ATTACHMENT TO THE LORD In the last chapter we saw how God intervened and opened windows in heaven to pour His goods upon His people; while the king’s officer lost his life because he doubted the promises and possibilities of God. In the present chapter we find a living portrait of getting attached to the Lord, walking in His ways, and trusting in Him. 1- The Chunammite woman, attached to the Lord 1 – 6 2- Ben-Hadad seeks Elisha’s help, but not Elisha’s God 7 – 1 3- Hazael does not perceive the truth of his heart 11 – 15 4- The son of the good king Jehoshaphat marries a pagan wife 16 - 24 5- An alliance outside the Lord 25 – 29 1- THE CHUNAMMITE WOMAN, ATTACHED TO THE LORD: Not wishing to be indebted to anyone, Elisha asked the notable Chunammite woman (2 kings 4: 8) who did favor to the man of God: “What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army; She answered: “I dwell among my own people” (2 kings 4: 13); Namely, [Why should I be privileged above my people? What you want to give me, give it rather to my people; for what my people get, I count as though I got it myself].. Her answer, revealing her love for her people, giving them priority above herself, qualified her to get what she did not expect; to be granted by God a son when she was barren, and her man was too old. That notable woman suffered three calamities; and in each of them, she was justified by getting more attached to the Lord, with whom she was faithful: a- When her only so died, God, through His prophet Elisha raised him from the dead (2 kings 4: 35) b- When her man, the head of her household, died, God granted her a heavenly comfort; the way St. John Chrysostom wrote to a young widow, saying: [If, indeed, he has ultimately perished, and completely gone, that would be a major catastrophe and sorrowful; but if he just sailed toward a quiet haven; and gone on a journey to God, his King; we should, therefore, never grieve, but rather be joyful]. c- When she lost all her possessions because of the famine; it was amazing how God used the fact of raising her son from the dead, a chance to restore what she lost. Indeed “All things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8: 28). . “Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, ‘Arise and go, you and your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn, for the Lord has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years’” (1) “The Lord has called for a famine”; Namely, even if the events seem to happen because of natural factors, yet they are actually allowed by God, either to chastise His people, … to punish His opponents, … to give humanity a chance to deal with the victims with compassion, and to make man practice practical love toward his needy or suffering fellow man; … or be used by God for His glory. The famine mentioned here was probably that which came in 2 kings 4: 38. + Elisha prophesied to the Chunammite woman a famine that would come on the land for seven years, and called on her to depart to a new location he chose for her – the land of the Philistines -- a close-by, fertile land, whose inhabitants were all rich, because of marine commerce, being on the coast of the sea, with reputed ports full of uncountable ships, as often testified by the Holy Book. For the same reason the two Patriarchs Abraham and Isaac, took refuge in it (Genesis 12: 1). According to the symbolic interpretation, the land of the Philistines that received righteous men, refers to sojourn from the Lord (2 Corinthians 5: 6), on account of that its people bore a strong animosity against the people of God, and used to treat the God-fearing people badly. They were later defeated by David, and banned from making weapons, even though they continued somehow to do it every now and then. The world hates the saints and persecutes them all the time, even after the Lord defeated them together with their prince – the devil – Yet they will never cease to fight against God’s ministers, by provoking and destroying the slothful and the ignorant (St. Ephraim the Syrian). Here, it is befitting of us to look into the reason of Elisha’s care to save that particular Chunammite woman from the famine to come: Because that notable rich woman became in great need; and it was not befitting of the saintly prophet to disregard her. He, as a believer should enjoys the true virtues which are a practical translation of our love for God, through our love of our brethren; in particular the poor, the needy, and those in distress. In His talk about the great day of the Lord, the Lord Christ set the criteria for distinguishing the saintly sheep from the wicked goats; based upon the secret relationship of unity between the Lord Christ and the poor. For the way the two categories treated the poor, the Lord counted as though it was Him, whom they treated (Matthew 25: 31-46). … Talking about giving, St. Cyprian says: [Don’t you know that we walk among several portraits of Christ?]