Scripture: 2 Kings 6:8-23
Additional Passages: Romans 12:17-21, Colossians 1:15-23
I can't say that I have ever invited an outright enemy over for dinner.
I can remember mealtimes with family or friends that were tense for a variety of reasons. The stress of life or unexpected disagreements have the potential to shake up an otherwise peaceful dinner
Tension makes great food stick in your throat.
Once in college I was entrusted with the task of cutting my husband Josh's hair (we were dating at the time). I was not a trained stylist. We were under-equipped with haircutting tools. Two hours into the haircut, it became clear that this project was not going well.
We had to pause the haircut midway through. My father was coming to my apartment for dinner.
The three of us ate wonderful lasagna together very, very quietly.
I imagine it would be hard to sit and choke down a meal in the presence of an enemy. And yet that is what the Elisha, his servant, and the king of Israel offer their enemies in this week's passage.
The Arameans are hungry and thirsty. They are invading the towns of Israel, the land flowing with milk and honey. Time after time their invasions are foiled as Elisha warns the king of Israel of the Arameans' plans.
Finally the king of Aram gets so frustrated that he tries to root out the spy in his ranks. "Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?" he says.
Learning that it's Elisha's God-given ability to warn the king that thwarts his plans, the king of Aram sends a great army to surround the city of Dothan and capture Elisha.
Elisha's servant responds with understandable despair: "Oh no, my lord. What shall we do?"
Elisha answers in a surprising way: "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them," Elisha says. God opens the servant's eyes to see the blazing presence of heavenly armies on the surrounding hills.
God's armies dazzle the Arameans' eyes. They are blind and can't see to strike Elisha.
"You've got the wrong town," Elisha tells the army. "Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you seek."
Elisha takes the army to the capital city of Samaria. He delivers the enemy army right into the gates of the Israelite king.
The Israelite king responds with understandable vengeance: "Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?"
And Elisha answers again in a surprising way: "Do not kill them," he answers. "These armies don't really belong to you--you didn't capture them. Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and go to their master."
"So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking....so the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israelite territory."
No "cup of water, crust of bread" meal here. The king of Israel prepares a great feast for his enemies. And the raiding stops.
Some time later, another King of Israel will prepare a great feast for his enemies. He will say things like this: "Bless those who persecute you. "Do good to those who hate you."
He will be the kind of rabbi who eats with tax collectors and "sinners." He will offer ultimate hospitality to his enemies--a warm welcome for those who are enemies of God, making peace with his blood.
Reflect:
1) Who in life is your enemy? We ultimately struggle against sin, our fallen flesh, and Satan's deceptions and designs; but in what ways do those enemies have faces or names? Confess the identity of your enemies to yourself and to your Lord.
2) Ask God to show you how much he has loved you, and how much he has done to take you--his enemy--into his household.
3) Then ask God to show you how the peace offered by Jesus Christ might speak into your circumstance with your enemy. Is there something you need to learn more about? Something you need to forgive? Is there something you need to confess? Something you need simply to pray about for a period of time?
