2Ki 6:1-33  “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”

[Study Aired September 29, 2022]

In the first section of this chapter of 2Kings (2Ki 6:1-7) we will read how the sons of the prophets want to leave the place in which  they are dwelling because it is too narrow, and how they want to collectively build a place where they can live in Jordan. This symbolic action of building a home in Jordan represents the building of the church which is the body of Christ (Col 1:24), and it is expedient that Elisha, who is a type of Christ and the head of the church who builds the house, come with them (Psa 127:1, 2Ki 6:3).

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

2Ki 6:1  And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 
2Ki 6:2  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
2Ki 6:3  And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
2Ki 6:4  So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
2Ki 6:5  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
2Ki 6:6  And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
2Ki 6:7  Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

In the middle section of this chapter (2Ki 6:8-23),  we look at the way in which we must do spiritual battle as the body of Christ in a healthy church built by Christ, which battles of faith (1Ti 6:12) are defined for us in several parables that are connected with physical war, which we know represents the spiritual wars that rage within the body of Christ (Rom 1:20, Eph 6:12).

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2Ki 6:8  Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
2Ki 6:9  And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 
2Ki 6:10  And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. 
2Ki 6:11  Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
2Ki 6:12  And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. 
2Ki 6:13  And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 
2Ki 6:14  Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. 
2Ki 6:15  And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
2Ki 6:16  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
2Ki 6:17  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 
2Ki 6:18  And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 
2Ki 6:19  And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
2Ki 6:20  And it came to pass, when they were come into 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, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
2Ki 6:21  And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
2Ki 6:22  And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 
2Ki 6:23  And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

The last section of the chapter (2Ki 6:24-33) is a type and shadow of what depravity will come upon the earth at the end of the age and how evil men will wax worse and worse, causing the love of many to wax cold (Mat 24:12-13), as the Lord allows many who were once convinced of our Lord’s imminent return, to begin to say that He delays his coming (Luk 12:45-46, 2Pe 3:3-4).

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 
Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 
Luk 12:46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 
2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 

2Ki 6:24  And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. 
2Ki 6:25  And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. 
2Ki 6:26  And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. 
2Ki 6:27  And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? 
2Ki 6:28  And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. 
2Ki 6:29  So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. 
2Ki 6:30  And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. 
2Ki 6:31  Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. 
2Ki 6:32  But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? 
2Ki 6:33  And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer? 

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2Ki 6:1  And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
2Ki 6:2  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
2Ki 6:3  And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

The sons of the prophets are a type of the elect, and they tell Elisha, who is a type of Christ, “The place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.” No matter where we go, the way is going to be strait and narrow as followers of Christ, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few [Mat 22:14] there be that find it.“

Going together as each man brings a beam of wood to build a place in Jordan where the prophets will dwell is symbolic of the strength that each joint supplies to build up the body of Christ in love (Eph 4:16). The strait way therefore becomes easier when everyone does their part in love and we are all given to be our brother’s keeper. This discipleship that Christ talks about in John 13:35 is represented by the cooperation in erecting this building in Jordan, just as it is also typified by the building of Noah’s ark which represents the body of Christ being built up in this age as we move with fear to accomplish the work God has called us to be faithful unto in this life (Heb 11:7.

Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

What an honor and joyous revelation to know that it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Luk 12:32) and to believe that He can do this through Christ who is the one who is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). Christ longed to have this relationship which we have right now (Luk 22:15-20) with him building up the body of Christ not by might nor power but by God’s holy spirit which is what this verse is typical of: “And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.” (Mat 28:20) Elisha represents Christ who will never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5).

Luk 22:15  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
Luk 22:16  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

2Ki 6:4  So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
2Ki 6:5  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

When we are laboring in the Lord, He will make a way where there seems to be none, and through our diligent search God will reveal His son to us (Heb 11:6). That is what these diligent actions of “cut[ting] down wood” represents for us. Laying the axe to wood represents judgment (Mat 3:10) and so losing that axehead which represents God’s word that judges us is something which can only be recovered through Christ. Nothing we have is our own, so in that sense the axehead that represents God’s word is borrowed and exceedingly precious, as are all His promises to us (2Pe 1:4).

