YEAR 2, WEEK 41, Day 2, Tuesday, 7 October 2025

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 7 October 2025:

2 Kings 8:1-2 — Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.” So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

Once again we see that God uses nature for His purposes and is in complete control of all circumstances. We also see how God reveals His plans to His prophets.

This woman had already seen God’s power through Elisha when her dead son was restored to life (2 Kings 4:35). Because of her past experience with God’s faithfulness, she trusted His word again without question. She obeyed immediately and completely. True faith doesn’t demand explanations — it responds in obedience. Like Noah, who “by faith…constructed an ark for the saving of his household” when warned about things not yet seen (Hebrews 11:7), this woman trusted that if God called for famine, He would also sustain her through it.

Notice how her obedience led to preservation during the famine. God often provides deliverance through instruction before disaster. If we ignore His Word, we may miss His protection. Jesus likewise warned His disciples to flee Jerusalem before its destruction (Luke 21:20–21), and those who heeded Him were spared. God’s warnings are merciful invitations to trust and act.

• 1 Corinthians 6:18 — Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
• 1 Corinthians 10:14 — Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
• 2 Timothy 2:22 — So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

2 Kings 8:3-6 — And at the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” And while he was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”

What a providential moment, at the very instant the king was hearing about her story, she walked into his presence. God’s timing is never accidental. He orchestrates details with precision to bring about His purpose. Just as God caused Pharaoh’s cupbearer to remember Joseph at the appointed time (Genesis 41:9–14), so here the Lord arranges a divine coincidence that results in justice and restoration. There are no chance encounters. How have you seen God work in your life through His perfect timing in the circumstances of your life?

Notice also that her obedience earlier (to leave the land) led to temporary loss, but now, through God’s providence, she receives not only her land back but also seven years of back-pay from its produce. God not only restores but abundantly rewards obedience. “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25).

This moment also foreshadows the ultimate restoration that awaits all who trust Christ. We may lose for a time when we obey Him, comfort, possessions, even relationships, but no act of faith goes unrewarded. Jesus promised, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29).

The king, though worldly, became an unwitting agent of God’s justice. Even unbelievers can serve divine purposes when God ordains it, just as Cyrus did when he allowed the Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem (Isaiah 45:1–4). God holds the hearts of kings in His hand (Proverbs 21:1).

Side note: You might have questioned how in 2 Kings 5:27, Elisha declared to Gehazi, “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” The text immediately adds, “So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.” Yet in these verses, Gehazi is speaking with the king of Israel — seemingly in good standing, telling stories of Elisha’s miracles. Given the Old Testament’s laws concerning lepers (Leviticus 13:45–46), which forbade them from public gatherings and required them to live outside the camp, this seems impossible unless something has changed. The author of Kings does not always present events in strict chronological order. It was common in Hebrew historiography to group events thematically rather than sequentially. Thus, 2 Kings 8:3-6 most likely recounts something which took place before Gehazi’s sin and punishment in chapter 5. This fits well with the flow: chapters 4–8 contain grouped miracle accounts from Elisha’s ministry rather than a strict timeline. This view explains why Gehazi could freely converse with the king — his leprosy had not yet occurred.

Having said that, knowing in advance what we know about Gehazi’s character and tragic fate from chapter 5, we might see this story a bit differently – Gehazi telling stories to impress the king as the opportunist that he is, while the woman, not seeking to take advantage of the opportunity, is blessed by the Lord through the king on the spot. She was blessed by the king because she was a testimony to God’s power, not because she did anything impressive or worthy. God used both the king and Gehazi as instruments of His grace in this situation but not necessarily to their credit. Throughout the Bible, we see God use inanimate objects, animals, and even godless people, terrible people, for His purposes and to bless His people without bestowing any honor or reward to the agent. Likewise, when we do good things for the wrong motives, we must not mistake effectiveness for God’s approval. Perhaps, Gehazi took credit for this event as you might here so many Christians do – “Praise the Lord! God used me in my faithfulness to do something miraculous in someone else’s life!” Unfortunately, we are all susceptible to taking credit where no credit is due. Don’t just consider your deeds as the externalist Pharisees did; examine the deepest motives of your heart – Why do you really do the things you do? Is it really motivated by the love of God and others, or are you hoping to get something out of it? Remember the branch which bears the fruit of the Vine doesn’t feed on the fruit it bears, it is a complete gift of self to others with the goal of multiplication.

2 Kings 8:7-9 — Now Elisha came to Damascus. Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick, and when it was told him, “The man of God has come here,” the king said to Hazael, “Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD through him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?’” So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camel loads. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?’”

Even kings seek the prophet when human power fails. Ben-hadad, though an enemy of Israel, recognized that God’s prophet alone had access to divine truth. In times of crisis, even the proud are humbled. Pharaoh did the same in Exodus 9:27, confessing, “This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right.” Yet temporary humility without repentance is not faith — it is desperation.

