HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD
2 Kings 6:24-7:2
Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” (7:1)
chapter 6
24. Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.
25. There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a cab of seed pods for five shekels.
26. As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, "Help me, my lord the king!"
27. The king replied, "If the LORD does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?"
28. Then he asked her, "What’s the matter?" She answered, "This woman said to me, ’Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’
29. So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ’Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him."
30. When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth on his body.
31. He said, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!"
32. Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, "Don’t you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?"
33. While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him. The king said, "This disaster is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"
chapter 7
1. Elisha replied, "Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria."
2. The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, "Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" "You will see it with your own eyes," answered Elisha, "but you will not eat any of it!"
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1. The King of Aram laid siege to Samaria, the capital of Israel. The long siege created extreme famine in the city, and the people suffered unspeakably from starvation. As the helpless king of Israel was walking on the wall of the city to inspect conditions, he heard the most horrific and bleakest story of cannibalism. It must have sickened his heart. Yet, instead of turning his heart to God and waiting for God’s deliverance, he blamed God and his prophet for the whole affair and wanted to kill Elisha. This is a common response when life becomes very hard and difficult. Prolonged hardships are the times when we need to hold onto God and wait for him to help.
2. Elisha declared that within a day the siege would be over and there would be plenty to eat. After listening to Elisha, the officer scoffed at Elisha’s prophecy. He did not know that human extremity is God’s opportunity to demonstrate his power. Elisha assured the officer that the prophecy would come true, but his unbelief would cause him to miss God’s miraculous blessing. Failing to believe the promises of God results in failing to receive God’s blessings. God’s words of promise are meant to be fulfilled. We need to hold onto them and experience God’s blessings.
Prayer: Lord, help me turn my heart to you in times of difficulties, hold onto your words of promise, and wait for your help and blessing.
One Word: God can open the floodgates of heaven