Unseen Army

Introduction

A. For those who wear glasses, you know how precious eyesight is. Some can see very little without the aid of glasses. I’m sure those who work in the eye care industry like Mike White have seen those who eyes have gotten worse until finally blindness comes. One of the great songwriters of Christian hymns, Fanny J. Crosby, was blind. And her song “Someday the Silver Cord Will Break” is a poignant statement about the day she will see her Savior face to face. Others such as Helen Keller who were not only blind but deaf made incredible advances in our world. But there is a blindness which comes even with full sight. Even as some have 20/20 vision, they are blind to the realities of life. As someone has said “there is none so blind as he who will not see.”

B. Such is the case with our text tonight. As the author unfolds a twisting set of facts, the reader finds himself caught up in what seems to be a certain doom. We may find that our pulse quickens just a bit as we place ourselves in the scene and live the experience with Elisha. And if we are perceptive and intent on learning we will “see” something we may not have seen before. Perhaps our eyes can be opened. Perhaps what is fuzzy will become clearer as we put on God’s glasses.

The Story

A. Israel and Aram are at war again. The Arameans are attacking. The king of Aram confers with his advisors. He settles on a place to camp. This would be a good location from which to launch his attacks. But Elisha warns the king of Israel to avoid the area because the Arameans are camping there. The Aramean army moves. Elisha sends another warning. This goes on for a time until finally the king of Aram figures that someone must be spy. One of the advisors tells the king that Elisha is the culprit. He knows what they are going to do as soon as they do it. Discovering that Elisha lives in Dothan, the king of Aram sends part of his army to capture Elisha. They travel at night and surround the city.

B. The next morning, Elisha’s servant goes out of the house and sees on the horizon that the city is surrounded by the enemy. He is in a panic. Any “normal” person would be. Elisha, however, seems to be calm. He announces that they have more allies than the enemy has men. Now you know that servant was confused. He knows how many people live in the house. He knows how small the army in Dothan is. There is no reasonable explanation for that statement from Elisha’s lips. Elisha sensing that his servant is confused prays for God to open his eyes so that he can see the spiritual realm. And there surrounding the Aramean army is the army of God.

C. Horses and chariots of fire. You can see the horses pawing the heavens and you can see the steam coming from their noses as they snort in anticipation of doing battle. The Aramean army attacks. Elisha prays again that just as God brought sight to the servant that he will bring blindness to the Aramean army. Blinded Elisha leads them to Samaria. Who lives in Samaria? The king of Israel. Elisha takes the enemy directly into the clutches of God’s people. Elisha prays that God would now open their eyes and as they gain their sight, they realize where they are. The king of Israel wants to kill them, but Elisha offers a solution of peace. The enemy is well fed. A feast is given to them. And then they are returned to their master. Aram then withdraws from Israel. And the absence of war exists in Israel for a time.

Lessons

A. What’s the point of this story? As most of the Elisha stories, the point is that God protects his prophet and because Elisha is God’s servant, then the reader needs to understand that God is with him. But in this story there is a bit more to be learned. First, we must not overlook the importance of prayer. Three times Elisha prays in this story (verses 17, 18, and 20). All three times he requests God to do something which only He could do. Someone says “yeah, but Elisha was God’s prophet. God always answered his prayer the way he asked.” But you miss the point. Prayer is not about getting what we want, prayer is about getting what God wants. ILL. “Prayer. (Entire illustration)” Elisha’s prayer was not about him, it was about the will of God.

B. Second, there is a real world beyond what we see. This text is thrilling for a number of reasons, but none any more so than that God allows us to see into the spiritual realm. Why is Elisha calm? Because he knows that the real warriors are not those who are seen, but those which are unseen. By faith, he sees the army of God. He asks for God to allow his servant the same glimpse. It isn’t the servant’s faith which brings the result but God’s grace. And as the servant sees the army of God by faith we see it too. Paul will discuss this spiritual realm in Ephesians 6:12 when he writes that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. That’s the reason we put on our spiritual armor which is completely bathed Paul says in 6:18–19. There is an unseen world. And there are real spiritual beings in that world. We don’t see them, but there are some who are against us and from 2 Kings 6 there are some who are for us.

i.  Knowing this means that we look at this world differently. 2 Kings 6 allows us by faith to have our spiritual eyes opened so that we can see beyond this world to the spiritual realm around us. Elisha's servant acted as any human being would, but the one whose eyes have been opened can understand that there is more than what we see.

ii.  ILL. "Perspective." This is not to say that we don't get frightened or nervous when a situation arises, but it is to say that we see those situations differently. We know who is in control and it isn't us. We pray knowing that God sees and that his will is going to be done.

iii.  It means realizing that the real power in this world is not physical but spiritual. Elisha knew that his God was right there with him when the enemy staged its attack. The same God who sent flaming chariots and horses to protect his prophet is the same God who surrounds us. He sent those chariots then and he may not always send chariots, but the demonstration of strength is enough for us to know that by faith he is present and powerful enough to take care of us. Whatever his will may be will be done. Thus, the real power in this story is not with the strength of men but with the power of God which is not visible from below but only from above.

C. This should rejuvenate our prayer life. This should give us a new way of looking at this world. This ought to drive us to our knees and to lift up our eyes to see things as God does. May God open our eyes so we can see what is real. Let’s pray.

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