What Have I to Do With You?

2 Kings 3:13-14

“13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to your father’s prophets or to your mother’s.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the Lord who has summoned us, three kings, only to be handed over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not that I have regard for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would give you neither a look nor a glance.”

The three kings (the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom) had gathered their armies in response to a revolt of the Moabites and they marched them into a wilderness area with no water for the men or the animals.  

They, to say the least, were not military geniuses.  And in their time of need they remembered Elisha and went to him for help.

Elisha’s response to the kings is similar to the reply of Christ to his mother when she asked him to turn the water into wine at the wedding in Cana.  “And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what do I have to do with you?” (John 2:4).  

Elijah agreed to help the kings out of their embarrassing situation because he had a high regard for King Jehoshaphat. Christ agreed to help His mother solve an embarrassing situation because of His love for her.

Water saved the armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom.

The living waters of Christ will save the world.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)