How Does God Work – 2 Kings 3 (2026.05.31)
Introduction
Scripture
Turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings 3 as we continue our study of the phenomenal lives of the great prophets, Elijah and Elisha.
Hook
Reasons not to study the lives of Elijah and Elisha?
We do not have their prophetic office today.
Elijah and Elisha spoke with an authority and power that no minister or Christian speaks today.
Today, we have God's word to speak with authority and power.
You should be nervous when someone says, "God said..." and they do not follow that with a Bible verse.
**1 and 2 Kings do not give us direct commands of life principles.
These are books of sacred history not direct instruction for today.
The cultural battles are different today.
Baal worship, dynastic monarchy, agrarian fertility religion, prophetic guilds, and covenantal judgment on Israel are not the immediate setting of the modern church.
The prophets’ miracles are not normal Christian experience.
There are only a few periods of biblical history when supernatural miracles are common.
Elijah and Elisha were a part of one of those periods.
We are not living in the same kind of historical period today.
God still does miracles as he has throughout history...
But the style and frequency of the miracles is not the same.
So, why study the lives of these prophets?
Well, first, it is God's word.
But, secondly, when we study these historical accounts, we see how God works.
We see what God honors...
What pleases him...
What glorifies him...
We learn how God defines and condemns sin...
We encounter many facets of God's grace...
We see how God loves unlikely people...
We see something of God's patience...
We are reminded that God keeps his promises...
And today we are going to learn how to make room in our lives for what only God can do.
Scripture Narrative
A. God exposes the weakness of compromised people.
2 Kings 3.1 | Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned twelve years. (CSB)
Two kings...
Mostly bad...
Joram, king of the northern kingdom, Israel...
Son of Ahab
That tells you all you want to know.
Mostly good...
Jehoshaphat, king of the southern kingdom, Judah...
2 Kings 3.2 | He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, but not like his father and mother, for he removed the sacred pillar of Baal his father had made. (CSB)
He did what was evil in the Lord's sight...
As we learned last week, sin is defined by the Lord and revealed in his word.
2 Kings 3.3 | Nevertheless, Joram clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. He did not turn away from them. (CSB)
Partial repentance is not repentance.
God is not looking for a negotiated settlement.
2 Kings 3.4 | King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams, (CSB)
Mesha, king of Moab...
This is one of those places where archaeology gives us an interesting outside witness to the biblical world.
In the 1800s, archaeologists discovered what is called the Mesha Stele, or the Moabite Stone.
It is an inscription from Moab’s point of view that mentions Mesha, Moab’s conflict with Israel, and Moab’s desire to throw off Israelite control.
It does not tell the story exactly the way 2 Kings tells it because it is written from king Mesha's perspective...
But it does confirm that we are dealing with real kings, real nations, real conflict, and real history.
2 Kings 3.5 | but when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. (CSB)
So, Moab rebells against Israel (the northern kingdom).
2 Kings 3.6 | So King Joram marched out from Samaria at that time and mobilized all Israel. (CSB)
2 Kings 3.7 | Then he sent a message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” Jehoshaphat said, “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” (CSB)
2 Kings 3.8 | He asked, “Which route should we take?” He replied, “The route of the Wilderness of Edom.” (CSB)
This is a strategic decision.
They do not take the most direct route.
They go around through Edom, likely to attack Moab from a less expected direction.
Edom becomes involved as well.
Strategically, it may make sense.
Practically, it puts them in a desert.
This may have looked like good strategy on a map, but it put the entire army in a place where water would become a matter of life and death.
2 Kings 3.9 | So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out. After they had traveled their indirect route for seven days, they had no water for the army or the animals with them. (CSB)
Man is often weak even at his strongest.
2 Kings 3.10 | Then the king of Israel said, “Oh no, the Lord has summoned these three kings, only to hand them over to Moab.” (CSB)
Men often blame providence for troubles caused by their own folly.
And then there is no repentance, only despair.
B. God speaks through his appointed word.
2 Kings 3.11 | But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here? Let’s inquire of the Lord through him.” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat, who used to pour water on Elijah’s hands, is here.” (CSB)
Trouble can drive the spiritual man nearer to God.
Joram panics but Jehoshaphat seeks a word from the Lord.
2 Kings 3.12 | Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to him. (CSB)
Kings usually summon others.
Here the kings go to the prophet.
The word of God stands above the thrones of men.
2 Kings 3.13 | However, Elisha said to King Joram of Israel, “What do we have in common? Go to the prophets of your father and your mother!” But the king of Israel replied, “No, because it is the Lord who has summoned these three kings to hand them over to Moab.” (CSB)
2 Kings 3.14 | Elisha responded, “By the life of the Lord of Armies, before whom I stand: If I did not have respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I wouldn’t look at you; I would not take notice of you.(CSB)
Notice something interesting here...
Joram was beyond the help of God's word.
