2 Kings 7:1–20

How will God respond to so much wickedness and rebellion? — He has His grace announced by the very man whose life the king is seeking! "But Elisha said, Hear the word of the LORD..." Yes, God proclaimed that the next day He would give plenty and satisfy the hungry poor — and their own sin was the cause of the famine.

The king has now exposed himself completely. So Elisha, who until now had "sat in his house," stays silent no longer. God's due time had come, for we read, "But Elisha said, Hear the word of the LORD." We have heard how what man says exposes the sin of his heart. Now we hear how what God says reveals the grace of His heart.

At the famine of Samaria, people found the Syrian camp deserted. Then one measure (seah) of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, 2 Kings 7:1, 16. So barley was worth half the price of wheat.

It meant salvation for the Samaritans. Nobody could doubt what it meant. Within twenty-four hours the common necessities of life would be plentiful... Those were not famine prices. The Lord says, By this time tomorrow you shall have things cheaper and better than you have ever known them before.

This message of grace says not a word about the abominations that had taken place in the city — not a word about the daring wickedness of the king. There is only the unconditional announcement of blessing, in pure sovereign grace, to the very city where sin had risen to its height. For all this blessing would appear "in the gate of Samaria."

"In the gate of Samaria!" Truly that thought is precious to the needy soul — a blessed notice of the grace of the gospel! Salvation is not to be sought either in heaven above or in the depths beneath. It has come to us... Grace brings the relief which grace has provided. The fine flour and the barley were to be had by the famished people at the very gate of their city! (See Rom. 10:6-8).

The king did not believe this message... Still, his state was not as terrible as that of this mocker, who heard His prophet proclaim the good news of the grace of God. To this man Elisha says: "You shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it." God has immense patience toward all sinners, but those who mock at Him and His Word are lost beyond remedy. At the end of this chapter we see that this man is the only one who, in a scene of deliverance and abundance, is cut off without sharing in any of it.

So the ruin of the nation had been made plain, and the grace of God announced. Now we are to see how man treats God's grace. First comes the nobleman, on whose arm the king leaned. He treats the message with mocking unbelief, and hears his doom: "You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it." Not many of the rich and great of this world are called.

Unbelief always rejects the glad tidings of God. "If the LORD himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" says the nobleman. "You tell me full deliverance is coming tomorrow — it cannot be. If it were rained down from heaven it might be. In no other way could it be 'in the gate of Samaria.'" But that is the point, the whole truth: salvation comes to the very place where you are.

The king was sceptical when he heard the news. He suspected a trick from the enemy to capture the city. It seemed really too good to be true. This kind of unbelief, however regrettable, is pardonable — otherwise where would any of us stand! In how many things do we hesitate to trust the Word of our God!

Very different was the unbelief of the nobleman on whose hand the king leaned when Elisha spoke his prophecy of grace. Elisha began with "thus says the Lord." Still the man said to the prophet, "If the LORD himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" This was outright contempt. He defied the Word of the Lord. The doom of the scorner is certain in every age.

God is able to fulfil His own predictions, and to bring the provisions of His grace within the reach of all. Only unbelief would keep anyone from the blessing. The king and the great men had dared to reason as though Elisha did not know what he was saying, and as if God were promising what He had no power to perform. Israel had lost faith in God; they had no sense of His loving-kindness any more than of His truth. Unbelief is never more hateful than where there is most light. Knowledge stands in the way. To be simple and subject to the word of God is the only sure way of blessing.

God has immense longsuffering toward all sinners. But those who mock Him and His Word are hopelessly lost. At the end of this chapter we shall see that this man is the only one who, in a scene of deliverance and abundance, is cut off without sharing in any of it.

And so it turned out for him. He was put in charge of the gate when the great supplies came into the city from the Syrian camp. The people trod on him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said. Scripture records the fact twice, and it closes the story. The three solemn words, "And he died," ring in our ears and stay in our thoughts when we have closed the Book. They are there to warn us against unbelief.

