By Mary Vee
II Kings 9
From Elisha's Journals
Hazael, the new king of Aram didn't waste any time pulling together his army to attack Israel.
Joram, king of Israel panicked. He called Ahaziah, king of Judah to come help defend their country. As a brother and son of Abraham, Ahaziah quickly agreed to help. The kings prepared their army for battle.
They met at Ramoth Gilead. During this battle Joram, king of Israel was wounded. The Israelite army continued to fight while king Joram was taken to Jezreel to recover from his wounds.
Ahaziah, king of Judah, stayed at the battle as long as needed then went to Jezreel to see how Joram was feeling.
With Joram away from his post, the Lord gave me a new task. I summoned a man from the group of prophets, took him to a private room, and said, "Tuck your clock in your belt so that you may run. Take this flask of oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you get there, look for Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat. Get him away from all his friends and companions. Take him into an inner room. There, pour the oil from the flask on his head and say, 'This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.' Then open the door and run. Don't delay."
The young prophet ran to Ramoth Gilead as I asked. He hurried to where the army officers sat. "I have a message for you, commander," he said.
"For which of us?" Jehu asked.
"For you, commander."
Jehu got up and walked with the prophet messenger into the house. The prophet asked him to kneel. Jehu did as he was asked. The prophet poured the oil on Jehu's head and said, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, 'I anoint you king over the Lord's people Israel. You are to destroy the house of Ahab, your master, and I will avenger the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord's servants shed by Jezebel.
'The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off the house of Ahab. As for Jezebel, his wife, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her." The young prophet immediately ran to the door, opened it, and ran back to me.
This story will continue next time.
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1. Why was Joram king of Israel afraid?
2. Who did he ask for help?
3. Why did the person agree to help?
4. Where did they go?
5. What happened to Joram?
6. While he was gone, God told Elisha to send a young prophet with a _______ to _______
7. What message was the young prophet to give?
By Mary Vee
II Kings 8
From Elisha's Journals
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?
