Victory comes from the Lord… (4 things)

• 1^st – King Jehoram of Israel… vs. 1-5 Read: II Kings 3:1-5
  • 1^st – King Jehoram reigned for 12 years after the death of his brother Ahaziah… vs. 1-3
    • He was also the son of Ahab – and for the most part followed his wicked example…
      • Because even though he DID remove the altars of Baal his father put in Israel…
      • He did not remove the golden calves set up by Jeroboam…
      • He was only partially repentant – only half heartedly followed the Lord…
      • So because he was not sold out to the Lord – he was considered an evil king!
    • I lot of people try not to be bad people – but that does not make them good…
      • If you take a cup of muddy water – and are very careful not to get any dirt inside…
      • That does not miraculously make the water pure / clean – it is still muddy!
      • People might be careful not commit horrible sins – murder / steal…
      • But that does not mean they actually live their lives for the Lord!
      • Being a good person is not just about not doing bad things…
      • It is about giving your life to Jesus / allowing Him to clean up the inside!
  • 2^nd – The rebellion of Moab… vs. 4-5
    • After Ahab died – killed in battle in I Kings 22 – the Moabites saw a chance to rebel…
      • They rebelled against Ahaziah – the first son of Ahab – who was an untested King…
      • But before Ahaziah had a chance to do respond – he had an accident…
      • He was leaning against a railing on his balcony – and it broke causing him to fall…
      • Which is when Ahaziah sent messengers to ask Beelzebub if he would recover!
    • After the death of Ahaziah – Moab was still a problem…
      • Moab used to give Israel 200,000 lambs / rams skins every year as a tribute…
      • Their rebellion was expensive – so Jehoram decided to try and teach them a lesson!
      • But God had already used this rebellion to remove Ahaziah as King…
      • And He was about to use the same rebellion to teach his brother Jehoram!
      • God knows how to get our attention – one of the best ways is money…
      • When we are full/in need nothing – we tend to forget and ignore God…
      • So God brings us through a time of ‘rebellion’ – when money gets tight!
      • People who used to help us – no longer want to lend us money…
      • People who we owe money to – demand we pay them right now!
      • And we wonder is the whole world against us – no God is just getting our attention!

• 2^nd – Strength in numbers… vs. 6-10 Read: II Kings 3:6-10
  • 1^st – King Jehoram wet to King Jehoshaphat of Israel… vs. 6-7
    • He asked him if he would be willing to join him in battle against Moab…
      • Jehoshaphat did not even hesitate to answer…
      • I am your brother – my people are your people – my horses are yours to use!
      • The exact response that got Jehoshaphat into trouble with king Ahab – I Kings 22
      • You could argue he had tried to reach out to a godless King of Israel…
      • But practically speaking it had the opposite effect – Ahab pulled Jehoshaphat down!
      • II Chronicles 19:1 – “Why should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD?… What you have done has brought the LORD’s anger against you.’”
      • If I stand on a chair – you can pull me off – easier than I can pull you up…
      • We must be very careful about our fellowship with the world…
      • It is far easier for them to pull us down – then to pick them up!
    • Yet it seemed Jehoshaphat learned his lesson…
      • Because when Ahaziah asked Jehoshaphat for help – he refused…
      • It was a good decision – Ahaziah was just like his dad – he did evil before the Lord!
      • We are not to have friendship with the world – instead be a light to the world!
      • We need to be interacting with those who do not know Jesus…
      • If we are not out in the world – we cannot show the world the hope of Jesus!
      • But though we are in the world – we should not be like the world – John 17:15
      • We should be an example to them – let them see Jesus in us!
    • So why was Jehoshaphat now willing to help Jehoram…
      • After all – Jehoram was the son of Ahab – and brother of Ahaziah!
      • I have to think it is because Jehoshaphat saw a glimmer of hope in Jehoram…
      • He tore down the altars of Baal – making him a better man than Ahab or Ahaziah!
      • Because although we are not to have friendship with the world…
      • It is the heart of Jesus to reach out to and encourage those who are trying!
      • Isaiah 42:3 – “A bruised stick He will not break, and smoking wood He will not put out…”
      • Those who are broken – their lives shattered and twisted by sin…
      • Those who are good for nothing and should reasonably be thrown away…
      • Jesus will always take them in!  He heals the broken hearted!
      • Those who just have a wisp of fire for God in them – barely a hint of a flame left…
      • Jesus does not snuff them out – He takes that little flame and fans it to a fire!
  • 2^nd – The Jehoshaphat and Jehoram decided to attack Moab from the South… vs. 8-10
    • There were two main advantages:
      • They would include the King of Edom in their attack – who did join them…
      • And they would attack from a weakly defended portion of Moab…
      • No one would expect them to attack from a desert wasteland!
      • It was a wise strategy – attack with numbers / and surprise the enemy…
      • But it had one fatal flaw – it was based entirely on the wisdom of men!
      • We can be absolutely convinced we are making the right choice – and be wrong…
      • Proverbs 14:12 – “There is a way that seems right… but its end is death.”
      • The best ideas – the most qualified men – can do nothing without God!
    • They three armies marched 7 days into the wilderness – but there as NO water!
      • The kings began to cry out in despair – Moab did not need to defeat them in battle…
      • God was going to defeat them without a battle – they would die of thirst!
      • We all know the experience of being thirsty – on a hot day – under a hot sun…
      • Now imagine 7 days of marching in temperatures over 40° – in full armor!
      • God uses thirst to describe our need to believe / follow after Jesus Christ!
      • Yet most people in life try to get by on their own – without God!
      • When we try to make plans without God – it is like trying to live without water…
      • John 7:38 – ““If you are thirsty, come to me! He who believes in Me… out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
        