Why?
Because he only called on God when he had an emergency.
2 Kings 3.15 | Now, bring me a musician.” While the musician played, the Lord’s hand came on Elisha. (CSB)
Elisha waits until he is spiritually fit to speak.
Spurgeon notes that Elisha was agitated by the sight of Joram, so he asks for a musician.
The idea is that the preacher or prophet must not speak merely from personal irritation, but as a vessel fit for the Spirit’s word.
C. God calls for faith-filled preparation.
2 Kings 3.16 | Then he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.’ (CSB)
The command is real.
The ditches will become the means by which they receive God’s provision.
But the ditches do not cause the water.
Their digging is obedience, not magic.
The miracle is still God’s work.
2 Kings 3.17 | For the Lord says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the wadi will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’ (CSB)
God will provide water without visible weather.
No wind.
No rain.
No obvious natural explanation from their vantage point.
God is not limited to the means they expect.
D. God provides in ways that display his ease and power.
2 Kings 3.18 | This is easy in the Lord’s sight. He will also hand Moab over to you. (CSB)
This is a major theological verse.
Water in the desert seems impossible to them.
To the Lord, it is a light thing.
God does not merely address the immediate survival need.
He also promises victory over Moab.
The people did not deserve this miracle provision.
Do not hear this message about making room for what only God can do and think that you can somehow earn or deserve God to work.
This is a story about grace not merit!
2 Kings 3.19 | Then you will attack every fortified city and every choice city. You will cut down every good tree and stop up every spring. You will ruin every good piece of land with stones.” (CSB)
This is pretty severe.
This begs for another sermon.
2 Kings 3.20 | About the time for the grain offering the next morning, water suddenly came from the direction of Edom and filled the land. (CSB)
The water came just as God said. No rain. No wind. No visible storm. But the valley filled with water.
Making Room for What Only God Can Do
Let's expand on the faith-filled preparation we saw in 3.16–17...
I. Faith-fueled Obedience
2 Kings 3.16 | Then he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.’ (CSB)
Dig ditch after ditch...
Two-Sided Coin
Notice two sides of a coin I'm calling faith-fueled obedience...
First, why would these hot, tired, thirsty soldiers dig a bunch of ditches in the bone-dry desert with no clouds in the sky?
They had faith in the words of the prophet and the promise of God.
So, one side of the coin was FAITH.
Second, how did these tired and thirsty soldiers demonstrate their faith?
They dug a bunch of ditches.
So, the other side of the coin was OBEDIENCE.
Both sides of the coin are necessary.
You cannot have just one side...
You do not have just one side...
Making Room for the Lord's Work
God is honored by faith-fueled obedience and faith-fueled obedience makes room for what only God can do.
What do we take from this?
Faith-fueled obedience is a MUSCLE we must develop.
When you obey, you strength your faith.
When you live by faith, you fuel your obedience.
II. First Step Obedience
2 Kings 3.16 | Then he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.’ (CSB)
The just shall live by Faith
One of the most important principles in the Bible is found first in the book of Habbakuk...
Habakkuk 2.4 | Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.(CSB)
It is repeated three times in the New Testament...
Romans 1.17 | For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. (CSB)
Galatians 3.11 | Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith. (CSB)
Hebrews 10.38 | But my righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. (CSB)
So, if we are going to live by faith, what exactly does that mean?
In the simplest terms, it means WE GO FIRST.
If God went first, it would not be faith.
Piggy Back Point
This point really piggy backs on the previous one...
But the instruction I want to highlight....
Faith is not just expressed in obedience...
Faith is expressed in obedience before there is any indication of God's hand.
III. Full Obedience
Scripture
2 Kings 3.16 | Then he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.’ (CSB)
Ditch after ditch...
One more step...
Not only was their faith expressed in first-obedience...
Their faith was expressed in full obedience.
God did not say...
“Scratch the surface.”
“Dig one ditch.”
“Make a symbolic gesture.”
“Do just enough to say you tried.”
The command was...
“Dig ditch after ditch.”
In other words...
Fill the valley with preparation.
Make room for what only God can send.
Obey beyond what feels efficient.
Obey beyond what feels necessary.
Obey beyond what you can presently explain.
Full obedience keeps going when partial obedience wants to stop.
Imagine the scene.
They are tired.
They are thirsty.
The animals are thirsty.
The army has been marching for seven days.
They are not standing beside flowing water.
They are standing in a dry wadi.
And God’s word is not...
“Drink.”
“Rest.”
“Watch.”
“Wait.”
God’s word is...
“Dig.”
And not just dig once.
Dig ditch after ditch.
That means faith did not merely have to begin.
Faith had to continue.
The first ditch required obedience.
But the second ditch required a greater obedience.
And the third.
And the fourth.
And every ditch after that.
This is where obedience is often tested.
Many people are willing to obey God at the beginning.