. + As much as someone is “the least”, Christ will come to you through Him. For whoever gives a great man, would do it with boasting; whereas who gives the poor, will do it with good heart for the sake of Christ. + Nothing would make us close to God, and according to His image, like a good deed. + Through mercy, man would soar to an exalted height, It give him a great daring with God. When the queen intends to enter to the king, no one in the king’s court would dare to stand in her way; but all would receive her cheerfully; He who does mercy and giving, would come before the king without any hindrance; For God strongly loves mercy, and keeps it close to Himself; hence the Holy Book says: “The queen sits on the right hand of the king” ( ).Mercy has such a special place in God’s heart, because it made him come to be Man for the sake of our salvation. (St. John Chrysostom) “So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years” (2) Again, that notable woman showed her faith in God’s proclamations on the tongue of His prophet, and obeyed his counsel without discussion. “It came to pass at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land” (3) The Chunemmite woman did not sell her possessions, but, according to the counsel of the prophet Elisha, she departed from her city because of the famine to come. Now, returning from the land of the Philistines after seven years, and found that her land was taken by force, probably by the king himself, because the land was still legally hers, she appealed her case before the king. . “Then the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, ‘Tell me please all the great things Elisha has done’” (4) It is obvious that that happened before the event of cleansing the leper Naaman in the River Jordan, and before Gehazi was inflicted with leprosy; for otherwise he would never be standing before the king of Israel. Through an amazing divine ordinance, while the king was talking to Gehazi, the woman in question came to appeal her case before the king. … According to some, Gehazi’s love to talk about the work of God through his master Elisha to king Jehoram, who, himself, sought from him to do, is an evidence that even the wicked can have some good touches in them. … How amazing!... while the wicked sometimes love to talk about the exalted work of God, and to listen to them, the people of God “forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt” (Psalm 106: 21). + I wish I can tell every generation to come: Coming back from captivity, you belong now to the new Adam, the Grantor of liberty. …It is not through my own power, nor righteousness, but “Your righteous, O God, is very high. You have done great things. O God, who is like You?” (Psalm 71: 19). “Your power and righteousness”; … to what extent? …. Will it be even to blood? … No, “It is very high”, much higher! High up is heaven, where there are angels, thrones, principalities, and hosts; All are indebted to You for what they are; All are indebted to You for their life; All are indebted to You for letting them live with righteousness; All are indebted to You for the blessings in which they live; Do not think that man has the grace of God; … For what was the angel before he was created? How would the angel be if forsaken by Him who has created him? (St. Augustine) Man stands in amazement before that sitting between two persons; one of whom (Gehazi) was a lover of money, and the other (the king) was an idolworshipper. Their talk, however, was about the great works done by God through His prophet Elisha. Those two persons will judge us on corrupting our time in things not for edification. According to the Psalmist, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150: 6); and, “Blessed is the man who meditates in God’s law, day and night” (psalm 1: 2). For the believer, enjoying the divine grace, counts every breath of his life, day and night, to have its weight and value, even in the sight of God. + Today is yours; but tomorrow you cannot tell for whom it will belong. Those who come to bury you may be at the door! … Don’t ever bury your day, without burying your iniquity together with it! …Don’t ever close your eye to sleep, before you open your mind to pray. Seeing how the day hastens to depart, you should also hasten to forsake your sins… Let your righteousness shine with the morning! … Don’t ever postpone today’s work until tomorrow. + If it happens that you are robbed by a thief, you would loudly wail; … How come when your life is robbed away from God’s, you keep silent and do not mourn for it? (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) “Now it happened as he was telling the king how he has restored the dead to life, that there was the woman whose son he has restored to life, appealing for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, ‘My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life’” (5) How amazing are God’s wisdom and care! The Chunammite woman comes to appeal before the king to restore her possession to her, at the same moment he hears how the prophet Elisha raised her dead son to life. Hence the king responded to her appeal, after seeking to hear her story from her own lips. “And when the king asked the woman she told him. So the king appointed a certain officer, saying, ‘Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now’” (6) All she requested was to have back her land and that of her son; but having listened to her story, the king gave his command to restore to her even all the proceeds of the field from the day she left the land until coming back. It is obvious from this that the famine was over, and the fields started again to produce, even though with less capacity.. Let us now end our talk by a word of admonition to the king. It is well and good to savor the talk about