Lessons From II Kings 6 & 7

 Introduction:

 A. In our text of II Kings 6 & 7, we learn that Samaria had been besieged by King Benhadad & the Syrian army.   6:24

            1. As a result of this siege, famine had forced starvation upon God's people.

a. Notice the extent of the famine as described in 6:25-30.

                            Boiled 1 baby

2. Sadly, King Jehoram blamed Elisha & vowed to kill him.   6:31

a. Of course Elisha was not responsible.

b. The king was actually turning on a friend!

     1. King of Syria sent Naaman, leprosy 2 Kings 5:8 

     2.  ambushing Israelites, Elisha warned him, 2 Ki 6:8

3. Elisha did what any man would do -- he took measures to prevent being killed.   6:32

B. Notice Elisha's prophecy & It's fulfillment.    7:1-20

1. Relief from the famine was promised within twenty-four hours. v. 1

2. The king's captain did not believe it  (he mocked it).   v. 2

3. The Syrian soldiers fled after hearing a noise of chariots & horses, even the noise of a great host.   vv. 6,7

a. They supposed that Israel had hired Hittite & Egyptian mercenaries to fight them.

b. In their haste, they fled leaving everything behind.

4. In verses 3-5 four lepers discovered the empty Syrian camp.

a. Keep in mind that they were starving too.

b. So they decided to go to the enemy camp.

c. Imagine their surprise finding the camp deserted.

d. They ate & drank (imagine they fairly gorged themselves) & hid some of the treasures (gold, silver & raiment), for themselves.

e. After a while they began to feel guilty & decided that they should take the good news to their hungry brethren.

5. When King Jehoram heard the news, he feared a trap. vs. 10-12

a. An investigation was made & there was no doubt about it -- the Syrians had fled.

b. The people went out & helped themselves.

6. Elisha's prophecies were fulfilled to the letter.   7:1-3, 16-20

There Are Many Lessons We Can Learn From This Event:

I. GOD'S WORD WILL COME TO PASS:

This is clearly illustrated in II Kings 7:1-3,  16-20.

What God promises will come to pass.

   2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful

 Consider some examples:

Walls of Jericho.   Josh. 6;

Heb. 11:30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Brazen serpent.   Num. 21:4-9

Naaman's leprosy.   II Kgs. 5:1-15

Naaman did not get the impression that there was healing in the water.   v. 15

It was God who healed Naaman upon the completion of his obedience & Naaman knew it.

 The fact that we may not understand it in no way detracts from God's word coming to pass.

 The king's captain did not think that God's promise could or would come to pass, but it did!

 What logical explanation is there for the examples we just noted? None!

 There are many things that we don't understand (electricity, nuclear power, etc.). Uncle Walter

 Let's make a present day application:

a. We may not understand or see any connection between being baptized & being saved, but God through Christ promises that in Mark 16:16.

b. If we believe his promises, we will be baptized; following our faith,  repentance  & confession of faith in Christ.

Beloved, rest assured that God's Word is true regardless of what you or I or anyone else thinks!

II. WE SEE THE WISDOM OF GOD:

The four lepers decided to do something.   vv. 3-5

They reasoned,  "If we sit here, we'll die.  If we go into the city we may die.  So let's go to the enemy camp.  We don't have anything to lose -- if we stay here, we'll die, & there's always a chance that the enemy will spare our lives & feed us."

Actually they had nothing to lose.

We too should be willing to at least try to do something.

Too many times we are prone to hold back & not try anything.

           "I can't"  defeats many a person before he even starts.

           Yes,  we may fail,  but at least we will fail trying!

           The person, who never tries, never accomplishes anything!

           As Christians (both individually & collectively) we have everything to gain by taking action

                           doing something.

           Let us never hold back, saying, "Let the bigger, richer, churches do it."

           Some will not obey the gospel for fear they won't be faithful or hold out.

           It's far better to fail trying than to make no effort at all & succeed at it.

           The one talent man in the parable of the talents illustrates this point.

WE LEARN THAT GREAT THINGS CAN BE DONE BY THE HUMBLE & LOWLY -- THE SO-CALLED NOBODIES:

Some are inclined to say, "Who, me?"  I can't do it, I'm a nobody

I don't have the talent for it."

         (Some suffer from a "grasshopper complex" like the ten spies of Israel.)

           Who would have ever thought that four lepers would bring such good news back to camp?

           We are reminded of Gideon.   Judges 6:15

So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."

           God can use the services of the small as well as the great.

           Christ could turn poor fishermen into fishers of men who turned the world upside down.

           God can use all of us in saving the lost.

IV. NOTICE THAT IT WASN'T HARD TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT WHERE THE FOOD WAS!

Those people were hungry -- they didn't have to be coaxed.

            Can you conceive of any of those people offer such excuses as:

                              "I would go, but I have a previous engagement..."

                              "My family/friends have dropped in & they just aren't hungry..."

                               "I would go, but I'm too tired & sleepy, & I had a bad night

                               "My husband (wife) won't go with me..."

                               "Some of those folks out there eating are hypocrites

                                                  -- I don't want anything to do with them..."

                               "I've been offended by one of them, so I'm not going..."

              When people are hungry & there's food available, you won't hear any of these lame excuses.

               They knew that their physical bodies would die without food.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if people would realize that when they let these trivial things keep them away from worship services, they are harming themselves (& perhaps others as well)?

NOTICE, THE LEPERS RESOLVED TO SO SOMETHING & THEN ACTED ON IT

THEY FOLLOWED THROUGH -- THEY PUT THEIR PLAN INTO ACTION:

They made up their minds to do something, & then did it!

             The prodigal son said,

                       "I will arise & go to my father...& he arose & came to his father."   Lk. 15:18-20

              Some say,  "I'm going to obey the gospel," but they don't (never get around to it).

              Unfaithful Christians say,  "I'm going to make things right," but they never  get around to it."

              Brethren say,  "I'm going to begin...."   But when?

Good intentions are fine if they are carried out.   But all the good intentions & resolutions in the world won't take anyone to heaven unless they are put into practice!

Let us all resolve to begin today to put our good intentions into practice.

Conclusion:

1. Let us never forget that these things  "....were written for our learning."   Rom. 15:4

2. I think there are many great lessons that can be gleaned from this text

Let's strive to benefit from them.