2 Kings 8:7-15
7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.
8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die.
11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly,b until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.
12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.
14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover.
15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
From this history some points of instruction may be derived.
I. You cannot predict, from a man's early natural disposition, what he will be capable of. Nothing will save a man but firm habits, steadfast principles, and the grace of God in confirmation of them.
II. Men are capable of a course at which their whole nature revolts. But it must be through a gradual reduction to a lower condition. Men in evil courses are like persons who go down winding stairs. The upper stairs hide the lower ones, so that they see only three or four steps before them. Men go down courses of pleasure, vice, and crime, seeing only one or two steps in a whole career. This is the reason and philosophy of keeping aloof from courses which lower the moral tone of the mind. It is the early steps which lead a man to wrong under such circumstances.
III. We are all of us either advancing from strength to strength to appear before God, or we are, consciously or unconsciously, drifting further and further from the early period of innocence, from the early honour, from the early faith. Let us take heed. Let us call God to our side and yield ourselves to His will. By prayer, by faith, and by reliance on the power of God, live so that, at whatever hour the Son of man may come, He shall find you ready and willing to depart and be with Christ, which is better than life.
H. W. Beecher, Sermons,4th series, p. 413.
References: 2 Kings 8:7. A. Edersheim, Elisha the Prophet,p. 287. 2 Kings 8:9. Clergyman's Magazine,vol. xiv., p. 25. 2 Kings 8:13. S. Greg, A Layman's Legacy,p. 142; J. Fordyce, Christian World Pulpit,vol. viii., p. 323. 2 Kings 8:16. Parker, vol. viii., p. 196. 2 Kings 8:19. J. M. Neale, Sermons in Sackville College,vol. iii., p. 116. 2 Kings 8:28; 2 Kings 9:15. A. Edersheim, Elisha the Prophet,p. 287.