SCRIPTURE: 2 KINGS 3
MOAB REVOLTS (vs. 1-27)
Joram, son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria and he reigned for 12 years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and clung to the sins of Jeroboam. He caused Israel to commit sin.
During the reign of Ahab, Mesha, king of Moab had to supply him with a hundred thousand lambs with the wool of a hundred thousand rams. But after Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Joram. So Joram sent messenger to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah to go with him and fight against Moab. King Jehoshaphat agreed. So they both set out with the king of Edom. They round about march of 7 days and the army had no more water to drink. So Jehoshaphat asked for a prophet of the Lord to inquire. An officer of the king of Israel recommended Elisha. So the 3 kings went to see Elisha. Elisha said: “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also hand Moab over to you. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up the springs and ruin every good field with stones” (vs. 17-19)
The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there was water flowing from the direction of Edom. And the land was filled with water. When the Moabites heard that the kings had came to fight against them, every man who could bear arms were called up and stationed on the bank. Early in the morning, they saw water across the way looked like blood, they thought that those kings had slaughtered each other, so they went to get the plumber. But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. The Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. They destroyed the towers and covered the fields with stones, They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree.
When the king of Moabites saw the battle was against him, he took 700 swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom but they failed. Then he took his firstborn son and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall.
THOUGHTS:
It was a sin for Jehoshaphat of Judah to ally himself with Ahab’s wicked son and lined up with Edom (another enemy) to fight against the Moabites. Jehoshaphat turned to Elisha and the Lord. God miraculously provided the water in the ditches they drag and routed the enemy before them. The helpless king of Moab offered his own son as a burnt offering. Later, Judah and Edom withdrew from the battle and went home. It was the faithful prophet of God who saved the nation.