History Flowing Under God’s Sovereignty

Today's passage introduces Gresham's law, that bad money drives out good, and points to how, throughout society today, lies win out over truth and bluster over real ability. But God's work is the very opposite: he raises up one righteous person to overcome countless evils, and has believers take up the role of light and salt.

This passage begins with the story of the unnamed Shunammite woman. She obeys God's word at once, stays in a foreign land for seven years and keeps her household safe, and after returning receives the remarkable blessing of recovering the property she had lost, through Gehazi's testimony. In the story of Hazael, the Aramean commander, that follows, Elisha prophesies that he will become king, but through the way Hazael murders his master and seizes power apart from God's will, the passage shows that even under God's sovereignty, responsibility follows human choices. Finally, the record of Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, who left God, did evil, and were judged, confirms that even in a chaotic age when evil is everywhere, God alone is the ruler of history.

However full of bad money the world may be, when we live the life of good money, devoted and obedient before God to the end, God works through that small lamp. We must ask ourselves whether, without using the dark world as an excuse, we remain good money that God can take up and use, and live as good instruments to the end.