I preached out of 2 Kings, parts of Chapter 6 and 7. Service was at the Waycross Rehab Chapel (nursing home).
A famine was in Samaria..it was so bad, women were eating their children. Not only was this going on but the King of Syria had sent a great Army to beseige Samaria. The King of Samaria blamed Elisha, the prophet of God, and wanted his head. The King of Samaria's plans were not carried out, and he made this statement, "Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?"
Then Elisha sent a word saying that tomorrow the famine would be over, and there would be plenty to eat. The right hand man of the king did not believe Elisha's words, and said, "Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?"
There were four leprous men who sat outside the gate. They reasoned with each other, saying why sit here until we die? If we go into the city, we die because of the famine, if we sit here we die. Let's go to the camp of the Syrians, they might save us, or kill us...it doesn't matter because we are going to die anyway.
When they entered the Syrians camp, they found it deserted (the LORD had caused the enemy to hear noises of chariots and of a great Army so the Syrians fled for their lives, leaving all their goods).
The lepers rejoiced because they had plenty (kinda like us going to an empty of people Walmart's and getting for free anything we saw). They went back to the city to share the good news.
The King of Samaria sent observers to make sure the good news was true, and it was just like the man of God, Elisha, had stated. The king's right hand man did not get to partake in any of this because he did not believe Elisha's words. The people troded upon him as they rushed out of the city to get to the food and goods the Syrians had left.
Lessons learned:
1. Yes, we have hard times and famine but the LORD can change things overnight.
2. He puts our enemies to flight
3. It pays to listen to a true man of God. His words bring hope, food and life.
4. The four lepers used by the LORD were outcasts but He chose them to bring the good news.
There was more to this wonderful service we had, Ain't God good?
Irvin aka walkin2e
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