the wonders that God does through His saints in the life of others; but he should also seek the God of those saints to do wonders in his own life… When will our reading of the wonders and miracles done by the Lord Christ in the life of the saints, turn into an enjoyment of a practical experience in our inner life and our daily behavior? As an example, when St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi read about the great works of God shown in the encounter of the Lord Christ with the Canaanite woman, he was preoccupied, not with the great miracle enjoyed by the Canaanite woman, when the Lord proclaimed the greatness of her faith, and granted her the healing of her daughter (Matthew 5: 21-28); but he rather concentrated his sight upon the Lord Christ, seeking from Him to grant His great deeds upon all the aspects of his own life. + He is the way along which man walks to encounter his Father, the door of life; through which those who enter will overcome death (John 14: 6; John 10: 9). He is the Physician, from whom come all helps; and the fountain that flows life to all those around; By Him the devil and the demons are driven away from mankind; and the diseases and wounds of the sick are healed; By Him the life of the soul is purified and enlightened; By Him the multitude of the sins of the world are slain; By the power of His preaching, the tax-collectors are justified; and By His forgiveness the sinners become perfect; He drove the devil out of the Canaanite woman who sought it from Him; and He puts off the covetousness of your soul, if you concentrate your sight upon Him; He bears the weight of the mighty world; In Him all creatures trust; and by Him they exist; He is the Sun of Righteousness, and the great Light; He is the Physician who heals all the sick (Malachi 2: 4); He is the Rich, the Son of the Rich, and who gives riches to all; He is by whom the weak get strength (2 Corinthians 8: 9; Ephesians 2: 4); He bandages the wounds; heals the sick, and drives the demons away. Blessed is He who came down to visit the world, and to heal its ailments. (St. (Mar Jacob El-Serougi) 2- BEN-HADAD SEEKS ELISHA’S HELP, AND NOT ELISHA’S GOD: Resorting to Elisha for help, the heart of Ben-Hadad king of Aram was far away from God; he was only preoccupied with his physical health, and not with his eternity. “Then Elisha went to Damascus; and Ben-Hadad king of Syria was sick, and it was told him, saying, ‘The man of God has come here’” (7) We do not know why Elisha went to Damascus; he probably was led by the Holy Spirit to follow up what the prophet Elijah has previously prophesied in Horeb, several years ago (1 kings 19: 15); namely to set Hazael of the royal court, a king over Aram. For Elisha said to him: “The Lord has shown me that you will be king on Aram”. Although the people of Aram did not worship God, Yet God the Almighty moves the whole world to fulfill His divine plan, without depriving man of his own will; which is the most precious gift God has granted humanity. + Man (Adam) has been an image and an example of the Supreme Power that governs all creation; Hence he, as well, had the authority over himself, being like Him who has the overall authority; He was never a slave to any outer influence; No, but he was always thinking of what is true, and with his own free will he used to choose what pleases him; And by his own free will, the calamity that dwelt upon the human race came. + That good God, would never deprive man of the most noble and precious thing; namely the gift of liberty, and the ability to make his own decisions. For if it is only the necessity that governs man’s life, he (the image of God), “the image” would be false; for it would be too far away from the Original, with no likeness to Him whatsoever. How could nature, enslaved to any kind of necessity, have the likeness of the royal nature? … God is not responsible for he present evil; for He has set your nature to be free of any bondage. But the responsibility is upon the pervert will, by which man chooses what is worse, and not what is better. (St. Gregory of Nyssa) When Elisha entered Damascus, he did not do it in disguise, for he was well known there as the prophet, the man of God who healed Naaman of his leprosy (2 kings 5). “And the king said to Hazael, ‘Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?” (8) Remembering the healing of Naaman the Syrian, the king of Aram commanded Hazael to take a gift in his hand, and go and meet the man of God, and inquire from the Lord by him, if he will recover from his disease. In ‘The bylaws of the holy apostles’ it came that the prophet Elisha rejected the gift, the same way God rejects an offering, if it is the price of a dog or the wages of an adulteress. If the prophets of God reject the gifts of the wicked, it would be befitting of you, O bishops, as well, to do the same. In an Assyrian inscription on a black obelisk, displayed nowadays in the British Museum; the names of Ben-Hadad and Hazael were referred to as two kings of Damascus who fought against and were defeated by xxxxxxx the Assyrian king. “So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, ‘Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’” (9) It does not mean that the gifts were so numerous to be carried by forty camels. But that was an old custom to present the precious gifts in several containers, carried