FAITH IN GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE This chapter exhorts us to have faith in “God of the impossible”; For God is glorified in His work when the solutions seem impossible. It presents us the following: 1- Elisha makes: the iron head of the ax float 1 – 7 2- Elisha comes to know the hidden secrets of the king of Aram 8 - 2 3- The heavenly hosts are revealed to Elisha by God 13 – 17 4- Elisha does what surpasses the human mind; he Sees good things instead of famine 18 – 33 1- ELISHA MAKES THE IRON HEAD OF THE AX FLOATS: According to the laws of nature, iron dips in water, and wood floats. But when the iron head of an ax, borrowed by a son of the prophet falls, the prophet Elisha throws a wooden stick in the water, and the iron head floats. Here, the compassionate fatherhood of Elisha is shown. The sons of the prophets resorted to him in everything big and small. When the location where they dwell became too small for them, they asked him to allow them to go to the Jordan to cut wood and build for themselves wider places to dwell. And when he did, they sought from him to accompany them, and he consented. Now, when a borrowed iron head of an ax fell in the water, he made the iron float against natural laws.. This miracle bore a symbolic work for our salvation. For, crawling into our life, sin turns us like the iron head that fell down into the depths of the river, like the Pharaoh of Egypt, who, together with his army “ sank to the bottom like a stone” (Exodus 15); and like the sinful woman seen by the prophet Zechariah as a basket of lead (Zechariah 5: 8). On the contrary, bearing the righteousness of God in us, instead of sinking into the depths, we come to be like a light cloud that soars up to heaven; as according to the apostle, about the saints: “We are surrounded by a great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrew 12: 1); and St. Mary the mother of God was likened to a light cloud, As it written: “Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt” (Isaiah 19: 1) Now, as sin has weighed our souls down to the depths, we shall not rise again except by the (tree), namely by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our continuous strife, to bear the cross of our Lord Jesus, and to present it to those fallen into the depths of water to make them float, and to carry them forth to God. Mentioning this miracle between the miracles of cleansing Naaman the Syrian, the commander of the army of Aram from leprosy, and that of saving the army of the kingdom, clearly shows that the prophet, respected by the kings and the leaders, does not disregard to care for his disciples, even in little things. “And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha; ‘See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us” (1) Those sons of the prophets were most probably those who dwelt in Jericho, close to the Jordan; which Elisha as their head often visited their schools and their places of dwelling.. + These words were realized by the apostles in the following way: When they realized that (Israel) was not wide enough to befit the greatness of the gospel, they set forth and built a holy church to gather together the righteous children of God. That was what the prophet Isaiah referred to ahead by saying: “It is too small a thing that you should be My servant, to raise up the tribe of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel. I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles; that you should be My salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49: 6). (St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian) + Having had a godly mother and a priest father, did not make John the Baptist live in his father’s house, away from the temptations of the world; but led him to dwell in the wilderness, for he was seeking nothing else but to see Christ with his own eyes; Feeding on locusts and wild honey, prepared him to exhort on virtue and chastity. … The spiritual descendants of the prophets – the monks of the old covenant – intended to build for themselves huts close to the waters of the Jordan, forsaking the crowded cities, to live on soup and wild herbs (2 kings 4: 38-30). Now, you who live at home, let your cell be your paradise, where you can gather together the fruits of the Holy Book. Let these fruits be your favorite companions, and bring its commandments into your heart. “Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let make there a place where we may dwell’, And he answered, ‘Go’” (2) The work of Elisha was not a show of the exalted miraculous works; but bore a revelation of the salvation plan of God. In the episode of restoring the lost iron head of the ax, we see the Lord long to restore by the tree of the cross, the souls that plunged into the depths of the waters of sin. It confirms His exalted care for every big and small details of the life of His believers; perpetually intending to bring them forth to the eternal life. “The one said, ‘Please consent to go with your servants’. And he answered, ‘I will go;” (3) The sons of the prophets were simple men, dwelling in huts they themselves built, that cost them nothing more than the labor of their hands. … According to some, on account that the miracles did not come chronologically, but according to a mental, theological, and spiritual order that “one” mentioned here was Gehazi his servant, and that miracle happened before the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian; “So he went with them, and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees” (4) “But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, ‘Alas, master, for it was borrowed’ ” (5) St. Jerome sees in the sons of the prophets in the time of Elisha, who were too humble and poor to possess their own ax, a portrait of a humble monastic life. …. Having no food, the servant of the prophet went into the field to gather herbs, found a wild vine, from which he gathered a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew (2 kings 4: 38, 39). And when the place where they dwelt got too narrow for them, they were committed to cut trees to build huts by an ax they borrowed (2 kings 6: 1-5). In our commentary on the book of Exodus, we saw how the wicked were likened to lead that sank to the depths (Exodus 15: 5-10). Evil, like lead makes the soul go down (Zechariah 5: 8); whereas the saints never go down but may even walk on water. In them there is no heaviness of sin, and by the work of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, the lead is taken away from them to become light in weight. According to the scholar Origen: [Our Lord and Savior, who truly knows no sin, walked on the water (Matthew 14: 25); and so did His disciple Peter, although he was a little terrified, for his heart was not completely pure, but carried some lead inside … That is why the Lord said to him: “O you of little faith. Why did you doubt?” ( Matthew 14: 31). “he, who will be saved, will be saved as trough with fire” (1 Corinthians 3: 15); even if inside him was some lead to be melt.. Feeling that our souls are not truly ours, but are possessed by Him who acquired them by His precious blood, we would say, together with the son of the prophets: “It was borrowed”…. Let us then, hold fast to the cross of the Lord, bring it forth into our depths to make them float; Let us hold it fast and present it to Him; for all what we have are borrowed from God to consummate His work (John 3: 27). We borrowed from Him the iron head of the ax, by which to cut evil, during our ministry to God. + Elisha the man of God who inquired: “Where did it fall?”, was a symbol of our Lord who came among men; He, who asked Adam: “Where are you?”