Jehovah's Example in Overcoming Evil with Good - 2 Kings 5 and 6

Leonard Match Valid · June 25, 2021

In the reign of King Jehoram of Israel, Syria plans a surprise attack against Israel. More than once, Ben-hadad II's maneuvers are failed by the prophet Elisha, who reveals to King Jehoram every move of the Syrians.

At first, Ben-hadad imagines there is a traitor in his own camp. But when he discovers the true source of his difficulties, which is the prophet Elisha, he sends a military force, a detachment of the army, to Dothan where they surround the city with horses and chariots to capture Elisha.

Elisha, with Jehovah's holy spirit, caused the troops to be miraculously struck by a form of mental blindness, and led the soldiers along the road to the city of Samaria.

Now we see the story: A detachment of the Syrian army dominated by the Israelite army inside the city of Samaria would be death for the Syrian soldiers!

But no, wait!

The prophet Elisha intervenes and gives a different order to the Syrian soldiers.
He asks King Jehoram not to kill the Syrian soldiers, but to feed and water them.

We had seen Jehovah's goodness before when the prophet Elisha with Jehovah's power cured the leprosy of Syrian commander Naaman, who was now a worshiper of Jehovah.

Where was Naaman? Were you with these detachments of soldiers? We do not know.
(We may remember that the same Ben-hadad II who asked the Israelite King to heal Naaman where Elisha through Jehovah heals this army chief!)

King Jehoram then now prepares a feast at Elisha's orders and feeds those tired and hungry Syrian soldiers. Then he dismisses them and they return to Syria to King Ben-hadad II.

Jehovah conquered evil with good. Again!

Some people think that Jehovah in the “Old Testament” was a bad, bad God.

But no, it can't be!

This account and so many others teach us that Jehovah is Supreme in Love, Supreme in Mercy, and Supreme in Goodness.

Jehovah could have had those soldiers killed, to serve as a lesson to Ben-hadad II, Jehovah could teach this king that He used miraculous forces to save Israel, but Jehovah did not do that.
He used love to teach this case.

Jehovah also saw something good in the hearts of others, people who were not serving him.

For example:

The people who spoke to King Bemhadad II seemed to believe the young woman who said there was a prophet in Israel who could heal Naaman. We don't know how many there were but they seduced King Ben-hadad II to write a letter.

Also apparently the Syrian soldiers were sincere.

See for example the Syrian soldiers who told Chief Naaman to bathe in the Jordan River 7 times.

These soldiers were humble and asked their chief Naaman to be humble too. They had the right concept! It also appears that these soldiers believed in Jehovah somewhat, perhaps because of things they had seen before. Apparently they somehow, perhaps obeyed Him in their hearts or were afraid.

In any case, that's what chief Naaman did, showed humility and obedience, and so Jehovah blessed him with the cure for leprosy.

It may also have been that Jehovah saw the hearts of those soldiers from the military detachment who went to arrest Elisha in the city of Dothan. Perhaps Jehovah saw sincerity, Jehovah must have seen humility, he saw the goodness in the hearts of these soldiers, and that they were ignorant in the service of Syria.

We don't know, but Jehovah knows.

Jehovah is like that: he fights evil with good.

And how many times do we not understand what Jehovah does?

We learn in this way from the greatest example of all on how to overcome evil with good.

Now we understand more when Jesus said:

Matthew 5: 44,45: “However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, that you may prove to be children of your Father who is in heaven, since he does his the sun rises on the bad and the good, and makes it rain on the just and the unjust.”

Did Jesus teach this to his disciples from Jehovah in the account of 2 Kings 6?

Certainly!

and

Proverbs 25:21,22 says: “If your enemy (or someone who hates you) is hungry, give him bread to eat; If he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For then you will heap embers on his head (That is, to soften the person and soften his heart.), And Jehovah will reward you.”

The account concludes that for a time, there was peace in Israel because of the guerrillas. – 2 Kings 6:23

Brothers, Jehovah has a lot of Power but it is Love.

We don't know how much will be required of us in the future before or after the Great Tribulation with respect to being courageous in overcoming evil with good.

But we can learn from Jehovah.

(Note: I know there was another topic regarding this and the events of 2 Kings 5 and 6 but this topic is just a reflection on Jehovah's goodness)