Blinded and Taken Captive

2 Kings 6:8-23
    8 Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, "My camp will be in such and such a place." 9 And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there." 10 Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice.
    11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?"  12 And one of his servants said, "None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom."  13 So he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him."  And it was told him, saying, "Surely he is in Dothan."  14 Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
    16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray, with blindness." And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
    19 Now Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." But he led them to Samaria.  20 So it was, when they had come to 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 there they were, inside Samaria!
    21 Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father , shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"  22 But he answered, "You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master." 23 Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.

The king of Syria was still waging war against Israel thought he had a spy in his ranks, for every time he planned to be somewhere, the Israelites were warned and escaped a surprise attack.  He found out, however, that it was Elisha the prophet who was given the warning by the LORD to pass on to the king of Israel.  He knew the Syrian kings words as if in his bedroom.  The king of Syria sent for Elisha the prophet when he was told of his whereabouts, but his forces found him at Dothan.  There Elisha was told, but his confidence in the deliverance from God kept his calm because he knew that the battles in the spiritual places were as Ephesians 6:12 describes.  Elisha prayed for the LORD to open the eyes of the servant warning him that he might get God’s heavenly perspective on the situation.  The servant saw the chariots of fire guarding Dothan to provide protection and doing battle against His enemies in the heavens (Daniel 10:13, 20-21).  Those with Elisha and his servant were far greater than those opposed to them!  Elisha prayed as the Syrians entered the city, and God blinded them all.  He led them to another city supposedly where the prophet speaks whom they were seeking, but when their sight was given back, they found themselves captive in Israel’s city of Samaria.  There the king of Israel asked if he could kill his enemies, but Elisha reminded him they do not kill captives, only those in battle, so they fed the prisoners in a great feast and sent them back home.  This incident of God’s power and mercy stopped the raids of the Syrians.  We also fight a spiritual battle against the adversary and his minions who fight to capture God’s people and keep them from seeing the truth of the gospel and God’s work in and for their lives.  Our God rules over all, and has the battle completely in hand, knowing who is doing or planning what at all times.  May we lean in trust on His sovereign rule and in His eternal plan in the heavenly realm.  We ourselves were blind but now see by His merciful grace in Christ toward us; let us with the same confidence tell others that their eyes may be opened who were blind that they be set free from captivity to sin and death as well.