Angels In War (The First World War) Part 2

So one night when it was very dark, the king of Syria sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. When the prophet's servant got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses and chariots everywhere.

'Alas, my master!' he cried out to Elisha. 'What shall we do now?'

'Don't panic!' Elisha told him. 'Our army is greater than theirs!'

The servant couldn't believe his ears. Was the prophet mad? In answer, the prophet prayed: 'Lord open the young man's eyes and let him see.'

The Lord opened the young man's eyes, and he saw horses of fire and chariots of fire everywhere upon the mountain!

As the Syrian army advanced upon them, Elisha prayed: 'Lord please make them blind!' and God did. Then Elisha went out and told them, 'You've come the wrong way! This isn't the right city. Follow me and I will take you to the man you're looking for!' He led them to Samaria!

As soon as they arrived, Elisha prayed, 'Lord, now open their eyes and let them recognise where they are.' The Lord did, and to their consternation they were in Samaria right by the strong capital city of Israel!

When the king of Israel saw that the Syrians were at his mercy, he shouted over to Elisha, 'Oh, sir, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them?'

'Certainly not!' Elisha told him. 'Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them back home!'

Well the king did more than that. He made them a great feast and then sent them back home to their king. The Syrian raiders were quite flummoxed. They did not know how to react to such kindness, so they stayed away from the land of Israel.

Unbelief Leads To More Evidence

Of course there are many who find it difficult to believe such stories in the Bible. Such events are outside their everyday experiences. It was the same in the First World War. An outburst of discussion appeared in the newspapers. Some were suggesting naturalistic explanations. So because of this a private soldier, Robert Cleaver, swore the following affidavit. It was printed in the daily newspapers, and years later a copy of it was sent to me by Mr C. J. Atton of Prestatyn:

AFFIDAVIT. I, Robert Cleaver No. 10515, a private in the 1st Cheshire Regiment of His Majesty's Army, make oath and say as follows: That I personally was at Mons and saw the vision of angels with my own eyes. Sworn at Kinmel Park in the County of Flint this 20th day of August 1915. Robert Cleaver. Before me Geo S. Hazelhurst, one of his majesties Justices of the Peace, acting in and for the County of Flint.

In an interview with Mr Hazelhurst, Private Cleaver explained that things were at their bleakest with our troops. If it hadn't been for this supernatural intervention they would have been annihilated. Suddenly the vision came between them and the German cavalry.