A Trivial Thing in God’s Sight

Prophet Elisha was the successor of prophet Elijah. He lived and worked in the late 9th century. It is the event of one of his earliest miracles that we want to look at here, when three kings went to him for assistance. For what King Ahab did he said he would not have attended to his heir who succeeded him, but on the other hand looking at Jehoshaphat who had accompanied him to his base, he had a rethought and decided to get the mind of God for them on what they have come to him for.

In getting the mind of God for them he asks that a musician be brought to him and as the musician was ministering the power of the Lord fell upon him and he declared unto them what the mind of God was for them on the issue they had come to him for.

What was disturbing them according to his word was how to get water for themselves, so that they would not die for lack of water. Medical personnel have shown us that the bulk of the internal environment of humans’ animals is made up of liquid, water. Thus, it is not easy for humans to go on for long without water, but we can still survive for long without taken foods.

These kings and their servants have tried their best getting water to drink since they have exhausted the ones they take along to the battle field, the battle is yet to begin but they have no water to drink again.

If they couldn’t get water to drink before the battle begins, they are sure that they would be defeated because they would have been seriously tired.

Having noticed this they seek for a counsel from the Lord supposing that it may be that the Lord was not happy with their journey and has decided to use that as a stepping stone to hand them over to their enemies.

God thence told the prophet what he intends to do for his people. He told them that, what they considered problem is not a problem before him because he is the creator of all the earth and would manipulate the weather for their sake.

However, what they thought would not be possible, God would equally make it possible for them.

“And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.” (2 Ki 3:18)

Let us now see one or two things about this word of Prophet Elisha unto King Jehoram and others.

When they couldn’t get water to drink, they forgot their major problem and start focusing on the immediate problem. It is being said in my land that when natural disasters occur or lack of experience by those cutting trees in the wilderness that resulted in trees fallen on each other, before there would be a headway through, the people there would first remove those trees that are on the top.

“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.” (2 Ki 3:7)

The major thing in their hearts before leaving their homes was to go and fight with the Moabites army, but when they got to the wilderness before they got to the battle field what they did not expect happened which made them to set aside what was in their minds looking for solution to the immediate problem at hand.

Situations like this also arose in humans lives which will make us to abandon the main thing which was in our hearts before and pursuing another thing, wanting to resolve the immediate problem at hand. This the economists call the difference between need and want. Our wants are insatiable they said.

What ought to be minor problem becomes the major problem because the Lord was not in the scene all along, they have gathered themselves together to go to battle to prove that the Moabites are yet small before them, but things turn around when they got to the wilderness.

When we fail to involve God in what we are doing, there is possibility that those things we overlook would become the major thing we shall be focusing on later.

Since they had not involved God earlier on what they planned to do, they had no assurances of winning the battle before, because assuming they have had assurance of winning the battle they would not have approached the prophet, and even if they approached him they would not have said the Lord wants to hand them over to their enemies.

“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.” (2 Ki 3:13)

Anyone without Jesus Christ has no assurance of heaven in the world, that is why it is imperative that everyone in the world gets this assurance before leaving the world by given their lives to Jesus Christ.

For consulting God through his prophet, he assured them of what he would do for them, and what he promised to do for them were:

God knows that they have started to major in the minor because of what they have passed through the past seven days. Their immediate problem was not dying through lack of water to drink because they have been looking famished. God promised to resolve that immediate crisis they were facing.

He would give their enemies into their hands. Soldiers know that there is difference between not fallen into the hands of the enemies and handing over the enemies into the hands of the soldiers. In this light can you know what I am trying to say here and of course what the prophet was telling the people. A door to a room may be opened for someone but the person may not be in possession of the key to the room, therefore, at any time the person can be asked to leave the room by the person who has the key to the room with him. However, if the person has the key to the room he can stay there as long as he wants. That is the picture I am painting here. God says he would hand over their enemies unto their hands so that they would do what they want unto them.

Giving them water to drink is trivial thing before him, handing over their enemies into their hands is the major work which he shall do for them, for he shall rekindle their hopes that were down and gone.

Gill’s in his commentary says, to give them such a plenty of water in such an extraordinary manner: he would do for them what was greater, not only save them from falling into the hand of Moab, which they feared, but he will deliver the Moabites into their hands; which was more than what was asked for, or expected.

Settling our financial crisis is little thing before him, giving the jobless one good job is little thing before him, those who are barren giving them children is little thing before him, and so on. However, the most crucial thing that he has come to give all mankind is salvation. It is for this reason he sends his son to the world to bring us back to him as he says, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Joh 3:16)

The onus is now on us to accept this wonderful offering that he is offering mankind and be sure of heaven.

Solving their immediate need according to the prophet was little before the Lord because he was going to go beyond that level since they have come to him and what he wants to do to them is they would not fall into the hands of their enemies, their enemies would not overcome them.

“And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.” (2 Ki 3:18)

Cambridge Bible for schools and colleges says, “what God gives, He gives to the full. He will not only guide the forces of nature so that the bodily wants of the armies shall be supplied but will crown their expedition with success.”