STRANGE COALITION. 2nd Kings 3 A person's reputation may live on long after they are dead, especially if they are noted for doing evil. Idol worship had been instituted throughout the kingdom of Israel by Jeroboam and, to a greater or lesser degree, was carried on by those who followed him. Once some action that leads to a practice is initiated, it is very difficult to stop it. We must be aware that if we are responsible for making any changes to the work of God to which we are called, it must be scriptural and able to be carried out in fellowship with God and His people. A task or an action may seem trivial at the time, but the outcome of the matter or event is what is important. The people of Moab had been in subjection to Israel since the time David was king over a united Israel. The land of Israel was the most strategic and most fertile part of the Near East and was envied by other nations that wanted that land. Perhaps it was because of the death of Ahab that Mesha thought Israel under Jehoram (Joram) was weak, and he refused to pay the annual taxes. To maintain the income received, Joram mobilized his army and asked Jehoshaphat of Judah to join in attacking the kingdom of Moab.
Jehoshaphat’s son was married to Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, so that was likely the reason he was willing to go with the king of Israel against the Moabites. Jehoram, king of Israel, was an idol worshipper but enjoyed the benefits of God’s grace because of his association with Jehoshaphat. On the other hand, Jehoshaphat should have known better than to link up with the ungodly king of Israel. It is not uncommon for us as the servants of God to act on our own initiative without taking the time to be assured of the mind of the Lord about a matter.
As the two armies went the roundabout way through the wilderness of Edom, the king of Edom and his forces joined in the coalition, making it three. The Lord still recognized Jehoshaphat as one who feared God and maintained the priesthood and the temple worship under divine authority. The king of Edom was actually under the authority of Jehoshaphat. Even though he should not have been allied with the kings of Israel and Edom because of their idol-worship and rejection of the Lord God of Israel, the Lord honored him and his request. It may have been the Moabites were even more wicked than the Edomites and those of the northern tribes of Israel.
By going south of the Dead Sea and coming against Moab through Edom, the Israelites would have avoided the fortifications on Moab's northern border. They would also have been clear of any attack from behind by the Arameans from Damascus. However, their strategy failed because the army lacked water, and they had to stop and seek the Lord, whom they had not considered before. The lack of water for the men and animals effectively stopped the invasion of Moab. Even though his initiative started the whole venture, Jehoram blamed the Lord for the setback. When their plans seemed to fail, the three kings turned to the Lord.
To link up with those who are in the world and of the world is not right for those who follow the Lord and His word. We are called to separate ourselves from that which is not of God and has self-motivated intent behind the action. Even when it may seem advantageous financially, socially, and religiously, the command is still to "Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord."
This is not uncommon when we act independently. We have our own interests at heart, but when they seem to fail, we turn to the Lord. It is wise to seek the Lord before taking action, and then we are assured that whatever the outcome is, it is according to His will and purpose, not ours. Compromising situations can leave us with a sense of guilt and shame unless we truly believe the Lord has us there for a reason.
If we do not consider the Lord’s will when we make plans, we are making a big and fundamental mistake. When left to our own devices, we miss the spiritual understanding of any action we take.
Elisha must have been with the forces of Israel under the guidance of the Lord, who was preparing the whole event to demonstrate that God was still in control of the affairs of men and nations. Jehoshaphat had been in a similar situation before with Ahab and knew that the Lord God only knows the end from the beginning. The prophet's challenge to them to seek advice from the false gods Israel and Edom were following was really a test. Jehoshaphat must have been embarrassed to have even been there.
The music Elisha called for would have stopped the minds of the schemers and planners, who would have acted on their own volition and directed their minds toward God and what He would tell them through Elisha. Despite his actions, Jehoram had a certain fear of God and an awareness of what was right. He was sure of the Lord's leading in this event for some reason. Even though his interests were financial, the Lord used the event for a greater purpose. To the background of music, Elisha set a tone and then gave a clear statement as to what the Lord would do for them for the sake of Jehoshaphat.
The point of music is that it can direct our minds away from ourselves and help us focus our thoughts on the Lord or something greater than our opinions. Music from the heart enhances the worship of God and promotes positive thoughts toward things greater than ourselves. It can be expected by those who live and act by faith that "Them that honor Me, I will honor." The interests of God are for the well-being of those who trust Him.
The resulting victory was because the Moabites thought the water in the valley was blood and walked right into the ambush. This was, without a doubt, to all involved, God's intervention. The Moabites knew the strange coalition of kings was unusual, but their anticipation of victory ended in the almost total decimation of the men of the nation. It must have been well known that Jehoshaphat was different in his beliefs and actions from the other two kings.
Unless the Lord is in the plan men devise, it is to be expected that unholy alliances will fail. God can override the plans of men and bring victory in the most unexpected ways. To leave evil influences is like leaving a "little leaven" to leaven the whole lump. Even though we may experience positive results in our labors if we join with the world in some benevolent work, that does not justify stopping short of that which God intends and expects of us.
The last desperate attempt of the remaining men of Moab to turn Edom against Israel and Judah failed. The king of Moab actually sacrificed his oldest son to the false gods in plain view of everyone. This was totally abhorrent to all the Israelites who saw it, but instead of pressing ahead and grasping full victory, they turned back in anger and never finished what they had begun. By the grace of God and divine intervention, the war against Moab was won. However, when Mesha’s desperation moved him to openly sacrifice his son to the Moabite god, God’s righteous anger was directed not only at the Moabites but also at the idol-worshipping Israelites. The power of God against them was so great that they had to return to Israel with less than total victory.
There may be times when God’s grace is demonstrated in some way, but because human sinfulness is not confessed and forsaken, God does not remove the problem entirely. “The sin that does so easily beset us,” unbelief, keeps us from living victorious lives. We may have temporary respite from its consequences, but if it is not honestly confessed as a sin and turned away, we are still in danger of becoming “castaways.”
Some things that are prevalent in this age are immoral activities like watching sexually focused movies, pornography on the internet, and video games that become addictive. Social drinking, careless speaking, obsession with sports, and other physical and social pleasures are only “for a season” and hinder personal testimonies to the grace of God.
This account briefly mentions one of the fundamental principles of service that we can learn from. Serving an older prophet may have seemed like a menial task at the time; serving an older prophet didn’t make his name well-known or popular among the people. But Elisha served God Himself by pouring water on Elijah’s hands when he ministered to God's servant.
There are things we do that seem trivial in the eyes of other men, but God looks on with favor when we do even small things for Him by serving His people. We may not have considered it much and may even have forgotten the little things done long ago, but God forgets them not. Even a cup of cold water given in a disciple’s name, God says, has a reward; it refreshed the traveler who came by unexpectedly. Who knows – maybe an angel stopped for some rest at your house, and God looks at the simple things of showing hospitality as the best.
When we have learned the little things that make another person’s life easier, God can trust us with the bigger things. The principles of service we have learned by doing the little things can be applied when we stop to figure out how to deal with the big problems many people face. In those times, we must devise a plan of action that we dare not neglect.
The will and work of God fall into a pattern. He gave His Word to guide our decisions and says, “He has done it unto Me.” If it is the least of His brethren or the whole gathered company, the service rendered, whether small or great, begins within the soul. Love for the Lord shows in deeds done for others in the spirit of love. We observe a need that has to be met and give what we have to help meet those needs that plague others. The Lord takes the little and makes it large, and the enemy is defeated. Through those experiences, we learned that some water poured into someone else’s hands was all that was needed.