. The fall of the iron head of the ax into the dark depths, is a symbol of the heavy burden of the human nature, empty of light. The wooden stick cast into the location of the lost iron head, is a symbol of the glorious cross. The Jordan is truly the eternal Baptism; For our sake the Creator of the Jordan, chose to be baptized in the Jordan. Ultimately, the iron head that floated over the water, and was brought back to the one who lost it, refers to that we, in the holy Baptism, soar up to the heavenly heights, to find the grace which is our old true dwelling place…… In case someone assumed that this is not a prophecy about Baptism; why then is it mentioned in the Holy Book?! + He came down to us, to bring us up to the heavenly heights (St. Dedymus the Blind) + It also refers to the fall of Adam. We were truly saved from sin by the great flood in the days of Noah (Genesis 6: 17); and at the fullness of ages. You have been cleansed in the holy water of Baptism by our Lord, when He was baptized by John; when He accepted to eat together with the sinners; and when, in His passion, “He was numbered with the transgressors”.(Mark 15L 28).. The wood sank down, and the iron floated; for Emanuel died, was buried, and descended to the cursed levels of earth; and from there He came back; and by His ascension, Adam was raised from the depths up high. “And the man of God said, ‘Where did it fall?’. And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and he made the iron float” (6) According to St. Ambrose, what happened here, was a symbol that reveals the helplessness of human strength to save; and that there is need for the power of God for salvation in the water of Baptism. And according to St. John Chrysostom, water refers to Baptism; the iron head of the ax refers to the person baptized; and the wooden stick refers to the cross. Sinking into sin and death like iron, we enjoy the new life in the water of Baptism by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; and start a journey up to heaven. And according to St. Erinaos, When the Holy Soul of the Lord Christ descended to Hades, a multitude of souls were raised, and appeared to many in their bodies; the same way the light wood sank into water, while the heavy iron floated. Through the incarnation of the Word of God, the heavy earthly body became immortal, and light to be carried up to heaven after the resurrection. + By casting a stick of wood into the water of the Jordan, Elisha restored the iron head of the ax, by which the sons of the prophets intended to cut wood to build a dwelling place, where they would read and study the commandments of God. …Similarly, our Christ saved us from our heavy sins by being crucified on the tree of the cross, and through sanctifying us by the water of baptism. We who sank in the mire of our deadly sins, He made a house of prayer and worship. (St. Justin) + In creation, God brought things out of their opposites; For example, out of the weak sand, He made a wall to rein the mighty sea; … He set dry land on the waters; namely what is dense and heavy on what is light and fluid. … And through His prophet, and by a light stick of wood, He made iron float on water.. In the same way, by the cross, He drew the world to Himself. The way water carried the earth, the cross carried the world. (St. John Chrysostom) + Through Elisha, a light stick of wood made the heavy head of iron float on water from the depths of the river (6); And through weakening the body by fasting, that dries up the rivers of sensory desires, the soul of the monk would be restored from the sea of the worries of the world. (Father Hyperechius the priest) + By saying: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity” (Psalm 32: 1-2), David refers to the forgiveness of sins by wiping them out; … “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2: 14). … By a tree (in paradise) we, through Adam, came to be indebted to God; and by a tree (of the cross), our debt is paid back. By so doing, the prophet Elisha referred to that the sure Word of God, we lost through our slothfulness through a tree; and as we were not on the way to get it back anew, it is befitting of us to have a new ordinance for the tree (namely the cross of Christ). For the Word of God is likened to an ax; by John the Baptist, who refers to it, saying: “And even now, the ax is laid to the root of the trees” (Matthew 3: 10); and according to the prophet Jeremiah, concerning the same issue, “Is not my word like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23: 29). This word which disappeared from us, as I already referred, was proclaimed by the ordinance of the tree. The way we lost it through a tree, it is proclaimed anew through a tree; to show the length, height, width, and depth inside it. (St. Erinaos) “Therefore he said, ‘Pick it up for yourself’. So he reached out his hand and took it” (7) Not knowing where the iron head fell; God granted Elisha the wisdom to cast a stick of wood, by which the iron head floated; in the same way the prophet Moses previously cast a branch of a tree in the bitter water of Marah, to turn it sweet (Exodus 15: 25); and like the salt cast by Elisha in the spring of bad water and made it good. Those tools had no power in themselves; but in being symbols of the cross of the Lord of glory Jesus Christ. To those who may protest, saying: Is that piece of iron worthy of a miracle performed to restore it? we say that beyond that work, hearts were being prepared to perceive the secret and power of the cross. + What is more obvious than the secret of that wood?! … The world that sank in the depths of sin; was liberated by being baptized by the tree of Christ, namely by His passion; So that what perished through the tree in ` Adam, was restored through the tree in Christ … That same tree was previously carried by Isaac the son of Abraham, on which he was to be offered a sacrifice, according to God’s command. (The scholar Tertullian) + If casting the wood, which naturally light, into the water in the days of Elisha altered the heavy nature of iron, how much more would the Lord, by sending to us His light, active, and good heavenly Spirit, bring the soul out that sank into the water of iniquity, make it light, lift it up on His wing toward the high heaven, and utterly alter its original heavy nature. And as it is well known that no one can cross over the sea, except by a light boat of wood; lest he would drown and perish; so it is with the soul, it cannot cross over the bitter sea of sin, and go through the difficult pit of the crafty hosts of darkness in the air, except by acquiring the light and gentle Spirit of Christ, who can bring her forth through every craftiness. .By this Spirit it can reach the safe haven of heavenly comfort, through a narrow passage to the city of the kingdom. (St. Maccari the Great) + It so seems that the iron head of the ax which fell, refers to Adam, or to the human race as a whole. Therefore the son of the prophets held it in his hand; for our Lord and Savior holds the human race He created in His hands. And as the ax fell from the hand of the prophet into the water; so, through the self pride the human race fell, and sank into the river of evil pleasures and the water of sin. The ax fell into the water, for the human race fell into the depths of all transgressions in a sorrowful perdition; as it is written: “I sink into deep mire where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters