Readings for today: 2 Kings 5:1-8:15
The kingdom of Aram in the Bible was essentially a collection of city-states, the most prominent of which was Damascus. Though they never became an empire per se, their influence dominated the region. In fact, Aramaic will become the lingua franca of the area for centuries, extending even to the time of Jesus. Israel had a contentious relationship with Aram as we see in our passage today. There was conflict. There was war. The Aramaeans were their enemies. And yet the great prophet Elisha seems to have as much love for them as he does for his own people.
When the great general of Aram who surely had led armies against Israel came to him for help, Elisha healed him of his disease. When the armies of Aram surrounded Dothan in an attempt to capture and kill Elisha, he asked God to strike them blind and then led them to Samaria where he encouraged the king to throw a feast for them. When the king of Assyria fell sick, it was Elisha who went to visit him. These are strange acts for a holy man of God. Why in the world would he extend love and grace to Israel’s enemies? Pagan idolators? A nation who caused so much suffering for his own people?
God loves the nations. God’s desire is for the nations of the earth to come to saving faith in Him. The vision we get from the closing pages of Revelation is of the nations bringing their gifts to the New Jerusalem to offer them before the Lord. The leaves of the trees in the eternal city are for the healing of the nations. This has always been God’s heart. It’s why He sends the nations prophets like Elisha and Jonah in the Old Testament and it’s why He sends the nations His church in the New Testament. God looks forward to a time when all wars will cease. All weapons will be beaten into instruments of peace. All enemies will dwell in peace together. Listen to how the prophet Isaiah puts it, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:6-9 ESV)
It’s a beautiful picture and when we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, we are asking God to bring His vision to pass in our time. In our world. In our community. In our relationships. In our lives. Jesus is the greater Elisha and as such, shows us how to love our enemies. From the cross, He asks for our forgiveness. Through His suffering, death, and resurrection, He tears down the dividing wall of hostility that exists between us. While we were still at war with Him, He laid down His life for us and He calls all who follow Him to do the same. How can you respond to this call today? Who do you need to reach out with love and grace?
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 8:16-29, 2 Chronicles 21:1-22:9