Jehu was anointed by God to be the new king of Israel. He even fulfilled long-awaited prophecies. But outward action alone should not be our primary evaluation of faithfulness. In the end, Jehu did not follow God nor obey with all his heart. His life is a warning about how easily we trust appearances and success and mistake them for genuine faith. 

God had had enough with the kings of Israel. They had brutalized his people, killed his prophets, and refused to honor him as God. God would now replace the house of Omri with a new king. But hanging in the story is an important question. Is this peace? How does real peace come in a broken world?

Many see the Bible's prophecies of destruction as a fickle God prone to abandon his people, but for every page of destruction, there is page after page of his divine warnings. And where God's warning is given, his messenger also wept. Elisha wept for Israel. Jesus wept for Jerusalem. Our God longs to give us a better way.

2 Kings records the collapse of the Israelite kingdoms. As their kings continued to turn away from God that collapse came in military defeat but also in moral clarity. In this week's passage, we see the inability of kings to resolve those conflicts or unravel the complicated ethical complexities. But we also discover a God who is able to save, a god who is able to reverse things in spite of the compromised people at the center.

The Syrians thought they finally had Elisha surrounded. Even Elisha's servant began to panic. But Elisha saw what others could not. He prayed for his servant and his eyes were opened. He could suddenly see the heavenly army surrounding the Syrians. 

Blindness and sight are recurring Biblical images. We come to recognize that though we see, we can be blind to so much of the truth. We pray for God to open our eyes as well. 

We live in a time when almost nothing feels impossible. Technology has given us more than any previous generation could have imagined. But the tools we use to construct our world are not the only truth. Our tools break. Our projects stop. Our technology fails. We are left like prophets of Elisha not sure where to look but discovering something new and unexpected, an ax head that floats. 

As we celebrate Easter we take a closer look at Jesus's conversations with two of his followers on the road to Emmaus. We discover how our expectations can blind us and how the surprise of resurrection empowers us to live differently. 

2 Kings repeatedly demonstrates the wisdom of servants and the foolishness of kings. The kings appear undiscerning and hostile to God, while it's the servants who understand who God is and understand the reality of their moment. 

That changes in 2 Kings 5 when a great general becomes a servant and a servant is overcome by greed. How easily we exchange what we have for what the world appears to. It is a trap, a trap that costs us far more than we receive in return. 

Naaman came expecting healing. A man of his reputation was used to getting what he want. And Naaman came prepared to pay for it. What he didn't expect was the disrespect of Elisha sending a messenger with simple orders. Naaman was offended. It took a servant to finally help him realize Elisha had given him good news. 

Having stood before kings, rulers, and officials Elisha next found himself in the company of two everyday women, both facing personal needs. 

Their situation left them confused about God's intentions but in their moment of fear, they turned to God. They feared him and clung to him. They are models for us of what to do with our own questions, doubts, and fears.