IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Because of His Covenant with Abraham

Date: Apr. 3, 2025

Passage

2 Kings 13:14-25 (ESV)

14 Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”

20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

22 Now Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.

24 When Hazael king of Syria died, Ben-hadad his son became king in his place. 25 Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 13:23

But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.

Jehoash visited the dying prophet Elisha and paid his respect to him as a father and the strength of Israel. Elisha was about to die but the battle against Aram would still go on. Israel’s future seemed to be bleak. So, Elisha spurred the king, asking him to shoot an arrow toward the east and strike the ground with arrows. The arrow was a sign of the LORD’s victory for Israel over Aram. But the reluctant king struck the ground only three times. He should have done many times until Elisha had said, “Enough.” Because of Jehoash’s lack of faith and half-heartedness toward God’s deliverance, Israel would not have complete victory over Aram, but just three times. According to Elisha’s prophecy, Jehoash defeated Aram three times, taking back some of the cities the Arameans had taken from Israel.

Aram had oppressed Israel severely but could not destroy it. It was not because Israel was strong or Aram was weak, but because God was still gracious to Israel. He had compassion on them and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham. According to the Sinai covenant, Israel could have been destroyed long ago. But based on the Abrahamic covenant—the covenant of faith, God was unwilling to destroy or banish Israel from his presence.

Prayer: Lord, you are faithful to your covenant. I stand on Jesus’ new covenant in his blood by faith.

One Word: The new covenant in Jesus’ blood

Daily Bread

Where Can the Righteous Go?

Psalm 11:1-7

Key Verse: 11:7

  For the LORD is righteous;
  he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face.

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Intro Daily