Those Who Are with Us Are More

[The King of Aram] sent horses and chariots and a strong force [to Dothan]. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God [Elisha] got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so 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. (2 Kings 6:14-17, NIV 1984).

My Musings – The king of Aram went to war against Israel. This is believed to be the same king (Ben-Hadad II) that sent Naaman his commander of the army to be healed by Elisha. We don’t know what transpired in the interim to cause Aram to go to war with Israel. But the text indicates that every time the king of Aram planned a raid, Elisha told Joram, the king of Israel. its exact details.

“This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, ‘Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?’ ‘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.’ ‘Go, find out where he is,’ the king ordered, ‘so I can send men and capture him.'” (2 Kings 6:11-13, NIV 1984). Upon learning that Elisha was in Dothan, he sent a force of soldiers to capture him.

Elisha was somewhat nonchalant about the whole thing. He knew that he was under the protection of the Lord’s army. “As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, ‘Strike these people with blindness.’ So, he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. 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. 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.” (2 Kings 6:8-20, NIV 1984).

Quite a predicament for Ben-Hadad II’s men. The captors became the captives, and likely feared the worst. Instead, at the urging of Elisha, Joram “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.” (2 Kings 6:23, NIV 1984). What could have been an escalation resulted in peace.

My Advice – For most of us, it is unlikely that we will face such a situation. But if we are faithful in our walk with Christ, we will face opposition from the evil one. This opposition could blind us to our secure position in Christ. When in fact, the enemy’s opposition is no match for our secure position. “Because the one who is in [us] is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4, NIV 1984). Perhaps even “the hills are full.” So, just “ open [your] eyes so [you] may see.“