These four men were unclean, for leprosy is the picture of sin that defiles a person. Because of that, they could not live among the people; their uncleanness put them outside the gate of Samaria. At the same time, being fully leprous, they were shut out from the presence of God. Their condition was also impossible to ignore. Their sickness was so well known in Israel that no one could hide it — not from God, not from others, not from himself. And unless God stepped in Himself, beyond every human resource, it could only end in death.

They felt it, and they said it to one another. If they forced their way into the city, they would only die of famine. If they stayed where they were, death was certain. One course alone seemed open to them: to throw themselves on the mercy of the Syrians. "If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die" (2 Kings 7:4). It was the counsel of despair. To those inside the city they were outcasts; to those outside they were enemies. Yet these were the men to whom the LORD first showed His salvation.

For this purpose God takes up "four leprous men," outcasts even among the wretched people of the city. He did the same once with the chief of sinners, Saul of Tarsus, when He took him up to preach the fullest, sweetest story of grace the world has ever heard. If the shadow of death had fallen on all the city, how must it have pressed upon these forlorn men! And it is out of their despair their hope arises. Who else would have found hope in going out to the camp of the Syrians?

The sinner, convicted of sin, cannot find help and deliverance from the world, even in its religious aspect. He meets only famine and death there. He cannot stay as he is: that is death too. Ahead of him is the threat of God's judgment, and that is death — terrible and fatal death! But perhaps the Judge may have pity upon him — let him go then and cast himself down at the feet of the Judge! Let him go; he will learn that this God who is Judge is the God of love, the Saviour God!

Israel had truly reached the end, and deliverance could come only through full submission to death. The four lepers proved it. Their condition was desperate, and so was the nation's — worst of all, that of the king and the great men. But these last were more guilty and more responsible, for the word of God had come to them… Unbelief is never more hateful than where there is the most light. Knowledge stands in the way.

None of us like to step beyond what we know is safe, even when that safe place is like a starving leper colony. But most of us live in far more comfort, and perhaps ease and comfort hold us in an apathy that can end in extinction. Will you sit in your cosy corner and do nothing for the gospel?

These four men were unclean, for leprosy is the picture of sin which defiles a man. So they could not live among the people. Their uncleanness put them outside the gate of Samaria. And because they were completely leprous, they were shut out from the presence of God. They could not ignore their condition either. Everyone in Israel knew this sickness, so a man could not hide it from God, from others, or from himself. Finally, unless God stepped in directly, beyond all human help, it would surely end in death.

To those inside the city they were outcasts. To those outside they were enemies. Yet these were the first men to whom the Lord showed His salvation.

If they had gone into the city, they would have found famine and death. To stay where they were meant certain death. To go to the enemy, who stood for the judgment of God and carried His sword — would that not be death too? But on that side, at least, there was a glimmer of hope. "If they spare our lives we shall live." Their lives depended on the goodwill of their enemies. Perhaps they would not pass the death sentence?

Do we not encounter the same circumstances today? The sinner, convicted of sin, cannot find help or rescue in the world, not even from its religious side. He meets only famine and death there. He cannot remain in his present state: it is death also. Before him is the threat of the judgment of God, and that is death — terrible and fatal death! But perhaps the Judge may have pity upon him — let him go then and cast himself down at the feet of the Judge! Let him go; he will learn that this God who is Judge is the God of love, the Saviour God!

There is only one hope: that our enemies may be merciful. If not, we had better face the situation bravely and at once, and leave the outcome to God. That is how I reasoned when I awoke to my need... You must do something. You cannot save your own soul. You cannot satisfy your own heart's hunger. And the world cannot save and bless you.

Then there come before us four leprous men — convicted sinners, as we should say. They realize what the nobleman did not, that it is either certain death or the grace of God.

In His grace He loves to show mercy to the helpless and hopeless, to the lost and undone. By so doing He makes it abundantly plain that His salvation is altogether of grace alone.