where the floods overflow me” (Psalm 69: 3). The river into which the ax fell, refers to plunging into the pleasures of this mortal world that goes down to the depths. What does casting a stick of wood into the water, and the appearance of the iron head of the ax afloat, refer to, but to the lifting up of the human race from the depth of the pit, and to liberating them from the mire of all sins by the secret of the cross? + After the iron floated, the son of the prophets held it in his hand to repair it and make it of benefit again to its owner. The same happened to us, O beloved brethren; we who fell from the hand of the Lord through pride. without any self-worthiness on our part, return again to His hand and power through the wood of the cross. I wish therefore, we strive by His help, as much as we can, so as not to fall again from His hand through pride. Without any self worthiness on our part, we were brought forth from darkness to light; were called from death to life; got back the true way instead of the multitude of sins. I wish, therefore, we hasten to possess the light of life, and do not be slothful to make use of the passing by days of salvation. I wish we do not rejoice in the corrupt and the very serious pleasures of the world; lest we would fall again from the good works and the way of righteousness, as from the hand of the Lord; going in a hurry to the river of this evil world. Let us listen to the words of the apostle: “If then we were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3: 1-2); Why does he say: “If you are raised”, unless we have fallen? … In another place he says: “Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5: 14). Does it not seem to you that he is crying out to the ax that fell down into the mire? 2- ELISHA KNOWS THE HIDDEN SECRETS OF THE KING OF ARAM: While at home, Elisha could know what the king of Aram planned against Israel, and told them to the king of Israel, to get away from the snares of the enemy. So he who enjoys the Word of God, would perceive the evil plans of the devil, and escapes from his nets. “Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel, and he took counsel with his servants, saying, ‘My camp will be in such and such a place’” (8) St. Ambrose presents to us a comparison between the prophet Elisha, in the confinement of his home, almost not moving, but always working; and nothing makes him lose his peace; and the king of Aram, who planned plots, and set snares to fight the people of Israel; and despite his possibilities and capabilities, he lost his peace. So it is befitting of the believer to imitate Elisha, who bore the exalted peace of God, who was not disturbed by all the events around him; and by his tranquility in the Lord, he could realize what the others could not realize with all their possibilities and human plots. “And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, ‘Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there’” (9) If the king of Israel and many of his people have distorted the worship of the living God; but for the sake of the faithfulness and longsuffering of God, and the few faithful remnants, He worked for their conquest; by revealing the secrets of the king of Aram to His prophet Elisha, who, in turn, revealed them to the king of Israel.. The secret of Elisha was the purity of his soul, not corrupted by the love of the world, nor by the evil desire of the body. His soul was the leader of his body, would never bow to its commands, but lead it by the Spirit of the Lord; by which it acquired the insight to see the unseen beings of angels and demons. … By bearing a pure soul, the man of God likens the angels, and, like them, he can spiritually see; the pure soul and its senses can unite with God, to enjoy seeing the divine things. According to St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi, the pure soul can see the hidden things; but in case the evil desires of the body prevails over the soul, its insight is darkened and cannot see the divine things…. I wonder if that saint enjoyed such an experience that may seem to us impossible or exaggerated! + The soul is exalted by nature, full of beauty, and bears the great image of the Godhead; When it is purified from the worldly works; and when it is not defiled by the foreign lusts; When it becomes the mistress of the body, does not work by its commands; but lead it by holiness, . When it is purified from all the bodily movements; it can spiritually see the hidden world; It can see the angels and demons face to face; Every saint who spiritually trains himself, can clearly see all what go on earth; All saints see the same as the angels of the Lord; and nothing would be hidden from them. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice” (10) The king of Israel did not send an army but spies to verify the words of the prophet, a kind of behavior that bears doubt and lack of faith. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, ‘Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?’”“ (11) + The prophet could clearly see the hiding places and the hidden plots of the enemy; When they talked secrets in Aram, Elisha could expose them in Judea; While dwelling among the Hebrews, Elisha exposed the plots made by the Aramites; Whenever the king of Arm plotted something, it would be voided before he puts it into effect; All the secret thoughts and plots done by the Aramites were exposed by Elisha While in his house, he could see the hidden things in the houses of the Aramites; The great distance between him and the enemy did not hide a thing from him; That man had a clear vision full of light, by which he could see all the hidden things; Whenever the Aramites happen to alter their plans, that Hebrew, with his spiritual eye, could see and expose; The Aramite king got furious and disturbed; and his heart was broken; He thought that one of his followers voided his plans by revealing his secrets to the Israelites, ; He started to complain and to express his doubts to his servants; But they hastened to assure him that it was Elisha who exposed their plots and snares. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “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’” (12) According to the righteous ‘Job’, “He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings the shadow of death to light” (Job 12: 22); God exposed the plots made in the darkness, and the evil done in secret. 3- THE HEAVENLY HOSTS ARE REVEALED TO ELISHA BY GOD: We often fear the enemy and his hosts, because we walk by sight and not by faith. If, by the eyes of the heart we see that God and His hosts are on our side, Who can stand against us? “So he said, ‘Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him’. And it was told him, saying, ‘Surely he is in Dothan’” (13) If the heavenly secrets were revealed to the prophet Elisha, would what the king of Aram secretly does in his palace be hidden from him? By such a grace, the prophet became a support to his people. But the king of Aram, foolishly assuming that, with his military might, he could captivate him, whom God grants the knowledge of secret things, he sent a great army to put the unarmed prophet under arrest; not perceiving that the heavenly hosts find pleasure in protecting him, for he is the man of God, beloved by them. “Dathan”, The hill of Dothan nowadays, 12 miles north of Samaria, was only referred to, here and in the Book of Genesis, where Joseph was cast into a well (Genesis 37: 17). “Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city” (14) Not “a great army”, for going to war, but great enough to catch a single person; For we see Elisha bring them forth to Samaria, make them enter into the city, where the king held a banquet for them (19, 23) While the king of Aram made plans by his human wisdom, depending upon his armies and human arm, Elisha, on the other hand, enjoying a heavenly wisdom, was surrounded and protected by limitless heavenly hosts that never go to sleep, whom the Lord commanded to keep the wicked away from His prophet. + The angels were guarding Elisha wherever he goes; The hosts of God surround those who fear Him, and save them from evil; The alert hosts of fire surrounded him on all sides, and drove danger away from him; The prophet’s servant, like a little child, was terrified to see the horses and chariots of the enemy; He came to his master Elisha and said: “Alas my master, what shall we do?” Elisha, on the other hand had no fear from their great number, and counted them as nothing; For he knows that he is surrounded by the hosts of God, who were more than those against him. