2 Kings 13:14-19 English Standard Version

The Death of Elisha

14 Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”

Yesterday’s comment that in politics we alienate everyone needs explanation.

There will always be those who think we haven’t gone far enough, that we should have done more.

Then there are those that blame the messenger, “Why didn’t you tell us everything?”

Politics is the unhappy bedfellow that is never satisfied.

Perhaps if Joash had a better relationship with God he would have known how many times he should have struck the arrows to the ground. See, I just found a way to blame Joash. There is just no way to satisfy everyone with politics.

Thank God we live in the eternal kingdom of God. This life began when we accepted Christ by faith as Lord and Savior.

Look at what I have written about the elements of 2 Kings 13. They reveal no absolute truths of God the Father, Jesus Christ, Joash or Elisha. They do say something about me and my thinking, my behaviors and my leanings. This is the Holy Spirit revealing in me those things that should be offered up for sacrifice in my life.

Every time we offer questions that the bible does not clearly address it is an opportunity for the devil to cast doubt on the word of God. That is like watching political pundits arguing over politics on television. They are arguing opinions that offer no proof. 

That is Satan’s playground.