God opens a way to escape

God opens a way to escape

2 Kings 8:1~15

□ Praise and Sharing

 [New Hymn] Chapter 370 To me in the Lord

 

Did you have a good time last week?

 

There will never be a life where everything goes as planned. Everyone wants to live safely and peacefully, but they encounter unexpected difficulties. So we live today worrying about tomorrow. But a life that relies on God is different. This is because God opens a way of escape for the people who rely on him. The Shunammite woman, who had no strength, obeyed the prophetic words of Elisha and escaped seven years of famine. However, without God's help, even a king cannot avoid the sword of death. This was the case with Benhadad, king of Aram.

 

□ Word and Sharing

1. Elisha sends the Shunammite woman’s family to another region (verses 1-6).

1) Why did Elisha let the woman’s family flee? (verse 1)

1 Elisha said to the woman whose son he had previously restored to life, “Get up, you and your family, and go and settle in a habitable place, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come on the land for seven years.”

The LORD called for seven years of famine in the land.

2) Seven years later, when the woman went to the king to find her land, what was the king listening to? (verse 5)

5 While Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought the dead back to life, the mother of the child whom he had brought back to life was appealing to the king for her house and her land. Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is her son. This is the one whom Elisha brought back to life.

 

He was hearing from Gehazi how Elisha brought the dead back to life.

 

3) What does the king order after hearing the woman’s appeal? (verse 6)

6 The king asked the woman, and she explained. Then the king appointed an officer for her and said, “Give back to this woman everything that belongs to her, and all that her fields have produced from the time she left this land until now.”

The king appointed an official for her and said to him, “Give back to this woman everything that belongs to her, and all that her fields have produced from the time she left this land until now.”

 

<Sharing 1> God not only opened the way for the Shunammite woman to escape the seven-year famine, but also allowed her to receive her entire land back upon her return. In this way, there is no gap in God’s protection. Let’s share the experience of God protecting and restoring me while opening a way of escape in my life.

 

Although we do not receive a salary for our ministry because there are not many believers, but we are thankful to God for providing us with daily bread, housing, and clothing. And God helped us distribute it to Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

 

2. Elisha prophesies what will happen to Aram (verses 7-10).

1) What does Elisha prophesy about the king of Aram’s illness? (verse 10)

10 Elisha said, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover,’ but the LORD has made it known to me that he will surely die.”

 

Elisha says that the king of Aram will definitely recover from his illness, but that he will definitely die.

 

2) What does Elisha prophesy to Hazael, the messenger of the king of Aram? (verses 12-13)

12 Hazael said, “Why do you weep, my lord?” He answered, “I know all the evil you will do to the children of Israel. You will set fire to their cities, kill their young men with the sword, and cut their young children to pieces.”

13 Hazael said, “Who is your servant, such a dog, that he should do such great things?” Elisha answered, “The LORD has made it known to me that you will be king of Aram.”

 

It is prophesied that Hazael will become king of Aram and do evil to Israel.

 

3) What did Hazael do when he returned? (verse 15)

15 But the next day he took the bed cloth and dipped it in water and spread it over his face, till he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

 

Hazael kills the king and becomes king in his place.

<Sharing 2> The king of Aram was afraid of illness, but it was his servant who actually killed him. When we remember that people are such fragile beings whose future is unpredictable, let's talk about what attitude in life we ​​need to develop.

 

We must fear God and do our best every day to live according to God’s will.

 

<Sharing 3> As Elisha prophesied, Hazael became the king of Aram. This shows that the situation not only in Israel but also in the world is in God's hands. As Christians who embrace the nations, let us share the topics we need to pray for and pray together to God, who decides the history of the entire world according to his will.

 

I pray that many foreign workers will believe in the love of the Lord on the cross, be saved, and grow in faith by yearning for the Word of God, so that they can return to their home countries and carry out their mission together with local missionaries and ministers until the day the Lord comes.

 

□ Pray Together

Our Heavenly Father, help us to trust You, who provides an escape and protects us.

We pray that many foreign workers will believe in the love of the Lord on the cross, be saved, and grow in faith by yearning for the Word of God, so that they can return to their home countries and carry out their mission together with local missionaries and ministers until the day the Lord comes.

 

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