Famine and siege were upon Samaria. The Aramean army was at the gates and the helpless king was in despair. Food had become so scarce that desperation had set in. Just think, back in better times no one could have imagined that a donkey’s head would command the outrageous price of 80 shekels. And that wasn’t the worst of it. It is in 2 Kings 6-7 that we find the prophet Elisha in the starving city. The king knew that this situation was an act of God’s judgment, and when being told of an act of cannibalism, he tore his clothes, exposing the sackcloth beneath. However, any hope that the king’s sackcloth was a sign of repentance disappeared when he did what most unhappy leaders do when they refuse to take responsibility for personal and collective spiritual bankruptcy—they blame the preacher! He went after Elisha with murderous intent. With divine foreknowledge and the brute strength of his friends against the door, the king’s messenger was slowed down long enough for the king to arrive. Elisha had good news and bad news. The good news being, in part, that the share price of donkey’s heads was going to crash, and that those 80 shekels would be able to buy a lot of wheat and barley in the market within 24 hours. The bad news was, that you shouldn’t say what comes into your head if it proves that you doubt God’s ability to change everything from complete despair to complete hope over night. Unfortunately, ‘the royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning answered the man of God and said, “Behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”’ (2Kg.2:2). Elisha replied, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it.” As prophesied he was killed. He was trampled in the human stampede rushing to get the abandoned supplies left behind by the Arameans. God had put a spirit of fear and panic in the Aramean camp and they ran away leaving everything—Samaria was saved. Man pays a high price to fuel the doubts of desperation and despair. Resources better invested in faith. God knows what He is doing!
0 Comments