Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.” – 2 Kings 13:18-19
Jehoash, king of Israel, pays the dying Elisha a visit. | WATCH ON YOUTUBE
During the visit, Elisha asks Jehoash to shoot arrows through the window. Jehoash understood that these arrows represented the Lord’s deliverance of Israel against Syria.
Then Elisha tells Jehoash to take the arrows and strike the ground. He does so three times and stops. Elisha was angry with him. Elisha tells him, Israel would enjoy only three victories over the Syrian army, instead of the many more they could have enjoyed.
King Jehoash should have continued until the prophet said enough. When God calls us to take something by faith, we need to receive it boldly. There are times when we need to persist and not stop with just a small effort. We are to keep at it, be it in the battle against sin, or growing in our Christian knowledge, or to grow in our faith. We are not to give up.
Jehoash’s excuses could have been that he was not a good or that he thought three times was enough. It could also be that Jehoash didn’t think it will do much good or that he was just not in the mood.
Do these excuses sound familiar? Let us walk by faith and ask big of God, rather than give excuses.
Lord, help come to you boldly to receive all that you have for me, I pray.
Extended Reading — 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24
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