Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: II Kings 6-8
II Kings 7:20
And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
Up to this point in Scripture, Elisha performed some miraculous things.
Part the waters in Jordan with Elijah’s mantle, 2:14
Purify the waters at Jericho, 2:19-22
Called out two she bears that consumed those hoodlums at Bethel, 2:23-24
Filled those empty ditches with water, 3:16-27
Filled empty vessels with oil for the widow, 4:4-7
Raised that dead boy back to life at Shunem, 4:18-21, 32-37
Cured the poisonous stew at Gilgal, 4:38-41
Fed 100 men from 20 loaves and a sack of corn, 4:42-44
Healed Naaman of leprosy, 5:1-14
Predicted that Gehazi would become a leper, 5:15-27
Caused an axe head to swim in the Jordan, 6:1-7
Revealed the secret war plans of Syria to the King, 6:8-12
Prayed God would open his servant’s eyes to see the Celestial army, 6:13-17
Blinding and capturing the entire Syrian army, 6:18-23.
These all were a testimony to the power and leadership of God in his life and ministry. A person would think that word would have circulated; Elisha has the power of God and speaks the Word of God!
But the King of Israel, Ahaziah, the son of Ahab sent a messenger to kill Elisha, at best they had not heard, at worst they heard of Elisha’s exploits and disbelieved them. Probably the latter, for in the very least, the king of Israel saw the Syrian prisoners that Elisha marched into their capital city of Samaria.
The messenger mocked Elisha when he said the famine would be over tomorrow. He didn’t believe God’s man, and he died for it, just as the Man of God said he would. He could have believed but he rejected.
The same is true today. Many have read about the great acts of God in the Bible, they may have even experienced a miracle or two of God. Yet they choose not to believe the simple words of the Word of God, or the man of God as he preaches the Word of God. They reject even the Holy Spirit’s leadership and do not live by faith that the Spirit gives. Therefore, they sometimes die physically. But worse, they may die spiritually, eternally, if they never come to believe God’s simple words. Like: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) Or, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Simple words they are, but they speak volumes. There are many other verses and stories just as simple. Simple, but hard to believe in the self-assured, and “prove it to me” society in which we live.
The messenger died just as prophesied. Let his story be a warning, to simply believe God’s simple words of salvation.
Dr. William T. Howe