03.14. The Prophet's Directions
The Prophet’s Directions The minstrel ceases, and Elisha communicates agreeable intelligence. How great are the mercies of God! Israel is not only to obtain water, but to subdue the rebels. "Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches. Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones." Such was the utterance of the prophet; at which every dejected countenance must have brightened with joy. The command was obeyed with alacrity, and ditches were formed. And when they had drawn the deep furrows over the parched soil of the valley, at which they appear to have worked all night, lo! the thirsty country glistens everywhere the next morning with rills of water, which had come by the way of Edom; and thereby was the whole fainting army not only rescued from death, but revived to new life and vigor. Now, this is but one of the many instances of that peculiar, but infinitely wise, method by which the God of providence displays his sparing mercy and preserving love. Yet it may be asked, Why was such an indirect method as this adopted? Would not the preservation of Israel’s army have been more simply and naturally secured by a prevention of the drought altogether? It would; but then Jehoram would have retained his golden calves; Jehoshaphat would have had one humbling experience less of the faithfulness of his God; and the army, attributing victory to their own prowess, would have thought, We are the men! We can command success! The pride of human nature would have been fostered, and Jehovah yet more dishonored and despised. But by the arrival of help and deliverance, after every fleshly arm had been enfeebled, the Lord alone was exalted in that day. His power and faithfulness were magnified in the sight of the nations; apostates were put to shame; the high looks of the high ones were brought down; believers were confirmed in their faith and courage; and enjoyment was enhanced by such an immediate granting of the goodness and beneficence of the Almighty. O ye children of God, take notice of all this, that you may not be too much cast down when he leads you over rugged paths and through desert places. Does the day of your earthly prosperity close in night? It is only that you may behold the Star of Bethlehem. Do the supports of human wisdom and counsel break under you? The Lord would only erect above them his throne of power and faithfulness. The Moabites, who had received intelligence of the advance of their enemies, were now assembled in battle array upon their frontiers. When the sun was up, and his rosy light first fell upon the water, the vanguard of the rebels, beholding it at a distance, supposed it to be blood. Thus the notion was rapidly spread from one to another that the kings were surely slain, having fallen out among themselves. Hence there was a universal shout, "Moab to the spoil!" and they rush forward, confident of victory. But who can describe their consternation at beholding the Israelitish squadrons advancing to meet them sword in hand! In a moment they are confounded, and flee in the utmost panic and disorder. The allied forces press hard upon them into their country; and, as had been predicted by the word of Jehovah, they demolished their cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone and filled it; and they stopped all their wells of water, and felled all the good trees; only Kir-haraseth, the capital, they did not demolish, but they encompassed it about with their slingers, and threatened to level it likewise with the ground. Into this place the king of Moab had thrown himself, with the remainder of his fugitive troops; but soon perceiving that he should not be able to defend the city, he formed the desperate resolution of cutting his way through the enemy. He, therefore, sallied forth on that side of the city which was invested by the king of Edom, but being overpowered by numbers, he was again driven back within the walls. And now a horrible scene ensued. The king, frantic and desperate, suddenly appeared with his first-born son upon the battlements of Kir-haraseth. There he caused an altar to be erected, and sacrificed upon it his own child to propitiate the gods. The Israelites, at beholding such a horrifying spectacle of rage and despair, raised the siege, and retired to their own land, leaving the unfortunate king, with the wreck of his army, to seek safety in flight. The object of the campaign had been attained; the power of Moab was broken, the rebellion suppressed, and the country again placed under the scepter of the king of Israel.
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"The Lord is a man of war, great and mighty in battle." It is well for us, if we are on His side, and He on ours. Then we advance from victory to victory; we break in pieces the mighty, like earthen vessels.
Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. He takes from us our cisterns, to supply us from his own fountains. He strikes away our supports from under us, not that we may fall, but that he may be himself our stay and staff; and he makes use of our perplexities to give us experience of his power, mercy, and truth. A heathen sage is said to have exclaimed, "Never complain of misfortune while Cesar is your friend!" But what shall we exclaim to those whom the King of kings and Lord of lords, is not ashamed to call his friends and his brethren! He hath said, to every one of them, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Should not this gracious declaration for ever banish all their fears and anxieties? He who hath Christ dwelling in his heart by faith, though he seem as having nothing, is truly possessing all things.
Privations, difficulties, and trials, are God’s providential means of hiding {Pride}pride from man; and it is only when pride will not be thus subdued, that men in their afflictions yield to despair. Pride, as in the case of Jehoram, is ever the cause of despair: and no wonder; for it is the cause of unbelief, and of all the bitter fruits of unbelief. And why, but because it will not deign to offer unto God one word of heartfelt supplication. What an insane and contemptible thing then is pride in the fallen children of Adam! Even "the fear of man," which "bringeth a snare," proceeds from pride. Do we not therefore see what a righteous thing it is in God to rebuke and punish this sin? Can we wonder that the fearful and the unbelieving, those who live and die under the influence of pride, must have their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone? But God giveth grace to the humble. He is to the true Israel a Father of mercies and a God of all comfort; and with the Lord for our Shepherd, we can lack nothing. Therefore never can we be too dependent on Him; never too humble and poor in spirit. Herein is that saying true, "When I am weak, then am I strong."