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2KINGS
CHAPTER 3

1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

Ahab's son, Jehoram, didn't worship Baal. In fact, he cut down the baal images and groves. Was this a "turning" back to God? No. For Jehoram still used the golden calves that Jeroboam built, and the false priests that ministered there. He still didn't want the people of Israel going down to Jerusalem to worship. This might cause a unity of the people and a rebellion against his kingdom.

4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

One of the leaders of the tribes of Moab (Mesha by name) rebelled against paying the Israelite king the tribute. Ahab had demanded and received this tribute, but this man determined he would not pay it to Jehoram.
Jehoram went and did a census to see how many warriors he could get.
Then he called Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom to come and help him. Perhaps Jehoshaphat agreed because he felt that no matter what their differences, they were still one people. Perhaps Jehoshaphat agreed because he knew that if EACH Northern Israel and Southern Judah could remain strong, that BOTH would remain strong.
But after he agreed, and they prepared for war, there was no water.

11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

People without hope in God will woefully describe their troubles and not know what to do. But Jehoshaphat had hope in God, and wanted to ASK of God.
A servant told them Elisha was near. Notice that these three kings went to Elisha, they didn't call him to them! That says something about their dire need. It also says something about the PERSON of Elisha. His very life demanded respect.
Christian, are you so well known for your faith and hope in God, that people recognize it and come to you?
Elisha's retort was that if Jehoshaphat hadn't come, he wouldn't have given them the time of day. The truth is, if Jehoshaphat hadn't insisted, they other two never would have even CONSIDERED going to Elisha.

15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. 16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. 20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

After someone played some worship music and Elisha prayed, He told them what to do. Notice that Elisha said the "word" came from God. They were to make ditches.
Friends, if we would received God's grace we must first prepare ourselves.
God was quietly going to fill those ditches with water, and there'd be no sound of wind or rain! Elisha said this was a "light thing" for God to do. In other words, it was "as easy as pie!"
Not only would God attend to their needs by giving them water, but He would also attend to the war. They would be victorious. And God gave some specific instructions about what to do when they WON the war.

20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

The next morning the ditches were filled with water. And when the Moabites looked, they thought it was BLOOD. So they determined to go down and fight against the army, and take the victory. BOY! Were THEY surprised!
The combined armies of Israel, Edom and Judah rose up and chased the Moabites all they way back to their own country.

25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. 26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. 27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

The armies of Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and the king of Edom followed the instructions that God had given them.
When the Moabite king saw that he was almost totally defeated, he made a sacrifice of his OWN SON! This was so deplorable even to the Edomites and Israelites, that they decided he was too "unclean" to battle any more. So they LEFT!
When God has allowed the unclean to be beaten, and they still remain unrepentant toward Him, it is best that Christians LEAVE THEM ALONE!

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