Pastor Marshall Ochs | September 29, 2024
In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from 2 Kings 3-4. These chapters follow the ministry of Elisha at the national level and the local level. They reveal a God who shows great compassion on His people in the midst of a spiritual drought and pervasive wickedness. In addition, these chapters foreshadow the future ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus — a call to repentance and a compassion for the lost.
Watch
Listen
Reflect
In 2 Kings 3, we encounter a story that mirrors our spiritual battles and choices. After King Ahab dies, Moab rebels against Israel, refusing to continue paying tribute. Israel allied with Judah and Edom to go to war against Moab, but the kings made a critical mistake—they set out on their mission without first seeking God’s guidance.
As the alliance marches through the desert, they soon find themselves without water, and King Jehoram of Israel panics, believing that God is out to destroy them. This reveals a key lesson: when we make decisions without prayer and seeking God’s will, we can easily find ourselves in difficult situations. But Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, reminds us of the right response in such moments—seek the Lord.
Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet to inquire of the Lord, and Elisha appears. Through Elisha, God promises to provide water for their troops and victory in battle. Despite their poor decisions, God remains faithful, offering mercy and guidance to those who seek Him.
In our own lives, we often try to take control of situations without asking for God’s direction. When things go wrong, we panic, just like Jehoram. But God, in His kindness, reminds us to turn to Him in prayer. Jesus is always there, inviting us to seek Him, even when we’ve made poor choices. This serves as a reminder that God’s faithfulness and provision are always available to those who humble themselves and seek His will.
As the battle unfolds, God provides a miraculous victory for Israel by using the water to deceive the Moabites. However, the story takes a dark turn when the king of Moab, in desperation, sacrifices his own son to the false god Chemosh. The Moabites believed such a sacrifice would invoke supernatural power.
The people of Israel, who had also been serving idols like Baal, experienced the consequences of aligning themselves with demonic powers. The text says, “great wrath came against Israel” (2 Kings 3:27). This act of devotion to a false god unleashed spiritual forces against Israel.
You cannot serve both God and demonic forces and expect God’s blessing. Spiritual rebellion invites destructive consequences. This story teaches us that engaging in or allowing things that align with demonic powers—whether idol worship or other forms of rebellion—can have devastating effects.
Despite the spiritual battle and the consequences of Israel’s rebellion, God’s kindness is woven throughout. He provides water, offers victory, and gives hope even in chaos. This reminds us that God’s mercy and grace are always present, even when we face spiritual battles. His kindness overwhelms the wrath of our enemies, both physical and spiritual, when we turn to Him in faith.
Reflection Questions:
Jehoshaphat sought the Lord when things went wrong, while Jehoram panicked. In moments of crisis, do you tend to panic or seek God’s guidance?
How can you develop the habit of seeking God first before making decisions or facing challenges?
Elisha delivered God’s word of provision and victory despite the alliance’s poor choices. How does this demonstrate God’s faithfulness even when we make mistakes?
In what areas of your life have you experienced God’s mercy, even after making poor decisions?
The story connects child sacrifice to demonic influence. How should we, as a church, think about modern issues like abortion in light of this spiritual reality?
Are there areas in your life where you have allowed influences that are not of God? How can you surrender those areas to Him?
Despite Israel’s rebellion and the presence of demonic forces, God’s kindness shines through in the story. How have you experienced God’s overwhelming kindness in your life?
In 2 Kings 4, we see God working through the prophet Elisha in ways that foreshadow the ministry of Jesus. The chapter contains four miraculous stories, each with a message of hope and power. From helping a poor widow pay off her debts to raising a child from the dead, healing poisoned stew, and multiplying bread to feed the hungry, this chapter highlights God’s care for both the mighty and the ordinary, the big and the small.
Elisha helps a poor widow about to lose everything because of debt. She follows his instructions to gather empty jars, and God miraculously fills each one with oil. This teaches us that God provides for our needs but often asks for our faith and obedience in the process.
Elisha blesses a Shunammite woman with a prophetic word that she will have a child, and the promise comes true. But when her son suddenly dies, Elisha raises him from the dead, showing God’s power over life and death. This story parallels Jesus’ miracles of raising the dead and reminds us of God’s faithfulness to His promises, even in dire circumstances.
A man brings a small offering of bread to Elisha, which isn’t enough to feed the people. But God multiplies it, leaving leftovers just as He did when Jesus fed the multitudes. This story reveals God’s power to provide abundantly, even when it seems impossible.
What’s happening in these stories is more than just individual miracles. These miracles foreshadow the ministry of Jesus. Just as Elijah’s ministry of repentance mirrors John the Baptist, Elisha’s ministry parallels that of Jesus.
Filling the jars: Just as Elisha filled jars with oil, Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding, symbolizing joy and abundance.
Raising the dead: Elisha raised the Shunammite woman’s son, just as Jesus raised people like Jairus’ daughter.
Multiplying bread: Elisha fed a crowd with a small offering of bread, just as Jesus fed thousands with just a few loaves and fish.
God reveals His pattern of working through mighty showdowns (as in Elijah’s ministry) and humble acts of service (as in Elisha’s ministry). Both are aspects of God’s work in the world and point to Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of these promises. Jesus is the mighty warrior who conquers sin and the humble servant who meets our everyday needs.
One powerful takeaway from 2 Kings 4 is that God is at work on both the grand and personal scales. At the national level, God is working out His plan for His people, calling them to repentance and showing His authority over false gods. At the same time, God is intimately involved in the lives of everyday people—widows, mothers, and the hungry. No need is too small, and no challenge is too big for God’s intervention.
As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded to consider how God is working in our lives. We shouldn’t rush off to fight battles without first seeking His direction. Instead, we are invited to join what God is already doing.
Reflection Questions:
The widow had to gather empty jars for the oil to flow. What “empty jars” are in your life that you need to bring to God so He can fill them?
Are there areas where you need to step out in faith, trusting God to provide in ways you cannot see?
The Shunammite woman’s faith was tested when her son died, but God restored him to life. How has your faith been tested in difficult circumstances?
In what ways has God proven His faithfulness, even when things seemed hopeless?
Elisha multiplied the bread to feed the hungry, just as Jesus did. Where do you see God’s provision in your life, even when resources seem limited?
This passage shows both God’s mighty power and His humble service. How can you reflect both of these aspects of God’s character in your own life?
As you reflect on 2 Kings 4 this week, remember that God is at work in both the extraordinary and the ordinary. Seek His guidance in all things, and be open to the ways He wants to use you to bring hope, healing, and provision to those around you. Trust that He is with you, providing for your needs and leading you in His purpose.