Open His Eyes, That He May See

II Kings 5-7

There is so much that goes on in our world that we do not see. If we could, it would probably terrify us. What if we saw every time we had a brush with death? What if we could see how fragile life is? What if we could see not only the physical world, but the spirit world as well? While we might think that seeing angels would be a comfort, many times men cowered in their presence. Then, there are the demons that are opposed to God and his creation. Being able to see everything would probably be more than we could handle. In our text today, one man got a glimpse of this.

II Kings chapter 5 tells of a Captain in the Syrian army who had leprosy. On a raid of Israel, captives were taken, and one of those captives ended up working for Naaman, the Captain. Apparently she grew to love her masters and one day voiced that she wished her master could see the prophet in her home because the prophet would heal Naaman. Word reached the king of this comment and he sent a letter to the king of Israel that Naaman was coming to be healed by Elisha. This sent the king into a panic and he tore his garments because he thought it was a set up for an excuse to attach again. Elisha heard of this and said bring the man to me. Naaman comes to Elisha and knocks on his door. Elisha sends his servant to answer the door and has the servant tell Naaman to go wash seven times in the Jordan river.

Naaman is furious. He traveled all that way and Elisha didn't even come speak with him. Then, he tells him to go wash in the Jordan River. Couldn't he have just washed in the rivers at home? In his opinion, they were better than the Jordan anyway Who did this prophet thing he was?

As Naaman stormed off, one of his servants said, "If he had asked you to do something difficult, wouldn't you have done it to be healed? Why not try and do as he said?"

So, Naaman did as Elisha told him and he was healed. Excited to be healed from this incurable and terminal disease, Naaman returns to Elisha and offers him payment. Elisha refuses to accept any gift from Naaman. His servant however, had other plans.

When Naaman left, Elisha's servant chased after him. He said that Elisha had changed his mind and wanted two talents of silver and two changes of clothes for two prophets who were in need. Naaman gladly gives the gift and the servant returns home. When asked by Elisha where he had been, the servant lied. Elisha told him that he knew what had happened and that the servant would be cursed with the leprosy of Naaman. That is exactly what happened to him.

Chapter 6 begins with the sons of the prophets asking Elisha's permission to go and build a bigger dwelling because the one they were staying in was too small. They also ask Elisha to go with them and he does. During that time, the King of Syria attached Israel again. Each time he planned to attack the king Elisha warned the king, and he escaped.

The king was furious and thought he had a spy in his camp. The people told him that there was no spy but Elisha the prophet was warning the king. If Elisha was getting in his way then he would take care of Elisha, so he sent him soldiers to capture the prophet. Elisha's servant looked out early in the morning and they were surrounded by the Syrian army. He was terrified and told Elisha. Elisha responded:

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Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

(Verse 16)

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Now stop and think for a moment. This servant is not stupid. He can do the math. There is himself, Elisha, and however many sons of the prophets that were with them. However, they are not an entire military unit. How are they more than this army?

Elisha then prays an interesting and short prayer.

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LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.

(Verse 17)

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God answered Elisha's prayer and the servant looked out again and saw "the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (verse 17). Now the servant understood why Elisha was not afraid.

What is perhaps more surprising is that Elisha did not need the army. He prayed that could would make the army blind and God did. Then he went out to the army and told them they were in the wrong place. He said that he would take them where they needed to be. He led them to Samaria, where they were surrounded by the Army of Israel. Then he prayed that God would open their eyes. Surrounded by the army of Israel, they surrendered.

As if this story is not crazy enough, when the king of Israel asked Elisha if he should kill them, Elisha said no. He told the king to feed them and send them home. The king set bread and drink before them. When they had finished eating, he sent them back to their king. When they got back home, that band of raiders did not attack Israel again.

Then the chapter takes a very dark turn. While that band of raiders did not attack again, the king of Syria did. He laid siege to Samaria during a drought and things got bad. People were eating whatever they could get their hands on. The text specifically says that they ate donkey heads and dove dung. Then we read one of the worst parts of the whole Bible. Two mothers are so hungry, that they agree to boil and eat their babies. One would cook their baby one day and the other the next. However, after the first killed, cooked, and ate her child, the other refused. The king again tears his garments in mourning.

Moving into chapter 7, Elisha hears of the king tearing his garments and comes to him. He tells him that the next day the famine will be over and that there will be so much food it will sell for very cheap. One of the princes does not believe Elisha and tells him so. Elisha tells him that the what he has said will be true but the prince will die before he sees it.

The next morning, two lepers are desperate. They decide that if they stay they will die and if they go to the Syrians they might live or die. They decide to take their chances with the Syrians and go to their camp. When they get there, the Syrians are gone and they left EVERYTHING behind. Selfishly, they begin gathering for themselves but then decide they should share. They go send word to the king of what has transpired.

Thinking it is a trick and trap, the king sends out scouts to follow the Syrian army. They discover that, not only have they left their camp with all of the supplies, but they threw down a lot of clothing and supplies as they ran away, and crossed the river. Israel took all the supplies and it was just as Elisha said. The abundance of food was being sold for the exact price that he foretold. Because of the condition of the famine, the people rushed out to get the food from the Syrian camp. In their rush, they trampled the prince that did not believe Elisha to death. This too happened as Elisha had said.

Jesus said in Mark 8:18, "Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?" That is oh so true of all of us. We miss so much even though we have eyes and ears. We do not see what God is doing. Even worse than this, we doubt him and do not trust him. While this is true for unbelievers around us, Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. Elisha prayed for God to open the eyes of his servant (disciple).

Christians need to pray that God will open our eyes. We need our eyes opened to the will of God. We need our eyes opened to the provision of God. We need our eyes opened to the heart of God for the lost world. We need our eyes opened to opportunities to be a witness and a blessing. We need our eyes opened to the protection of God, so that we trust him more. May we pray like Elisha:

LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.

or

LORD, I pray thee, open my eyes, that I may see!