Three Incredible Statements (2)
The second of the three incredible statements that Elisha the prophet made in three consecutive chapters is found in 2 Kings 6:16, but the background is needed to understand the significance of the pronouncement. This event occurs during a time when the King of Syria was trying to make war against Israel. But every time he showed up to fight—Israel was somewhere else. After a few times of Israel altogether eluding him, the king of Syria thought there must be among his military leaders a traitor who was divulging his plans to the king of Israel. He begged his servants to tell him who it was (6:8-11).
One of the servants assured him that no spy was getting information out to their enemy. His problem was Elisha the prophet. He “tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom” (6:12). This is quite a remarkable admission. A servant of the king of Syria somehow came in possession of information about Elisha and his God. First of all, does the servant know that Jehovah is the true and living God? If he does, then he ought to persuade his king that fighting against God is futile.
Did some other ancient deity claim omniscience? Maybe, but this servant shows no hesitation in his affirmation that Jehovah knows all things—and that He tells what He knows to His prophet, who in turn passes it along to the king of Israel. The king of Syria ought to ask, having been apprised of this condition, that if this is the case, and Jehovah’s power matches his knowledge, why bother to attack Israel? “If God knows our military strategy and can counter it, how can we ever hope to win against Him?”
For some reason, the Syrian king did not reason that way. Instead, he asks where Elisha is, which turns out to be Dothan; therefore, he sent horses and chariots, along with a great army, there to capture him and bring him back (6:13-14). Question: Who is it that has been warning the king of Israel where the army of the Syrians is? Answer: Elisha. Question: So, what are the odds that Elisha is going to know that the king of Syria is sending an army after him? Answer: Pretty good. Question: So, why do it? Elisha could easily be gone by the time the troops arrive. Answer: The king of Syria is a slow learner?
Why is Elisha still there when the army arrives? God had apparently given him instructions which, as it turns out, will end this cat and mouse game. The Syrian troops arrive and surround the city. Elisha’s servant woke up in the morning, stepped outside, and Yikes! Syrians were everywhere. He could not find anywhere to run, hide, or escape. He exclaims to Elisha, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” Who would not either say or think these words? However, Elisha remains unruffled, answering: “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (16).
One can envision the servant looking out the window one more time. Hmm. Still there. But Elisha prayed for God to open his eyes, and He did. The mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire (invisible to the Syrians) that were there to protect Elisha. When the Syrians approached Elisha’s house, the prophet prayed: “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” One can afford to keep calm when he knows that God is with him and will work on his behalf (17-18).
The text does not mention the reaction of the Syrians to being struck blind, but it had to have an effect on them. How many men cried out in unison, “I can’t see!”? As soldiers, they probably tried to maintain discipline, but the situation lends itself to chaos. At any rate, Elisha, the man targeted to be taken to Syria as a captive, becomes the one to lead the troops to Samaria (19).
When they arrived, Elisha prayed that the men might have their sight restored to them; they looked around and discovered that they were in—Samaria! Well, they had been trying to find and engage the king of Israel. Now they have the opportunity. The only problem is that they are surrounded. The would-be capturers of the prophet were now the captors of Israel. And the king is asking excitedly, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” (21). King Jehoram must have been disappointed when Elisha said to feed them instead—and then let them go (22).
The Syrians quickly became the most surprised warriors on the planet. In the entire history of human warfare, how many armies have been captured, fed, and released? When they returned home, wow, did they ever have a tale to tell! But the point was not lost on their military. They had surrounded a city, but without a battle they themselves were struck blind—but allowed to live. “So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel” (23). They had no desire to fight someone who, despite what the numbers looked like, exercised superior power. If they chose to return to fight, they might not be treated so graciously. Sometimes it is better to quit while you are behind.
Elisha’s amazing statement in this chapter relates to God’s involvement with His followers. We do not see or know what is going on behind the scenes. Of course, in this instance God’s miraculous power was used, but God can work providentially, also. Probably, we are not surrounded by horses and chariots of fire, but angels are spirits who minister to the saints. We cannot make any claims that angels did this or that for us (especially in a miraculous way), but they may be involved in the execution of God’s providence. We cannot affirm what we cannot see, but Hebrews 1:14 indicates help of some kind. Eternity may reveal that we had more assistance than we ever knew.
