Passage: 2 Kings 3

The Big Idea

God promised three kings, stranded in the desert without water, that He would fill a dry valley with water and give them victory over Moab. But first they had to dig ditches: prepare a place to hold what God would give. Digging ditches pictures humility and faith: breaking up the hard ground, emptying out the dirt of self-reliance, then waiting for the promised water. The water came at the hour of the morning offering, pointing to the sacrifice of Jesus as the source of all grace. The same sight of “blood” meant defeat for Moab and victory for Israel. The servant of Jesus teaches people to dig ditches.

The Lesson

God’s miraculous supply of living water and victory over enemies is promised by His Word. But He asks something of us: dig ditches and wait. Prepare a place to hold the water.

Humility and faith are how a heart prepares to be blessed by God. And that’s how the servant of Jesus must teach people to get ready for what God wants to do. Prepare the way of the Lord!

Three Kings in the Desert (3:1-10)

Jehoram, son of Ahab, became king of Israel. He did evil, though not as badly as his father and mother; he removed the pillar of Baal his father had made. But he held on to the sins of Jeroboam, the golden-calf worship that led Israel astray.

Mesha, king of Moab, a sheep breeder, had been paying Israel a huge tribute of lambs and wool. When Ahab died, Moab rebelled. So Jehoram mustered Israel and asked Jehoshaphat, the godly king of Judah, to join him. Jehoshaphat said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” They chose to go the long way, through the wilderness of Edom, with the king of Edom joining them.

After a seven-day roundabout march, there was no water for the army or the animals.

The king of Israel cried, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings together to hand them over to Moab!” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here, so we can inquire of the Lord?” One of Jehoram’s servants said, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on Elijah’s hands.” Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.”

Two perspectives on the same crisis, as Bible teacher David Guzik notes: both kings saw a spiritual dimension to it. Jehoram thought God was the problem and should be avoided. Jehoshaphat thought God was the answer and should be sought.

“Bring Me a Musician” (3:11-15)

The three kings went down to Elisha. Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and mother!” But the king said, “No, the Lord has brought us here to hand us over to Moab.” Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, if I didn’t respect Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I wouldn’t even look at you. But now bring me a musician.”

Elisha is honest about how these kings have lived.
One served God; the other served idols.
Elisha doesn’t pretend all people are the same. In a real sense, we’re defined by what we worship.
But Elisha knows his job is to bring people to the Lord!
You don’t have to approve of everything people do in order to lovingly point them to Jesus.

He asks for a musician.

This was for praise and thanksgiving. God loves to hear His people sing!
Elisha was committed to worshiping God before seeking an answer: “Before I bring my need, I’ll bring my heart.”
Why do we sing praise first when we gather? Because praising God is the highest and greatest thing any person can do.
Heaven is simply praising God with perfect ability, understanding and access.

A saying often attributed to Spurgeon puts it this way: praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song; by grace we learn to sing, and in glory we continue singing.

There’s also an old verse sometimes credited to him, describing the many reasons people go to church: some to take a walk, some to laugh and talk, some to meet a friend, some to pass the time, some to hide a fault, some to observe, some to doze and nod, but “the wise go there to worship God.”

We need to praise God with all our heart, strength and life!

To praise Jesus, we empty ourselves of ourselves.
We can’t be self-conscious about our status or image. We let go and focus all our heart on God’s glory and worth.
“What do I get out of worship?” That’s not the point! He deserves it.
When we love something, we praise it, and we do it an injustice if our praise is half-hearted.
And if someone can’t appreciate the beauty of a Rembrandt or Mozart, we think they’ve missed something. How much more with God!

Dig Ditches (3:15-19)

When the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha, and he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ For the Lord says, ‘You won’t see wind or rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, so you, your cattle and your animals can drink.’ And this is a small thing in the Lord’s sight. He will also hand Moab over to you.” He told them they would conquer Moab’s cities, cut down its good trees, stop up its springs and ruin its fields with stones.

