Podcast 76, Story if Elisha, “Pt 2”

About 852–850 BC all twelve tribes united against Moab. Moab, the father of the Moabites, was the son of Lot, nephew to Abraham.

2 Kings 3:1-3

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

Jeroboam 1 was of the tribe of Ephraim. He became the first king of the Northern Tribes which split from the Southern Tribes over exorbitant taxes. Jeroboam became an idol worshiper. Jehoram, the seventh king in succession of Jeroboam 1 follows in the steps of his forefathers and also becomes an idol worshiper. Jehoshaphat is king of Judah at the same time that Jehoram was king of Ephraim or Israel. The Northern Tribes and the Southern Tribes have a history of being enemies. Here Jehoram and Jehoshaphat form an alliance against Mesha king of Moab. All three groups are related by Blood through Abraham’s family. Lot’s father, of course, was Abraham’s brother. At this time the Moabites were a tributary to Israel.

2 Kings 3:4-5

And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

That is when Israel and Judah form an alliance. They join with the king of Edom, of the lineage of Esau, twin brother of Jacob.

2 Kings 3:6-8

And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.

Immediately they are in trouble, there was no water, and they would perish in the desert.

2 Kings 3:9-10

So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

Unlike Jehoram, Jehoshaphat was not an idol worshiper. He believed in Jehovah, and he seeks a solution through the newly appointed prophet Elisha. It was always the practice of righteous kings to seek counsel from the Lord’s prophets during times of trouble.

2 Kings 3:11-12

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

One of the clear messages of the Old Testament to Israel and to all Christians is to seek answers through the Lord’s chosen prophets. Traditionally Americans from the birth of the Nation sought answers in the Holy Bible. The Bible became a central part of government, of schools, of the court system. Those who claim that we are not a Christian nation overlook the role God played in the framing of this nation and in the faith of those who founded this nation. The message of the Bible is if we turn our backs on the prophets of the Holy Bible, and if we turn our backs on Christ, the Lord will turn his back on use.