We have noticed that Elisha called for a minstrel before prophesying here, and a few further comments might be helpful. When there was power among the people of God, souls were saved and blessing was poured out, without all the fleshly attractions such as music, entertainment, etc., used in our day. We learn the mind of God from the Acts of the apostles where there was the simple preaching of the gospel apart from these things. But in this day of great alliances in Christendom, when true Christians are mixed up with all kinds of things (with good intentions very often), God often comes in and blesses according to His grace, though not approving of all that is done. He surely did not approve of the alliance we have been noticing in our chapter. We could hardly expect to see godly order in unholy alliances, and yet God blesses abundantly, as He sent abundance of water here. How we rejoice to see souls saved, as the Lord saved Israel here. Nevertheless Jehoshaphat should never have been where he was, and so those who would walk for God’s glory will remain in separation from these things. Let us learn to go on in simplicity, for “to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:2222And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22). When man has failed, as Israel did, and surely the Church has failed, God is not limited in the outflow of His grace. He is sovereign and often works in a manner suited to the state of things as it is. We will, however, find that His mind about a thing is clearly brought before us at the time He sets it up. Let us then give thanks, as Paul did, that Christ is preached, even if in pretense, yet ever seeking to go on steadfastly in the path of obedience ourselves.
God not only filled the ditches with water here, so that the people could drink, but when the Moabites who had come out to fight against Israel saw the water they thought it was blood.
They thought the three kings were fighting among themselves, and so they advanced against them to their own destruction. Whatever failure there may be among the people of God, when God stretches out His arm to deliver them, the enemy will be overthrown. How gracious He is! How good to turn to Him owning our failure and counting upon Him, for He delights in blessing. The Israelites rose up against their enemies and utterly defeated them, carrying out the judgment of God on Moab.
We notice it was when the rising sun shone upon the water that the Moabites thought it was blood. And so in a coming day, when Christ “the Sun of Righteousness” rises to deliver and bless His erring people, the first thing He will do will be to judge those nations who are the enemies of Israel. (Zech. 14: 1-3.) The kingdom will thus be introduced through judgment, and just as God used His people Israel here, so He will use them to judge their enemies in that future day. The Moabites tried to break through the host but they could not, for the Lord was undertaking His people’s cause.
The human sacrifice offered here by the king of Moab shows us something of the awful wickedness and corruption that will fill the earth during the tribulation period, when God is dealing in judgment. We read in Revelation, that the angel was told: “Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.” Rev. 14:1818And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. (Revelation 14:18).
ML 11/25/1956