Elisha-If Only They Had Worshipped God

By Mary Vee
II Kings 8

From Elisha's Journals

Photo Courtesy

Jehoram, king of Israel died after only his second year of his reign. His son, Ahaziah, became king. Although he was the youngest son of Jehoram, all his older brothers had been killed by raiders, leaving him next in line for the throne. 

I didn't look forward to Ahaziah's reign. He was only twenty-two years old and had already chosen to rely on his mother's advice. She did not fear God and would cause her son to continue leading Israel away from worshiping and honoring the God of our fathers. Such sad news. 

God instructed me to go to Damascus in the north to visit Ben-Hadad, king of Aram. I don't always know ahead of time why God sends me on journeys, but He always has a purpose.

Ben-Hadad was an evil king. His people, the Arameans have a close connection to our people. The father of their people was Laban. Laban was the brother of Abraham, the father of the Israelites. Our nations are as cousins. We should be friends, yet Ben-Hadad continues to battle against us.

When Ben-Hadad heard I had come for a visit, he said to Hazael, a ranking official in his army to "Take a gift and go meet the man of god. Ask him to consult the Lord to find out if I will recover from this illness."

Hazael brought forty camel-loads of all the finest wares from Damascus for a gift. He bowed to me and said, "Your son, Ben-Hadad king of Aram, has sent me to ask if he will recover from his illness."

The Lord gave me an answer right away. "Go and say to him, 'You will certainly recover.' I must tell you, though, the Lord has told me Ben-Hadad will indeed die, but not from the sickness." 

I stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael felt ashamed. During this moment of silence, God revealed the most terrible news of what would happen. I couldn't help but weep.

Hazael stretched his hand forward. "Why is my lord weeping?"

I didn't want to tell him, but when the Lord gives me a message, I must deliver it. "I am weeping because I know the harm you will do to the Israelites. You will set fire to their fortified cities, kill our young men, kill the pregnant women and the children."

Hazael took a step back and lowered his head. "How could I, your servant, a mere dog, do such a thing?"

"The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram."

Just as every other word of the Lord has come true, so did this. Hazael left me and returned to his master. Ben-Hadad asked him what I had said. He answered, "He told me that you would certainly recover." But the next day Hazael took a thick cloth, soaked it in water, and spread it over the king's face. Ben-Hadad died and Hazael succeed him as king.

Just as God said.

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1. Wow. Life doesn't seem to be going well in Israel with ______ as their new king and in Aram with __________ as the new king.
2. Who deliver this special message from God?
3. What was Ben-Hadad's problem?
4. How old was the new king of Israel?
5. Did he worship God? Why or why not?

Elisha-The Arameans Ran Away, Scared

By Mary Vee
II Kings 7

From the King's Officer's Scrolls

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I went to the King's chambers with the report from the lepers. 

It was the middle of the night, yet he got up from his bed. He listened to the news and said, "I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving and have left the camp to hide in the countryside thinking, 'They will surely come out. When they do, We will take them alive and get into the city.'"

He had a good point. "I suggest we choose some men to take five of the horses that are left in the city and go to the camp. Their fate will be no different if they run into the Arameans. They will either die in the camp or die from starvation here. So let's send them to find out what has happened.

"I like your idea," the king said. "Do as you said."

We selected two chariots with their horses and four soldiers to go with me to the Aramean camp. As we prepared to leave the king said "Go and find out what has happened."

"Yes, my king."

We journeyed to the camp, as far as the Jordan, and found the whole road strewn with clothing, weapons, and equipment. We stepped down from the chariots and looked at the situation. "It looks like they were frightened off by something."

I picked up a few items to take back to the city to prove our findings. I hurried to the king's chambers and held up the few items I brought back. "The lepers have spoken the truth. The Armeans have abandoned their camp as if frightened and left everything: food, clothing, gold, silver, and weapons behind!"

It didn't take long for the news to travel throughout the city. The king put one of his officers in charge of the city gate. It was the same officer who told Elisha he didn't believe his message. 

I remember Elisha saying the officer would die because of his disrespectful words. Soon after the people heard the news they ran to the gate. They pushed the officer down trying to get out of the city. There he died. 

Men and women ran to the camp and emptied it of every morsel of food, every stitch of clothing, every piece of weapon, the animals, everything.

We heard a report later, what happened to the Arameans. The Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army. They said to one another "The King of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!" They got up and fled in the dusk, shortly before the lepers arrived, and ran for their lives."

Because of the Lord, we have food. Praise be to God.

