Lesson 28 – God Reads our Hearts
Read 2 Kings 8:7-15 https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2KI.8.ESV
2 Kings 8:11 – And he fixed his gaze and stared at him, until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept.

A sick king was told Elisha was in his town. He told his trusted messenger to take gifts, go meet the holy man, and ask him what the Lord revealed to him – if the king was going to recover or not.

The king’s messenger went to meet with Elisha, bringing forty camel-loads of gifts, every choice thing he could find in his city! He stood before Elisha and said, “My king sent me to ask you if he is going to recover from his illness.”

Elisha answered, “Go and tell him he will live, but God has shown me he is going to die.” Elisha then stared hard at the messenger, reading his heart. The man dropped his eyes, feeling exposed. Then Elisha started weeping.

“Why are you weeping?” – the king’s messenger asked.

Elisha replied, “Because I know the evil you are going to do to the people of Israel: Burn our forts, murder our young people, kill our infants and rip open our expectant mothers.”

From 1 Samuel 16:7 – For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

The king’s messenger was shocked, and said, “I am no more powerful than a stray dog; how would I do these terrible things?”

Elisha responded, “God has shown me you will be king.”


The trusted messenger returned to his king and assured him he would live. But the very next day, he soaked a quilt with water, put it over the king’s face as he slept, and suffocated him. The king’s messenger was now king, just as God had revealed to Elisha.

In Luke 6:6-11 we read one of many times when Jesus knew the thoughts of the people around Him. This time He healed a man without even touching him, even though He knew they would accuse Him of doing wrong by working on the Sabbath day.

*How are you encouraged realizing God knows your heart better than you do yourself, yet still loves you?
*When have you become impatient waiting for God to fulfill His promise, and taken things into your own hands? What happened?