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Isa 43:13  Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? [Joh 18:9]

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The axehead represents an instrument of righteousness or vessel of honor that we become when the life of Christ is in us (Rom 8:9, Rom 9:21). God is showing us through this miraculous recovering of the axehead that there are no obstacles that can prevent the work of God from being accomplished within the elect, and a floating axe is symbolic of the truth that “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mat 11:29-30).

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his./span>

Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

2Ki 6:6  And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 
2Ki 6:7  Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. 

Christ asks us to give an accounting of what is happening in our life as it unfolds, not that He doesn’t already know because He’s writing the book, but the book requires that we show the Lord the places in our life where things have fallen apart, like the axehead in this story. Falling into a river is typical of baptism, but we can be baptized over and over, and unless it is into Christ’s death, symbolized by a stick that is cut down and put in the water in this story (“And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither“), it will not change our life or quicken our life in the spirit (Rom 6:3). The quickening of God’s spirit in our life as we die daily and are baptized into His death is symbolized by the words: “and the iron did swim.” We are called to not neglect so great a salvation which is what this next statement is symbolically telling us: “Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.” Taking it “up to thee” and putting out his hand “and took it” reminds us if any man thirsts we only need ask God, or put out our hand, and He will supply our every need through Christ (Joh 7:37, Php 4:19).

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2Ki 6:8  Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 
2Ki 6:9  And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 
2Ki 6:10  And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. 

Right after this story of the preparation of the building in Jordan, representing the body of Christ being made ready, we see that the Lord  brings the enemy nation of Syria to attack them: “Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.” Then “the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down“, warning the king of Israel (Amo 3:7) and typifying for us what we read earlier that the Lord will give warning to those who are hope-filled and believing and not saying, “My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken.“

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

If we are watching and praying and not drinking with the spiritually drunk of this world, by the grace through faith relationship that we have with Christ, we can be among those who are a “faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season” (Luk 12:42-44). Giving a portion in due season is what this represents: “And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.“

Luk 12:42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Luk 12:43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Luk 12:44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

2Ki 6:11  Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
2Ki 6:12  And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. 
2Ki 6:13  And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

The king of Syria is convinced that there is a traitor in his midst, an informant who is letting the king of Israel know of all his plans. However, he is told by his servant “None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.” This reminds us of how nothing is hidden from the Lord, and the means by which Elisha was getting this information was from the Lord (Amo 3:7, Ecc 10:20).

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Ecc 10:20  Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

These verses above reassure us that the Lord is sovereign over all things, and is working all things according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11). We have need of His peace (Php 4:7) which the king of Syria did not have, and “have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Heb 10:36-37), otherwise we will curse the king, or those who are better off than us in this world (Psa 73:3, Pro 24:19, Psa 84:10) losing sight of the true riches of His life that we have (Joh 6:68). This cursing of others is an indication that we are not keeping our souls in patience, which we pray God will grant us to do. ‘Cursing the king in thy thought’ is another way of saying we are thinking above what is written, and God is always looking at our hearts and bringing us to see how great a blessing we’ve been called to, being able to have peace in this life and to know, “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

2Ki 6:14  Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
2Ki 6:15  And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
2Ki 6:16  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
2Ki 6:17  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 

This section explains to us a physical event that represents how Satan wants to sift us all like wheat: “Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about“, but by the faith of Christ no such thing will happen.

The servant’s grave concern upon rising early: “And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?” will be addressed by Elisha who represents Christ (Psa 46:5, Pro 8:17, Mat 14:31).

Psa 46:5  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 

Pro 8:17  I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. 

