Hazael Murders Ben-hadad

 

2 Kings 8:7-15

 

September 11, 2021

 

Hazael Murders Ben-hadad

 

Now Elisha came to Damascus. Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick. And when it was told him, “The man of God has come here,”   the king said to Hazael, “Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord through him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?’”   So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camels' loads. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?’”   And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover,’ but the Lord has shown me that he shall certainly die.”  And he fixed his gaze and stared at him until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept.   And Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.”   And Hazael said, “What is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you are to be king over Syria.”   Then he departed from Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me that you would certainly recover.”   But the next day he took the bed cloth and dipped it in water and spread it over his face, till he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

Deception and half-truths or tools of the evil one and he is always looking for any person that will do his bidding.   Hazael must have been a person to whom Ben-hadad the king of Syria trusted, and yet he was not a man worthy of trust.

 

What a contrast, both the kings of Israel and the king of Syria sought the council of Elisha because he was God's spokesperson.  But unlike these kings who put their trust in men and could not see what was in their hearts, God looks at the heart to see if a man will be loyal to Him only.  We find a great example of such a man in Daniel 10:10,11,  “And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.   And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now, I have been sent to you.”   And you and I must ask how can a man find such favor with God?  The answer is found in verse 12, “Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”

 

Many people have tried to keep a foot in the world and a foot in the things of God, but God calls them lukewarm and we are told He does not use such a person to be His spokesperson.  Could it be that many who seek to be leaders, both in and out of the Church are in that number?  It is a problem that can be fixed. It only requires a funeral for all that you treasure in the world, anything that you want more than Jesus.  So today will you set your heart to understand and humble yourself before your God?

 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice