2 Kings 3
Up til now Elisha had done great things but his ministry was mainly local. In 2nd Kings 3 he bursts onto the national scene. Jehoram is now the king – he is the son of Ahab and Jezebel (which means literally dung heap?)
In the past the land of Moab has had to pay a huge tribute of lambs and rams to the king of Israel and when Jehoram takes over the Moabite king says enough is enough – we are not paying any more.
Jehoram calls on Jehoshaphat, king of Judah to gang up with him to defeat the Moabites. They decide to attack through Edom, which is hot dry dead sea area - desert.
Jehoshaphat is a Godly man but he has a history of making alliances with evil people. He had made an alliance with Ahab that didn’t go so well for him. Back in the time of Ahab he allowed himself to be persuaded to go to battle with Ahab, disguised as the leader in Ahab’s place because it had been prophesied that Ahab would be killed. When the Syrians realized that he was not Ahab he ran away and they killed Ahab anyway. Alliances with evil cause pain, trial, and embarrassment every time and evidently Jehoshaphat doesn’t learn.
Do we learn?
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
We are to be in the world but not let the world be in us.
My personal observation
It is easy sometimes to see that we are walking in the wrong direction, hanging on to wrong relationships. At those times it would be clear and we could extricate ourselves. I think it is often not so clear and maybe it happens a little at a time.
Back to Jehoshaphat – they attack through Edom. After seven days they ran out of water for themselves and their animals.
We run out of water – our time with God in the Word is dry and especially when we are in wrong alliances.
Jehoshaphat tells them that they need to go to the Lord and they ask Elisha what to do. Elisha tells them to do 2 things. Sing and sweat. He tells them to bring him a musician. While the harpist was playing he tells them that the Lord says to dig ditches. This area is near the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on earth. When it rains in Jerusalem the water pours down the mountains onto the plain. God wants them to dig ditches to use this water. They will have plenty to drink. This water and the sun created an optical illusion that made the Moabites think it was blood so, thinking that the kings had fought and killed each other they came down and were defeated.
I Sing - Worship
* There is victory is worship in 2 Chronicles God won the battle without a single sword being drawn
2 Chronicles 20
So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
“Praise the LORD,
For His mercy endures forever.”[c]
22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon
God won the victory but it began with praise.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
* Hard to maintain a bad attitude when you are singing
You come to worship and you are angry – you start singing and your heart starts to soften
* The Lord does some of His best work to background music
Job 38:4-7
4 “ Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Acts 13
1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
- After they worshipped the Holy Spirit spoke
The bible tells us to wait upon the Lord. Not wait as in sit on the couch eating potato chips – wait as in how a waiter ministers to diners. What does the Lord want from us. Does He want us to worship? To fall on our knees and pray? Be in the Word?
II Sweat - Dig ditches
2 Kings 3: 20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
We have hindsight – we know that the optical illusion would win the battle but all Jehoshaphat knew was that he was tired and thirsty and God said – dig ditches! Begin with the morning sacrifice and keep digging.
When our time in the Word is dry we have to keep digging ditches – not physical, but spiritual ditches. Keep reading and praying and worshipping. Keep digging ditches and you will see that as the sacrifice of praise is made – God will send water and fill those ditches with His presence in accordance with the depth of the ditches.
Think about: God was obeyed and the ditches were dug and the enemy ran into the trap set by the Lord. If the Moabites had gotten closer they would have seen that it was water.
Some folks don’t read the bible because they say it is nothing but a book about blood and killing, or whatever reason they may give, if they got closer and deeper they would fall deeper and deeper in love with the Word of God.
Depth of ditch – depth of relationship
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