When God Opens Our Eyes: Finding Hope in the Unseen

So much of life is shaped by what we see. What appears real to us often defines our fears and anxieties. But what if our eyes are lying to us? What if the real story isn't what we can see, but what we cannot see?

In 2 Kings 6, we encounter three groups facing fear because of what they see—or can't see. Each needs God to open their eyes to a greater reality. The powerful truth revealed in this passage is simple: The Gospel opens our eyes and disarms our fear.

God's Miraculous Redemption: When What's Lost Seems Gone Forever

The first story in 2 Kings 6:1-7 might seem insignificant at first glance. A young prophet-in-training loses a borrowed axe head in the Jordan River. While this might seem like a minor inconvenience to us today, it represented a crushing debt he couldn't repay—potentially altering the entire course of his life.

In desperation, he cries out to Elisha. The prophet throws a stick into the water, and miraculously, the iron axe head floats to the surface. What seemed irretrievably lost was restored.

Why is this seemingly small miracle recorded in Scripture?

This story carries significance on two levels:

• For Israel as a nation: It reminded exiled Israelites that what appeared irretrievably lost (their homeland) could be restored when they clung to God's prophet and His word.
• For us personally: It demonstrates that God notices and cares about our individual needs—even those that might seem trivial or insignificant.

The young prophet had invited Elisha to come along with them that day. Had Elisha not been present, what would have happened? This detail reminds us to invite Christ into our ordinary, daily lives—not just the big moments.

Where do you feel crushing debt or irretrievable loss?

Where in your life do you feel a debt you can't repay or a loss that seems permanent? The Gospel invites us to trust God's power to restore what seems broken beyond repair.

God's Supernatural Protection: When Danger Surrounds Us

The second story (verses 8-17) shows us another dimension of God's care. The Syrian army, frustrated that Elisha kept warning Israel's king about their ambush plans, surrounds the city of Dothan to capture the prophet.

When Elisha's servant sees the enemy forces surrounding them, he panics. But Elisha responds with words we should burn into our minds: "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

The servant couldn't see what Elisha saw. So Elisha prays that God would open his servant's eyes—and suddenly, the servant sees what was always there but hidden from sight: a mountain full of horses and chariots of fire, God's angel army surrounding them for protection.

Do you believe in the unseen spiritual reality around us?

Christianity is unavoidably supernatural. Angels aren't just characters in Bible stories—they're God's ongoing servants and ministers. Scripture tells us they're present when the church gathers (1 Corinthians 11) and that we join "innumerable angels in festal gathering" during worship (Hebrews 12).

The circumstances didn't change—the Syrian army was still there. The only thing that changed was what the servant could see.

Where do you feel surrounded with no way out?

What if that's not the whole picture? What if you're forgetting the God who surrounds His people with protection? What if there are ways God is guarding and sustaining you that you simply cannot see?

God's Unexpected Grace: When Enemies Become Guests

The final movement of this story (verses 18-23) delivers the most surprising twist. When the Syrians move in to capture Elisha, he prays that they would be struck with confusion. God answers, and Elisha leads the entire Syrian battalion right into Israel's capital city, Samaria.

Once inside the city walls, surrounded by Israel's army, Elisha prays that their eyes would be opened. The king of Israel is ready to slaughter them, asking Elisha, "Shall I strike them down?"

Elisha's response is shocking: "No." Instead of execution, he commands that they be fed and given water. These enemies who came to kill him receive hospitality instead of vengeance. They're sent home with full stomachs rather than facing death.

Isn't this exactly how the Gospel works?

This unexpected mercy mirrors the mission of Jesus. While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. When we deserved judgment, we received grace. That's the story of salvation in a nutshell.

The Syrian army thought they had sight and strength, but they were actually blind and helpless. Yet when their eyes were opened, they didn't see judgment—they saw grace.

Application

The haunting irony of this chapter is that those who thought they could see clearly were actually blind, while those who recognized their blindness received sight. This pattern continues today.

Questions to consider this week:

•  Where in your life do you need God to open your eyes to His redemption? What seems irretrievably lost that God might restore?
• In what areas do you feel surrounded by enemies or problems with no way out? How might God be protecting you in ways you cannot see?
• Who are the "enemies" in your life that God might be calling you to show unexpected grace? What would it look like to "prepare a table" for them instead of seeking revenge?
• Have your eyes truly been opened to the grace of God in Christ? Or are you still trusting what you think you see—your own plans, strength, and coping mechanisms?

This week, challenge yourself to pray specifically for spiritual sight. Ask God to help you see beyond your circumstances to His redemption, protection, and grace. Remember Elisha's words: "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."