They rise up and face death. Their desperate need has driven them into the place of death — but that same place is where the Lord has won a mighty victory. They find the Lord had been there before them... If grace is to be shown to guilty sinners, the enemy must first be met and defeated in righteous judgment.

None of us like to go beyond what we know is safe, even if that safe place is like a starving leper colony. But most of us live in far more comfortable circumstances. Perhaps ease and comfort keep us stuck in an apathy that may lead to us dying out. Will you sit in your cosy corners and do nothing for the gospel?

These poor creatures were sitting at the entrance of the gate in the last stage of exhaustion and misery. They felt — and said as much to one another — that if they pushed their way into the city, it was only to die of famine. If they stayed where they were, death was certain. Only one course seemed open to them: to throw themselves on the mercy of the Syrians. "If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die." It was the counsel of despair. To those inside, they were outcasts; to those outside, they were enemies. Yet these were the men to whom the Lord first showed His salvation.

Those lepers had nothing to lose and everything to gain; their condition could not have been more helpless or worse than it was. They had the sentence of death in themselves, and they accepted it.

Then four leprous men come before us — convicted sinners, as we would say. They realise that it is either certain death or the grace of God. The Syrian army is in front of them, and death surrounds them. They rise up and face death. Their desperate need has driven them into the place of death — and that same need has driven them into a place where the Lord has won a mighty victory. They find the Lord had been there before them: "For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army." These are the chariots and horses that had waited on Elijah when he was taken up to heaven, and that had surrounded Elisha to protect him. Now they deal with the enemies of the Lord in righteous judgment. If grace is to be shown to guilty sinners, the enemy must first be met and defeated in righteous judgment.

If the enemy is to be defeated, it must be the Lord's own work. No one was with the Lord when He broke the power of the enemy. The city is in desperate need and can do nothing. The Lord does all the work, and the city, in sovereign grace, shares in the blessing. There was no man with the Lord of glory when He went to the cross. Alone He looked ahead to the terror of Calvary; alone He met the enemy; alone He suffered on the cross; alone He endured being forsaken; alone He bore the judgment. But guilty sinners who believe share in the spoils of His victory.

Where they expected enemies they found a feast, and they were greatly enriched. This is the experience of everyone who comes to God through Christ. They come full of fear, believing that God is against them, a hard master reaping where He never sowed. Instead they find that God is for them and against their enemies. He has Himself secured salvation for them from the foes that threatened their souls, and has spread a feast for their starving souls.

They went out to throw themselves on a pity they knew nothing about; you have only to throw yourself on the mercy of God, on the compassion of God. They came to the camp of the Syrians and found everything they needed, with nothing to stop them taking all they needed. You may have thought God your enemy, just as they thought the Syrians theirs. If you take the place of the lepers, the place of an empty person, and go to God, you will find nothing to stop you taking salvation and the full provision God has supplied.

These four men make a bold confession. They begin with the gatekeeper of the city — a very humble man. He tells the gatekeepers of the king's household, and they in turn tell the good news to the king's house inside, and at last it reaches the king's ears. So the good news spread from the lowest to the highest in the land.

The enemies themselves, the instruments of God's judgment, had disappeared. Judgment had fallen upon them. There was no more judgment. How had this come to pass? The noise of a great army had been heard. In reality it was weak and insignificant, nothing like the horses and chariots of fire at Dothan. But it was a most mighty thing, because it came from the Lord Himself. He was in this noise, and that was enough to bring to nothing all the power of Ben-Hadad.

The poor Samaritan lepers ventured out in the twilight toward the Syrian camp. To their utter astonishment they found no one there. Their dreaded foes were gone! Who had scattered them? Men? No! It was God. The victory was absolutely His. He had caused the Syrians to hear a great noise, as of rushing chariots and horsemen. The noise came both from the north and from the south. In a panic they concluded that the King of Israel had hired the Hittites and the Egyptians against them. They supposed they were caught between two armies. So they fled by the only road that seemed open to them — eastward across the Jordan.

