Knowing the True God 

He uses the low ones / His angelic army

by 

Keith Hunt

GOD WORKS THROUGH THE LITTLE AND LOWLY AND HAS MANY UNSEEN WORKERS Naaman was the captain of the host of the king of Syria. He was a great man before his master; he was honorable, and because of him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria. Naaman was also a mighty man of valor; but he was a LEPER! (2 Kings 5:1). The Syrians had one some battles against the Israelites, and had brought away captive a little maid, and she served Naaman's wife. One day she said to her mistress, "If my master were with the prophet that is in Samaria, he would cure my lord from his leprosy." This was passed on to Naaman (verses 2-3). The king of Syria sent letters and gifts to the king of Israel, along with the man Naaman. When the king of Israel read the letter he sighed and rent his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man can come to me to be healed of his leprosy. The king of Syria is just doing this to start a quarrel with me" (verse 7). Soon Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes. He asked the king why he had done this. Elisha also said, "Let this Naaman come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel. Naaman came with all his horses and chariots, must have been quite some spectacular sight, pomp and power. He stood at the door of Elisha's house (verses 8-9). Naaman was no doubt expecting some mighty display of show and majesty, as this prophet of Israel called on his God to heal him of leprosy. But there was no "special effects" no "loud noises" no flash of lightning from heaven. All was silent and quiet. He was probably flustered and anger mixed with disappointment must have began to fill his mind. Then the door opened to Elisha's house. "Ah," Naaman thought, "at last this Israel prophet is coming out, we'll see what kind of a prophet he is, and we'll see what king of a God he serves." But the prophet Elisha did not step out, only a messenger from Elisha. "Go wash in Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to thee, and you shall be clean," said the messenger. Naaman was now turning red with anger, as he was leaving he was saying, "I thought surely this prophet would personally come out to me, stand before me, and call on the name of his God; maybe wave his hands, jump around, cry aloud, mutter some words of incantation, rattle some pots and pans, pray up and down his rosery beads ..... something on those lines to recover me from leprosy. But he tells me to go and wash myself in this Jordan river. Are not the rivers Abana and Pharpar in Damascus just as good waters as this Jordan, even better in fact!!" Naaman continued to walk away! Ah, but his servants had some good old fashioned common logic sense. They said to him, "My master, if the prophet had bid you to do some GREAT thing, wouldest not you have done it? So should you not do the simple act that he has told you to do?" (verse 13). Naaman was wise enough to listen to those we might call the weak and lower class, his servants. He was willing to let them speak their thoughts, which was no doubt one of the find traits of character he had as we are told what kind of man he was from verse one. Naaman went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the instructions of the prophet of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean (verse 14). Naaman returned to the man of God, now humble and deeply respectful. "Oh, for sure I now know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel." Elisha would receive no gift of any kind for healing Naaman of his leprosy. How God can work through people that the world would classify as the weak and lowly, servants and slaves. It all started with a little maid from Israel and it was lowly servants who helped Naaman put away his pride and personal expectations. Ah, as Jesus said, the Father can if He so wills, raise up the stones to speak and proclaim the Gospel. Never forget, the Eternal One, can use the small and lowly people to help you see God is talking to you. Sometimes it is the simple things He want you to do in making your life healthier, and the wisdom to do it may come from those you least expect. It is true indeed, "The Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform." Just make sure you are ready to listen, for the answer may come in ways you will miss IF you are in the mind-set of thinking the answer must come the way you have expected it to come. Naaman was willing to listen to those servants of his, nay, not just listen, he admitted they were right. And by letting God work in ways of HIS choosing, Naaman was healed of leprosy! UNSEEN SERVANTS AND WARRIORS OF GOD The king of Syria made war with Israel, but Elisha the prophet of God knew where the Syria army was to ambush the armies of Israel, and told the king of Israel, wherefore Israel was spared from defeat, not once but a number of times. The king of Syria was upset and figured he had an informer in his army camp, but his servants told him that it was the prophet Elisha who was inspired to know what the king of Syria was thinking and planning, even in his most private places. The king of Syria sent forth spies to found out where this prophet of God was dwelling. They discovered it was in a town called Dothan. Therefore the Syria king sent forth many horse riders, chariots, and a great host of army men; they surrounded the city (2 Kings 6:8-14). The servant of the prophet of God rose early and went forth to do his morning work. He soon found the city compassed about with a mighty army. Returning to Elisha he asked, "Alas, my master, how can we possibly get our way out of this situation." "FEAR NOT my servant, for they who are with us are more than they that be with them!" (verses 15-16). Elisha looked towards heaven and prayed, "Lord, please open my servants eyes, that he may see your host of angels." And it was so that the Lord opened Elisha's servants eyes, and the young man saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (verse 17). Even when it may seem at times that we are alone, God and His angels are with us. There was one time in my life that I felt all alone. I was apprehensive of the situation, somewhat downcast, somewhat fearful. I prayed to the Lord, and I opened my Bible, just anywhere, a blind stab of opening it. I looked down to the pages and the first words my eyes were directed to were the words "I am with you." Immediately my heart and mind was refreshed and strengthened. I then looked at the future with positiveness and faith. You will notice here in this account of the invisible army that was with Elisha, there were horses and chariots of fire. God has a "spirit world" much like our own physical world. Here we see angels riding horses, chariots of fire pulled by horses and driven by angels. This is not some wishy-washy analogy that just means God has "power" - what the servant saw when his eyes were opened to spirit sight, was the literal part of some of spirit world around us that we cannot see unless God grants us the sight to see it. This is also as part of KNOWING the true Eternal One of the universe. In this passage we also find that no army of any size or might can win against God. Elisha prayed and all the army of Syria were blinded (verse 18). God had mercy on the Syria host, they were given good and drink and were returned to their master in Syria. For quite some time the army bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel (verses 19-23). It is simply written, "Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness, whereof he died.... and Elisha died! (chap.13:14,20). All people, even the very prophets and servants of the Lord, eventually DIE! Elisha was no exception! Knowing God is to know that He lets His people, His servants die, be it by the sword of the enemy (like as happened to apostles such as Peter and Paul) by natural death (as in the case of the apostle John) or be it by sickness, as it happened to Elisha. For God's own purpose, for the reasons best known to Himself, even the two last and great witnesses for God, as revealed to us in the book of Revelation, will die, be killed, albeit, raised to life again after three days and a half (Revelation 11:7-11). Knowing the true God is knowing that death and life are in His hands. The Eternal has the power over death. All one day will be raised again to life, some to eternal life, the others to judgment (John 5). The subjects of life and death and resurrections, are covered fully and in-depth in various studies on this Website. ......................