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1. Did the king believe the message?
2. What did the officer suggest they do?
3. What did the five officers find at the camp?
4. What did the officer do right away?
5. What happened to the officer who did not believe Elisha?
6. What did God give the people of Samaria?
7. What had happened to the Aramean army?

Elisha-The King Who Died Hungry

By Mary Vee
II Kings 6

From Elisha's Scrolls

Photo Courtesy

I sat in my house with the elders of the city. We discussed the Word of God and problems our city faced. 

Ben-Hadad, king of Aram took great joy in making life difficult for us here in Samaria. Not that long ago he sent the captain of his army, a man named Naaman, to be healed from leprosy. God chose to heal the man.

Despite this kindness given to the Arameans, Ben-Hadad gathered his army and circled the city. His goal was to starve us to death, break down the gates, and steal all that we had. Not the best way to say thank you for helping his captain.

They have been here for quite a while and our food is mostly gone. No one, not even the rich can afford to buy what little food is left in the city. Of course, no one can leave the city walls lest they be killed by Ben-Hadad's army.

God chose to let me know the Israelite king had felt overwhelmed and turned to rage. He sent a messenger to my house, he should arrive soon. The king is following close behind him. 

Once God finished letting me know, I leaped to my feet and shouted to the elders, "A murderer is sending someone to cut off my head. When the messenger arrives, shut the door and hold it shut against him because his master will be close behind."

While I was speaking, the messenger pounded on my door. The king did the same within a moment's time. The king shouted through the door, "This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord to give an answer any longer? We are starving."

I said to him, "Hear the word of the Lord. About this time tomorrow, flour and barley will sell in the city streets as it once had."

I peeked through the window and saw the king leaning on an officer. He had little strength left due to his hunger. 

The officer who the king leaned on said, "Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, how could your words possibly come true?"

Yes. The doubt. When will these Israelites learn to believe the Word of the Lord and trust Him to take care of them?

I sighed. "You will see this all right. With you own eyes. But, you will not eat any of it."

The king's eyes squinted his continued unbelief. Foolish man. 

The king and his guards left my door, mumbling and complaining. Little did they realize God's answer to their problem was about to be shown to them.

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1. What did the Elders and Elisha talk about?
2. What did God tell Elisha would happen?
3. What had God done for Ben-Hadad's captain?
4. Did Ben-Hadad show his thanks?
5. What did Ben-Hadad do to the city of Samaria where the Israelite king and Elisha lived?
6. What happened to the people of Samaria?
7. When the king of Israel went to see Elisha, what did Elisha tell him?

Elisha-Ben-Hadad Attacks Again

By Mary Vee
II Kings 6

As you read of this event, keep in mind, this king of Israel did not worship the one true God.

From the King of Israel's Scrolls

Photo Courtesy

This morning, I woke to terrible news. Ben-Hadad, king of Aram had marched his army here, to Samaria, and surrounded the city. They set up their camp and prepared for a siege. 

Unbelievable.

Naaman, the captain of his army had leprosy and came to us for help. He went to the prophet Elisha's house and spoke with him. The Lord healed the man. Why is Ben-Hadad attacking after we helped him?

Oh, I know Ben-Hadad's battle plan, all right. He'll stay camped out there, not doing a thing. All he has to do is make sure we can't get out and no one comes in to the city. As a result, we will not be able to get our food supplies replenished. He'll starve us to death them knock down the gate and take the plunder.

Each morning since Ben-Hadad arrived, I went to the city wall and looked out at the terrible sight. A sea of tents filled the valley. Not that I expected to see anything different. But I had hoped something would happen. A month had passed.

Food became scarce for us. Prices for a small handful of food became too expensive for even the wealthy people. Men and women in the city became angry. They had no place to go to find any food. We couldn't even search the fields or woods because we couldn't get out of the city.

A woman came to me and cried. "Help me, my lord the king!"

I asked her what she wanted. She told me about a dispute with her neighbor. So terrible were her words I tore my robe. I didn't realize what the people were doing and what they were willing to eat. This had to be Elisha's fault. Why hadn't he asked God to save us?

Rage boiled in my veins as my stomach growled. I paced like a hungry lion.

The only one who could do anything was Elisha. I called for a messenger. We he arrived I ordered him to, "Go to Elisha and tell him we are starving. If he will do nothing about this problem, I will drag him here and put him to death."

The messenger left, running toward Elisha's house.

Outside the city gate, men suffering from leprosy called up. "Please, please have mercy. Give us a crumb of bread!"

I couldn't help them. We didn't have food to give. And if I did have food, I would eat it myself, first.


Come back next time to see what Elisha, the servant of God does.