by many camels. According to ‘Maillet’, the gifts of a bridegroom used to be carried on four or five horses, even though they could be carried by a single horse; … and for the sake of boasting, they used to put the precious jewels in fifteen plates, even though they could be contained in a single plate. … When ‘Ehud’ brought a gift to Eglon, king of Moab, it was carried by a procession of people (Judges 3: 18)….. And it was said that in Persia, it was not feasible for one man to carry more than a single item of the gifts. + Ben-Hadad, king of Syria was inflicted by an acute depression and mental disturbance, caused by the defeat of his armies in his war against Samaria, at a time his people anticipated a sure conquest. His whole army escaped in disgrace, as a result of a false perception that a huge army was approaching to attack them; even though it was later on revealed that there was actually no such an army. Hearing that the prophet Elisha came to Damascus, the king sent Hazael, a notable officer of the royal court to meet him, to inquire about the possibility of being healed of his disease. And believing that his request should be accompanied with gifts, according to the custom at that time, he sent with him of every good things of Damascus, forty-camel loads. But the prophet rejected the gift as he did when he rejected the gift of Naaman the Syrian. (St. Ephraim the Syrian) Hazael, being the personal attaché of the king, or the head of the royal court, said to Elisha: “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me”; which reveals that, together with his spirit of firmness, the prophet presents a spirit of fatherhood, not only to the people of God, but to all with whom he dealt, even if he is a wicked pagan king. If that was the spirit of a prophet in the old covenant, how much more it is befitting of the priests of the new covenant, to testify to the compassionate fatherhood of God, through their own fatherhood to all mankind. That is why St. John Chrysostom used to say to the priest: [You are a father of the whole world]. + I know for sure that someone prominent among a congregation, would not be exalted by anything more than to reveal his deep love toward those under his authority. A father is not a father just for giving birth to children, but rather for providing them with love. If therefore, nature implies the necessity of this love, how much more would be the sonhood through the grace?! I mean, if man is committed to love his natural offspring, to be called a natural father, how much more he would he would love his spiritual baptized children according to grace?! (St. John Chrysostom) “And Elisha said to him, ‘Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover’. However the Lord has shown me that he will really die’” (10) It so seems that the disease of the king was not life-threatening; hence the prophet told Hazael to say to the king: “You shall certainly recover”; and went on to say: “However the Lord has shown me that he will really die”. He probably meant that even though the king will not die because of his disease, and will recover from it, yet he will die by some other cause. According to some, the prophet intended by his words to rebuke Hazael because he knew that he will not convey his whole message. + If his disease was not life-threatening, how would he die otherwise?! He actually died on the hands of his messenger Hazael, who took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it over the king’s face, killed him and reigned in his place, as Elisha has prophesied. (St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian) 3- HAZAEL DOES NOT PERCEIVE THE TRUTH OF HIS HEART: Hazael represents a serious category of people who, although they resort to God, and carry the image of godliness and humility, yet their hearts are cruel, and they are not aware of it. … Elisha recognized the crime lying in Hazael’s heart, which Hazael himself did not. “Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed, and the man of God wept” (11) Seeing what was hidden in Hazael’s heart and mind, of what he intended to do to the children of Israel, the prophet Elisha set his countenance in a stare on Hazael, and wept. Here, Hazael was ashamed of himself, for he perceived that God revealed his hidden criminal intentions to the man of God, as it came in 2 kings 10: 32-33. … In those days God started cutting Israel off, and Hazael struck them all over the land, from the Jordan toward the East – the whole land of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, from Aroer on the valley of Arnon, Gilead, and Bashan; As it came in 2 kings 13: 3-4) “Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days. So Jehoahaz pleaded with the Lord and the Lord listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them…; and Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz”. … The way the prophet wept, the Lord Himself so did when He shed tears upon his lost people (Luke 19: 41). “And Hazael said, ‘Why is my lord weeping. And he answered, ‘Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. Their strongholds you will set on fir, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child’” (12) “So Hazael said, ‘But what is your servant – a dog, that he should do this gross thing?”