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Elisha was now in Damascus, where
Ben-hadad, king of Syria, lived. Ben-hadad was very ill; and when he
heard that Elisha was come, he wished to send to the prophet, and ask if
he should recover. So Ben-hadad called one of the great men of
Syria, named Hazael, and told him to take a present, and go to
Elisha. Ben-hadad felt very anxious to know if he must soon
die. Why was he so anxious? Because he knew he had not served
God when he was well, and now he had not God to comfort him when he was
ill. He felt it would be very sad to leave his kingdom, and
possessions, and riches, and never see them again; and where could he go
for comfort? Israel's God was not his god. His idols could not
help him, and he knew nothing of the true God. What could he
do? He thought perhaps Elisha might comfort him; that perhaps his
God would tell him whether he should die or live. Death is very
dreadful to those who are not ready to die. But if we truly love
God, if our sins have been washed away in the blood of Jesus, and our
hearts made new by the Holy Spirit, then we are ready, and then we need
not fear when sickness and death come. Hazael
came to Elisha, and stood before him, and said, "Ben-hadad has sent
me to thee, saying, shall I recover from this disease?" Elisha
answered, "Go, and say to Ben-hadad, thou mayest indeed recover; but
the Lord has showed me that he shall surely die." Hazael
wondered at this message; and he looked at Elisha, and saw that the
prophet was weeping. Then Hazael wondered still more, and asked,
"Why weepeth my lord?" Elisha answered, "Because I
know what evil thou wilt do to my people Israel, thou wilt destroy their
houses, and kill them with the sword." Hazael looked very much
astonished, and said, "What, can I do this great thing?"
Then Elisha answered, "The Lord has told me that thou shalt be king
of Syria." So Hazael went home to Damascus, but he did not
forget what Elisha had said. Hazael was a very ambitious man.
He wanted to be king, though he had no right to the kingdom; and God, who
knew Hazael's heart, knew that very soon he would make himself king.
Hazael, perhaps, had thought of this a long while; and now the time was
coming when he could do it. He went home, and found Ben-hadad still
very ill. The king called Hazael, and asked him, "What did
Elisha say?" Then Hazael deceitfully answered, "He told me
that thou shalt surely recover." Ben-hadad was pleased to hear
this. He began to think, perhaps, of all the things he would do when
he was well again; he did not care now to prepare to die. He did not
know how very near death was; for Hazael did not tell him all that Elisha
had said. Hazael told Ben-hadad only half of Elisha's message, and
kept the rest to himself. All that day, dreadful thoughts were in
Hazael's heart. What were those thoughts? He was thinking how
he could kill his master, and make himself king of Syria. When
Hazael began to be ambitious, and to wish for the kingdom, he did not
think of doing what was so very wicked. But Hazael did not try to
conquer his sinful ambition, and it grew stronger and stronger, and, at
last, he was tempted to murder. The next day, when his master was in
bed and asleep, Hazael took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and
laid it upon Ben-hadad's face; and the king was suffocated and died!
Hazael had his wish now; he was made king of Syria. But could Hazael
be happy? No; he could not have God's blessing, and without that
none can be happy. Riches, and possessions, and honors, cannot give
happiness. Hazael was a
very wicked man; but remember, that our hearts are like Hazael's, before
they are made new by God's Holy Spirit. We are all, by nature,
proud, and ambitious, and covetous; and if God's grace prevent not, Satan
may tempt us to do things as wicked as Hazael did. Hazael did not at
first think of murdering his master. He began by being only
ambitious and covetous. Little sins will grow greater and greater,
if we do not pray to God to subdue them. Satan will tempt us more
and more, if we do not fight against him in God's strength. But if
we do pray for help, God promises to give it. He says, He will
"subdue our iniquities," and give us the victory over sin and
Satan.
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