To give a brief recap of the players in this section of kings, it will be helpful to recall that King Ahaziah had no sons (2Ki 1:17), so Ahab’s other son Jehoram (who is also called Joram (2Ki 8:16) reigned as the next king of Israel. He is one of the key figures in this study.
If you recall, Rehoboam was the king of all of Judah and Israel who caused the split (by the Lord’s hand) from Judah. He was the son of Solomon who became an idolatrous king, yet for David’s sake, God did not take the kingdom from him (1Ki 11:11-13) but rather from Solomon’s son Rehoboam.
Rehoboam added a heavier yoke on the people (1Ki 12:8-11), “so Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day” (1Ki 12:19), thus the split that occurred.
Now let’s be reminded of who Jeroboam the son of Nebat is (1Ki 11:28-40, 1Ki 12:26-33), as he is mentioned often throughout these chapters of the second book of Kings.
1Ki 11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
1Ki 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
1Ki 11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
1Ki 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:1Ki 12:15 Wherefore the king [Rehoboam] hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
1Ki 12:19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
1Ki 12:20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.1Ki 12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
1Ki 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
1Ki 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
1Ki 12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
1Ki 12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
1Ki 12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
1Ki 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
1Ki 12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
It’s also important to remember that Moab was Lot’s firstborn son from his firstborn daughter, and that the Moabites were allowed a possession in the land up until the time of David when they became David’s servants, bringing tribute to the king (Deu 2:9, 2Sa 8:2).
Deu 2:9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.
2Sa 8:2 And he [David] smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.
In this part of the books of kings we are looking at today, it is roughly two years that have passed since Ahab died in battle against the king of Syria.
1Ki 22:40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
1Ki 22:51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
2Ki 1:17 So he [Ahaziah] died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken [2Ki 1:1-4]. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he [Ahaziah] had no son.
With this backdrop, here are our first verses:
2Ki 3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2Ki 3:2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.
2Ki 3:3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
There is going to be an alliance in war with Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom (1Ki 22:47), against Moab, shown to us with Jehoram the son of Ahab who began to reign over Israel in Samaria the capital “the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years“. These numbers are significant in that they reveal something about this alliance that is going to be forged through the judgment of Moab that represents our flesh. The “eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah” represents that judgment (1+8=9) and the twelve years of reigning is the foundation that is forged through that judgment which becomes very detailed in the verses that will follow.
Jehoram represents more of the yet carnal Christian (1Co 3:1) who continues to do “evil in the sight of the LORD” but not as dramatically as “his father, and like his mother” which we know represents a stage of growth for Jehoram (Mat 19:5) who now “put away the image of Baal that his father had made” which we begin to do when we come out of Babylon the mother of harlots and denounce our fleshly and sensual way of worshiping represented by “the image of Baal that his father had made” (2Co 6:17, Jas 3:15, Jud 1:18-19). So Jehoram cleaved to the Lord in one area of his life “Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat” which does remind us that overcoming sin is a process, which this story of these three kings is going to bring out for us.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jud 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jud 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
2Ki 3:4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
MeshaH4338 the king of Moab’s name, means ‘safety’ and typifies the court of the temple, Babylon, where our flesh represented by “hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool” is not going through a process of judgment but rather being preserved like the Israelites in the wilderness by “sheepmasters”, not unlike Moses who was “the shepherd of his flock” (Isa 63:11) to the people of Israel in the wilderness, which typifies the churches of Babylon today that are in a spiritual wilderness (Deu 29:5, Psa 84:10).
Isa 63:11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?
Deu 29:5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
Psa 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
H4338 mêysha‛may-shaw’ A variation for H4337; safety; Mesha, a Moabite: – Mesha.
2Ki 3:5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
Rebellion will often manifest when there is a void of leadership as stated with these words of Paul (Act 20:29-31), and that is what we are being told here with the death of Ahab, the king of Moab can now rebel against the king of Israel with this perception in mind.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears [1Co 9:27].
2Ki 3:6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
2Ki 3:7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.
2Ki 3:8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.
