Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.

II Kings 6:21-23 NKJV

In Georgia this week, a wicked man, even claiming to know God, murdered eight people before being caught presumably on his way to kill more. Last Saturday at just one abortion mill more than 25 women ended the lives of their innocent children in a three hour span of time. With the sin of murder so often around us, the questions often come up: If so many are so willing to help minister the truth of the Word of God to those with wicked imaginations and premeditating murder, why would they not seek for the help that is freely offered rather than murder innocent people? If many families would instantly adopt a child, why do mothers, abortion mill personnel, and politicians not pursue the adoption avenue rather than legalized murder? The answer is difficult to wrap our minds around but the Lord expresses it clearly in His Word. Fallen sinful men love evil. The unrighteous delight in the shedding of innocent blood.

Thus says the LORD to this people: thus they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet (Jeremiah 14:10).

You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness (Psalm 52:3).

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause… My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path Proverbs‬ ‭1:10-15.

Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him (Mark 15:14).

The wrong way of the world is to kill their enemies. The only way to deal with those opposed to you, according to the lies of the world, is through death. History since the fall is filled with violence as the wicked kill their enemies of all ages. The Devil and his followers delight in the shedding of innocent blood even as the mob cried out with one voice to crucify Jesus when the Roman governor, no novice to cruelty, could find no guilt in Him. Nothing of the sort should be the case for the Christian. The person who kills in the name of Christ does not know Christ, nor is a follower of Christ.

When the enemies of Israel landed in the King’s lap, his immediate reaction was to kill them. It is difficult to find a comparison to these verses in history. Israel’s enemy marched blind into their headquarters surrounded by the Israelite army with no sense of where they were until the Lord opened their eyes. Imagine the shock of the Israelites. Perhaps at first they thought it was a mirage. The king of Israel was full of excitement and wanted direction on what to do next. He responded as too many would when tempted with their enemy’s fate handed to them on a silver platter, “Shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” The commandment of God is far different from the king’s response.

Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the LORD. Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:19-21).

The Syrian army had just marched 12 miles to Samaria and they were hungry. Elisha did not want them killed but called the King to treat them as prisoners of war and feed them. Do good to those who harm you. Feed your enemy when he is hungry. Give him drink when he is thirsty. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. In so doing the King of Israel would be showing them a picture of the mercy of God in Christ.

He who was ready to kill his enemies one minute prepared a feast for them the next minute before paroling them and letting them go (1). This is the unsteadiness of the fallen world. Men are totally depraved. Before we are saved by Christ, we are unable to do that which glorifies God. The world is dead in its trespasses to sin. Therefore, we must be born again of the Spirit. Christ Jesus the eternal Son of God came down from Heaven in order that He might die on the cross to save wretched sinners like me. He did die on the cross and He rose again to fulfill all righteousness which unrighteous men could never fulfill. All who now believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved!

What is your disposition toward your enemies today? Is it that of the wicked desiring blood? Or is your desire to follow Christ Jesus who said, “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:44-45).

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(1) In the remainder of the chapter it seems that these particular Syrian soldiers agreed not to serve in army units against Israel for the balance of the war. This has been a fairly common tactic by victor armies even up until the early years of the Civil War. Enemy soldiers are sometime let go with he promise of not returning to combat for a certain period of time, until a prisoner exchange is arranged, the end of the war, or some other agreed upon end date.

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