Sometimes what we see by dawn’s early light is surprising. It may even be alarming. That’s the way it was for the servant of the prophet Elisha.

One morning he saw that an enemy force had surrounded him and his master.

The king of Aram had declared war on the king of Israel. He became frustrated when, time after time, his attempts to ambush the Israelites failed. He thought he knew the reason why.

He called his officers together and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

The answer came back: “None of us… but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” Somehow, Elisha had a way of knowing things.

Thus, Elisha became a target.

The order went out, “Go find where he is so I can send men and capture him.”

They found him. “He is in Dothan.”

Next, “The king sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.”

What chance does one or two have against an army? Elisha’s servant believed the answer was, “None!”

When the servant got up that next morning, the sight of the hostile forces terrified him. “Oh, my lord,” he asked Elisha, “what shall we do?”

In effect, Elisha told him, “Nothing! We need do nothing!”

Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”

The result? “Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

The servant was not to despair. Elisha’s words were true. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

The king of Aram had brought his human army to Dothan. The Lord of armies sent angels.

Children of the heavenly Father should not be surprised to learn of enemies gathering around them. They should remember that the most dangerous enemy is the one that cannot be seen. The greatest danger is always not to the body, but to the soul.

“I walk in danger all the way…” the hymnist wrote. We still sing those words because they still apply.

We need to realize that we live our lives surrounded by enemies. But there’s more that the Lord wants us to know.

We also live our lives surrounded by angels.

This army of angels has never tasted defeat. Never left anyone behind. Never will. Their mission is always accomplished. Their primary mission is rescue—sometimes in a surprising way.

No Aram soldiers died on that frightful day at Dothan. Instead, the Lord struck them, not with a sword, but with blindness. He showed them mercy. He gave them another chance to do right.

Elisha met the blinded soldiers with the words, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.”

He led them to Samaria. It was a trap. They could have been slaughtered there. Instead, Elisha ordered a feast to be prepared for them. When they finished eating and drinking, they returned home.

Scripture records, “So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.”

Mission accomplished.

What have we learned?

The King of angels and the Redeemer of mankind is always in control. He allows evil to exist, but his will prevails in the end.

He never abandons his people. They are ever guarded by some of the angelic troops that drove Satan and his rebel followers out of heaven.

Thus, when facing enemies, God’s people can always say, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

We just don’t see those angels.

Yet.