Jehoram did not have enough resources within “all Israel” [Israel representing our flesh and all the world where there is none righteous (Rom 3:10)] to do battle against Moab, and so God mercifully led him to make alliance with “Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up.” Jehoshaphat who is a type of our Lord, the Lion of the tribe of Judah who changes not (Mal 3:6), also changes not in his desire to do battle against the enemy as our head (Psa 7:11, Eph 4:26, Rom 12:21) with the same words expressed earlier in this battle with Jehoshaphat against Ramothgilead (1Ki 22:4) “I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.” Samaria represents an earlier relationship with Christ in our walk (Joh 8:31-32, Mat 15:32) but not one that is strong enough by itself to do battle against Moab, unless we are granted to continue to abide in the truth which will set us free, which is what this alliance that “all Israel” representing the world will one day do through Christ, represented by “Jehoshaphat the king of Judah” (1Co 15:22).
1Ki 22:4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.Mat 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
When Jehoshaphat was asked: “Which way shall we go up?”, Jehoram replied: “Through the wilderness of Edom” because Edom, who is Esau’s descendants (Gen 25:30), was also David’s servant (2Sa 8:14). Edom represents those parts of our life that we have dominion over and not the other way around, which is what Edom being David’s servants represents.
2Ki 3:9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
This seven days’ journey with these three kings represents a famine of the word that is going to, in the positive view, make the cattle which represent the beasts that we are be brought to their wits’ end for thirst of water, which typifies thirst for knowledge of God’s word (Hos 4:6).
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
2Ki 3:10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
Jehoram is at his wits’ end and despairing for life, typifying the process of judgment symbolized by three kings, who bring us to a place where we see our lack of faith. Paul expresses this idea in these verses which express how God brings us to our wits’ end, so that we cry out to Him and are delivered as Christ was also delivered (2Co 1:9-10, 1Ti 4:10, Heb 5:7)
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2Co 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
2Ki 3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.
Christ is always that after-thought to the first man Adam, and it is only in our distress that we finally cry out when the Lord brings us to our wits’ end and delivers us (Psa 107:4-6).
Psa 107:4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Psa 107:5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Psa 107:6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
It is “one of the king of Israel’s servantsH5650“, a bondservant, who recognizes the answer to this question, “Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?” This is telling us that when we labor in the word of God and study to show ourselves approved by seeking the Lord with all our hearts, like a bondservant (Php 2:12-13), we will find the Lord and save both ourselves and those who hear us (Jer 29:13, 1Ti 4:16). Here, we point others to the relationship we have in the body of Christ that washes the bride with the word (Eph 5:26, Rev 19:7) and is typified by Elisha who pours “water on the hands of Elijah“. Christ’s hands are doing the work in us, and so Elisha, who represents the servant-church, is pouring the water on Elijah who typifies Christ and reminds us again that “without me [Christ] ye can do nothing” (Joh 12:26, Joh 15:5, Joh 14:20).
1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
2Ki 3:12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
These three kings represent the process of judgment that is over God’s elect that brings us to come to know the Lord in each other, symbolized by Elisha who is a type of the elect who they’re going to see.
2Ki 3:13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
Elisha knows the king of Israel and tells him to go back to your gods “the prophets of thy mother” and asks why are you inquiring of me while you’re not living lives that are consistent with what God requires (Luk 6:46). Jehoram says, “No, this is of the Lord. We are being delivered into the hand of Moab to be killed, and there is no way out, so we are asking you with humbled and contrite hearts to give us the Godly advice that we need” (Isa 57:15).
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
2Ki 3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.
This is symbolic language from Elisha telling us the only reason God will listen to us for anything is because we are accepted in the Lord (Eph 1:6-9), symbolized by “Jehoshaphat the king of Judah“.
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
2Ki 3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
Music and prophecy are seen being spoken of together in scripture, and it is in these “courts of the LORD’S house” that we are truly “refreshed” and “well” (1Sa 16:23). So we ought to enter into the courts of our Lord with the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise on our lips continually (1Sa 10:5, Eph 5:18-19, Col 3:16, 1Sa 16:23, 1Ch 25:2-3, Psa 100:4, Psa 116:19, Heb 13:15).