They rise up and face death. Their desperate need has driven them into the place of death — but it has driven them into a place where the Lord has won a mighty victory. They find that the Lord had been there before them... The chariots and horses waited on Elijah when he was taken up. They surrounded Elisha to protect him. Now they are dealing with the enemies of the Lord in righteous judgment. If grace is to be shown to guilty sinners, the enemy must first be met and defeated in righteous judgment.

Their very needs pressed in on them, with death on every side, death all around. Those needs threw them into the camp of the Syrians, where the Lord, single-handed and alone, had been winning a victory. For it was the Lord who had made the Syrian army hear a noise of chariots and horses, and so alone had put them all to flight. None of the people of Israel were with Him... And the poor lepers have nothing to do but get up and share the fruit of the Lord's triumph.

Here the outcome showed there was no physical impossibility in what Elisha had predicted. And this was not the first time in Israel's history that God had shown such power to move the heart of man (see 2 Kings 3:23). God can influence whole armies as well as single people... The difficulties that man puts in the way of God keeping His promises are childish and worthless. They all vanish before the simple faith that takes God at His word.

Death was conquered, judgment cancelled for these four lepers... In their place they found life. There was an abundance of goods, riches, and food to satisfy their hunger — all the spoil of the enemy, at no cost to themselves. They gather the fruit of a victory which for us is the Lord's. There is peace in the camp. No one opposes them. They are satisfied, and they discover the treasure and take it for themselves. But can they stay silent and keep it for themselves? No, the joy of salvation must be shared; these men become messengers of good news to others.

The enemies themselves, the instruments of God's judgment, had disappeared. Judgment had fallen upon them. There was no more judgment. How had this come to pass? The Syrians had heard the noise of a great army. In itself it was weak and insignificant, nothing like the horses and chariots of fire at Dothan. Yet it was a most mighty thing, because it came from the Lord Himself. He was in this noise, and that was enough to bring all the power of Ben-Hadad to nothing.

The Lord stepped in and made the Syrians hear a great noise, like a huge army. They thought Israel must have hired the Hittites and the Egyptians to fight against Syria. Besides the great noise, no doubt God also put such fear in their minds that they decided to flee. They left all their equipment and provisions behind.

God had worked alone, and no one with Him, needing no help, and for those wholly unable to give it… Alone He has done it. "Where I am going," He says to Peter, "you cannot follow Me now." But once He had finished the work, we are welcome to share the fruits of His victory. They are as free to us as the camp of the Syrians was to those four leprous men.

Where they expected foes they found the feast, and it made them rich. And this is the experience of all who come to God through Christ. They come full of fear, believing that God is against them — a hard master, reaping where He had never sown. Instead they find that God is for them and against their enemies. He has Himself secured salvation for them from the foes that threatened their souls, and He has spread a feast for their starving souls.

It was a great deliverance, but only a feeble picture of one that is infinitely greater. The foes of the one who believes did not just run from a field they could come back to once the fright passed. They met the sinner's Champion and Substitute, and He routed them completely. It was at Calvary that this great fight was fought and this great victory gained.

For us, dear Christian readers, this noise sounded at the cross. There the Son of God faced all the power of the prince of death and all his army. He defeated him with his own weapons, but without any display of strength. In the death of one Man, crucified in weakness, lay God's power to conquer, to bring to nothing, to destroy this terrible enemy.

We now have to notice the way the blessing comes. For this purpose God takes up "four leprous men," outcasts even among the wretched people of the city. He did the same when He once took up the chief of sinners, Saul of Tarsus, to preach the fullest, sweetest story of grace ever published to the world.

If the enemy is to be defeated, it must be the Lord's work. The city is in desperate need and can do nothing. The Lord does all the work, and the city, in sovereign grace, shares in the blessing. There was no man with the Lord of glory when He went to the cross. Alone He faced the terror of Calvary; alone He met the enemy; alone He suffered on the cross; alone He endured the forsaking; alone He bore the judgment. But guilty sinners who believe share in the spoils of His victory. And we see this in picture, for the lepers "did eat and drink" and found silver and gold and clothing.

