Have you ever found yourself in a fit of rage, spitting words of fire or maybe even throwing punches at someone whom you loved deeply? Later, after your fury subsided, did you wonder what came over you? How you could have done and said such evil things? 

In 2 Kings 8, Hazael, second in command to the king, discovered two bits of news regarding his future from Elisha the prophet. Elisha gave him the bad news first: “You will set fire to [Israel’s] fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground and rip open their pregnant women” (verse 12). Hazael was astonished! How could he do any such evil? He had no power. Then Elisha gives him the good news: you will become king. 

Murder and destruction may not have been a part of Hazael’s character before, but it is amazing what power, authority and money can lead a person to do. To speed up his kingship, Hazael takes matters into his own hands and kills the king the following day so that he could begin his reign. 

When we allow our anger, desires or temptations to take root in our hearts, sin takes hold and brings destruction to our lives. We can become comfortable doing unthinkable things to those we love and before we know it, we don’t even recognize the person we’ve become. 

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). The armor of God can prevent us from becoming someone we never intended to be. 

Lucie Rogers

Extended Scripture: 2 Kings 6–8