03.12. Elisha's Address to the Kings

Elisha’s Address to the Kings

Elisha first addresses Jehoram. This unprincipled monarch merited an open rebuke. What had he cared hitherto for Jehovah, or for any of his prophets? But now that the Almighty had suddenly stopped him in his career, a reluctant submission is extorted from him, so that this son of Jezebel no longer feels it beneath him to approach one of the Lord’s prophets in the humblest manner, to obtain his advice, intercession, and assistance. But we may be quite sure, that Elisha was in no wise disposed to glory over him on this occasion. For if Jehoram now believed and trembled before God, it was only as "the devils believe and tremble." If he sought aid from above it was entirely from carnal and worldly motives. The king came to beg water for his army, not mercy for his soul. In his extremity he thought for once to make use of Jehovah and his prophets, and could his object be attained he would trouble himself no longer concerning either the one or the other. He did not seek first the Lord, and then His benefits. When the seer’s penetrating eye had for a moment surveyed the monarchs, his expression, usually so mild, assumed the gravity of awful rebuke, and the words he uttered were like arrows: "What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophet of thy mother!" Here is no triumph of human vanity, it is only the triumph of God over Baal, of truth over falsehood; it is an authoritative setting forth of idolatry in all its worthlessness, by an appeal to the king’s present despair and ignominy. But, distressing as is the occurrence of such exhibitions (and similar ones are not at all infrequent in common life), they have their bright side. In these exigencies the Lord is magnified, and his gospel triumphs, or at least its value is illustrated. But it is a fearful retribution, if, when despisers of God feel constrained to seek him in the hour of their calamity, and approach him with uplifted hands and agonized hearts, if they find, with Jehoram, every access to the Almighty closed against them; and their contempt being now requited with contempt, they receive from above the appalling reply, "What have I to do with thee? get thee to thy own gods, and let them help thee." Thus it was with those who are spoken of in the second chapter of Jeremiah, "They have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble." Dreadful repulse! God forbid that we should ever experience it.

If the heart of Jehoram trembled when he appeared before Elisha, what must he have felt at this cutting salutation! "Nay," he replies; as meaning, Oh, say not so, for it is of no use now to get me unto them; for I am sensible of the supreme power and displeasure of Jehovah, and to Him must I apply. "For the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hands of Moab." Yes, the perverse apostate knew well, that Jehovah is God. Of that he had received sensible demonstration. Still all recognition of the Most High in Israel was odious to him, it disturbed him too much in his abominable and impious courses; therefore he sought to expel it from his soul, and to substitute the tolerant idols of Dan and Bethel. Now, however, when destruction is at his heels, he would hear nothing more of the golden calves, but professes to give glory to God. Yet what hath the Lord to do with such prevaricating homage? What, with merely the fruit of selfish feelings? A time-serving religion is ever repudiated by him, and loathsome to him. Elisha, little affected by piety of this sort, replies with holy indignation, "As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee." This was speaking the plain truth, and informing Jehoram at once how matters stood; namely, that if relief should be now granted, it would not be vouchsafed out of any respect to him, but for the sake of the pious Jehoshaphat. The ungodly monarch would, however, be permitted to share in the deliverance, though not wrought on his account. This was humiliating to such a prince of idolatry; yet any thing was to be apprehended, rather than that he would "be swallowed up with, overmuch sorrow." If he did but obtain help, his pusillanimous fears would be allayed; which was all he cared for.

How strikingly is the same discrimination of Divine Providence as was here exhibited in the wilderness of Edom, still observable from time to time! The preservation or victory of an army, though ascribed by the world to its discipline, or to the skill of its commander, is always far more properly attributable to God’s care of his people, some of whom had probably marched unnoticed in the ranks, while many more had remained otherwise defenseless at home. Thus also an alarming danger has passed harmlessly away from a town or village, and the preservation of the place has been attributed to some fortunate accident, or to the wise measures of magistrates; while the sole occasion of deliverance might, perhaps, have been sought in a few of the humblest intermingled dwellings, where prayers and intercessions were made by some "that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name."