All talks » The spiritual optician

Date: 07 Apr 2019
Bible: 2 Kings 6:1-23
Speaker: Andrew Sach

“The Spiritual Optician”

2 Kings 6:1-23

 

STRAND 1: BLINDNESS & SIGHT

Elijah has superhero sight (vv8-13)

Elisha sees everything immediately (vv8-10)

But the king of Syria has limited sight (v11-14)

 

God can open eyes and blind eyes

‘Open his eyes that he may see’ (v17)

 ‘Strike this people
with blindness’ (v18)

‘Open the eyes of these men, that they may see’ (v20)

 

STRAND 2: SALVATION & JUDGMENT

We are expecting Elisha to judge

“And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death.” (1 Kings 19:17)

 

But he saves the faithful remnant (vv1-7)

“Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
(1 Kings 19:18)

“the sons of the prophets” are the faithful ones who stick with Elijah and Elisha
(v1, see also 2:3, 5, 7, 15; 4:1, 38)

 

 

 

And he saves the whole nation (vv8-19)

Even though the nation is apostate. This is salvation before judgment, a window of mercy before the judgment later falls.

 

And he saves their enemies (vv20-23)

Banquetting instead of of bloodshed!

 

 

 

APPLICATION

God blinds in judgment

e.g. Isaiah 6:9-10; Mark 4:10-12

You can’t win if you fight him;
you are fighting blind

 

 

 

God opens eyes to save

e.g. Isaiah 35:5; Mark 8:18, 22-26

Ask him for spiritual sight for yourself and others

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Coffee question

How dependent are we on God to open our eyes to spiritual realities? How earnestly do we pray for God to open others’ eyes?