. And Elisha answered, ‘The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Syria’” (13) Did Elisha request from Hazael to kill king Ben-Hadad to reign in his place? … Certainly not; but what he said to him was a prophecy of what Hazael was going to do; killing the king and taking the throne by force; and the evil he was going to do against Israel. … Not able to imagine the extent of denial, his own heart was going to reach, to do such evil against the people of the prophet who prophesied to him that he will be a king, he said to him: “But what is your servant – a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” (13). … Man often assumes that he is too exalted to commit horrible sins; that he is able to have authority over his own behavior; and that he would never go down to such a lowly level; regardless of the evil hidden in his heart; instead of seeking the strength and help from God. “Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, ‘What did Elisha said to you?’. And he answered, ‘He told me that you would surely recover’” (14) Hazael only told the king a part of the words said by the prophet Elisha; by which his words carried deception. “But it happened on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his place” (15) By killing the king that way, it would seem that he died because of his illness. The prophet Elijah has prophesied that Hazael will take the throne (1 kings 19: 15); but the latter could not wait, but killed Ben-Hadad to reign in his place. 4- THE SON OF THE GOOD KING JEHOSHAPHAT MARRIES A PAGAN WIFE: In spite of what Jehoshaphat had of good qualities, yet allowing his son to marry a pagan wife for some reason or another, whether for her beauty, or to create an atmosphere of friendship between Judah and Israel, has corrupted his depths, and made him lose his godliness. Jehoram (Joram) reigned on Judah eight years (853-841 BC – See 2 Chronicles 21: 4-20). He reigned together with his father Jehoshaphat for a duration of five years; while according to other scholars, Jehoshaphat reigned together with his father Asa two years before his death; and the reign of Ahaziah and Jehoram is counted from the time Jehoshaphat reigned alone. Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat having been king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as king of Judah” (16) According to some, this phrase came to summarize what came in 1 Kings 22: 50; saying: “And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; then Jehoram his son reigned in his place”….. About Jehoshaphat it came that he reigned at least 23 years (1 Kings 22: 42, 51; 2 kings 3: 1; 2 Chronicles 20: 31). It is assumed by some that Jehoshaphat gave his son the title of ‘The king of Judah’, in the sixteenth year of his reign; then seven years later he made him an actual partner to reign together with him in the twenty-third year. Two years later, Jehoshaphat died, and Jehoram became the sole king. What caused such confusion in the dates of events, was that some kings like Jehoram were given the royal title in the sixteenth year of the reign of his father; partook of the reign in the twenty-third year; then reigned alone after the death of his father, who reigned over Judah for 25 years. “He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem” (17) The eight years are counted from the time he partook of reigning together with his father. “And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord” (18) Making such a political and social alliance with Ahab and his household, did not allow Jehoshaphat nor his sons to keep their faith pure; for Jehoram, influenced by his wife Athaliah, daughter of Ahab, walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and introduced the worship of Baal in Judah. It is amazing that the source of evil that brought the wrath of God down over Israel, namely by Ahab and his wife Jezebel (1 kings 16: 31), was the same source that brought it down over Judah; namely by ‘Athaliah’, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 kings 11: 1). Although the goal of that bond in marriage between the king of Judah and the evil daughter of the king of Israel, was to set peace between the two kingdoms, yet that serious political alliance brought a serious catastrophe over the kingdom of Judah. As Athaliah took after Jezebel her mother, the unity with the wicked would produce nothing but weakness and desolation. Even though that alliance actually had some political benefits, like peace between the two kingdoms, but it provoked the Southern kingdom to idolworship. After the death of Jehoram, Ahaziah his son became a king; and after his death in battle, Athaliah, to set herself a queen, and to establish her throne, killed all the royal offspring, except for Joash who was hidden by his aunt (11: 1). “Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for the sake of his servant David, as He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever” (19) The natural fruit of Jehoram’s apostasy was the desolation of his household, and the transfer of Judah’s throne to another family; the way it happened with the kings of Israel: Jeroboam (1 kings 14: 10); Baasha (1 kings 16: 2-4); and Ahab (1 Kings 21: 20-22). But despite the wickedness of Jehoram, the Lord did not destroy Judah, for the sake of His covenant with His servant David, and His promises (2 Samuel 7: 12- 16; Psalm 89: 30-37), to give a lamp to him and his sons forever. This lamp is a symbol of the hope