14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that 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.
18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.
20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.
21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”
22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.There's a pattern to be detected here, I think. Soldiers in the employ of an enemy power came to cause trouble, but they were struck blind. Then they were lead by a prophet of God to the very heart of the stronghold of their enemy, and it was revealed to them. What must that moment have been like? An "oh, crap" moment for the ages. The giddy king wants to kill them all, but the prophet chides him, and the king listens, and prepares a table for them in the presence of their enemies.
The conversation between the soldiers and their king isn't recorded, but I'd love to have been a fly on the wall. "So, those people you sent us to capture? Well, they captured us, then marched us to their capital..." at which point the king says, "Then how are you still here?" "That's the thing, boss. They took us to Golden Corral, on steak and shrimp night, and sent us home."
Isn't this the gospel in microcosm? We, enthralled to the prince of the power of the air, are lead, in our blindness, to a feast, and cease our hostility from then on?
Jesus is everywhere in the OT. It's really fun to discover him in places you didn't expect.