Hazael’s approach, bearing lavish gifts, reveals that the world often assumes God can be influenced by wealth or flattery. But the man of God cannot be bought. Elisha’s integrity again shines, as he refuses personal gain (as in 2 Kings 5:16 with Naaman). God’s truth is never for sale (Micah 3:11).

2 Kings 8:10-13 — And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover,’ but the LORD has shown me that he shall certainly die.” And he fixed his gaze and stared at him, until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept. And Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.” And Hazael said, “What is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you are to be king over Syria.”

When Elisha told Hazael, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover,’” it may at first sound as if Elisha was commanding him to lie. But in the Hebrew, the meaning is more nuanced. Elisha was telling Hazael to report that Ben-hadad would recover from his present illness — which was, in itself, true. The sickness was not terminal. However, God had revealed to Elisha that Ben-hadad would die by other means — namely, by Hazael’s treachery. So, Elisha’s statement is not a falsehood but a reflection of two truths at once: the illness itself was not fatal, but God had shown Elisha that death would still come. Elisha’s words exposed the moral test in front of Hazael. The prophet’s statement effectively placed before Hazael a crossroads — to act in submission to God’s timing or to seize power through violence. Sadly, Hazael chose the latter, fulfilling God’s sovereign word through wicked means. This echoes the story of Joseph’s brothers or Judas Iscariot — both freely chose evil, yet their sin still fit within God’s providential plan. God never commands deceit or sin, but He allows human choices to serve His ultimate purpose. As in Genesis 50:20, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

Elisha’s tears show the heart of God — even when pronouncing judgment, He grieves over the suffering that sin brings. God’s people hate to see others suffer. A real man cries for those who are suffering. Just as Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–42), knowing its destruction was coming, Elisha wept over the horrors Hazael would unleash. The prophet’s heart reflected God’s own compassion: “I take no pleasure in the death of anyone,” declares the Lord (Ezekiel 18:32).

Elisha’s piercing gaze revealed both discernment and sorrow. He saw in Hazael the seeds of ambition, cruelty, and pride. Hazael’s response reveals much about his character. When he said, “What is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” the Hebrew phrase “this great thing” reveals his perspective — he viewed the prophecy not in terms of horror but of opportunity. Elisha described unspeakable cruelty, but Hazael heard only that he would become king. This reveals how ambition can distort the soul. Rather than being horrified by the violence, Hazael was secretly thrilled at the prospect of power. This was the seed of the corruption Elisha foresaw. It is a portrait of how sin begins with the exaltation of self and the dulling of moral conscience. Hazael’s reaction demonstrates how power and position can seduce even capable men into evil when they lack godly character.

Hazael’s response feigned humility (“Who am I, that I should do this?”), yet the same deceit lay in his heart that was once found in Cain, Saul, and Judas. Many deny the potential for evil in their hearts until the opportunity arises. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

This also serves as a warning in every generation — the world often values competency, intelligence, and results more than integrity, humility, or compassion. Ben-hadad trusted Hazael because he was efficient, capable, and loyal in appearance — but he lacked a righteous heart. Competence without character is a loaded weapon in the hands of evil. Scripture repeatedly warns of this danger: Saul was tall and impressive, but his heart turned proud and paranoid (1 Samuel 9:2, 15:23). Judas was an able administrator of the disciples’ funds but was ruled by greed (John 12:6). In contrast, David was chosen not for his appearance or skill but for his heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God’s pattern remains the same — He exalts those who are humble and of pure heart, even if the world deems them weak or unqualified.

Hazael’s excitement rather than grief exposes a heart already bent toward self-exaltation. He was not entirely heartless — he was self-deceived. He called himself “a dog,” expressing false humility while secretly entertaining the thought of greatness. The line between false modesty and ambition is razor thin. Many fall into the same trap today, outwardly appearing humble while inwardly craving recognition, success, or control. That duality is deadly. Jesus taught, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Elisha’s weeping and Hazael’s ambition stand as moral opposites — compassion versus corruption, divine sorrow versus human pride. This passage teaches us that the greatest danger in leadership, in ministry, or in life is not incompetence but ungodliness. God can use a weak vessel who trusts Him, but He opposes the proud. The world honors effectiveness; God honors holiness. True greatness, as Jesus said, is found in servanthood (Mark 10:43–45).

So, while Elisha’s words revealed the certainty of God’s plan, Hazael’s response revealed the condition of his heart. One wept with God’s compassion; the other schemed with human ambition. And in that contrast, Scripture calls us to choose daily which spirit will govern our own hearts — the Spirit of Christ, who humbles Himself even to the point of the cross, or the spirit of Hazael, who exalts himself even through destruction.

Elisha’s prophecy of Hazael’s rise fulfills 1 Kings 19:15, where God had earlier told Elijah that Hazael would become king of Syria. God’s word never fails, and His plans unfold over generations, even when the details seem delayed.