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1. Who came to attack Samaria.
2. Samaria was the home for the king of _________.
3. What was the problem in the city?
4. What did the king decide to do?
5. Why couldn't the people get out of the city?
6. What did the men with leprosy want?

The Prophet's Message to Ahab

By Mary Vee
I Kings 20

From a Prophet's Journal

God sent me a message. 

Apparently, king Ahab spared the life of king Ben-Hadad. Unbelievable. 

I am to convey the message to him in a way that will let Ahab know how serious his disobedience was. 

As I walked along a road, the Lord told me to command the man walking with me, "Strike me with your weapon." I did as the Lord said. The man looked at me as if I had asked for a bag of gold. 

"No, I cannot do this," he said.

When God gives a command, no matter how odd it may seem, we are to obey. I turned to him and said, "Since you did not obey the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you."

After the man walked away, I heard the lion's roar.

The Lord told me to find another man and give the same message. Farther up the road I saw a man. I hurried to catch up to him. "Strike me, please." The man obeyed, wounding me.

I stumbled to the side of the road and waited for king Ahab to come. I disguised myself with a headband pulled down over my eyes. After a while, I heard the foot soldiers calling out, "Make way for the king." 

When his chariot rolled past I called out to him, "Your servant went into the thick of the battle. Someone came to me and said, 'Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life or you can pay a talent of silver.' While I hurried here and there doing my work, the man disappeared."

King Ahab called back, "Then you know what will happen. You will either lose your life or have to pay a talent of silver."

I pulled off the headband from my eyes and looked at the king.

His eyes grew wide. "You are a prophet!"

"Yes. I have a message for you from the Lord. 'You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore you will lose your life, and your people will lose their lives instead of his people."

Ahab closed his eyes. His face reddened and he tightened his hand into a fist. He didn't say a word other than to command his soldiers to move on. He returned to his palace in Samaria.

For three years Ahab and king Ben-Hadad kept peace. And then...

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photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1.  How did the prophet know Ahab spared king Ben-Hadad's life?
2.  What did God tell the prophet to say to the man walking with him?
3.  What punishment did the man receive for not obeying?
4.  What did God tell the prophet to do next?
5.  What did that man do?
6.  What disguise did the prophet wear?
7.  What message did the prophet give king Ahab?

Ahab-The Bad Guy is Spared

By Mary Vee
I Kings 20

From the Messenger's Journal

We'd barely caught our breath from running away. The Israelites conquered us like we were ants. Our king, his officials, and a few others hid in an inner room of Aphek, the closest city to the battleground.

Not knowing when the Israelites could burst through the door and find us, the officials immediately met with the king Ben-Hadad. They said, "Look, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let's go to him with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps after he sees us, he will take pity and spare your life."

I knew what they really wanted was their own lives spared. Either way, if their plan worked, both the king and the official's would be spared."

Ben-Hadad thought for a moment then nodded. "This is good."

They sent me out to purchase sackcloth and ropes and bring the supplies back. I did so and piled the material and rope in the middle of the floor. All the officials dressed as the king in the sackcloth and tied the ropes around their heads. 

The officials led the way, leaving king Ben-Hadad safely out of reach. The Israelites welcomed the officials and led them to the king. King Ahab granted permission for them to speak.

"Your servant Ben-Hadad requests you grant him permission to live."

King Ahab looked at their clothes and raised his eyebrows as if surprised. "Is he still alive? He is my brother."

The officials looked at each other and smiled. They whispered to each other, "This is a good sign, surely he will spare our king." 

The head official turned back to king Ahab and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!"

Ahab lifted his cup and said, "Go and get him."

The official hurried back to king Ben-Hadad and told him the good news and brought him back to the Israelites. Ahab was sitting in his royal chariot. He signaled Ben-Hadad to climb up and sit next to him.

Ben-Hadad pressed his hands together and bowed. "I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria."

Ahab said, "If you will make this treaty with me, I will set you free." The two kings agreed and Ahab set our king, Ben-Hadad free.

I must admit my surprise at the ending. Had Ahab come to our king, I know we would not have spared his life. I wonder if Ahab has some trick, some secret plan he is plotting for another day.

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Note: The messenger had a good reason to be suspicious. Be sure to come back next time to see what happens.

Photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1. Where did Ben-Hadad hide?
2. Who was he hiding from?
3. What plan did his official suggest?
4. What did Ahab do when he saw the officials?
5. What did Ahab do when he saw Ben-Hadad?
6. What did Ben-Hadad offer to give back?
7. What did Ahab decide to do with Ben-Hadad?