1Sa 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Psa 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psa 116:19 In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
2Ki 3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.
2Ki 3:17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
The valley being filled with ditches is symbolic of our laboring in the word and digging a deep foundation which happens best when we are humbled and made low, symbolized by the valley (Luk 6:48). God says the spirit that He gives us will well up within us when we search for him with all our hearts (Jer 29:13, Rev 7:17, Joh 7:38, 1Ti 4:14, Heb 2:3).
Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne [Eph 2:6] shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery [1Co 9:25].
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
2Ki 3:18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
2Ki 3:19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.
The context of this statement “this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand” should greatly encourage us as it reveals that those who are in God’s hand cannot be separated from Him (Joh 10:28) by way of our flesh “the Moabites“, and that God’s elect will learn of His deliverance over the sinful nature within us through Christ (Joh 8:36).
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Our deliverance from our carnal nature is a process that takes time, but God promises that it will be accomplished by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). That process of overcoming requires that, through Christ working in us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure (Php 2:12-13), “Ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.“
What is wrong with these things mentioned, the “fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones“, is that they represent our own righteousness, our many wonderful works that we don’t give God the credit for until we are chastened by the Lord and received by Him in love (Heb 12:6). Like these choices and good things mentioned, we are also “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” with no thought to the impending judgment that is soon to come and does come to God’s elect (Mat 24:38, 1Pe 4:17). Dispensationally, this smiting of all the fenced cities and choice cities and everything else mentioned will happen to all the world that will be judged in the great white throne judgment when it will be their time to say to God ‘haven’t we done many wonderful works’ (Rev 20:11, Mat 7:22). So God tells Noah, who represents God’s elect, to move with fear to the building up of the ark that represents the body of Christ, the church today that is built through His judgments happening in our earth today so we can learn of His righteousness (Heb 11:7, Isa 26:9).
2Ki 3:20 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.
2Ki 3:21 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.
This next section of Kings describes for us how easily God can seek an occasion against our flesh. The “meat offering“H4503 that was being made in the morning represents our desire to please God first in the morning (Mat 6:33), but as with all offerings they mean nothing to God if they are not given with a humble and contrite heart, which is where the Lord abides (Isa 57:15, Isa 66:2, Jas 4:6).
Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit [Eph 2:6], to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
God must be the one who chooses where we go and how we lay down our life and when we say “nevertheless your will be done”, we are presenting our lives a living sacrifice that is going to “a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there”. That is why we must be led by the holy spirit and commit all our ways unto God so He can direct our paths to His glory and for His name’s sake (Deu 12:11, Psa 51:16-17, Rom 8:14-15, Isa 61:1, 2Co 3:17).
Deu 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.[a broken and contrite heart will “bring all that I command you” as opposed to Saul who represents our flesh trying to please God by our own reasoning and not through obedience (1Sa 15:14, 1Sa 15:22).]
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
It was after the meat offering that “there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water”. Judgment was going to come by way of Edom but only after a seed died, represented by the meat offering that represents Christ (Joh 12:24, Isa 26:9). “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 upwardH4605 , and stood in the borderH1366” tells us that the flesh, represented by “Moabites“, has its negative version of putting on the whole armour of Ephesians 6:11 and Satan is given to gather “all that were able to put on armour” (Joe 3:2, Rev 16:13-14, Isa 63:17, Rom 9:20). The words “and upward, and stood in the border” describe when and where the spiritual battle is taking place that we are fighting (Eph 6:12), and it is at the door of our maturing hearts and minds where this persistent war is happening (Gal 5:17, Gen 4:7).
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
2Ki 3:22 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:
2Ki 3:23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
In this section of the story we see the specific way in which God deceived the Moabites into a battle they were not going to win. It was when the Moabites were “on the other side” that they saw and interpreted those waters as being the blood of kings who they believed were slain, believing they had “smitten one another:” and as such could go up to the spoil – “now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.”
