“He prepared for them a great feast…” – 2 Kings 6:23
The Syrian army wanted to kill the king of Israel, and when they were delivered into his hand, he could have destroyed them, but instead, he prepared a feast for them. Don’t miss how this story points us to Jesus Christ and the mercy we find in Him.
The king of Syria sent “a great army” to arrest one man. That’s how it was in Gethsemane. Judas had “procured a band of soldiers” (John 18:3). That was several hundred men. And the chief priests sent “a great crowd with swords and clubs” (Mat. 26:47). Two armies to arrest one man!
Peter drew his sword, but Jesus said, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” (26:53). “Peter, what you don’t see is the hidden army that stands with me.”
Jesus could easily have destroyed His enemies, but He chose to have mercy instead. We were God’s enemies. We were blind to His glory, blind to His truth. Justice would have condemned us and destroyed us. But God is merciful. Instead of condemning us, He invites us to a feast.
God showed us mercy when we were His enemies. We can count on Him to deliver us now that we are His friends. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom. 5:10).
The armies of God are all around us. Nothing can ever touch us, unless it be the Father’s will.
Can you see how it is possible for you to show mercy to your enemies?
