Bible Passage: 2 Kings 6:8-17
Pastor: Joel Jenswold
Sermon Date: September 29, 2024

Bulletin September 29, 2024

In the name of, and to the eternal glory of, Jesus,

A number of weeks ago, our theme for worship was “spiritual warfare.”  Remember that?  We were reminded about our unseen enemy in the spiritual realm, the devil and the demons.  We spent some time considering Paul’s encouragement to put on the full armor of God from Ephesians 6.  Our arsenal includes truth and righteousness and faith and the Gospel of peace and prayer.  Remember that?    One of the things we did not talk about that day was the unseen army who fights for us.  We are talking now about the holy angels.

Today in our text we get to see that unseen army.  Before us this morning is a story involving angels that sort of gives us chills.  It is a story about human threat and heavenly help.  It is the story of a large Aramean army, but an even larger angel army.  It is a story that is not only about something that happened long and far away.  It is, in the end, the story about Those Who Are with Us…the holy angels.

Elisha’s servant was scared!  He woke up early one morning and discovered the city where he and Elisha were staying was surrounded by the Aramean army!  An impressive army it was!  Horses and chariots surrounded the city.  Horses and chariots were cutting-edge technology of warfare at that time.  And all these soldiers and horses and chariots were there for one reason:  they were closing in on Elisha!

The king of Aram had it in for Elisha.  The early portion of our text explains why.  Elisha was giving away the Aramean troop movements to the king of Israel.  The king of Aram was convinced there was a traitor in his midst.  But it was God who revealed to Elisha where the army was and Elisha would send word to the king of Israel to avoid that place.  So the Aramean king is determined to get rid of Elisha.  And it looks like the noose is closing on Elisha.  Aramean horses and chariots have him surrounded.

“Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. (v. 15)  To Elisha’s servant this is bad, very, very bad.  But Elisha calmly answers, Don’t be afraid…Those who are with us are more than those who are with them. (v. 16)  And then he prays.  O LORD, open his eyes so he may see. (v. 17)  The LORD opens the servant’s eyes so he can see into that unseen realm.  Now he looks out over the Aramean army to the hills surrounding Dothan, and what does he see? More horses and chariots!  Except these ones are fiery!  The Aramean army doesn’t have Elisha surrounded.  They are the ones surrounded, outnumbered, outflanked, outmatched by a vastly superior force!

How did Elisha know there were angels there?  From the Word of God.  Elisha would have known Psalm 91 and its famous promise:  He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11)  The same is true for us.  Even though we cannot see them, we know the angels ARE with us.  He will command his angels concerning you!

Hebrews 1:14 tells us this about the angels:  Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?   This verse gives us much information about those who are with us.  They are “spirits.”  That explains why we cannot see them unless God opens our eyes in a special way to see them.  They don’t have bodies.  They sometimes have appeared in human form, but God created them as spirit beings.

They are “ministering” spirits.  “To minister” means to serve.  Who do they serve?  First and foremost, they serve God.  Psalm 103:20 says:  Bless the Lord, you his angels, you strong warriors who obey his word by listening to what he says.  The holy angels are like soldiers who await their orders and perfectly listen to and obey their commanding officer.

But it’s this next part that is truly comforting.  God sends these strong warriors to serve those who will inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1:14)  Do you see what that means?  The ministry of the holy angels is one of the blessings that flows to us from the cross of Jesus.  From that cross of Jesus comes forgiveness of all our sins, new life, new strength, hope, peace, resurrection from the dead, heaven and eternal glory!  And in addition to all of that, heirs of salvation also enjoy the ministry of the holy angels!

What sorts of things do they do?  Our text shows the example of supernatural protection of a child of God.  How comforting might that be to you when you walk down a dark street alone at night?  The book of Acts has the story of angels helping the apostles get out of prison. How comforting might that be when you find yourself seemingly “trapped” in some place?  Jesus tells of the holy angels escorting the soul of poor Lazarus to heaven in the moment of his death.  How comforting is that?  To think of the holy angels being there in the moment your soul exits your body in death?  And Jesus tells us the holy angels will be the “reapers” on Judgment Day who separate the wheat from the chaff, the believers from the unbelievers.

Our text today might serve to help us rethink angels a little bit.  Angels sometimes don’t get a lot of respect in our culture.  Angels are curly-haired, chubby babies on Valentine’s cards.  Angels are goofballs like the likable, yet bumbling Clarence in the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life.  Not very comforting to think that those who are with us are chubby babies or goofballs!

But, let God open our eyes to see the reality and it is a different story!  Now we see the hills around us are covered!  Those who are with us are mighty warriors!   Fiery charioteers!  A larger army than any that surrounds you!  Servants of God!  Sent to serve you, and all for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.