This “red as blood water” symbolizes the blood of Christ for these three kings who were near it and alive and ready to make war which is what we can do when we are cleansed by the blood of Christ by being baptized into His death (Rom 6:3). That baptism makes us alive in Christ and is an ongoing process of judgment symbolized by three kings (Gal 2:20).
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
As for those “on the other side” this ‘red as blood’ view of the water symbolizes their view of the process of judgment being as the odor of death which is how they perceived the three kings to be at this point (2Co 2:15-16). This misinterpretation of the water led to their defeat, and the lesson for us is to ask God to help us to continue to correctly interpret the judgment that is upon those kings within us which is how we are to interpret the signs of the times, the wars and rumors of wars within (Mat 16:2-4).
2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?Mat 16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Mat 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
2Ki 3:24 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.
2Ki 3:25 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.
We must persist in the battle against our old man and die daily and fight a good fight of faith (Rom 12:21, 1Ti 6:12), forgetting what is behind us and “reaching forth unto those things which are before” pressing “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Php 3:13-14). That is the primary message being stated here “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.“
This passage, “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”, is the fulfillment of Elisha’s prophecy noted in 2 Kings 3:18-19 and is shown to them to be a light thing in the sight of the LORD to deliver these kings. In other words, the battle is the Lord’s all along (1Sa 17:47), the tearing down of the old self-righteous old man within us symbolized by these cities, and wells of water and good trees, just as the building up of the new man, the new Jerusalem is also of the Lord, so whether we live or die we do so unto the Lord (Psa 127:1, Rev 3:12, Rev 21:2, Rom 14:8.
1Sa 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
Then the last section of the verse says, “only in KirharasethH7025 left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it”.
According to BDB and Strong, Kirharaseth is one of the two chief strongholds of Moab, and also means ‘wall of potsherds’ or ‘fortress of earthenware’. This is telling because it symbolizes the marred vessel that must be destroyed and made anew by the Potter’s hand (Jer 18:3-4), and this is done by the word of God that breaks that first vessel of dishonor by “the slingers” who represent those who bring the word of God to us that destroys our fleshly foundations (Lev 20:2). Slingers make us think of king David slinging a stone into the giant’s head, those giants that will be bread for us (1Sa 17:24, 1Sa 17:48-49, Num 14:9).
Jer 18:3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.Lev 20:2 Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
1Sa 17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
1Sa 17:48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
1Sa 17:49 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.Num 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; [rebellion is connected to fear that we won’t overcome the giants in our land, which God tells us we will] for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
2Ki 3:26 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.
Satan knows “that he hath but a short time” (Rev 12:12) and so does the king of Moab who symbolizes our flesh that is not going to win regardless of this complete assault symbolized by “seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom” because Christ is greater than he who is in the world (1Jn 4:4). Therefore the battle will be “too sore for him“, and we will be more than conquerors through Christ over all that is in the world within us.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them [Rom 8:9]. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Despite Satan’s greatest attempts to deceive the very elect, the world will learn “but they could not” (1Jn 2:16, Mat 24:24, Act 4:27, Mat 10:28-30). Our life in Christ is one of overcoming and enduring to the end and is always to be put into the right perspective as to who is winning this battle within us, which is what these three kings teach us representing that process of judgment that leads to perfection and a victory that is given by the Lord who tells us, “And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.”
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
2Ki 3:27 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.
This horrible event symbolizes the same action of ‘offering our children on the fire’, which is what we do when we teach our children false doctrine and say that knowing the way of the heathen cultures around us is fine to embrace. Fire can represent doctrine both positively and negatively (Eze 16:21, Jer 10:2, 2Ki 17:17, Jer 5:14, Rev 13:13).
positive: Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
negative: Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
The world does have “great indignation against Israel“, the Israel of God who are hated by all men for his name’s sake (Gal 6:16, Mat 10:22).
Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Finally, brethren, stand on God’s word as Christ did when he was tempted of the devil, and pray for each other that we can endure that process of being tempted of the devil and overcome him, so that he will depart from us (Mat 4:10-11) “and they departed from him, and returned to their own land“.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Mat 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
"His Branch" 