The Hidden Army

Dawn. A young servant steps outside, yawning, and freezes. The hills around the town are full of soldiers, horses and chariots. They've come for his master. And his master is perfectly calm.

The king of Aram is at war with Israel. He plans his raids in secret with his officers. “We'll set up camp in such and such a place.” But every time, the Israelite army is already there and ready for them. The prophet Elisha keeps warning the king of Israel. “Be careful not to pass that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” Not once, not twice, but again and again. The king of Aram is furious. “Which one of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” One of his officers says, “None of us, my lord the king. It's Elisha, the prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

“Go and find out where he is,” orders the king, “so I can send men and capture him.” The answer comes back. Elisha is in Dothan. So the king sends horses and chariots and a strong force. They travel by night and surround the town. In the morning, Elisha's servant gets up early, goes outside, and sees an army encircling the city, with horses and chariots everywhere. He runs back in. “Oh no, my master! What shall we do?”

Elisha answers, “Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” The servant must have thought, more? There are two of us. Then Elisha prays. “Lord, please open his eyes so that he may see.” And the Lord opens the servant's eyes. He looks again. And the hills are full of horses and chariots of fire, all around Elisha. They had been there all along. He just couldn't see them.

As the enemy comes down toward him, Elisha prays again. “Strike these people with blindness.” And the Lord does, just as Elisha asked. Then Elisha walks right up to the soldiers. “This isn't the road, and this isn't the town. Follow me, and I'll lead you to the man you're looking for.” And he leads them, all the way to Samaria, the capital of Israel. Once they are inside the city, Elisha prays, “Lord, open these men's eyes so they can see.” They look around, and they are standing in the middle of Samaria, surrounded by Israel.

The king of Israel can hardly contain himself. “Shall I strike them down, my father? Shall I strike them down?” “No,” says Elisha. “Would you strike down people you had captured with your own sword and bow? Set food and water in front of them, so they can eat and drink and go back to their master.” So the king prepares a great feast. The enemy soldiers eat and drink, and then he sends them home. And the story ends with a remarkable line. After that, the raiding bands from Aram stopped coming into Israel's land.

Dothan was a real town on a hill, a few hours' walk north of Samaria, near a route that traders used. It's the same place where, centuries earlier, Joseph's brothers were grazing their flocks when they sold him to a caravan of traders heading down to Egypt. So the hills around Dothan had seen a frightened young man before. This time, the story insists, the hills were not empty. They were full of the Lord's protection, whether anyone could see it or not.

The hidden army. You'll find it in Second Kings, chapter 6, verses 8 to 23. The servant saw only the enemy. Elisha saw God's protection all around. And then he did something braver than fighting. He fed his enemies and sent them home in peace. So here's the question to carry with you. When you feel surrounded, what might you see if God opened your eyes?