2 Kings 8:14-15 — Then he departed from Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” But the next day he took the bedcloth and dipped it in water and spread it over his face, till he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

Hazael’s ambition led to murder, fulfilling what God had revealed. Sin begins in the heart before it acts with the hands. James 1:14-15 explains this progression: “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Hazael concealed his crime under a veneer of obedience. Outwardly, he fulfilled God’s prophecy, but his motive was corrupt. Again, this is a sobering reminder that God can accomplish His purposes even through sinful men, but that does not excuse their sin. Judas fulfilled prophecy when he betrayed Christ (John 13:18), but his guilt remained his own. God’s sovereignty never negates human responsibility.

2 Kings 8:16-19 — In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. 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.

Jehoram’s corruption came through his marriage to Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Compromise through ungodly alliances always leads to decay. God warns, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). The influence of one wicked relationship can corrupt an entire legacy. Bad company corrupts good morals.

Yet amid Judah’s moral collapse, God remained faithful to His covenant with David. “The LORD was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David.” God’s promises are not revoked by man’s failures. Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). This verse reveals the endurance of divine mercy rooted in covenant love. The “lamp” promised to David ultimately points to Jesus Christ, the true Son of David and eternal light of the world (John 8:12).

2 Kings 8:20-22 — In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. Then Joram passed over to Zair with all his chariots, and he rose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him, but his commanders fled to their homes. So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.

When Judah turned from God, even its enemies rebelled. Spiritual decline leads to loss of authority and influence. Just as sin broke Adam’s dominion over creation, so disobedience weakens every form of leadership. God had promised His people victory when they walked in His ways (Deuteronomy 28:7), but rebellion brings defeat.

Edom’s revolt fulfilled the prophecy given to Isaac concerning Esau: “You shall break his yoke from your neck” (Genesis 27:40). God’s word always comes to pass, whether for blessing or judgment.

2 Kings 8:23-24 — The rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? So Joram slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Joram’s reign ended without honor. He lived in the shadow of Ahab’s house and left behind a corrupted legacy. The brief summary of his life shows that power and position cannot preserve one’s name, nor can impressive acts compensate for terrible ones – only righteousness can secure a good name. Proverbs 10:7 declares, “The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”

2 Kings 8:25-27 — In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah; she was a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. He also walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was son-in-law to the house of Ahab.

Sin perpetuates through generations when not repented of. Ahaziah repeated the same evil patterns as his parents. This is the tragedy of unbroken generational influence. Exodus 20:5 warns that the sins of the fathers affect the children, but God’s mercy “extends to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Exodus 20:6). Each generation must choose faith or rebellion.

2 Kings 8:28-29 — He went with Joram the son of Ahab to make war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram. And King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Ahaziah’s alliance with Israel again shows the danger of partnership with the ungodly. His presence in Jezreel would soon lead to his downfall (2 Kings 9:27). When we join forces with those who oppose God, we share in their fate. Psalm 1 warns us not to “walk in the counsel of the wicked” nor “sit in the seat of scoffers.”

The contrast in this chapter is striking: the faithful woman who obeyed and was restored versus the corrupt kings who rebelled and fell. God honors faith and obedience but brings low the proud. “The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground” (Psalm 147:6).

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 7 October 2025: This chapter powerfully contrasts two paths: the obedience of a humble woman who trusted the word of the Lord and the corruption of kings who rejected it. God preserved and restored the obedient woman, arranging every detail for her good, while the disobedient rulers destroyed themselves and their kingdoms through pride, greed, and ungodly alliances. The same God who governed famine and restoration, sickness and succession, still rules today with absolute faithfulness.

The message is clear: obedience brings preservation and restoration; rebellion brings ruin. When we step out in faith, even if it means temporary loss, God’s timing and providence always prove perfect. He restores more than we lose and redeems more than we surrender. Like the Shunammite woman, we must move when God says move, even when we cannot see the reason. Like Elisha, we must weep over sin’s destruction and remain steadfast in truth. And like the kings, we must learn that position, power, or pedigree cannot preserve us if we forsake the Lord. When we walk by faith, God’s providence will place us exactly where His grace intends. He orders divine “coincidences” to fulfill His Word. When our hearts are yielded, He restores “the years the locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25) and makes all things new (Revelation 21:5). Live today with that same trust — ready to move, to obey, to wait, and to worship, knowing He is faithful from generation to generation.

Pray: “Lord, thank You for reminding me that You are sovereign over every famine and every restoration. Help me to listen to Your Word and obey without hesitation, even when I don’t see the outcome. Teach me to trust Your timing, knowing that You work all things for the good of those who love You. Keep my heart from pride and compromise like the kings who fell, and make me humble and faithful like the woman who believed. When loss or waiting comes, help me rest in Your promises, confident that Your restoration will be perfect and full. Let my obedience today become the seed of tomorrow’s blessing, and may Your glory shine through every detail of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”