Let’s think about digging ditches.

You have to break up the hard ground.
This pictures seeing our sin honestly.
We have to be convinced of our failure to keep God’s law perfectly.
We can’t think we’re fine. We can’t minimize our offense against God.
You have to empty a place that was full of dirt.
What did God make us from? Dust (Genesis 2:7).
This is an active humility: recognizing our failure, then digging out everything we’ve filled our lives with instead of God: trust in self, degrees, talents, abilities, experience, status, money and possessions.
Then you wait for water.

Humility: empty your heart of self.

Faith: wait on the water the Lord promised, the miracle He said He’d do.

Humility and faith are how we interact with the New Covenant.

Not going to church or reading the Bible more than our neighbor.
Not adopting religious clothes or a monk’s haircut.
Humility and faith is it!

The servant of Jesus teaches people to dig ditches!

“What do I need in order to receive God’s grace and help?” Dig ditches! That is, humility and faith.

At the Hour of the Offering (3:20)

In the morning, about the time the grain offering was offered, suddenly water came from the direction of Edom, and the land was filled with water.

This is important. The miracle is closely connected to the sacrifice!

The morning offering pointed to Jesus. He said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).
His sacrifice brings us life. His death on the cross is the source of the “water,” the grace we need.
His life replaces our poisoned, cursed life with His pure and holy life.
Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4).
The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:11).
God gave us this story to point to the necessity of Jesus’ sacrifice.
His life is the grace. His Spirit is the help.

Blood: Defeat or Victory (3:21-27)

When Moab heard the kings were coming, they gathered everyone able to fight. Early in the morning, the sun shone on the water, and to the Moabites it looked red as blood. They said, “This is blood! The kings must have fought and killed each other. Now, Moab, to the plunder!” But when they reached Israel’s camp, Israel rose up and drove them back, and invaded their land. In desperation the king of Moab sacrificed his oldest son on the city wall, and the campaign ended.

Isn’t it striking? The same sight of “blood” meant different things to different people.
To some it spoke of death. To others it brought victory!
It’s only a blessing to those who dug ditches.

The blood of Jesus is the same. To those who refuse Him, the cross looks like defeat. To those who humble themselves and trust Him, it’s victory (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Dig Ditches Daily

We need to dig ditches every day. Ask yourself: What do I need from my loving Father? What areas of my heart need His changing, healing or saving power?

Remember the rich ruler who asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus reminded him of the commandments, and he said, “I’ve kept all these since I was young” (Luke 18:18-21).

It’s not about performance. It’s about digging ditches. So Jesus taught him to dig.

Jesus said, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have, give to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” But when he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very rich (Luke 18:22-23).

The problem was in the heart. There was no humility and faith.
He didn’t feel his need for God, and he didn’t trust God.

Do you need God?

Does God’s law convict you?
Does your conscience?
Have you been hurt by people or circumstances?

Do you trust God?

Have you seen His promises in His Word?
Will you put your trust in them?

God’s water is coming! His grace is available!

All Jesus asks is that we respond: dig the ditches. We don’t say, “That’s not how I want to do it.” We surrender. Full surrender.

Grace Takeaway

There may be no wind and no rain in sight, but God has promised water. He doesn’t ask you to make it rain; He asks you to dig: to break up the hard ground of pride, empty out the dirt of self-reliance and wait in faith. Then, flowing from the sacrifice of Jesus, His grace will fill every ditch you’ve dug. Make your valley full of ditches today.

For Discussion

Who are the “Jehorams” and “Jehoshaphats” in a crisis? Do you tend to avoid God or seek Him when trouble comes?
Why do you think Elisha asked for a musician before giving God’s word?
What “hard ground” or “dirt” in your life needs to be dug out to make room for God’s grace?
How does the timing of the water (the morning offering) point to Jesus?

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Elisha’s Fourth Miracle: The Valley of Ditches