Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 8

After Samaria was restored, Elisha told the woman, who's son he had brought back to life, to travel away from Israel because a famine was about to occur.

In the meanwhile, the king had spoken to Gehazi, who told the king about all he had witnessed that Elisha had done.

After seven years of living in the land of the Philistines, the woman came back, and she went before the king to petition that he give her her land and her home back. Gehazi informed the king that this was the woman he had spoke to him about.

The king asked her to tell her side of the story, and she did. So, he restored her property to her.

Elisha went to Damascus. The king of Syria was sick, and when he was told of Elisha's arrival, he sent a messenger to enquire as to whether or not he would recover.

So Hazael, the messenger, went to Elisha and asked. Elisha told him, "Yes," but he began to cry, trying to keep his composure, but failing to do so.

When Hazael asked, "What's wrong?" Elisha told him, "I see what you are going to do to Israel. You will slay all the men, all the children and all the women who are with-child brutally."

"Am I a dog that I would do such a thing?" Hazael protested. Elisha insisted that he would be king.

When Hazael returned to the king, the king asked, "Will I recover?" Hazael told him, "Yes." The next day, he took a cloth, dipped it in water, and put it over the king's face, smothering him to death. Hazael became king.

After Joram was king over Israel for five years, Jehoram became king of Judah. Jehoram was married to Joram's sister, and he reigned for eight years, doing evil in the site of the Lord, who would not destroy Judah for David's sake. God had promised that Israel would always have a light.

While Joram reigned, Edom and Libnah revolted. Joram defeated Edom in battle, and Ahaziah ruled in his stead. Ahaziah was Joram's son-in-law. Before Joram died, he was wounded in battle, so he went to Jezreel to recuperate, and Ahaziah went to see him.

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Shakespeare, one of the most notorius playwrites history has to give us, once wrote, "Oh what a wicked web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive!" One sin leads to another. It causes others to stumble and sin. Soon everyone is corrupt and the whole land is covered in sin. Sin is hard to purge. The stains are thick and heavy, and Israel is in despair in 2 Kings 8 because of it.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 3

When Jehoshaphat had been king of Judah for eighteen years, Jehoram became king of Israel. He didn't make God happy, but he wasn't as bad as Ahab had been. He did take down all the statues of Baal, but he followed in the ways of Jeroboam.

Mesha was king of Moab. Moab was under Israel's control, so Mesha provided Israel with lots of sheep. After Ahab died, Moab rebelled.

King Jehoram took a census of Israel, then he sent messengers to Jehoshaphat and asked him if he would help him get the Moabites back under control. Jehoshaphat agreed and asked where he would like to meet. Jehoram said, "Edom."

Edom joined forces with Israel and Judah in the quest to get Moab back. So, all three kings and their men started travelling. After seven days, there was no water for the men or animals. It had not rained. Jehoram claimed that God must want all three of the kings together so Moab can defeat them and take all their territories. Jehoshaphat said, "Really? Let's ask Him. Is there a prophet anywhere close by?"

One of Jehoram's servants said, "There is Elisha. He was Elijah's apprentice." So Jehoram sent for Elisha.

When Elisha got there, he said, "Why me? What is wrong with all your other god's prophets?"

Jehoram told Elisha what was going on, and Elisha said, "I swear. If it weren't for the respect I have for Jehoshaphat, I wouldn't even be here. Bring me some music so I can think." They did.

When Elisha felt the Spirit of the Lord, he told them, "Dig some ditches. God is not going to send rain, but he will make sure your people and animals are watered. Furthermore, God is going to deliver Moab into your hands. When He does, you are to destroy every city there. You are to stopped all the wells, cut down all the good trees, and put stones in the land to make it useless.

The next morning, the ditches were filled with water. The Moabites heard the kings were coming, so they readied themselves for battle. They went to the border and camped. When they got up, the water that God had given the kings reflected red, like blood. The Moabites thought that maybe the kings were dead, so they ventured into the kings' camps. When they got to the camps, the Israelites suddenly got up and started fighting them, startling them so badly that they retreated, killing each other on the way.

They did all they were told to do, except in Kir-haraseth, where they left the stones for the sling-shooters who destroyed the land for them.

The king of Moab went after the king of Edom with seven-hundred men when he saw he could not defeat Israel, but to no avail. He was so desperate that he offered his son that would have inherited Moab as a sacrifice to his god on the wall. Israel was so indignant over this that they turned and went home.

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One Godly man in a group that is ungodly can be influential in how God blesses or curses an event. When God is on your side, you can't lose. So, when you feel like you are alone in your beliefs, and you wonder if prayer is the answer, take heart. God is still with you. God will bring you through any situation in any environment, surrounded by any type of people. Pray: for God IS listening.


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