The Third Statement
Eventually, the Syrians forgot the generous treatment they received at the hands of Elisha and Israel; they attacked again. Their assault was so effective that Israelites were starving to death. The famine became so severe that at least one case of cannibalism was recorded. A donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and even more grotesque items came at a high price (6:25).
But Elisha made a prophetic announcement that astounded everyone: “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria” (7:1). Most translations have either “seah” or “measure,” which is basically meaningless for most readers. The ESV says it equals about seven quarts. The point is that this much flour or barley would sell very cheaply, considering that at the moment the worst stuff available—not even usually considered edible—was quite expensive. How could the city go from famine to feast in one day’s time?
Obviously, what Elisha foretold was not a prediction made based on available data. God told him what would occur; therefore, what Elisha said would come to pass. But an officer close to the king disputed what the prophet said: “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” (7:2). Of course, every Bible student reading this chapter is thinking, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Although God asked this question in Jeremiah 32:27, the occasion we remember is the one in Genesis 18:14, when God asked Abraham why Sarah laughed when she heard that she—a barren woman past child-bearing age—would give birth to a child the next year. He asked the patriarch: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Sarah’s response would be understandable under normal circumstances. And perhaps she did not realize that one of the “men” they were entertaining was “the Angel of the Lord,” a description used of Jesus in the Old Testament. The Lord rebuked her for laughing, but no other penalty ensued.
Zacharias did not fare quite as well. He was on duty in the temple when an angel assured him that his wife (also past child-bearing age) would have a son. He made the mistake of asking, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” (Luke 1:18). Gabriel told him he would remain mute and unable to speak until the child was born “because you did not believe my words…” (v. 20).
However, God was quite lenient toward Gideon who asked for a second test after the first one worked well. In fact, God went out of His way to provide even more encouragement for Gideon to lead his men to victory. The words of the officer in 2 Kings 7 must have more of a mocking and challenging nature than these others had been because his punishment would be severe.
Elisha told him immediately: “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it” (7:2). How did verse 2 come to be fulfilled. How did so much food become available, and why couldn’t the officer partake of it? Both of these prophecies seem improbable unless one realizes they are made by a genuine prophet of God and not some self-proclaimed mystic.
The Fulfillment
So, what was the reason for the famine in the first place? The Syrians had surrounded Samaria. Something strange occurred and, not unsurprisingly, God had a hand in it. Four lepers were camped outside the city gate. They began listing their choices. First, even if they got into the city, they would starve due to the lack of food there. Second, if they remained where they were, they would die, also. The third option seemed only a little better—surrender to the enemy. But they reasoned, “If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die” (7:4).
But something happened they had not anticipated. When they arrived at the Syrian camp, no one was there (7:5). What? Impossible? The lepers went into the camp. Empty. They found a tent with food in it and ate—probably as well as they had in a long time. Then they started thinking about the wealth that surrounded them. They carried out “silver and gold and clothing” (v. 8). They saw plenty more and took a second helping, hiding what they removed.
What could have possessed the Syrians to leave so hurriedly that they left all of their food and wealth behind? “For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army…” (v. 6). The Syrians wrongly concluded that Israel had hired troops to fight them, and they skedaddled, leaving everything behind. They fled without even their horses and donkeys, so afraid were they. No enemy actually threatened them. (Do we flee from imaginary foes?)
The lepers, however, had an attack of conscience. “We are not doing right. This is a day of good news, and we remain silent” (v. 9). Think there’s a lesson in that? They decided they must share the good news with the king of Samaria, which they subsequently did. He reacted in a skeptical manner, cautiously checking out the facts. When they proved true, the people immediately rushed upon the food and the spoils. Elisha’s prophecy of the new cost of food occurred just as he had said. And the officer? He did see it, but he was trampled by the people in their haste to leave the city.
Elisha made three remarkable statements in three chapters: 1) Leprosy would be cured by dipping in the Jordan River seven times; 2) Those who are with him and his servant were more than those who are with their enemy; 3) In one day’s time food now priceless would become cheap. On the surface, none of those made sense, but they all happened just as he said they would. God is able to bring about all that He says He will do.
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