that it would stay lighted even in the darkest situations; a promise that was fulfilled by the coming of the Lord Christ the Light of the world (1 kings 15: 4; John 1: 13); and the Son of David according to the flesh. The chastisement against Jehoram came in some way other than transferring the throne to another family; namely by allowing Edom to humiliate Judah (2 kings 23: 8); by spreading illnesses on them, and by allowing the Philistines and the Arabs to invade and rob their land (2 Chronicles 21: 14-20). “In his days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves” (20) King David previously invaded Edom and put garrisons in it (2 Samuel 8: 13-14; 1 kings 11: 15-17), but they caused his descendants much troubles (2 kings 8: 20; 14: 7, 22; 16: 6). As they kept mocking and ridiculing the Jews, particularly when they were captivated by the Babylonians; many prophesies in the Holy Book came against them (Jeremiah 49: 1-22; Zephaniah 2: 8, 11; Ezekiel 25: 12- 14, etc.). What came here refer to the chastisement of Jehoram. Edom rebelled against Judah, by which the prophecy that came in Genesis 27: 40 was fulfilled; and since then they had their independence (Jeremiah 25: 21; 27: 3; Amos 1: 11, etc.). The Assyrian inscriptions referred to the kings of Edom as independent. “So Joram went to Zair, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots, but his people fled to their tents” (21) ‘Joram’ here is, himself, Jehoram. Zair: a Hebrew name meaning (little); It was the main city in Edom, claimed to be the one with the same name nowadays, five miles North-East of Hebron, where the tomb of Esau (Edom) is. In a prophecy about Edom , Isaiah refers to Zeir as ‘Seir’, saying: “The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, ‘Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, ‘The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back” (Isaiah 21: 11-12). Dumah; here is short for Idumea;. The prophet stood on the watch point the whole nights (8); as a kind of darkness prevailed upon the world, in anticipation of the Sun of Righteousness to come to scatter the darkness of the night, and to bring the morning forth. Now there is a voice, probably from heaven, or from the few remaining prophets and men of God; saying: “Watchman, what of the night?”. The fullness of time has come, and the light of the morning shone. …..Let the nations be silent; …. let them come to death of their old man, to enjoy the light of life; …. Let them seek now, to find their light through their faith in the Lord Christ; …. Let them return to God their Savior, and come back to Him, to find Him stretching His hands by the practical love to embrace them. He repeats: “Watchman, what of the night?” twice; for the talk here concerns the Jews, as well as the Gentiles; and the believers of the Old and the new covenants; so that all would enjoy salvation, while silently contemplating in God’s work with them. “Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day. And Libnah revolted at that time” (22) Although Judah and Edom had mutual borders, and had one grandfather – Isaac – Yet they lived in continual wars. Edom submitted to Israel in the days of David as we saw; then to the Southern kingdom. Now, as it revolted against Jehoram, and declared independence. Jehoram went to attack Edom, but failed, and lost a part of his land as a punishment for his failure to honor God. Libnah; a city on the coast between Makkedah and Lachish (Joshua 10: 39; 12: 15); of the cities of Judah South-West of Jerusalem, claimed to be Tel El-Safia nowadays; assigned to the descendants of Aaron (Joshua 21: 13; I Chronicles 6: 57). It rebelled against the kingdom of Judah, when it grew weak in the days of Jehoram; the reason of their rebellion, as it came in 2 Chronicles 21: 10-11, was that Jehoram has forsaken the God of his fathers, and provoked the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit adultery. … It was besieged by Sennacherib king of Assyria (2 Kings 19: 8; Isaiah 37: 8). “Now 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?” (23) “So Joram rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. Then Ahaziah reigned in his place” (24) It came in 2 Chronicles 21: 18 that Jehoram died because of a serious illness, that caused his intestine to come out. He was buried in the city of David, but not in the tombs of his family, namely that of the kings. 5- AN ALLIANCE OUTSIDE THE LORD: “In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign” (25) According to some, Ahaziah reigned for one year together with his father because of his serious illness. In 2 kings 8: 25, it came that Ahaziah the son of Joram became king over Judah in the twelfth year of the reign of Joram the son of Ahab the king of Israel. Even though, in 2 kings 9: 29, it came that Ahaziah reigned over Judah in the eleventh year of the reign of Joram over Israel. What is the truth? Both are true, but the difference came from the different way of counting the duration of reign in Israel and Judah. During the reign of Ahaziah over Judah, the system was to count the duration of reign according to the “Accession year”, as the first official year of the king, only begins at the start of the new year following the sitting on the throne. Whereas the system followed in Israel was according to the “Non accession year”, in which the year in which the king is actually