LEAKING AND FAKE NEWS

I Was Just Thinking About – LEAKS AND FAKE NEWS.

The whole idea of leaking that which is deemed to be classified or secret is not new. The same is true of leaking that which is thought to be damaging to another person. There are some interesting illustrations of this in Scripture when information without any foundation was passed along as fact when in reality it was fiction.

The assumption that the very nature of man will allow for leaks and false accusations is clear. Exodus 20:16 states tersely: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Exodus 23:1 adds: “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.”

II Kings 6:8-14 gives this account of the secrets plans of the King of Aram being shared with the King of Israel. When his planned attack had been thwarted, the text shares: “Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them: Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his servants said: No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” When the King hears this, his decision is to find Elisha in order to kill him. When he learns that Elisha is in Dothan, the text indicates the King of Aram: “sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.”

What the King was failing to grasp was the Omniscience and Power of God. No man or army will prevent God from being God. That which follows is too often the first instinct and reaction of God’s people today. They see the vastness of a problem and conclude they are not equal or able to do anything about it – and – they are correct! They can’t – but – God can! II Kings 6:15-17 indicates: “Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him: Alas, my master! What shall we do? So he answered: Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Then Elisha prayed and said: O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see. And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

I often think of the worship chorus that echoes this prayer:

Open our eyes, Lord, We want to see Jesus;

To reach out and touch Him and say that we love Him.

Open our ears, Lord and help us to listen;

Open our eyes, Lord, We want to see Jesus. 

I also think of Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who is able to do infinitely (immeasurably) more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory…” We can trust him to do that today!

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.