The Kenneled Dog
II Ki 8:13
13 So Hazael said, "But what is your servant-- a dog, that he should do this gross thing?" And Elisha answered, "The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Syria."
1. The Hidden Dog
A. Elisha’s Glory
a. Elisha here in our text is at the height of his glory
b. He was the most powerful man in the kingdom, and men in other kingdoms who sought evil to Israel feared him more than they did kings or generals
c. When the news came to the old king, Ben-hadad, in his palace, that Elisha had come to Damascus, it aroused this old king to action
d. The king was old and sick, and he desired to know whether this illness that he had was going to kill him or would he live
i. So he turned to his private secretary, Hazael, a young man who had served him faithfully for years
ii. And to whom he had entrusted great power, and said…
II Ki 8:8-9
8 And the king said to Hazael, "Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, ’Shall I recover from this disease?’"
9 So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, "Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ’Shall I recover from this disease?’"
B. The Deep Stare
a. Elisha replied that he could tell his master that there was nothing in his disease that would necessarily kill him
b. But that the Lord had made known to him, the prophet, that the king would surely die
c. Then the set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; II Ki 8:11
d. He is staring deep into his eyes…and all of a sudden Elisha begins to weep
i. Hazael is astonished and asks Elisha, “Why is my lord weeping?”
ii. After Elisha composes himself – he tells him that he is weeping because he perceived the horrid cruelty and the abominable deeds which Hazael would do to the people of Israel
iii. And he begins to run down the list of vile and brutal things that he shall do to the nation
iv. And this is when Hazael drew back, I’m sure in horror and says, “But what is your servant-- a dog, that he should do this gross thing?”
C. The Prophesy and it’s Fulfillment
a. Elisha tells him in length that he would be king of the country…and after he comes into power he would become the monster, the Hitler, he had just pictured
b. Elisha’s prophesy came true…Hazael went home – his mind thinking, pondering…
c. All the ambitions, all the dreams-of-ambitions and lusts that had been lying dormant for years were now beginning to spring up
d. All night, I’m sure, he plotted and wondered how this might all come to pass
i. And all of a sudden, it comes to his mind…the king is sick and weak
ii. So he goes into the king’s chambers, send the servant away…took a towel and wet it…and all of a sudden begins to smother the king
iii. I’m sure the king begins to kick, raise his hands, but in his weak, sick and old condition, there is nothing he can do
iv. Hazael already had the army in his hand…and so the king is now dead à and we see the start of Hazael kingship…prophesy fulfilled
2. Who Let The Dogs Out
A. They Are Caged In Your Kennel
a. The lesson here this evening that I wish to emphasize is this: That , all unconsciously, the dogs of cruelty and lust and murder had been sleeping in Hazael for many years
b. He was honest, no doubt, when he drew back from Elisha and the picture he painted and cried, “Is they servant a dog?”
c. I’m sure if Elisha spoke to him he would have said, “Son, I see the dogs you do not perceive. I look down into your heart. I look down into the mirror of your soul, and I see that in the secret imagination and ambitions and desires of your heart it is a dog kennel.”
d. “The dogs lie sleeping, some of them, but the dogs are there. During all these years you have been cherishing evil thoughts and unholy ambitions the dogs have been growing for just such an hour as this….”
i. “And I see now that the time is at hand when circumstances are going to take a hand and arouse and cut the leash of the dogs in the filthy kennel of your wicked heart.”
ii. “And they shall spring forth until you shall lie and murder and do all kinds of deeds of revolting wickedness.”
B. It Applies To Today
a. This story happened many thousands of years ago…but the application is still very much alive today
b. Men still walk and work around us who have in their hearts, hidden in the deepest recesses of their souls, sleeping dogs of which they are unconscious but which threaten all their future
c. Such a life can never be safe until that heart is transformed, until it ceases to be a dog kennel and comes to be a temple which praises rise to the throne
C. The Self-Confident Man
a. Beloved, we all have this kennel living in us…desires, dreams, ambitions
b. But, if not careful…if not cautious…it can lead to a spiritual death
c. How many people have we met, not saved, or even saved, that felt they could handle sins or toy with sins
Ill: Reading about a pastor who had an unsaved friend. He was a good man, had tremendously good qualities. At one time he had been an alcoholic, but he was now in control of his life and destiny. The Pastor, more than ever, tried to lead him to Jesus, but the man refused saying, “I have total control of my life…what can go wrong.”
d. Beloved, if you are simply living life depending on self-will or living on the power of your will à you are in grave danger
i. Those old appetites and lusts are by no means dead, they are only sleeping
ii. And some day when you are overworked, some day when things aren’t going good for you
iii. One day when you are dealt a heavy blow…your heart is heavy and your heart is sick
iv. The enemy will spring forth and assault you in your weakened condition, and you will be a more helpless prey than you have ever been.
Ill: When you least expect it…you’ll be saying that song… “Who let the dogs out?”
D. The Dogs Pressing At the Gates
a. The thing about dogs in kennels or dogs tied up in the backyard…they are simply waiting for the opportunity of escape
b. Everyday they watch your movements…everyday you become predictable to them…they are scheming on ways of getting out
c. You might keep them under subjection…but the more you toy with this, the more you put of dealing with issues in your life
d. The day will come when you accidentally open the door and they will come flying out and cause all kinds of cause
Ill: The story goes on to say that this man (the pastor’s friend)…this self-confident man, went to Pennsylvania for their daughters wedding. After all was said and done, he
Suffered a great setback in his life. He didn’t know how to cope with it and so he invited his new son-in-law and daughter out for drinks. They had just come of age and so they were excited. And out they go. One night, two, three…weeks…before they knew it, they drinking from sun up to sun down. The kennel had been opened and the dogs, who by this time had grown hungry and mean, were let out with vengeance. Not only was he destroying his own life, but the life of his daughter and her new husband.
i. These dogs…from time to time would shake and growl, but to no avail
ii. They would throw themselves against the gate, but to no avail
iii. Until the distressful time, until that pressure has built up from not dealing with an issue…you become weak – and in a weak state – we simply don’t care
iv. They are locked up…begging, whining…we were strong at first
E. The Doors Come Flying Open
a. There comes a day when our moral vitality will be low
b. There comes a time when we will be morally weak and sensually strong
c. And that is the day…that the dogs will break out of the kennel
3. Putting Away the Lusts of the Flesh
A. Deal With Issues – Don’t Put Them Away
a. I am not talking about any kind of particular sin or a certain temptation
b. This is true of every sin and every ungodly desire
c. IT is true of every wicked appetite, or every evil lust
d. No man is safe who permits sleeping passions of evil to remain alive in his soul
i. It is not enough simply to chain these evil passions…the only safety is a cleansed heart
ii. Paul said….
Gal 5:16
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
B. Deal With It Severely
a. We are to deal with it severely…
1 Cor 9:27
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
(NIV) No, I beat my body and make it my slave
(TLB Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to.
b. This is what Jesus meant when he was talking to Nicodemus
John 3:3
Ye must be born again
c. It is not enough to be negatively good
e. Jesus wants confession, commitment and aggressive service for righteousness
i. We need to deal severely with issues tonight
Rom 10:10
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
