ELISHA'S SECRET ARMY (2Kings 6)

         1. During the time of the Prophet Elisha, the neighbouring king of Syria declared war on Israel. However, something went wrong with his campaign. Every time he planned an attack or an ambush the king of Israel heard about it and prepared for it.
         2. This happened "not once nor twice," but so many times that the king of Syria was sure he had a traitor in his camp. Sending for his officers, he said to them angrily, "Will you not show me which of us is spying for the king of Israel?"
         3. "None, my lord, O king," replied one of his servants who had somehow heard of the power of Elisha's God: "but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber."
         4. Now the problem seemed easy to the king.--Get Elisha, and all the trouble would be over. So he said to his men, "Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him." And someone said, "He is in Dothan."
         5. So the king ordered "horses, and chariots, and a great host" to go to Dothan to fetch this man who knew too much.
         6. Thinking to take Elisha by surprise, the army arrived by night and completely surrounded the city. There seemed no way of escape for the man of God.
         7. Early next morning, when Elisha's servant looked from the city wall and saw all those horses and chariots, he was frightened. Running to Elisha, he cried, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
         8. But Elisha's trust in God was so great that he said, "Fear not," to the frightened young man: "for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."
         9. The young man stared at him. How could this be? There was nobody in Dothan ready to fight these Syrians. Had Elisha some secret army?
         10. And now Elisha prayed, saying, "Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes that he may see."
         11. God answered the prayer, opening the eyes of the young man and causing him to see what Elisha had been looking at all the time!
         12. "Look!" he cried excitedly. "Look at them all!"
         13. "And, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."
         14. "And when they came down to him"--those chariots of fire he had seen once before (2Kings 2:11)--Elisha knew God was very near, and he said, "Smite this people, I pray Thee, with blindness."
         15. It was a strange request, but he had a wonderful plan in mind. Now he walked out of the city gate and bravely approached the leaders of the Syrian army, who were milling about in their blindness not knowing where they were or what to do.
         16. So Elisha tricked them, saying. "This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria"--right into Israel's capital!
         17. When he had them all safely inside the city gates he prayed, "Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." God did so, and the soldiers saw with sudden fear that they had been fooled and were now in the midst of Samaria, surrounded by their foes!
         18. The king of Israel was delighted. Here was a splendid chance to teach the Syrians a lesson they would never forget. "Shall I smite them? Shall I smite them?" he said to Elisha with pleasure.
         19. "No, indeed!" said Elisha. "Would you smite your captives with thy sword or bow?" Instead, he ordered that food and water be given the prisoners, and that they be set free to go back to their homes. "And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master."
         20. What a gracious, kindly deed that was! It was loving one's enemies in a very unusual way. And it worked, for awhile at least. We read that "the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel."
         21. It pays to have the protection of Elisha's secret army. You and I can have it, too. The Bible says, "The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them." (Psalm 34:7)