• 3^rd – Seeking Godly counsel… vs. 11-19 Read: II Kings 3:11-19
  • 1^st – Jehoshaphat did not panic instead he asked if there was a prophet of God… vs. 11-12
    • It turned out Elisha was there in their camp – so the kings called for him
      • It turned out there was no reason to fear – the answer was right in front of them!
      • Life can have a tendency to throw challenges / problems our way…
      • We tend to spend much of our time panicked about those problems…
      • The problem is panicking does not help – it makes things worse!
    • Panic is the opposite of trust– we are  panic because we are not looking to God!
      • We trust God with our eternity – we trust He can save us from hell…
      • But somehow we have a hard time trusting Him for our daily challenges…
      • If God can save us eternally – certainly He can take care of us if we turn to Him today!
  • 2^nd – When Elisha arrived he rebuked King Jehoram… vs. 13-14
    • He told the king of Israel to call on the false prophets of his father and mother…
      • He told Jehoram to cry out instead to the gods he had been trusted in!

• When the earthquake hit – no one ran to the lotto / or the disco for help…
• How much help were the things they trusted when it really mattered!
• God loves us – and is always fighting for us – desiring us to run to Him…
• But if we continually choose to reject the Lord – harden our heart towards God…
• In our time of need God will leave us at the mercy of the things we trusted in…
• So we learn just how useless the things we have been trusting in really are!

Show them they are welcomed back into the family of God!

Jehoram ‘repented’ – or at least acknowledged it was only God would could save them!

God will always receive / CANNOT turn His back – on a repentant heart…

Psalm 51:17 – “You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God…”

When we turn from our sin to Jesus – repent and are forgiven…

Like the Prodigal son – when we humble ourselves – God comes running!

Elisha would help the kings – but only because of Jehoshaphat…

The other kings would be saved because Jehoshaphat feared the Lord!

If you son was thirsty – you would give him a drink…

But if his friends were with him – you would give them water too – for your sons sake!

3^rd – The prophecy of Elisha… vs. 15-19

Elisha asked for them to bring a musician and play some worship…

The reason for worship – is to get our focus off of us and onto Jesus…

When we arrive at church – out mind is flooded with the business of the week…

We open up with worship to allow our focus to shift – from the world to the Word!

The Kings were to dig ditches all over the desert floor…

Because God would send water – and fill all those ditches with water…

There would be no rain – the water would seem to come from no where!

But not only would the water quench their thirst – it would win them the battle!

God was going to give them the victory – but they had a part to play…

Thought they were tired / thirsty – they had to trust the Lord and dig ditches!

God has not called us to ‘sit by faith’ we are to ‘walk by faith’ – II Corinthians 5:17

When we are willing to take that step of faith – we will find God leading our steps…

Psalms 37:23 – “The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives.”

4^th – Red dawn… vs. 20-27 Read: II Kings 3:20-27

1^st – Early the next morning – at the time of the morning offering (sunrise)… vs. 20

Water suddenly began to fill the valley floor – flowing out of Edom…

Likely a flash flood from far away rains striking the high mountains of Edom…

It filled all of the ditches and provided all the water the men needed!

2^nd – When Moab heard Israel / Judah  / and Edom were coming to attack… vs. 21-24

They gathered every able bodied man to defend their country…

They rose up early that same morning – and stood on the border…

The water was reflecting the red light of the rising sun – making it look like blood…

The Moabites thought the 3 armies had fought and killed each other…

So they rushed down – just in time to be wiped out by the 3 kings!

3^rd – Only the capitol of Kir-Haraseth was left un-defeated… vs. 25-27

The king of Moab tried to escape with 700 elite soldiers – but his escape failed…

So in desperation he offered his eldest son as a burnt sacrifice on the walls of the city…

A common practice for the Moabites – but an abomination to Israel – Leviticus 18:21

As a result Judah and Edom were outraged AT ISRAEL – they had pushed Moab to far…

So they withdrew their troops – left the city – and went home!

When a Christian makes a mistake – people often take ‘judgment too far’…

People like to remind us of our mistakes – point out our flaws…

As if somehow it is our job to punish those who sin / rebel against the Lord…

II Corinthians 2:7 – “It is time to forgive [them] and comfort [them]. Otherwise [they] may become so discouraged that [they] will not be able to recover.”

If you know someone who has messed up – but wants to get right with God…

Instead of staying away and whispering – walk over and give them a hug!