7 Then Elisha said, “Listen to the word of the Lord; thus says the Lord, ‘Tomorrow about this time a [a]measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’” 2 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?” Then he said, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat [b]of it.”
Four Lepers Relate Arameans’ Flight
3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us [c]go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die.” 5 They arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no one there. 6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.” 7 Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, even the camp just as it was, and fled for their life. 8 When these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and carried from there silver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them; and they returned and entered another tent and carried from there also, and went and hid them.
9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will[d]overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”
This text records the story of the Syrians and the Samaritans. The Syrians had so dominated the Samaritans that things could not possible be any worse. There was famine, futility, and frustration. Women were boiling their children for food. Citizens were eating literally anything they could find. Seemingly, all hope was gone.
If anyone would welcome hope, these folks would. A promise of hope was desperately needed. The people of Samaria needed help. Those who know the good news are under a obligation to pass on that news to those who do not know it.
This passage describes three types of people:
1) Those who sit in contemplation.
2) Those who get absorbed in covetousness.
3) Those who fulfill the Great Commission.
We all need hope. I don't know about you, but I thank God for the times he has sent someone to speak truth into my life. I will be preaching this text Sunday. Take some time to read and pray through it. Ask God to reveal which type of person you are. If you are not happy with what He reveals, ask God to help you become the person He wants you to be.
Serving Christ, Loving Others, and Growing Together,
Bryan
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