THIS IS A DAY OF GOOD NEWS (2 Kings 6:24- 33; 7:1-20)

This is a wonderful story of resurrection power and supernatural provision. During a time of great famine, God opened the windows of heaven and saved the people in the city. The King of Syria attacked and surrounded Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom. Food became scarce. The Jews do not eat donkey meat. It was forbidden in the Law of Moses. But now, the people were so hungry that they killed their donkeys. The donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung used as fuel for fire was sold for five pieces of silver. These are exorbitant prices. It was the law of supply and demand in action. If a product has a high demand and low supply, the price will increase. If there is low demand and high supply, the price will decrease. Market balancing occurs when demand and supply intersect to create a stable price. The people were so desperate that they became cannibals. Mothers and fathers lost their feelings of love towards their children. Just to survive, they killed their children and ate them. This is part of the curses send by God against His rebellious people (Deut 28:52-57). The King of Israel (Joram, perhaps) was totally helpless. This is a picture of total disaster, of death reigning in the city. Only God can help now!

There were four lepers who were sitting outside the the city gate. Because of their leprosy, they could not enter the city. They discussed their options: if they enter the city, or stay at the gate, they will die of hunger. The only option is to surrender to the enemy. Is the Syrians pity them, they will live. If not, they will kill them. Between death and death, they decided to surrender to the enemy. hey discovered that all the Syrians ran away and abandoned everything, their tents, food, weapons, horses, gold and silver. Imagine the joy! God fought their battle, and they did not even know it. God prepared for them a table on the midst of their enemies. They ate and drank wine. They hid some of the treasures. Then they felt guilty. They declared that this is the day of good news. Good news must be shared with others. They told the king’s officers about the story. Initially. There was joy in the whole city. Death has been defeated. The only man who did not partake from this celebration was the king’s chief of staff. Elisha prophesied that the next day, the price of food would go down to normal. But he doubted the prophet’s words and God’s power to open the windows of heaven. The next day, as the people found the treasures of the enemy, the price of food items dropped immediately. The chief of staff saw the miracle but could not partake in it. He was trampled to death by the mob who joyously ran to share in the bounty.

Spiritually, this is a story about sharing the Gospel with a dying world. In Greek, the word ‘Gospel’ is ‘euangelion’. It simply means ‘good news’. Once we become saved, we are supposed to do evangelism. Good news is not to be hidden or stored. It is to be shared. If you repent and believe the Gospel, you shall enter the Kingdom of God. If like the chief of staff, you reject the Gospel, you will die and go to hell. May we be willing to accept Jesus Christ and His Gospel and be saved!

Lessons: God is the God of miracles! God is a God of Grace. The king and the people inside Samaria were rebellious against God. That is why the curses of disobedience came upon them. But God still intervened by His Grace. The lepers went to the enemy to find mercy. The Syrians did not invite them, but they went anyway. How much more we should go to God, who invites us to find mercy and grace in time of need. God does not fight with spears. He fights with His Word. The Syrians heard the noise of battle, and they ran away. God can defeat any enemy, spiritual or physical. Trust Him! God cares for the needy! God supplies seed for the Sower and bread for the eater. Not to share in the good news is called the sin of silence! God’s Word in the mouth of His prophet cannot fall to the ground, powerless. Both in mercy and in judgment, God’s Word must be Fulfilled! Help is closer than you imagine! Help was at the gate! By God’s grace the rejected Lepers become saviors and heroes! God can use anyone, anytime! Worship the Lord!