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went utt, there was an army surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’” (15) “The servant of the man of God”, Although most of the scholars believe that he was Gehazi, before he was inflicted with leprosy, some others believe that he was another servant who replaced him. What the servant did not see, was seen by Elisha whether directly or by faith; how the hosts of the Lord were on their side. Nevertheless, Elisha did not despise his servant nor acted haughtily before him, but he meekly put his heart at peace, and prayed to God to open his eyes. In the laws of the saintly apostles it came that it is not befitting of man to despise the other men, on account of that they have not acquired the same gift he has. While there were seven thousand knees that did not bow to the Baal, none but Elijah and Elisha performed miracles. Daniel and his friends the three young men did not despise the rest of their fellows; for God saved Daniel from the den of lions, and the three young men from the furnace of fire. “So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them’” (16) Perceiving how great was the angelic help, Elisha did not fear the army sent by the king of Aram to surround the mountain where he dwelt, to catch him (2 kings 6: 16). The heavenly hosts bear an exalted love for us, being our fellow servants who intended to minister to their Lord through us (Romans 22: 9). It is a joyful fact proclaimed by the Holy Book, that the angels and men form an integral family together. Because of our weakness, if we are compared to the possibilities of the Devil, we may be counted as one before a thousand; but by the Lord, protecting us, the thousand cannot stand before us, and we can drive them away.. That was the faith of Elisha who said to his servant: “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 kings 6: 16). I wish we do not fear the devil and all his hosts, for the Lord our God fights on our side until He brings us forth into the perfection of His eternal glory. Indeed, the devil is horrible by the violent tricks and heavy temptations by which he fights against man; yet he is without authority on us, if we walk in the Lord, and bear inside us the fiery Spirit of God; to enjoy the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions. Talking about the possibilities of the believer to confront the seductions and violence of the devil, St. John Chrysostom says: [In case the devil see you watching and bound to heaven, he would never dare, even stir at you}; The pure behavior mutes his mouth]. It is befitting of the believer not to fear, and to say: ‘my enemy is mightier than me; How can I prevail against him?’; But let him say together with Elisha: “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (16); And as it is written: “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong’” (Joel 3: 10).. By our Lord Jesus Christ we can have the spirit of strength and not of defeat and failure. We, therefore should not be disturbed before the temptations, the tribulations, or the sins. God opens the mouths of His saints to utter the truth (Ephesians 6: 19); and their ears to understand His Word (Isaiah 50: 4-5); and their eyes to see His care. Whereas the devil attempts to enter them to possess and to destroy (Romans 1: 29-30)..: 27). + The prophet encouraged his disciple who was overcome by fear when he saw the dust stirred up by the advancing troops; He told him “those who are with us are more than those who are with then”; The splendid man of God prayed to God to make his disciple see, and God responded to his prayer; He saw the horsemen and the horses of fire covering the valley; an awesome and terrifying scene. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) + God opens the mouths of the saints, as well as their ears to hear the divine words; Isaiah says that the Lord will open up his ears to know when he ought to speak (Isaiah 50: 4-5). He also opens the eyes: “He opened the eyes of Hagar, and she saw a well of water” (Genesis 21: 19). Elisa prayed to God, and said, “Lord, I pray, open the eyes of the (young man) that he may see; and the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (16- 17). For “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and deliver them” (Psalm 34: 8). About Judas it was said: “Satan entered him” (John 13 + “The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea; The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation’ (Exodus 15: 12). Those who chase us are horses; so are all those born in a body, they are symbolically horses. As all horses have their horsemen, there are hoses mounted by men of God, that run all over the earth; about which is said: “Your horsemen are for salvation’ ; there are other horses mounted by the devil and his hosts. Judas was a horse. When the Lord was his horseman, he was a member of “the horsemen of salvation”, sent by the Lord for truth, to heal the sick and to give health to the weak (Matthew 10: 1). But when he followed the devil; “after he was given the piece of bread, Satan entered him” (John 13: 27), became his rider, and he started to walk against our Lord and Savior. Therefore, all those who persecute the saints are horses that neigh, led by evil angels as horsemen. When you see your persecutor stirred up in a very violent rage, know for sure that he is mounted and stirred up by a demon. (The scholar Origen) + When Elisha thought that he is alone in the wilderness, he actually was in the company of angels. So were the Hebrews persecuted by Pharaoh; they, in anguish went through the wilderness, but those who faithfully endured, entered into the promised land. The same way, those who temporarily endure sorrows here, will find comfort at the end; whereas those who do not will be treaded upon under feet, and will have a sad end. (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) + A huge number of saints and believers, carry God, as His chariot; which He leads to reach the ultimate end. It is written: “Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end” (1 Corinthians 15: 23-24). That is the holy church that follows Him. Thousands of men “rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer” (Romans 12: 12). (St. Augustine) + Yes, God entrusted angels of light to guard men, particularly the righteous, according to the words written by the apostle, saying: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrew 1: 14). Those angels exhort the righteous to the exaltation of sight and works, lest they trip by the stone of humiliation and disobedience. And, by their help, they lift up the weak while struggling hard, lest they come to offense, and be treaded upon by the devil. