2Ki 6:32 | KingComments | STEP | The king sought a scapegoat and found it in Elisha. Just as Ahab attributed the misery to Elijah and thought he would get rid of it if he could kill Elijah, so did this king think he could put an end to the misery by killing Elisha. It was a foolish assumption that came from a hardened heart. By nature, we blame people who tell us we will be judged. Disasters in an end time do not bring submission to God. They do not lead to conversion, but to slander of God (cf. ). While hunger took such terrible forms and led to such terrible things, Elisha sat in his house. He undoubtedly shared in the famine. He suffered with the people of God. He had no hidden source of food. There were elders visiting him. They would be there to ask him for advice. It is always available when there is an emergency. He was also aware of the death threat. He saw in his mind how Jehoram sent a murderer to him. He called him a “murderer’s son”, for Jehoram himself was the son of a murderer, Ahab. Elisha took measures in view of the imminent arrival of the messenger of the king, knowing that Jehoram would come right after him, to make sure that Elisha is indeed beheaded. When the messenger had arrived at Elisha’s door, the messenger spoke the language of his master. He again made a fierce reproach to the LORD. Elisha must die. He justified his unjust act by saying, as it were: ‘If God does not take me into account and help me out of my worries, I will not take God into account.’

‏ 2 Kings 6:32

Elisha Gets the Blame

The king sought a scapegoat and found it in Elisha. Just as Ahab attributed the misery to Elijah and thought he would get rid of it if he could kill Elijah, so did this king think he could put an end to the misery by killing Elisha. It was a foolish assumption that came from a hardened heart. By nature, we blame people who tell us we will be judged. Disasters in an end time do not bring submission to God. They do not lead to conversion, but to slander of God (cf. Rev 16:10-11).

While hunger took such terrible forms and led to such terrible things, Elisha sat in his house. He undoubtedly shared in the famine. He suffered with the people of God. He had no hidden source of food. There were elders visiting him. They would be there to ask him for advice. It is always available when there is an emergency.

He was also aware of the death threat. He saw in his mind how Jehoram sent a murderer to him. He called him a “murderer’s son”, for Jehoram himself was the son of a murderer, Ahab. Elisha took measures in view of the imminent arrival of the messenger of the king, knowing that Jehoram would come right after him, to make sure that Elisha is indeed beheaded.

When the messenger had arrived at Elisha’s door, the messenger spoke the language of his master. He again made a fierce reproach to the LORD. Elisha must die. He justified his unjust act by saying, as it were: ‘If God does not take me into account and help me out of my worries, I will not take God into account.’