Mat 14:31  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Christ’s faith will bring the body to see in our difficult times of trials and tribulation that He who is in us is greater than him who is in the world (1Jn 4:4), and that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:35-36). Elisha’s prayer is typical of Christ’s prayer for Peter and our prayers for each other (Luk 22:32). “Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man.“

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

When we fervently pray for each other, those prayers avail much (Jas 5:16). Our spiritual perspective is open and we are delivered from our fears which are cast out by His love that is shed abroad in our hearts (1Jn 4:18, Rom 5:5). When the LORD opens our eyes spiritually, we will “behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha“, which is a symbolic event that typifies our seeing Christ in each other as we look to the mountain from whence comes our help comes (Psa 121:1). We abide on that mountain together as many members and one body with the strength of Christ within us, represented by the mountain being “full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha“. Elisha is a type of Christ and so our hope is always centered around a right relationship with Christ, and so it is written that way: “round about Elisha“.

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

Psa 121:1  A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2Ki 6:18  And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 
2Ki 6:19  And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

Just one verse earlier Elisha is asking for the eyes of his servant to be opened (2Ki 6:17), and in these verses he prays that the Lord “Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness” which He did “according to the word of Elisha“. This parable is a reminder that God creates the good and the evil, the opening up of eyes and the blinding of eyes to truth. It is all of the Lord (Isa 45:7).

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Elisha informs them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.” ‘The way’ represents “the way” of righteousness which is found in Christ who tells us the Spirit of God must lead us into all truth (Joh 16:13). Elisha knows what these Syrians are up to and that they’re seeking to kill him, but he mercifully leads them to Samaria in their blinded state to show us how the Lord can deliver us from our enemies both within and outwardly (Deu 28:7).

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Deu 28:7  The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 

It is when we acknowledge our blindness that God can begin to deal with us, and so the blinding of this army is typical of the beginning of the healing process that is needed in our lives that supernaturally had us dragged out of Babylon and into Samaria or the Israel of God (Joh 9:41, Gal 6:16). The blind army following Elisha, (“follow me” Mat 4:19) is that new beginning, being led to Samaria which represents our starting point in our relationship with Christ where we’re brought “to the man whom ye seek” but do not yet know (Luk 24:16), typified by Elisha himself who typifies Christ.

Luk 24:16  But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

2Ki 6:20  And it came to pass, when they were come into 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, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
2Ki 6:21  And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
2Ki 6:22  And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
2Ki 6:23  And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

The Lord opened their eyes at an appointed time to bring them to see that they were in Samaria, and instead of wanting to be merciful to his enemies, the king of Israel asks Elisha with a ‘sons of thunder’ spirit “shall I smite them? shall I smite them?” (Luk 9:54-56)

Luk 9:54  And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 
Luk 9:55  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. [“And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master“.]
Luk 9:56  For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

We are to love our enemies and not try to dominate our unconverted family members or people we work with, but do good unto all men, and “set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.“

The end result of this compassionate act on the part of Elisha was “So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.” When our ways please the Lord, He will make even our enemies to be at peace with us (Pro 16:7).

Pro 16:7  When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 

2Ki 6:24  And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. 
2Ki 6:25  And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

Loving your enemies does not guarantee that they’re going to love you back, especially when you have already been told that your disobedience to God’s commands would be dealt with (1Ki 40:42). Benhadad, the king of Syria, is merely a weapon of the Lord’s indignation (Isa 13:5).

1Ki 20:42  And he [“a certain man of the sons of the prophets” of verse 35] said unto him [King Ahab], Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. 

Isa 13:5  They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. 

And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria“. These were desperate times due to the great famine in Samaria and the Syrians besieging Samaria, driving the economy of the day into a terrible state “until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver“. This story is an illustration of how God will use evil men as His sword (Psa 17:13) to bring about the conditions that are needful to lead us to repentance, and silver which typifies repentance is connected to the meager physical existence that now remains among all of Samaria due to this siege. It is the whole [4] of Samaria who are being affected by these conditions so we are told, “There was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.” The five pieces of silver represents the grace through faith process that all of mankind are going to be saved (Eph 2:8). Without even mentioning actual famine in the earth, the spiritual conditions in this world today are being spoken of in these verses where there is a famine of the word and no stay of bread or water in the churches of Babylon (Isa 3:1).