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) + The prophet smiled before his disciple, and encouraged him to rejoice. Yet, as the disciple was not perfect, he did not listen to him, and remained on his fear. (St. John Chrysostom) + Abba Moses the black, who lived in ‘Petra’, namely (the Rock), when it so happened that he wrestled against the temptation of adultery, and could not stay in his cell, he went to Abba Isothorus who comforted him by words from the holy books, and told him to return to his cell. When he was not convinced, saying: [I cannot, father, I am not able to endure]; Abba Isothorus took him to the roof, and told him to look toward the West; and there he saw a multitude of horribly looking demons, ready for war. Then he told him to look toward the East; and there he saw uncountable number of angels in glory and great splendor. Then the father said: [Those on the West fight against the saints; and those on the East are sent by God to help the saints. Know therefore that “those with us are more than those against us” according to the words of the prophet Elisha (16)]. Then Abba Moses was comforted by the Lord, and returned to his cell without fear, glorifying God. (The paradise of fathers) + Notice how those unseen, who guard the ministers of Christ, are far more than those seen, + Pharaoh mounted his horse and perished; so did the Egyptian army. That is why it came in the law that the Jew should not possess horses (Deuteronomy 17: 16)…. Solomon had no horses in Jerusalem and Judea; but purchased them from Egypt (1 kings 10: 28). “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20: 7). Those who mount horses will end up perishing. The Lord also has horses, as well as shining mountains; whereas those of the devil are full of darkness. For as there are shining mountains and dark mountains, there are good horses and bad horses. When the horsemen came to arrest Elisha (13- 17), and his servant saw them surrounding the city, his master said to him: “Do not fear, for those with us are more than those with them” Then it came in the second book of the kings that Elisha said, “Lord, I pray open his eyes that he may see. Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; And behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, all around Elisha”. Notice that it is said “horses and chariots”, and not “horsemen or charioteers”; meaning that the multitude of angels were chariots and horses; and the Charioteer was the Lord Himself. That is why the prophet Habakkuk sang, saying: “Your chariots of salvation” (3-8). This means that, if we are the horses of God, we are led by God; while the other horses will fall in long sleep, together with their horsemen. + As for us, our life is an arena of wrestling; Here we strive, and there we will be crowned. No one can avoid fear if he is encountered by serpents and scorpions along his way on the earth that produces thorns and thistles, and its dust is food for the serpent (Genesis 3: 14, 18). “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6: 12). We are surrounded by hosts of enemies on all sides. The weak body will soon be a corpse. We are as though one before a multitude, fighting against horrible hosts; and it will stay that way until the it deteriorates, when the prince of this world comes, and finds nothing in (us)” (John 14: 30). Listen, therefore, attentively to the words of the prophet, saying: “You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow which flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness” (Psalm 91: 5-6) … When you are afflicted by the enemy; … When your body is inflicted with fever; … When evil desires are stirred up in you; … When you say in your heart: “What shall I do?”; the words of the prophet will answer you, saying: “Do not fear, for those with us are more than those against us” (6: 16). When your eyes are opened to see a chariot of fire carrying you to heaven like Elijah (2 kings 2: 11; 6: 17); you will then joyfully sing:”Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snares of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we have escaped” (Psalm 124: 7). + I shall show you now how God was there in everyone of our righteous forefathers when they prayed: When Moses prayed, he was alone on Mount Sinai; and God was with him. his prayer was intensively heard, and took away the wrath of God on Israel (for Moses carried his brethren in his heart). Elijah was alone on Mount Carmel, and by his prayer heavens were closed, bonds were loosed, the people were saved from death, and from the pit. By his prayer, he uprooted the defilement of Israel; and brought fire down three times: once on the altar, and twice on men. … Fire was a way of revenge when it came down by his prayer. …. When he knelt on his knees, his prayer was instantly heard; and responded to, whereas those of the 450 false priests who cried out loud, were not heard because it was directed to the Ball.. When Elisha prayed, he raised someone from the pit; and was rescued from the hands of the wicked people who surrounded him; Although he was alone, yet he was actually surrounded by a great army; for he said to his servant: “Those with us are more than those against us” (6: 16). (St. Aphrahat) “And Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see’. Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, all around Elisha” (17) Elisha did not seek from the Lord to send an army to protect him and his disciple, for the army was already there; but he sought from God to open the eyes of the young man, whose faith was shaken, were opened, to see the divine presence around him. God has no material armies, chariots, and weapons; but we cannot perceive the spiritual things except through carnal ways. The enemies of Israel often terrified them by chariots (Exodus 14: 7; Judges 4: 3; 1 Samuel 13: 5; 2 Samuel 8: 4; 10: 18). But how can their chariots stand before those of God. When the eyes of Elisha’s servant were opened, he saw the mountain full with horses and chariots of fire around Elisha (6: 17). The angels are sent for specific mission to the account of those who fear the Lord, who will inherit the salvation (Hebrew 1; 6-7). It is, therefore, befitting of us to think about the ministry of the angels in a sound joyful way, often referred to by the Holy Book (2 kings 6: 15-17; Psalm 16: 11; Luke 16: 22). Even if our enemies are very numerous and strong, yet those heavenly messengers are more in number and mightier, an uncountable multitude assigned to protect us. God, in His love for us dwells in our midst, and even in us; and sets His angels to guard us against evil. He sent an angel to get the apostle Peter out of prison; and to strike Herod, his persecutor, to die by maggots. (Acts 12). + How great is the faith of the saintly prophet; he did not fear the adversaries he saw, for he knew that the angels were with him who believe in God. He did not fear the earthly plans, for he knew that the heavenly hosts are present with him. … He says: “Those with us are more than those against us”. The prophet was talking about a multitude of heavenly hosts, while his servant was not sure of the salvation. The spiritual eyes are qualified to discern more then the physical ones. While the later sees the enemy’s hosts, the former enjoys what refers to protection. The divine mercy grants the human beings an unseen protection. Those in