Not long after a failed attempt to capture and kill Elisha, 2 Kings 6:19-23, the city of Samaria was facing a severe famine.
The last chapter ended by telling us that the king, Jehoram, was very frustrated and recognised that everything which was happening because God was making it happen.
This chapter is a continuation of the previous chapter.
After the king said, ‘this disaster is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?’ 2 Kings 6:33, Elisha replies to him and prophesied that the famine was coming to an end very soon. In fact it was going to be the next day, that that would be the day where food would be sold for its normal price, 2 Kings 6:25.
It’s clear that the officer struggled to believe what Elisha was saying, after all there was no food to sell at this point. He was basically asking, if there is no food to sell, then, what kind of food is Elisha speaking about?
In other words, what Elisha was saying was impossible! Elisha tells him, he will see it with his own eyes but he won’t eat any of it.
These four men who had leprosy had to make a difficult decision and they came to the conclusion that they could die at the city gate or inside the city. They believe that the only chance they have to live is to beg for mercy at the camp of the Arameans.
When they arrive at the camp no one was around because God had created a great noise of an army, but they didn’t know it was God who caused the miraculous noise for the Aramean army to hear.
In the middle of the night, the Aramean soldiers assumed that the Hittites and the Egyptians had come together to help Samaria and so, in fear and confusion they ran for their lives.
Notice that the four lepers, entered a tent and then ate and drank, this tells us that Elisha’s first prophecy had been fulfilled, 2 Kings 7:1. They also took some valuables from the tents and hid them.
The four lepers know what they have done wasn’t right and they expect to get punished for what they have done. They know it is a day is a day of good news, it’s day when this good news needs to be shared with others.
When they ate and drunk and helped themselves to all the valuables, 2 Kings 7:7-8, they only thought about themselves but now they realise that this good news would actually save the lives of many others who were starving to death.
They went and told this good news to the inhabitants of Samaria, however when they first reported the news the Aramean camp was empty, Jehoram didn’t believe them, he thought it was some kind of trap set by the Arameans to entice them out of the city. As a result of his doubt, messengers were sent to find out if what the four lepers were saying was true or not.
After the messengers returned and reported that what the four lepers were saying was true, they went out of the city and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Because the Aramean soldiers heard the miraculous noise of God and though it was the Hittites and the Egyptians coming to help Samaria, the run for their lives and left everything behind.
Notice that food was sold again for its normal price, this again, shows that Elisa’s first prophecy was fulfilled, 2 Kings 7:1. The king tried to control the crowd and even appointed the captain to be in charge of the gate of the city, but he had no chance.
The multitudes were so hungry, they didn’t stop at the gate, they trampled him to death, which again, was the fulfilment of Elisha’s second prophecy, 2 Kings 7:2.
It’s such a shame that God had to let them experience this great famine, which led them to eat, unclean animals and all the horses in the city, except five. This was done to bring Israel to their knees, so that they would repent and trust God for deliverance. When they thought they were about to cease to exist God delivered them.
"But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me"