The Prophet Wept

"and the man of God wept" (2 Kings 8:11)

Elisha, who had seen Elijah taken into heaven by a fiery chariot, who had raised a boy from the dead, who had prophesied before evil kings and who saw the the heavenly horses and chariots of fire that surround the faithful, wept. Before him stood a man who was going to do evil to many innocents. And Elisha wept.

"And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child." (2 Kings 8:12)

This is not the first time that a prophet of God has wept. And we shouldn't be too surprised, but God Himself weeps:

"Jesus wept" (John 11:35)

"And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept" (Moses 7:28)

Christ wept for His friend Lazarus, for the mourning sisters, Mary and Martha. God wept because, as a result of their wickedness, the people would "suffer" (Moses 7:37).

From His prophet, what can I learn about God? I learn that the God who weeps is in Old and New Testaments, in all the scriptures. Why? Because He doesn't want to see us suffer. Elisha wept because the choices of one wicked man would lead to the suffering of many. Just because God does not end our suffering immediately, or always prevent suffering, He is not immune to it, He is not without feeling.

In this, I guess that God follows His own commandment to mourn with those that mourn. And He can follow that notion exactly, for the atonement gave Jesus the perfect ability to mourn with us. Now, Elisha could have killed that man, God has been known to command that from time to time. But you know what else? That man, Hazael, he heard the prophecy, he say the prophet cry, he could have changed--but didn't.

After all is said and done, I hope that I never give God cause to cry because of my choices. I hope that I never cause suffering for His children. I hope though, that I can be like God, like Elisha, and mourn for those who have cause to mourn.