danger get help they even not recognize. That is the compassion of the Savior, He intervenes for the sake of salvation, and keeps Himself unseen; to be touched through His help; and not through sight. That is why it is not right for man to think that he can make a successful war, and overcome by his own strength; but he should know that the adversaries are more overcome through the worthiness more than through the strength; by the holiness more than by the power; the way Elisha prevailed upon his enemies, not by armies but by prayer. (Father Maximus, bishop of Torin) + The Lord surely call the human souls “His vineyard”; those whom He surrounds by the authority of His teachings and guards by His angels. (St. Basil the Great) + An unseen power destroyed the Egyptian army in the miracle of the Red Sea; That power the text calls “the horsemen”; whom we assume were an army of angels referred to by Habakkuk, saying: “You rode on Your horses; Your chariots of salvation” (Habakkuk 3: 8); and by David, saying: The chariots of God are thousands of thousands” (Psalm 68: 17). + Those to whom the text (Songs 5: 7), refers as “the watchmen who went about the city”, are the ministering spirits sent to minister to those who are going to inherit the salvation. Happy are the souls recognized by the angels who hover around the heavenly city. (St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa) + Preparing myself to get married to the King’s Son, the Firstborn of all creation, the angels accompanied me, ministered to me, and presented to me the law as a wedding gift. + Those are the angels who guard the little children who see the face of the Father in heaven. + When the angels saw the great King walk on earth, they joined their Lord, and obeyed His will, when He assigned them to guard the believers, to minister to their salvation… It is as though they said among themselves: [If the Lord Christ has taken on Himself a mortal body. How could we stand tight-handed? … Come, O angels, … let us all go down from heaven]. That is the reason the place was full of angels glorifying and praising God at the nativity of Christ If the angel of the Lord “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34: 7); it so seems that, when a number of people assemble for the glory of Christ; each of them will have his own angel encamps around him, guarding and guiding him. By this, when the saints assemble together, there will be two churches: one of men, and another of angels. (The scholar Origen) + “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (John 1: `14); How could we behold His glory, unless He makes it possible for us to behold it through a human body that hides Him, and lives among us. But what does it mean: “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father”? For many prophets have been also glorified, like Moses, Elijah ascended to heaven by one of them,. Elisha was surrounded by chariots of fire; followed by Daniel, the three young men, and many others, who performed wonders; Angels, and even the cherubim and the Seraphim appeared to men, and partly showed to those who saw them, bright light according to their nature; …. But the gospel takes us far from the splendor of our fellow slaves; to put us before the climax of the good things; … before the Lord of all Himself; the king Himself; the Only begotten Son, whose glory we have seen. The expression “as of” here does not imply an analogy or comparison, but a kind of confirmation without doubt; like saying: [We saw his glory, as it should be possessed by an only begotten Son of the Creator and the King of all creation]. (St. John Chrysostom) = When Elisha thought that he was alone in the wilderness, he was actually accompanied by angels. Although men suffered at the beginning in the wilderness, yet he who remained faithful was found worthy to enter into the promised land. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) + I believe that if the soul is perfectly pure and normal, bearing a pure insight, it can see more and better than the demons, for having the Lord who proclaims everything to her; the way Elisha’s soul knew what Gehazi has done; and saw the armies that surrounded him (17) (St. Abba Anthony the Great) 5- ELISHA FORSEES GOOD THINGS INSTEAD OF FAMINE: Getting to know that his real enemy, who corrupts all his military plans was Elisha, the king of Aram sent a huge army to arrest him; but it so happened that it was Elisha who arrested them instead, and sought from the king of Israel to set for them a banquet, as a sign of making a convention with them. “So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Strike this people, I pray, with blindness’. And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha” (18) They probably were not utterly blinded, but were inflicted with inability to discern clearly what they see. They could follow Elisha, yet they could not Recognize his identity, nor recognize the way they took. + A single man led all the army without a fight; they were too weak to get rid of him; He hindered their sight, and led them to where he chose; They were sent to catch him, and it ended up that he caught them; He covered their faces with a veil of blindness to humiliate them; They followed him without recognizing his identity, to let them become a laughing stock; (St.) Jacob El-Serougi + The same thing happened to Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of the church; whose eyes were wide open, but he could not see (Acts 9:: 8); Yet God who amazingly shut his eyes, soon opened them again. (St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian) + “The Lord is merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34: 6). I wish we know God, but not in a partial way, I wish we do not make His compassion a cause for us to become slothful …. He who makes the sun shine (Matthew 5: 45), also strikes people with blindness (18);… He who sends rain (Zechariah 10: 1), also sends rain of fire (Genesis 19: 24). (St. Basil the Great) “Now, Elisha said to them, ‘This is not the way nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek’. But he led them to Samaria” (19) How could a man of God lie to those soldiers? Is it allowed to lie in wars? … What Elisha said was not actually a lie; for the soldiers of Aram were going to Dothan to captivate Elisha, but God struck them with blindness; Elisha, having come to encounter them outside Dothan; entering Dothan, then, was not the right way to arrest Elisha. He said to them, “Follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek, and he led them to Samaria”; Which was true. And once they were there, God opened their eyes to see Elisha, who, when the king of Israel asked him if he should kill them, he sought from him instead to give them food and water. “So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, ‘Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see’. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were inside Samaria” (20) The way Elisha sought from God to strike them with blindness, He sought from him to open their eyes. As God has the authority to strike with blindness to chastise, and to let them realize how helpless they are, he also has the authority to open their eyes to let their hearts see the divine truth. According to St. Ambrose: [Elisha intended to save and not to destroy those whom he apparently deceived, For they were struck with blindness by a foolish decision, but by the power of God] + He led them to enter into Samaria; and sought from God to open their eyes; When he lifted from them the vanity that clothed them, they were enlightened and knew where they were, and how they ended up there. Knowing that he was the man whom they sought they were filled with fear and confusion, how could they not recognize him while talking to him on the way. They came to be blamed, weak, despised, ignorant, and under the threat of death; Recognizing how great the man of God was, they despised the king who sent him to arrest him. