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Article Archive |
2008
Good News
by Jim Morris
In 2 Kings 6:24-7:20, the Aramean King Ben-Hadad and his army besieged Samaria. They cut off the Israelite food supply driving up the prices. Inside the city, Israel's King Joram secretly wore sackcloth as a sign of repentance although he never changed his evil ways. In fact, when he saw that hunger drove some of his people to cannibalism, he swore to murder Elisha. King Joram concluded that Elisha was praying to God, perhaps to punish Israel for her apostasy to the false god Baal. However, Elisha declared that the next day the siege would end and the prices of food would go down.
Meanwhile, there were four leprous outcasts waiting at the city gates debating on what to do. It is with these men that we may often find ourselves. How will we respond when we find ourselves in a severe trial? Perhaps we can learn from them.
First, LOOK AT ALL OF THE OPTIONS. Choose the best one. “They said to each other, 'Why stay here until we die? If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.'” (7:3-4).
Second, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE LORD. Nothing is impossible for Him. He has the love and power to help. “At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, not a man was there, for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, 'Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!' So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives” (7:5-7).
Third, RECEIVE GOD'S BLESSINGS. When God acts, it is a time of celebration and thanksgiving. Those considered “last” became the “first” to enjoy God's blessings. “The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp and entered one of the tents. They ate and drank, and carried away silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.” (7:8).
Finally, SHARE GOD'S BLESSINGS WITH OTHERS. “Then they said to each other, 'We’re not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace'” (7:9). Dare we keep the Good News of Jesus Christ to ourselves?
12-03-08
# 49
