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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
2 Kings 3:16-27
By the word of the LORD, Elisha makes known the means of deliverance. And, as always, faith is the means. Before they receive anything, they have to begin by digging ditches. The more they dig, the more water there will be. Now the water, let us notice, comes "in the morning at the time when the meat offering was offered." (v. 20). Was it not at Jerusalem, a long way from this country, that the sacrifice was offered? Yet it is in connection with this sacrifice that the water begins to flow. We understand what this signifies: all our blessings flow down as a result of the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross.
But the waters, which result in salvation for the armies of Israel, bring in their train the destruction of the Moabites. Similarly, the death of Jesus, the means of salvation for believers, is at the same time the judgment of the world (John 12:31-33).
Deceived by appearances, the Moabites are defeated, and their country ravaged. But what their king does – the horrible sacrifice of his eldest son – produces consternation in the camp of the victors. And finally the three armies separate without having achieved any real benefit for anyone through this expedition. Such will always be the result of what we undertake without God’s approval.
