Parting Troubled Waters

O. T #820  "Parting Troubled Waters"
August 25, 2016
2 Kings 2-Part 4
The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!  2 Kings 2:8b

LET IT GLOW

Elijah and Elisha are traveling to 4 places on the last day of Elisha's life. We have discussed two cities: Gilgal, which was a place of safety and Bethel, a place of altar. Today they visit a city (Jericho) and a river (Jordan). Swindoll said that we will experience all 4 places in our Christian life.

Who doesn't know about the Battle of Jericho? Jericho was 14 miles southeast of Bethel. It was 550 years earlier that the walls of Jericho fell by faith after being encircled 7 days by Israelites. (Heb. 11:30) It was the first city they took possession of as Israel set out to take their Promised Land.
Swindoll calls it a place of battle.

If believers live by faith, the battles they will enter can be confronted with confidence because all faith is based in the promises of Almighty God. The promise to Joshua was that he would conquer (Josh. 6:3-5). Rahab was promised deliverance from the judgment on her country . For the Christian, it is laying hold of God's promises of salvation and victory over Satan (Eph. 1:3-14; Phil. 1:6)
(The Jeremiah Study Bible)

Jericho was a cursed city after God brought victory, all its inhabitants, except for Rahab and her family, were killed. Israel was instructed to not take anything from the city, lest they too be cursed. The only exception was the gold, silver, brass, and iron vessels were to be taken and consecrated to the LORD, in His treasury. (Joshua 6)

Later in this chapter we will see the curse on Jericho lifted.

What faith Joshua had, to march his army around Jericho, their enemy's city, and doing it quietly. If you are like me, we would have questioned God on that command.
How often do we ask God why? Or when are you going to...
Faith in God's ability brought down those thick walls and killed the enemy. What a lesson for us! Let's teach it to our children and grandchildren.
Where does our help come from? My help comes from the maker of heaven and earth, as the song goes. So lift our eyes unto the hills, friends.


LET IT GROW


The last place Elijah and Elisha visited that day was the Jordan River. Fifty seminary students followed these two men, for they sensed that something extraordinary was about to happen to Elijah. Elisha had faithfully followed Elijah for 10 years previously.

Verse 8 says, Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!

God's power had been demonstrated 3 times earlier in parting the waters-the Red Sea for the Hebrews to cross after leaving Egypt, the Jordan River as the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land, and in Genesis in the beginning of creation.

With God all things are possible. Recently I thought I was drowning in deep troubled waters. Finally, God came and parted them so I did not drown. Praise His name! Anyone need to cross over on dry ground, through the middle of your troubles, as your deep water is parted and places you safely on the other side?
Well, we have to die to self in order to get there, so God's will is done and not ours.

LET IT GO

Deny my self, take up my cross, and follow Jesus.

Trust Him to part my troubled waters.

Praise the Lord Jesus, who is all-powerful El Shaddiah