Day 329 – Provision

2 Kings 7:1 Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of JEHOVAH. Thus says JEHOVAH, ‘Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’”

 2 Then an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of Elohiym and said, “Look, if JEHOVAH would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”

  He said, “In fact, you will see it with your eyes, but you will not eat of it.”

 3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we will die there. If we sit here, we die also. Now, therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will die.”

 5 They rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there. 6 For JEHOVAH had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!” 7 Therefore, they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and fled for their lives.

 8 When these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.

 9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now, therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”

 10 Thus, they went and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, saying, “We went to the Syrian camp, and surprisingly no one was there, not a human sound—only horses and donkeys tied, and the tents intact.”

 11 The gatekeepers called out and told it to the king’s household inside.

 12 Then the king arose in the night and said to his servants, “Let me now tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know we are hungry; therefore, they went out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will catch them alive, and get into the city.’”

 13 One of his servants answered and said, “Please, let several men take five of the remaining horses which are left in the city. Look, they may either become like the multitude of Israel left in it; or indeed, I say, they may become like the multitude of Israel left from those who are consumed; so, let us send them and see.”

 14 Therefore, they took two chariots with horses; and the king sent them in the direction of the Syrian army, saying, “Go and see.”

 15 They went after them to the Jordan; and indeed, the road was full of garments and weapons which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. Thus, the messengers returned and told the king.

 16 Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. Thus, a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of JEHOVAH.

 17 Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. However, the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of Elohiym had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

 18 Thus, it happened just as the man of Elohiym had spoken to the king, saying, “Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, will be sold tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.”

 19 Then that officer had answered the man of Elohiym, and said, “Now look, if JEHOVAH would make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?”

  He had said, “In fact, you will see it with your eyes, but you will not eat of it.”

 20 Thus, it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate, and he died.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Christos – Anointed One, Messiah

God’s character:

Provider

People either believe everything they hear, or they are skeptical of everything. Skeptics don’t want to look gullible and like fools.

When Elisha told the king’s right-hand man, they would have food the following day and it would cost them little, he didn’t believe him. However, it happened exactly as Elisha told him. He didn’t see it because the people trampled him to death, going after the food.

Christians don’t want to look like fools either. When they hear something that sounds too good to be true, they test what they heard to verify it came from Yeshuwa. Those same Christians needed proof before they accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord. However, Christians who spend time in the Word recognize when Yeshuwa gives them a message and will act on it, not waiting for proof about what He told them.

The lepers were hungry and knew they would die of their disease. They decided to go to the Syrian camp, give themselves up to them and either live or die. When they went there, they fulfilled what Elisha told the officer. They started to keep the food and goods for themselves, then decided to let the gatekeepers of Israel know what they found.

You can keep Yeshuwa’s Word to yourself and not share it with others so they can benefit from what He told you, or you can let everyone know what He said to you and bless everyone you tell with the gospel of Yeshuwa Christos.

The lepers shared and everyone benefited except the officer who didn’t believe Elisha. When you hear a Word from Yeshuwa, you need to act on it, not keep it to yourself.

Let’s pray: Father, let Your Word be a fire in me that I must tell others to let them know how much You love them. Bless me when I obey what You tell me and let me bless others as You bless me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 13 December 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux