2 Kings 6:16-7
“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
The beginning and ending of vision rests with God! That is essential to keep in mind at all times. In fact, as I mentioned in yesterday’s E-Votional, God is always with us as we experience the death of our original vision. Why is it necessary to experience the death of a vision? So that we may observe that it is the power of God working in and through us, and not what we ourselves are accomplishing.
Elisha saw what his servant could not see. His vision was spiritual and inspired faith. The servant saw only the enemy and that spelled defeat and death. Elisha saw that God was in and over all and that spelled victory and life! What is your vision? Are you looking at victory or defeat?
Let’s go back to the first illustration I gave two days ago—Abraham. God gave Abraham a vision that he would be the father of a great nation and possess a great land. It seems that Abraham was more committed to the promise than he was to the God who had given the promise. You may recall that he took Hagar, the handmaiden of his wife Sarah, and she bore him a son. This son was his son of the flesh, Ishmael. Ishmael became the father of the Ishmaelites, who became the Arabs, who have been the enemies of the people of promise, even to this very day.
It is so easy to get focused on a vision or a promise and get our eyes off of the God who is the giver of visions and promises. It is then that the Lord puts His children to the test. It is not necessarily to punish, but rather to prove one’s commitment.
Abraham and Sarah were finally blessed with their son of the vision. It must have seemed to Abraham that all was right with his world. What more could an old man, over 100 years of age, ask for? He watched his son, Isaac, grow before his eyes, and life was sweet. It was then that he heard from God. God called him to offer his son on the altar of sacrifice. When Abraham obeyed and was ready to offer Isaac up, God provided the lamb for sacrifice. He had passed the test.
Moses was another illustration that I used in this study on visions. Throughout the days of the Exodus, he experienced a series of visions, deaths of visions, and rebirths of vision. God provided such miracles that it is hard to take it all in. Let me just try to recall a few off the top of my head. The plagues that were called down because of Pharaoh’s hardness; the Egyptians giving gifts to the departing Hebrew slaves; the pillar of cloud and fire; the parting of the Red Sea which became a means of deliverance for the Israelites and a sea of death for the army of Egypt; the sweetening of the bitter waters of Mara; water from the rock; victory over the enemies who attacked them; the supernatural provision of food; the clothing and shoes that did not wear out for forty years.
From death to life, over and over again! What a story! But Moses failed the test of calling forth water from the rock, and instead, in anger struck the rock twice with his staff. He was not allowed to enter the land of promise, but God showed him the land before he died.
There is another expression of vision being restored to Moses. In the Gospels we read of the transfiguration of Jesus. On the mountain with Peter, James and John, two Old Testament characters appeared: Moses and Elijah. Moses was in the land of his promise, but much more than that, he was with Jesus Christ, the One who brings us all a vision that will last through all eternity.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil