II Kings 3:20-27
“And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.” (II Kings 3:20)
The armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom were out of water and feared defeat. God had instructed them to dig ditches to catch water he would send. During the night there was a flash flood in the land of Edom, that filled all the ditches, even there was no rain in the area where they were. There was no longer concern about dehydration.
“And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.” (II Kings 3:21-23)
Learning that they were being attacked from the south rather than the north, Moab was forced to move their army to border with Edom for defense. When the sun arose they saw the reflection off the water int eh ditches, and it looked like blood. They assumed that the three kings had gotten to fighting among themselves and wiped each other out, Infact, a little later, in II Chronicles 20, a consortium of Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites did exactly that when fighting Jeroboam.
“And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.” (II Kings 3:24-25)
Assuming the armies had fought among themselves, the Moabites were expecting no resistance. They were completely unprepared for Israel’s defense, and were routed. Israel followed God’s command to tear down the walls of their forts, cut down the fruittrees and vineyards , and plug the wells so they would have to rebuild their country before they could afford to retaliate.
“And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.” (II Kings 3:26)
Convinced he couldn’t defeat the entire army, Mesha, king of Moab decided to try to kill the Edomite king for betraying him and helping Israel and Judah. He was unsuccessful in the attempt, and decided they need supernatural help to avoid total defeat.
“Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.” (II Kings 3:27)
In an effort that smacks of present day terrorist groups sending their own children on suicide missions to win Allah’s approval, The king of Moab publicly offered his own son as a sacrifice on the wall of his capital.
Rather than blame the king for the death of his son, the people blamed Israel, much like they do in suicide bombings today. Their attitudes have changed very little in the last three thousand years, despite their history. The same groups still have basically the same attitudes, with the result that the Middle East is still involved in ther same power struggle.
If a culture is to be changed, it crucial that the underlying attitudes the children are taught be changed. Education, religion, or increased wealth do not make those crucial changes. One thing the Holy Spirit does in the Christian is to renew the spirit of his mind, to make him a new creature. Without his work changes are usually superficial.
“And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.” (II Kings 3:20)
The armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom were out of water and feared defeat. God had instructed them to dig ditches to catch water he would send. During the night there was a flash flood in the land of Edom, that filled all the ditches, even there was no rain in the area where they were. There was no longer concern about dehydration.
“And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.” (II Kings 3:21-23)
Learning that they were being attacked from the south rather than the north, Moab was forced to move their army to border with Edom for defense. When the sun arose they saw the reflection off the water int eh ditches, and it looked like blood. They assumed that the three kings had gotten to fighting among themselves and wiped each other out, Infact, a little later, in II Chronicles 20, a consortium of Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites did exactly that when fighting Jeroboam.
“And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it.” (II Kings 3:24-25)
Assuming the armies had fought among themselves, the Moabites were expecting no resistance. They were completely unprepared for Israel’s defense, and were routed. Israel followed God’s command to tear down the walls of their forts, cut down the fruittrees and vineyards , and plug the wells so they would have to rebuild their country before they could afford to retaliate.
“And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.” (II Kings 3:26)
Convinced he couldn’t defeat the entire army, Mesha, king of Moab decided to try to kill the Edomite king for betraying him and helping Israel and Judah. He was unsuccessful in the attempt, and decided they need supernatural help to avoid total defeat.
“Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.” (II Kings 3:27)
In an effort that smacks of present day terrorist groups sending their own children on suicide missions to win Allah’s approval, The king of Moab publicly offered his own son as a sacrifice on the wall of his capital.
Rather than blame the king for the death of his son, the people blamed Israel, much like they do in suicide bombings today. Their attitudes have changed very little in the last three thousand years, despite their history. The same groups still have basically the same attitudes, with the result that the Middle East is still involved in ther same power struggle.
If a culture is to be changed, it crucial that the underlying attitudes the children are taught be changed. Education, religion, or increased wealth do not make those crucial changes. One thing the Holy Spirit does in the Christian is to renew the spirit of his mind, to make him a new creature. Without his work changes are usually superficial.
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