enthroned is counted as the first year of his reign; It is the eleventh year according to the former system, and the twelfth year according to the later one. “Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel” (26) Ahaziah was the only son remaining of Jehoram king of Judah; who, even though was the youngest son, yet he received the throne because all his other brothers were led into captivity during one of the attacks by the Philistines and the Arabs (2 Chronicles 21: 16-17). The name of the king’s mother is often mentioned, on account of that she was oftentimes the actual queen who ordained the issues of the state. Athaliah; According to some scholars, although Ahab was the one who brought the idol-worship into Israel, yet he did not forsake the worship of the living God altogether; on account of that he gave his children the names: ‘Athaliah’, meaning (Jehovah is high up); ‘Ahaziah’, meaning (Jehovah supports); and ‘Joram’, meaning (Jehovah is exalted). The granddaughter of Omri; Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab the son of Omri, who had a special consideration in Israel. Ahaziah mentioned here was the son of Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. The likeness of names in that era between the two royal families of Israel and Judah, caused some kind of confusion. Ahab, king of Israel had two sons who reigned consequently; namely Ahaziah and Jehoram (Joram). Whereas Jehoshaphat king of Judah had a son called Jehoram, who followed him on the throne; and had a son called Ahaziah who followed him on it.. In Judah, Jehoshaphat had a son ‘Jehoram’, who had a son ‘Ahaziah; In Israel, Ahab had a son ‘Ahaziah’, whose brother was ‘Jehoram’. “And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was the son-inlaw of the house of Ahab” (27) As Israel in the days of Ahab and Jezebel, has reached the climax of apostasy; So it was in Judah, in the days of their daughter Athaliah. “Now he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram” (28) Here began the troubles of Hazael king of Aram, prophesied by the prophet Elisha (8: 12) “Then king Joram went back to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on 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” (29) Jezreel, was the summer resort for the kings of Israel. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, returned to Jerusalem after Joram was wounded, and from it he went down to Jezreel to see Joram the son of Ahab . Finally, the events mentioned in this chapter motivate us to deliver ourselves completely in the hands of our heavenly Savior; for the sake of His exalted care and ordinances: 1- God cared for the Chunammite woman and her son, amid the famine that dwelt upon the people. He is aware of the future which is within His hands. 2- Although Ben-Hadad bore a portrait of religion; God was aware of his evil heart 3- Hazael, king of Aram honored the prophet Elisha, who was aware of the bitterness that his heart bore 4- Jehoshaphat walked uprightly; but evil friendship corrupted his godliness. 5- Despite the wickedness of Joram king of Judah; yet God kept His promise to His servant David, together with chastising the king. God cares for us, plans for our salvation; and seeks the purity of our hearts, not just a portrait of godliness, but to have a fellowship with our brethren; and ultimately, He remains faithful in His promises, despite our unfaithfulness. -------------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM 2 KINGS 8 LET ME BE ATTACHED TO YOU, O MY FAITHFUL SHEPHERD + You allowed for a famine to dwell over the whole land; But You would not forsake the widow attached to You; For her future and that of her children are in Your hands; My soul will be perpetually at peace; I shall never fear tomorrow, for it is in Your hand. + Ben-Hadad king of Aram, bearing the image of Godliness; Did not seek the his gods when he fell ill; But sought the counsel of Your prophet; He offered many gifts to Your servant; But his heart was very far from You; You do not seek the image of godliness, and do not need sacrifices and offerings; But You seek the pure heart a dwelling place for yourself + You gave all possibilities to Hazael, full of venom toward Your people; You revealed to him what is hidden in his mind and heart; He counted himself like a dog if he dares to do wrong toward you; He wept when Your prophet revealed to him the violence and cruelty in his heart; Yet, he did not seek Your grace, nor asked You to lead his life; Despite all the divine warnings, he consummated the evil desire of his heart; Keep me safe from my corrupt depths; sanctify me, and carry me on Your hands. + My soul is bitter to see how the heart of Jehoshaphat collapsed; His alliance with the wicked made him lose his inner insight; He lost sight of You and Your heavens; And walked behind the pervert human compliments; Let Your fiery Spirit keep my depths pure; Keep me from perverting to the right or to the left; I rejoice to see You; I enjoy being attached to You, and having fellowship with You. + Chasten me because of my sins, but do not give me over to death; Let Your promises be perpetually faithful, despite my unfaithfulness; Set, O Son of David the fallen tent in my depths; To proclaim Your joyful kingdom in me; Glory be to You, amazing in Your divine care.
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