They will start.
They will take the first step.
They will make the first commitment.
They will pray the first prayer.
They will have the first conversation.
They will make the first change.
But then obedience becomes repetitive.
It becomes costly.
It becomes tiring.
It becomes unglamorous.
It becomes ditch after ditch after ditch.
And that is where we discover whether we WANTED to obey God...
Or whether we only wanted to feel like we had obeyed God.
They did not take the minimum path.
They did not look for half-way obedience.
They did not look for shortcuts.
They did not ask...
“How little can we dig and still technically obey?”
“What is the minimum number of ditches required?”
“Can we dig one ditch and call that faith?”
“Can we make this easier and still say we trusted God?”
That is often how the heart tries to negotiate with God.
We do not always say, “I will not obey.”
Sometimes we say, “How little obedience can I offer and still feel obedient?”
But faith does not ask, “What is the least I can do?”
Faith asks, “What has God said?”
Full obedience does not produce the miracle, but it prepares for God’s provision.
This is important.
The ditches did not create the water.
The ditches did not earn the water.
The ditches did not force God’s hand.
God was the one who sent the water.
God was the one who filled the valley.
God was the one who provided what they could never produce.
But the ditches were the place where God’s provision would be received.
So the issue was not...
“Can you make water?”
The issue was...
“Will you obey the God who can?”
This protects the application.
We are not saying...
“If you dig enough ditches, God will give you whatever you want.”
“If you work hard enough, you can guarantee a miracle.”
“If you do your part, God is obligated to do his.”
No!
We are saying...
God honors faith that takes him at his word.
God’s people should obey fully, even when they cannot yet see how God will provide.
Faith prepares for what only God can do.
This is not unusual in Scripture.
Noah had to build the ark BEFORE the flood came.
Israel had to put blood on the doorposts BEFORE the death angel passed over.
Israel had to step toward the Red Sea BEFORE the sea opened.
The priests had to step into the Jordan BEFORE the waters stopped.
The servants at Cana had to fill the jars with water BEFORE Jesus turned the water into wine.
The man with the withered hand had to stretch out his hand BEFORE it was restored.
In each case, obedience did not replace God’s power.
Obedience positioned people to receive what only God could do.
Pastoral application
Some of us want God’s provision, but we resist God’s preparation.
We want God to fill the valley, but we do not want to dig the ditches.
We want God to bless our marriages, but we do not want to practice repentance, forgiveness, and humility.
We want God to strengthen our faith, but we do not want to open the Bible, pray, worship, confess sin, and obey the next command.
We want God to use our lives, but we do not want the slow, hidden work of faithfulness.
We want water in the valley.
But God says, “Dig.”
IV. Cooperative Obedience
2 Kings 3.16 | Then he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.’ (CSB)
How could this whole venture have failed?
What could have halted the work?
Everyone could have assumed that the ditch digging was something someone else would do.
People who were not digging could have criticized the technique of those who were digging.
They could have bickered over who was supposed to dig where.
They could have been mad because they perceived others were not digging as hard as they were digging.
They could have complained that some people had shovels while they were left to dig with their hands.
Listen, I've been a pastor long enough to know that these things would not have just been possibilities...
They would have been probabilities.
Application for you...
Let me give you a "do not" and a "do..."
DO NOT allow someone else's disobedience rob you of your opportunity to honor the Lord with your obedience.
DO let your faith-fueled obedience be a blessing to others who may have weaker faith.
Application for US...
The work of the church is so important...
Our city is a mass of people stranded in the desert without water!
SFA is a mass of people stranded in the desert without water!
Our nation is a mass of people stranded in the desert without water!
Your family is a mass of people stranded in the desert without water!
We must fill this city full of ditches!
We need everyone digging...
Find a place of service and dig...
Make a financial commitment to dig and GIVE...
Invite friends and neighbors to weekly worship...
Do not...
Do not expect others to do the digging...
Do not be critical of how others are digging...
Do not think your digging is more or less important than the digging of others...
God will give the water if we all dig obediently!
Why do I love VBS?
Obvious reason: Children are being taught the word of God and hearing the gospel.
Just as important reason...
It is a picture of how the church can and should dig ditches...
Melanie's team...
200 volunteers...
10,000 work-hours...
Significant giving...
Thousands of direct dollars...
Tens of thousands of indirect dollars...
Millions of supporting dollars...
Decades of investing in the heritage of a safe, organized, Bible-focused, fun experience...
How many thousands of volunteers and millions of dollars made this possible?
Conclusion
Gospel
Scripture
2 Kings 3.14 | Elisha responded, “By the life of the Lord of Armies, before whom I stand: If I did not have respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I wouldn’t look at you; I would not take notice of you. (CSB)
Notice what just happened?
God blessed Joram because of Jehoshaphat...
GOD WANTS TO BLESS YOU BECAUSE OF JESUS!