war with the king of Israel, and one of
the servants of the king of Syria told him that Elisha the Prophet saw
and knew all that was planned by him against the king of Israel, and
that he told the king of Israel, so that the Syrians were never able to
catch him at a disadvantage, and defeat him. Then the king of Syria
enquired where this prophet lived, and was told that he was then at
Dothan.

"Therefore sent he thither horses and chariots, and a great host: and
they came by night and compassed the city about." Then Elisha prayed
to God to deceive and blind the eyes of the soldiers, and he went out
of the gates of Dothan to them, and said, "This is not the way, neither
is this the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you
seek." So he went before, and led them along the road to Samaria, the
capital of the king of Israel. Then he brought them all in through the
gates, and they followed, as docile as lambs, and when they were in the
market-place, he said, "Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may
see." And the Lord opened their eyes, and lo! they were in the
market-place in the midst of Samaria, and all around them were the
soldiers of their enemy, the king of Israel, with swords drawn, and in
the windows were others armed with stones and javelins and molten lead
to hurl down on them. Here was an unpleasant surprise!

The king of Israel and all his soldiers were eager to be at them and
cut them to pieces, but Elisha was too good-hearted for that, he
persuaded the king to be generous, to give them their breakfast and
send them home. So "He prepared great provisions for them; and when
they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their
master." They were lucky to be let off so easily, and they owed their
lives to there being a Saint of God there to intercede for them. But
you may be assured to their dying day they carried with them a lively
recollection of the very unpleasant surprise it was to them when their
eyes were opened, and they found themselves in the midst of their
enemies, when they fondly supposed themselves in the humble and
undefended little town of Dothan.

II. Now for you!--Whither are you going? Whither are you being led?
Are you at all aware? I very much fear that a great many of you are as
blind and as ignorant of the road you are treading as were those
soldiers of the king of Syria. You are going on headlong, chattering
with one another, laughing and