Elisha and the Unseen

Synopsis     2Kings 6:8-17     8/12/2019

The prophet Elisha experienced extraordinary power. For example, he was able to discern the military plans of the king of Aram. And he shared this information with the king of Israel.

The king of Aram was so frustrated that he suspected one of his generals of treacherously giving away their battle plans to Israel. But the generals were aware of Elisha’s special powers. And so, they reported to their king that he was the source.

So, the king of Aram made a plan to capture Elisha. The Aramean army surrounded Elisha’s house in the night. Upon seeing the Aramean forces, Elisha servant panicked. But Elisha consoled him by praying to God that the servant would be able to see the heavenly forces arrayed to protect them.

Accordingly, God opened the servant’s eyes. And he could see that the Aramean army was surrounded by a heavenly host of angels prepared for battle.

Elisha and the Unseen

Elisha had this extraordinary ability to see things as they truly were. His servant, however, did not.

His servant understood that Elisha had faith in God. And he obviously recognized that Elisha had remarkable power over the circumstances in his life.

But the servant didn’t actually see what Elisha saw on an ordinary basis.  And except that Elisha prayed for him, the servant could not see the reality of God and His angels working in the affairs of men.

Walking Among the Unseen

I think most people would say that they wouldn’t choose to be blind. At least in my own case, if there is something to see, I typically want to see it. In other words, if it were up to me, I would choose to see what is normally unseen.

For example, if I had an x-ray image taken of some distressed part of my body, I would choose to look at it. I would want to know what was really going on. I would incorporate that which is normally unseen into my total understanding. The x-ray image would clarify and contribute to understanding my felt experience.

In a similar way, the mass brings us face-to-face with the deepest realities of existence. Through my participation in the true presence and the communion of saints, I have a visceral experience. And this clarifies and contributes to understanding my intuitive experience of what must certainly be.

“For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.” Eph 6:12