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “Now, when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, ‘My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?’” (21) The expression “My father” was used by Elisha in his talk with the prophet Elijah; and the servants of Naaman used it in their talk to their master; and behold. Although the king of Israel was an evil man, yet, perceiving the stature and godliness of Elisha, he called him “My father”. Elisha sought from him to refrain from killing the Aramites, not to refer to himself the favor of what God did; and to give them hospitality to let them testify to God who opened up their inner eyes to see His mercies, and to perceive His plan. Commenting on Elisha’s virtuous behavior, who, while believing in God’s protection, yet he did not seek to avenge himself against those who sought to arrest him, but sought instead to give them hospitality, St. Ambrose said: [It is obvious here, that faith and righteousness should be kept even in war]. “And he answered, ‘You shall not kill them. You would kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master’” (22) “Then he prepared a great feast for them and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the hands of the Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel” (23) If the beginning of this episode amazingly reveals God’s exalted care for those who attach themselves to Him, yet its end is more amazing; for Elisha led those who came to arrest him into the city; and although it was so easy to have them all killed, he sought from the king of Israel, instead, to set a banquet for them and then let them return safely to their king. Treating them as guests, had its good impression upon the king of Aram, who refrained from sending any more armies to Israel for some time.. Elisha practiced the virtue of loving the enemies (8-26); which was to be presented by the Lord Christ Himself (Luke 22: 49-51); a commandment that the early church was to live by and practice (Acts 7: 59-60; Romans 12: 20) The act of love coming from the heart removed the animosity of Aram against Israel for some time, which was most probably several years before the attack mentioned in verse 24; after the Aramites forgot all about the previous episode.. + When they entered into samara, the king of Israel intended to kill then, as though he was the one who conquered them; If it was not for the man of God who did not let him do it; He said to him, “You would kill those whom you have taken captives with your sword and your bow” Do not boast a conquest that is not yours. Feed them and let them be impressed by your hospitality; Elisha overcame evil; and fed those who came to arrest him, then sent them away, as is befitting of a man of God; He made peace between the two sides with no fighting; Blessed is He who gave him such wisdom and might. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria” (24) Most probably, that was Ben-Hadad the second, whose father reigned over Aram in the days of king Baasha (I Kings 15: 18). “And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver” (25) The book of Deuteronomy talked about famines that would dwelt upon Israel when they reject God’s leadership of them. It so seems that that siege was the most horrible in Israel’s history, when the immense hunger made them practice what was against human measures (2 Kings 6: 25-29). Having rejected the word of God, the food of the Spirit, they came to be in an extreme famine; their depths turned wild, and they did what the wild beasts never do by their natural instinct. Among God’s threats to His people was that in case they worshipped idols, and disobeyed the divine commandments, He would allow for them to suffer famine: “When I have cut off your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall bring back your bread by weight; and you shall eat and not be satisfied” (Leviticus 26: 26). Cutting off their supply of bread; refers to cutting off the bread of life, the divine word; to make them live in famine, a sign of which was, that instead of every woman has her own oven to bake bread, every ten women would use one oven to bake their bread. A further signs was bringing back the few bread they baked by weight, as the blessing was taken away from them; And it would reach it maximum when the hands of the parents stretch to eat the flesh of their own children; as it so happened in the days of Jehoram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when two women agreed to cook their sons one every other day (24-26); It also happened in the days Jerusalem was put under siege by the king of Babylon; being written: “The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became food for them, in the destruction of the daughter of my people” (Lamentations 4: 10); And when the Roman commander ‘Titus’ put Jerusalem under siege, …. The donkey’s head which was never eaten became so expensive to buy. According to St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian, the donkey’s head here, most probably refers to the views of the philosophers, opponents to the divine truth. While the doves refer to the spiritual interpretation the divine law, the dove droppings refer to the literal interpretation thereof.. According to some, that siege happened after seven years of the famine referred to in chapter 8: 1-2. A cab was a measure equivalent to half a gallon, used for dry goods. And according to some, the dove droppings refer to edible bulb plant, which is called nowadays ‘the star of Bethlehem’. “Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king’” (26) “And he said, ‘If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress’” (27) “Then the king said to her, ‘What is troubling you. And she answered, ‘This woman said to me , ‘Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow’” (28) “So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him; but she has hidden her son’” (29) In a unique lamentation, St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi portrays how the arrow of hunger so stabs the heart of women to turn them into wild beasts, and even worse; because wild beasts never eat their young; while here, the human compassionate mothers stab their knives in the necks of their own children, disregard their cries, and devour their flesh to keep themselves alive; for if they do not do that the famine will eat the mothers and their children. + What should I say? It is a horrible thing to hear and to imagine; When hunger so corrupts the hearts of the compassionate mothers to kill their own children, to keep themselves alive; How horrible it is, that the mother is not moved by the cry-outs of their beloved child; and is not terrified to have her hand dip in his blood. