Elisha did many miracles to rescues
the people of Israel. His works were mainly for common people, not
the kings though he did help out kings. This was a contrast to the works of
Elijah, whose main works were for the kings.
There seems to be a subtle transition of God’s focus; from the focus
on kings, to the focus on people.
4 Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s
favor and the LORD listened to him, for he
saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.
22 Hazael king of
Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But
the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from
his presence.
In this respect, Elisha was ‘the chariots and horsemen of Israel’.
One
man of God who is filled with the Spirit of the Lord is the real force for the
people and for the nation! In
and through him, Israel could face all enemies and surely win the battle.
What was the essence of the Spirit?
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. (6:15-17)
6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans
to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to
one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings
to attack us!”
Elisha’s presence among Israel was like knowing and seeing the
mighty army of God readied for a battle on behalf of His people.
c.
What is the significance to Jehoash that
Elisha, the chariots and horsemen of Israel was dying?
At this time, the attack and oppression from Hazael was still
looming large and there were no signs of abatement. If Elisha dies, how could
Jehoash fight the battle against Aram? Actually, Elisha was the one and only
hope, esp. when the size of the army was so small. Jehoash was sad not only for
the fact that the spiritual father was dying but also the fact that he would be
left without power to fight against enemy Aram.
Elisha taught how to fight and imparted the spirit
to Jehoash.
It was from the Lord and given through Elijah and handed down to
Elisha and by so displaying and now teaching Jehoahaz by two sign acts. By these sign-acts, he conveyed the spirit/or
what the word’ chariot of horse of Israel’ meant.
First, how to fight the enemy is like
shooting an arrow. To shoot an arrow, there are a few steps. First, identify the
target, second take a bow and arrow, and draw the arrow all the way back with the full
strength of arm, the third aim the target, and let it go.
Once an arrow leaves the bow, you cannot retrieve it because it
was loaded with power and was gone beyond your reach. Two things are so
important, flexing the arm in full strength to load the power on the arrow. When
he fights the enemy, he must load all his might on one arrow targeting the
enemy. Msn. Whit Cha conjured up all of his strength on one thing, English
comprehension to pass the exam. This led him to success. This is the essential
element of ‘faith’ esp. in overcoming the enemy forces. Second, he must let the
arrow go. Msn. Daniel mentioned Elisha’s putting his hand in Jehoash’s. Elisha
was giving comfort in confidence in God’s mighty power to him. What is the
nature of that confidence in faith? “The
LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You
will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.” From the moment of letting it go to the time
it reaches the target, one should not worry or concern. For he let it go by
faith and the Lord will do the rest.
Second, the action must be loaded with an
unrelenting spirit. In the second act-sign, Elisha told him, “Take the
arrows,” and “Strike the ground.”(18) Jehoash struck it three times and
stopped. Why? He lacked unrelenting zeal to destroy the enemy. The zeal
concerns greatly suffering and pain of God’s people under the enemy. When the
king had a great concern for his people and their suffering, he would have
pounded the ground with the arrow so many times to make sure to destroy the
enemy. But he was not fully with the spirit that Elisha had. Or he did not
understand the mind of God who wanted him to destroy the enemy.
19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should
have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and
completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”
What does God teach through what He did in the life of Elisha? God
gives an answer through the last thing that He did through the body of Elisha.
While some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band
of Moabite raiders. We do not know who the dead man was and why he died. But seeing
the danger, they were forces to dispose of the body quickly and they threw the
body in the tomb of Elisha. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came
to life and stood up on his feet. It speaks of the fact that Elisha’s body gave
the dead to life.
Elijah was gone to heaven and did not suffer death. Elisha took
the double portion of Elijah’s spirit and did many miracles on behalf of God’s
people. If he were to display more power than Elijah, had Elisha done that? In
reviewing the works of Elisha, he did far more miracles and touched far more
common people, not kings than Elijah. Elisha’s care was on common people and
cared deeply for their suffering and pain. The dead body is one of the unknown identities,
as one of many common men of the nation. But as soon as his body touched the
bones of Elisha, his life came back.
At the mountain of transfiguration, Moses, and Elijah appeared
along with the transfigured Jesus. Elisha was one who had the double portion of
Elijah’s spirit. This became evident in the works that he did. Now, the
ultimate and final work of Elisha was giving life to a dead. By combining what
God did through Elijah and Elisha, for the will and spirit that God imparted to
these two were the same and one, we see that God’s will to convey the entirety
of what the Savior that God would provide do. They are suffering, death, and
resurrection in glory. As Elijah and
Elisha were protectors, and providers of the life of Israel, the coming Savior
would do the same thing as these two did. What is the double portion of the
spirit/power that was in Elisha? Could the power of Elisha that gave the dead
to life might be the double of the power of Elijah who fought against Baal or
his ascension?
5.
[22-25] What did Hazael do to Israel (22)? Yet
why didn’t the Lord let him destroy Israel (23)? How did the LORD extend His grace to Israel
through Jehoash (24-25)? Discuss what v23 means in lieu of the fact that God
installed Hazael king of Aram.
V 22-23 seems to be a summary of the life of Hazael, whom
the Lord chose to be the King of Aram for His purpose. Though God chose him to
discipline Israel, He would not let it go to the extent that His promise to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob would be compromised. Though he was right and just to punish them
according to the full length of the Covenant curses (Lev 26), He would not punish
them. Instead, he curtailed his justice because of His compassion and because
of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
In reviewing the entire history of the kingdom, it would become
obvious that Israel failed to keep up with the Covenant with the LORD and eventually
incurred the final or fifth covenant curses, i.e. exile. But even in the implementation
of His curse, His compassion ran deeply as the undercurrent of his acts in
history until the LORD provides the nation with the Savior Jesus. Then why did
the Lord give Israel such an autonomy/leeway to run her nation with their own
kings? It seems that God wanted to speak out to His people more clearly and
concretely that they are sinners and within their ability, will and strength,
they cannot keep up with the LORD of Holiness. This was the most difficult ‘thesis’
for them to accept. It is not just Israel but entire humanity has a hard time
to accept that they are sinners and helpless in themselves and that only by God
the creator’s mercy, they can live and sustain life. Human pride is so deep and
to speak out clearly against this, the LORD took 1000 years to prove the
inability of men of sin.
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