2 Kings 4-10 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

November 2, 2012


 *JUN 20 - 2 KINGS 4-10 - ELISHA AND KINGS OF ISRAEL*


 *1. 4:2 (4, ESV) ELISHA: ASSORTED MIRACLES. “And Elisha said to her, ‘What
shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?’ And she said,
‘Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” *You Father,
led Elisha to use what was at hand, and from that performed miracles. Can
we see the wisdom in this? Can we see the Kingdom in this? *Hallowed be
your :name!*


 *2. 5:14 (5) ELISHA: HEALS NAAMAN THE LEPER. “So he went down and dipped
himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God,
and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was
clean.” *We note Father, that obedience in a little - works itself into a
big miracle. *Teach us* this simple lesson. Write it on our hearts! *Your
:kingdom come!*


 *3. 6:12 (6) ELISHA: THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE. “And one of his servants said,
‘None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the
king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.’” *A true prophet
knows who he is, and trusts You Father, for all he needs to know. So it was
with Elisha. So it can be with us! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on
earth!*


 *4. 7:9 (7) ELISHA: PROPHETIC ACCURACY. “Then the lepers said to one
another, ‘We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are
silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now
therefore come; let us go and tell the kings’ household.’” *O forgive us
Father, that we so often fail to honor You for the accuracy of Your spoken
word through Your prophets. A true prophet can be tested and proven,
and by their
fruits shall we know them. *Our :daily :bread Give us this day!*


 *5. 8:5b-6a (8:1-15) ELISHA: THE SHUNAMMITE AND HAZAEL. And Gehazi said,
“My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha
restored to life.” 9 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. **More
* unusual accuracy of Your word through Your prophet, Father! May we not
limit You, the Holy One of Israel, this way today. O strengthen us that we
fall not into the temptation of doubting You nor Your true prophets! *And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors!*


 *6. 8:19 (8:16-29) JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH OF JUDAH. “Yet the LORD was not
willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, since he
promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.” *The sins of
Jehoshaphat through wicked alliances fell upon his son and grandson, and
through Athaliah nearly wiped out the seed royal. Thank You Father, that
You remembered Your Covenant with David and his house. *And bring us not
into temptation.*


 *7. 10:10 (9-10) ELISHA: ANOINTS JEHU TO FULFILL PROPHECY. “Know then that
there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the
LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD has done what he said
by his servant Elijah.” *Jehu under Elisha was not perfect: but he
*did*deal with Baal worship in Israel, which Jezebel had brought in.
*But deliver us from the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 10:15a (9-10) JEHU AND JEHONADAB. **And when Jehu departed from
there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. And he
greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart true to my heart as mine is to
yours?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your
hand.” *Commitment must follow verbal agreement!


 *Lessons from Naaman*: See the faithfulness of the little girl from the
land of Israel! Though in captivity in the land of Syria, yet she gave
faithful witness on behalf of Naaman concerning the miracle life of Elisha
through God.


 Naaman responded, but with mixed expectations. He flew into a rage at
Elisha’s word for his healing from leprosy. He had expected some dramatic
type of proclamation from God’s prophet Elisha. Instead, a mere servant is
sent to tell him to dip 7 times in the river Jordan!


 In the midst of his rage and rantings - his servants cautiously and
quietly suggested he try it. He did - and it worked! His leprosy was
completely healed.


 But then we see the culpability of Gehazi! He felt Elisha was missing a
great opportunity. So in his monetary greed, he lied and received from
Naaman. Then he again lied to Elisha, who in the Spirit had seen all Gehazi
did.


 The final judgment: the leprosy of Naaman came upon Gehazi!


 It is easy to glean lessons from the above - but who among us will make
the changes and be like Elisha - and avoid the penalty of Gehazi?


 In the case of Naaman’s rage - we can understand his misunderstanding
through coming from a heathen nation without knowledge of the true God. But
in Gehazi’s case - there was really no excuse. He had the godly example of
his master Elisha - yet he completely failed to perceive his monetary
affection for Mammon - and reaped the just penalty for his low and even
complete lack of perception in his favored position.


 Mammon is the besetting sin of the US and Canada. Third world nations -
and other nations of the world clearly perceive how this has become
idolatry for us, as it was for Gehazi. May we have sense to recognize our
corporate sin - and like Ezra (chapter 9) and Daniel (chapter 9) - confess
our corporate sin, and see God in His faithfulness forgive us our sin!


 *Our chapter from Proverbs for the day: 20:6 (20) PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. “Many
a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?” *This
is good instruction for a son. *Your Name* is *faithfulness* Father, and
when we allow Your nature to be formed in us in Christ, *then* You are
bringing forth many sons and daughters into glory!



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