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body” (30) Although the king tore his clothes, and the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body, yet he did not put the blame upon himself, but upon the prophet Elisha, and sought to kill him. There is no benefit in putting on sackcloth, when the heart is hard and there is no repentance. He most probably put on the sackcloth to appease, either the true God or his own gods; and to impress his people. + The king threatened to kill Elisha, believing that it was within his authority as a prophet to put an end to the siege, and to avoid the famine. And he probably was angry because the prophet did not let him kill the Aramites whom he sought from God to strike with blindness. (St. Ambrose) “Then he said, ‘God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today’” (31) Knowing for sure the identity, holiness and possibilities of Elisha, it was befitting of the king of Israel to ask him how he would sanctify himself, together with his armies and people, in an appeal to God to save them. But, bearing the spirit of his bloodthirsty mother, Jezebel, he turned his wrath upon the prophet. As though he says about him: ‘As he offered food in abundance to the Aramite thieves yesterday, he will today give his own disciples food with abundance, not caring for the people of the city, and disregarding their need’. He therefore vowed to kill him for the sake of the blood of his people. Instead of putting the blame upon Elisha, Jehoram should put it upon his own father Ahab who, if instead of despising the prophets, he followed their counsel and killed Ben-Hadad, who put Samaria under siege, he would have spared the land from all those calamities. Jehoram was called ‘the son of the murderer’, on account of that his father Ahab killed the prophets of the Lord (1 kings 18: 13); killed Naboth the Jezreelite (1 kings 21: 9-13); persecuted and wiped out the servants of the Lord (1 kings 19: 18); he was ‘the son of a murderer’; for instead of repenting, he walked with the spirit of evil like his father before him. instead of presenting a true repentance to God, the king of Israel put the blame upon Elisha, on account of that he did not use his authority as a prophet to save the land from that calamity; and vowed to kill him. God informed the prophet of the king’s intention; who, in turn informed the elders sitting with him that the messenger of the king is on his way, to be directly followed by the king himself to take his head. And sought from them not to allow the messenger to enter until his master arrives. + Hearing the horrible news of the two women who fed upon their own children, the king was shaken, tore his clothes, and wailed; He vowed and threatened to kill Elisha; What was the crime done by the man of God? He was silently sitting in his house, under siege like everyone else in the city; If the women ate their own children; what had he to do with that? If the Aramites gave you, the king, a hard time, what had Elisha to do with that? You have the leaders of the army, and have the weapons; Go out and fight; instead of threatening the man of God; The king of Samaria, knew who that man was; and was sure that, if he so chooses, he would make salvation; He was sure that if Elisha prayed; thousands of Aramites would perish; He would seek fire to come down on the enemies; or to have them swallowed by the earth; By his word, he was sure that he would conquer them without fight; Regardless of the women who ate their own children, the king was in distress of being under siege; Having been the son of the bloodthirsty Jezebel, he was ready to do like what his mother did; The city was under siege because the sins of the people; and the foolish king threatens to cut the head of the saint. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and the king sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, ‘Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent someone to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him at the door. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” (32) + While still in his house, Elisha felt that the king sent someone to cut off his head; By his spiritual insight he saw the messenger who came to do it; From afar, he saw the horrible deed, and revealed to the elders sitting with him the identity of the messenger; He was expected to act as though the ruler, and make the Aramites go away; He was expected to bring prosperity again to the afflicted Samaria and to its people under siege; He was expected to choose, either to defeat the Aramites, or to die; He was expected to bring forth security and great satisfaction. (St. (Mar Jacob El-Serougi) “And while he was still taking with them, there was the messenger, coming down to him, and then he said, ‘Surely, this calamity is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer’” (33) Some wonder who was the one talking here; Is it the king on the tongue of his messenger; or is it the prophet Elisha after the messenger arrived to deliver the king’s message to those present. According to some, that message, carrying so much bitterness against the Lord and His prophet Elisha, was most probably was from the king, in response to Elisha’s request from him to repent; as though saying: ‘If what happened of anguish and bitterness came from the Lord, that mothers had to eat their own children, because of the intense hunger, and of the shadow of death before their eyes; what more would I expect from the Lord and his prophet Elisha?’… This is the way of many under strong temptations; they put the blame upon others, and even upon God Himself. … Here, in the name of the king, the messenger reviles the God of Israel and His prophet Elisha for the following reasons: 1- When Elisha told the king that he had to return with repentance to God, he responded by just putting on the sackcloth on his body; yet, not by his heart, as the siege stayed longer, the king counted the prophet’s counsel some kind of deception. 2- All along centuries, there has been wrestling between the kings and the prophets; and the kings always considered the prophets as a source of trouble. 3- Remembering how the prophet Elijah put an end to the previous famine (1 Kings 16: 41-46); the king expected that it is within the authority of the prophet Elisha, as well, to do the same if he chooses to save the kingdom, . Hence he became so angry against him for not doing it.. ----------------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM 2 KINGS 6 THE PLACE WHERE WE DWELL IS TOO SMALL FOR US + Together with the sons of the prophets, we cry out to You: The place where we dwell is too small for us; Allow us to go to the Jordan; And there, we could build a bigger place for ourselves. + In the waters of the Jordan we see Your wooden cross; You come down to our depths to carry us up high to heaven; To liberate us from the dragon lying in the depths; And to enjoy peace as the free children of God. + You long to draw all souls to Yourself; For all to find a place in Your bosoms to settle down. + Together with the prophet Elisha, You grant us a spiritual insight; By which, although we do not see the king of Aram planning against us; Yet we can recognize the tricks of the devil to destroy us; And when we perceive his snares, we escape to You. + If You open our insight to see the heavenly hosts surrounding us; We shall never complain of being alone; We shall never fear from enemies nor adversaries; “For those with us are more than those against us”; “Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear” (Psalm 27: 3) + Let the enemy, with all his possibilities and energies, put me under siege; Let him deprive me, even of the necessary things to live in this world; For You open before me the windows of heaven; To satisfy my spirit, soul, and body; To fill my whole being with exultation and joy; To turn my life into a heavenly banquet; To turn my whole time into an unceasing feast
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