Recently calls to “blind” our enemies have begun to circulate again.
Most are sharing as a prayer that God will keep the enemies from seeing their intended victims. Many reference 2 Kings 6.
I decided to re-read that story. I was amazed to discover the crucial “rest of the story” which often goes untold.
You can read the whole story in 2 Kings 6:8-23. Here is the short summary.
The enemies were coming for the prophet Elisha. His servant was scared.
Elisha told him not to fear.
Elisha’s words to him are also words for us today.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.”
When we look at today’s world, we may conclude it’s a disaster. But if we look through spiritual eyes, we will see there are a lot more heavenly warriors on our side than we first thought.
Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Now the story gets even more interesting.
As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
What?!? Would God do such a thing? He did.
If you stop reading there, you might conclude, “Well, that’s that. Go get them God!”
Some might also conclude they can just say the word and God will attack. Not so. Keep reading.
God could have killed Elisha’s enemies. Elisha could have laughed at them in their confusion and said they deserved it. But he didn’t.
Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.”
God said, “As surely as I live, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live.”
Ezekiel 33:11
Once our enemies have been stopped in their tracks, we are not done.
We need to reach out and share that they are not on the right road. And we need to lead them to our King.
Elisha did just that. He asked The Lord to open their eyes and let them see. They did. They were in the presence of the king.
The king had the power to kill them, but he did not. Instead, “he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master.”
And they no longer made war against Israel.
God has a Plan for each one of us. God’s Awesome Plans that day changed every person in the story.
And now perhaps when you hear people wanting to make their enemies blind, you can remember this story and pray that all will see!
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus!
Luke 24:31
