Jump start # 688

2 Kings 7:9 “Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing right. This is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”

Our passage today is part of a very interesting story that has many layers to it. The scene takes place near Samaria. There was an intense famine in the land. The Bible calls it a “great famine” (6:25). The writer gives us two bleak images of the impact of this massive famine. First, there was an outrageous price for donkey’s head and dove’s dung. The thought is not that these are delicacies that only the affluent ate. Dove’s dung is called something else by kids. They will say, “bird poop,” and that’s what it is. Why eat that? Because there is nothing else to eat. It’s eat that or die.

The other picture given by the text is even worse. A baby boy was boiled and eaten by two women. And one complained to the king that the other woman wouldn’t kill and eat her son the next day. Cannibalism, the desperate measure people go through to stay alive. This was the scene in Samaria.

It gets worse. The Syrian army had surrounded the city. They were just sitting there waiting. War. Famine. Death. The look was bleak for Israel.

There is one more element that gets worse. Our passage is about four lepers who are outside the city. Leprosy the dreaded disease that was a death sentence. Their presence outside the city indicates that they had been isolated. If the folks in the city are not eating, these four lepers were not receiving any food from anyone there.

These four lepers decide to go into the Syrian camp. If they are killed, they are going to die anyway—either by the famine or by the disease. They go. God caused a mighty noise that scared the Syrians. They thought Israel had help from Egyptians and Hittites. They Syrians fled, leaving their camp and leaving their food. These four lepers find a feast. They find salvation. It is here that our passage is found. They realize that it is wrong for them not to go and tell Israel. Salvation has come.

Powerful story. Better than any movie—because it’s real and it’s from God!

1. This reminds us that problems do not come one at a time. It would be nice if they did. It would be nice if the problems waited until we had one solved and had a little break before the next came. Famines and Syrians at the same time. Leprosy, famines and Syrians. Health problems, national problems, domestic problems. Problems at work, home and church. These times can stretch us and hurt us inside and outside. No relief. No help. Only problems. Things can seem so dark. The shadows in the valleys we pass through can overcome us. Those valleys seem to last a long, long time. We are not the only ones to experience this. We are not the first to travel this road. What these four lepers learned was that God was still on the throne. Don’t turn from God, turn to Him. Worship often. Pray daily. Read His word. Surround yourself with His people.

2. Help is often found in unusual places. Who would have thought that going to the enemy there would be help. The Syrians did not have a change of heart nor a kind spot toward lepers. They ran because God caused that. God may do things that sends us to some places we would never dream of but there help is found. As we read these verses it is easy for us to simply pray that God sends food down like He did for Moses in the wilderness or, at least have someone multiply food, like Jesus did. We pray and pray and that’s not what God has in mind. We can even get upset and think that God is no longer with us. A trip to the Syrian camp was the help. Don’t give up on God nor think that He can only do things the way you want them done. God uses people, sometimes even the enemy to accomplish what He wills. Don’t limit God. Don’t put God in a box.

3. This is a day of good news! What a wonderful expression. That ought to be our thought for every Sunday—it is a day of Good news. The word ‘Gospel’ means, “good news. These four sick men realized that they had hope. It wasn’t right to keep it to themselves. They could have. They could have eaten all the food. They could have kept all the spoils that they found. Much would have gone to waste if they chose that direction. Instead, they shared the good news. Isn’t that our story and our message? We have been saved by Jesus. We have hope. We were like the four lepers who were on a death sentence. Jesus saved us. Do we keep that message to ourselves? Is it only for us? Or, do we go and tell our nation, our families and our friends? Share the message—that’s what we need to do. They realized that they were doing wrong by keeping silent. The good news had to be spread.

When we have this passion ourselves, we will tell all about Jesus.

This is a day of good news!

Roger