2 Kings 8:10-15 - Homiletics

Hazael and Elisha.

The contrast is striking between the two characters here brought for the first and last time into contact. In Hazael we have—

I. THE CRAFTY SCHEMER , cunning and treacherous, who sees in his master's calamity his own opportunity; who feels no gratitude for past favors, no pity for present weakness and suffering, no compunction at playing a double part; who has no horror of crime, no dread of the enduring infamy which attaches to the assassin and the traitor. Hazael is wise in a certain sense—he is clever, audacious, skilful in devising means to ends, secret, determined, unscrupulous. He contrives a mode of death which will leave no trace of violence, and may appear accidental, if suspicion arises that it has not happened in the ordinary course of nature.

II. THE MAN OF BLOOD . Hazael is altogether cruel and unsparing. He reaches the throne through blood. As king, he deluges Israel in blood, "cutting the nation short, and smiting them in all their coasts" ( 2 Kings 10:32 ); "destroying them, and making them like the dust by threshing" ( 2 Kings 13:7 ). We must view him as a born soldier, never so happy as when engaged in a campaign, now resisting the attacks of Assyria on his northern border, now attacking the Philistines ( 2 Kings 12:17 ), almost constantly warring with his immediate neighbors the kings of Israel, once even threatening Judah, and "setting his face to go up to Jerusalem" ( 2 Kings 12:17 ) in the hope of taking it.

III. THE SUCCESSFUL WARRIOR . Hazael succeeded in repulsing the Assyrians, and maintaining his independence, notwithstanding all their efforts to conquer him. He reduced Israel to a species of semi-subjection ( 2 Kings 13:7 ). He compelled even Judaea to purchase peace at his hands ( 2 Kings 12:18 ). He was, on the whole, the most warlike of all the early kings of Syria; and, though he suffered one great defeat at the hands of the Assyrian king, Shalmaneser II ; yet he issued from the struggle unsubdued, and left his dominions intact to his son and successor, Benhadad III .

In Elisha, on the other hand, we have—

I. THE WISE , CLEAR - SIGHTED , SINGLE - MINDED , HONEST ADVISER . Elisha has no cunning, no art, no special cleverness. But he can read character; he can see through Hazael's designs. Whether king, or noble, or common person applies to him for advice, he uses the same simplicity, counsels each as seems to him for the best, and seeks to gain nothing for himself by the advice which he gives them. His plainness offends Naaman ( 2 Kings 5:12 ); his firmness enrages Jehoram ( 2 Kings 6:31 ); his penetration disconcerts Hazael ( 2 Kings 8:11 ); but he cares nothing how men may receive his words. It is a Divine message that he delivers, and deliver the message he must and will, in simple plain language, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear.

II. THE MAN OF PEACE . Elisha's character is eminently peaceful and conciliatory. He weeps at the thought of those horrors which war causes almost of necessity ( 2 Kings 8:11 ). Once only do his counsels lead on to an engagement ( 2 Kings 3:16-24 ); mostly he contrives that perils shall be averted without the shedding of blood ( 2 Kings 6:18-22 ; 2 Kings 7:6-15 ). He will not allow the prisoners that he has made to be put to death, or in any way ill treated ( 2 Kings 6:22 , 2 Kings 6:23 ). He seeks to check Hazael's murderous propensities by a look which he cannot misunderstand ( 2 Kings 8:11 ).

III. THE PROPHET AND TEACHER . The office of the prophet was to rebuke sin, as Elisha did ( 2 Kings 3:13 , 2 Kings 3:14 ), to sustain faith, to train up fresh prophets, to teach the faithful ( 2 Kings 4:23 ), to announce God's will to king and people, and to execute commissions with which God specially entrusted him. Elisha never failed in the performance of any of these duties. Cast upon a dark time, when a debasing superstition, imported from a foreign country, had full possession of the court and had laid a strong hold upon the country, he faithfully upheld Jehovah and Jehovah's laws before backsliding kings and "a disobedient and gainsaying people." To Elisha principally it was owing that true religion still maintained itself in the land against the persecutions of Jezebel and her sons, and that, when the dynasty of Omri came to an end, there was still a faithful remnant left, which had not bowed the knee to Baal, but had clung to Jehovah under all manner of difficulties. If Elisha left no great prophet to succeed him, it was probably because great men are not made to order, and God's providence did not see fit to continue the succession of first-rate prophetical teachers, which had been raised up to meet the extreme danger of the introduction and maintenance of a false state religion by apostate kings. When two such characters are brought into contact, the natural result is mutual repulsion. Hazael is ashamed that Elisha should read him so well; and Elisha weeps when he thinks of the woes that Hazael will inflict upon Israel Outward respect is maintained; But the two must have felt, when they parted, that they were adversaries for life, bent on opposite courses, with opposed principles, aims, motives; not only the servants of different gods, but antagonistic in their whole conception of life and its objects, sure to clash if ever they should meet again, and, even if they should not meet, sure to be ever working for different ends, and engaged in thwarting one the other.