It's Amazing What People Do and Don't Do

Concluding our series of messages on the life of Elisa, A Life of Amazing Faith, we find an amazing miracle from 2 Kings 6-7. This scripture shows God supernaturally stepping in to alleviate a desperate situation- something He still does today! Although some people may not notice, God calls on all of us to see and believe.

The Bible describes an awful situation: small raids on Israel had stopped, but Syria was in the midst of a serious war which had brought famine to Samaria. In their extreme hunger, the frantic people had turned to cannibalism to survive. The King blamed Elisha, who had counseled the king to wait, promising that the Lord would provide, but everyday the circumstances grew worse. The people were experiencing a soul-famine as well as a food-famine, and had turned their backs on God. There is also a similar famine in our day; despite our crises you don't see people turning their sin and crying out to God.

Elisha promised the situation would improve almost instantaneously, the king's advisor expressed his skepticism that this was possible. We must not limit God and should always believe what He is capable of. Unbelief has a price- Elisha declared that the doubting advisor would not live to partake of the food himself. Sure enough, the next day when the town learned of the food, the man was trampled in the commotion. We must have confidence in the Lord's abilities and place our complete faith in Him, because through Him nothing is impossible.

Meanwhile, four leprous men who had not heard Elisha's prediction decided they were so near death that they had nothing to lose in begging for food from the Syria army nearby. However, when they reached the camp, they were shocked to find it completely deserted. Unbeknownst to the men, the army had heard God's angel army and fled for their lives, leaving everything behind. The lepers ate their fill, but as time passed they started to have doubts. They when their actions weren't right and became convinced of their own selfishness. They decided they had to share the good news with the townsfolk, and the next day the city was miraculously able to eat, just as Elisha had predicted.

God wants us all to share His amazing message, to proclaim the good news, and God takes pleasure in using unlikely people. It's amazing when we don't believe God can meet our needs. it's amazing when we don't tell others we know the solution to their greatest need, and it's amazing when we don't see our own need.