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, 

2Ki 6:26  And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. 
2Ki 6:27  And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? 

This king of Israel has lost all hope, as we see with his response to one of his citizens who cries out for help and his reply that there is no grain and no wine to give her. The threshing floor and winepress represent the judgment that takes place in the earth, earth, earth that we are (Jer 51:33, Rev 19:15, Jer 22:29, Mic 1:2-3).

Jer 51:33  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. 

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 

Jer 22:29  O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD [1Pe 4:17].

Mic 1:2  Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 
Mic 1:3  For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

2Ki 6:28  And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
2Ki 6:29  So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
2Ki 6:30  And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

The king understands on a very deep level now the severity of the situation the kingdom is in, and puts “sackcloth within upon his flesh” to mourn those conditions. This famine that has been compounded by the siege of Syria has led people to take the most drastic measures to keep themselves alive, and so these horrible events unfold for our sakes upon whom the end of the world has come (1Co 10:11) to show us that right down to the bitter end people will hold onto their false doctrines, represented by children, and still be divided in their lies as was demonstrated in this parable of children being boiled to be eaten. This is an admonition for us to take heed lest any man deceive us (Mar 13:5-8).

Deu 28:15  But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 

Deu 28:53  And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: 

There is a betrayal that comes forth from the one woman who represents a false church toward the other beastly woman who also represents a false church, and this act of boiling and burning flesh to eat is given to us in the New Covenant in the following verses (2Ti 3:4, Rev 17:1, Rev 17:16-17) and tells us of the judgment that must come “until the words of God shall be fulfilled“.

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Rev 17:17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

2Ki 6:31  Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. 

The king is wanting vengeance on “Elisha the son of Shaphat” as if he’s the reason the world is coming apart. Well, actually God is the reason, and the prophet or messenger is hated for bringing the truth to the people (Rev 16:21, Mat 10:22, Amo 3:6).

Rev 16:21  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. 

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 

Amo 3:6  Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

It’s going to take some massive earthquakes to begin to humble the earth before Christ returns (Rev 11:13) that will be followed by the “plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great” (Rev 16:21). The plague is the word of God on the kingdom of our old man that must have the entire refuge of lies destroyed from our heavens, which is what is happening for us in type and shadow in the land of Samaria (Isa 28:17).

Rev 11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Rev 16:21  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. 

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

2Ki 6:32  But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? 

The outcome of the king of Israel’s anger is being discussed here, and this is not troubling Elisha in the least, to tell us today that we shouldn’t fear what men can do to our flesh (Mat 10:28). What is Elisha actually doing as he “sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him“? This represents the elect being with Christ in the holy temple, abiding in him where we are spiritually kept alive and given to see the plans of the enemy. Elisha uttering, “See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” is another way of saying Revelation 22:11 where we’re informed that there is a cut off point for this dispensation of grace we’re in, and the Lord says we are to trust Him and stand fast at the door which represents Christ and His righteousness. We do not want the garments He’s given us to be defiled by letting anyone in that door, so we stand fast and look well to ourselves and the little flock of Christ (2Co 2:11, Gen 4:7, Exo 12:13, Act 20:28).

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Rev 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: [“when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?“] and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. [“Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him.“] 

Mal 3:17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 
Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 

Exo 12:13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

2Ki 6:33  And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer? 

This last verse tells us the state of the world we’re living in right now and is an admonition to God’s elect to not let the unbelieving heart of man that is not given to repent today cause the love of God to wax cold within us (Mat 24:12, Mat 24:24, Luk 12:45). It is as Elisha is talking that this messenger “came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?” Those are the words of a scoffer walking after his own lusts (2Pe 3:3).

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 

2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

We don’t need to fear what men can do to us (Mat 10:28), and we don’t need to worried about the wars and rumors of wars in this age (Mat 24:6), and we don’t need to be concerned about the unbelieving and those who have come and gone and served us in their unbelief (1Jn 2:19). Along with that, we are being encouraged in this section of scripture to remember this truth: “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (Eze 1:4, Heb 12:1-3)

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

1Jn 2:19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.