After these lepers have had their own need met and have become rich, they begin to think of others. They say to one another, "We are not doing right... Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household." They want everybody else to know what they have got for themselves. Sometimes people ask me, Why do you preach the gospel? Simply because I cannot help it. It is a joy to share what fills one's own heart with gladness.

The lepers came into fabulous blessing — we have the wonderful treasury of Christian truth, a great salvation. Their response was, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent..." You are not doing right if, in the day of good news, God's day of grace, you keep silent and do nothing for those still in need.

They say, "If we are silent... punishment will overtake us." The selfishness of our nature would keep quiet, and so bring trouble on ourselves. Perhaps we have tasted the grace of God only faintly. Perhaps we have understood so little how greatly God has enriched us with silver and gold and clothing of His own providing. Then we have little to say, and so we stay silent. The result is that we are in danger of slipping back into the world, and trouble coming upon us.

Think of needing to be stirred up about this! And yet we do need it; and because of our failure here, does evil not come upon us too under the holy government of God? If "the people curse him who holds back grain," what is the responsibility of those who keep back the "word of life" from perishing souls? That is the good word that can gladden the saddest heart.

If "this day is a day of good news," and it is, beyond any day that ever dawned, how can we keep silent?... Free and bold testimony in His name is the fruit of His grace, no less than liberty for one's own soul; and in this order too. We need to be set free from every hindrance and weight and doubt and question. We need the liberty with which Christ sets free. Only then can the mouth open boldly to make known His grace and glory to others.

If the enemy is to be defeated, it must be the Lord's own work. No one was with the Lord when He broke the power of the enemy. The city is in desperate need and can do nothing. The Lord does all the work, and the city, in sovereign grace, shares in the blessing. There was no man with the Lord of glory when He went to the cross. Alone He looked ahead to the terror of Calvary; alone He met the enemy; alone He suffered on the cross. Alone He endured the forsaking; alone He bore the judgment. But guilty sinners who believe share in the spoils of His victory.

Death was conquered and judgment cancelled for these four lepers... In their place they found life, plenty of goods, riches, and food to satisfy their hunger — all the spoil of the enemy, at no cost to themselves... There is peace in the camp. No one opposes them. They are satisfied, and they take hold of the treasure they have found. But can they keep silent and keep it all for themselves? No — the joy of salvation must be passed on. These men become messengers of good news to others.

These four men make a bold confession. They start with the gatekeeper of the city — a very humble man. He tells the gatekeepers of the king's house. They in turn tell the good news to the king's household inside, and at last it reaches the king's ears. So the good news spread from the lowest to the highest in the land.

The great ones of Israel were unmoved by the announcement of immediate plenty. Meanwhile God was preparing reliable witnesses to its reality, who could say, "We have seen and bear witness."... God was pleased to use the testimony of these four leprous men to relieve the famine-stricken people of Samaria. Those lepers had nothing to lose and everything to gain; their condition could not have been more helpless or worse than it was. They had the sentence of death in themselves, and they accepted it.

Now full and satisfied, the four men began to think of others... Those whom God has blessed carry a deep responsibility. Do we realise that the world is perishing for lack of the knowledge we already have? The four lepers felt they dared not settle down to enjoy their plenty and leave others to their fate.

The selfishness of our nature would keep quiet, and so bring trouble on ourselves. Perhaps we have tasted the grace of God only faintly. Perhaps we have grasped too little how richly God has supplied us with silver and gold and clothing of His own providing. So we have little to say, and we stay silent. The result is that we are in danger of slipping back into the world, and of trouble coming upon us.

When Elisha announced that "tomorrow" the famine would cease, he said, "Hear." That word is addressed to all without distinction — to the people, to the king, to the officer who mocked — just as the sower's seed falls on every kind of ground. It is the same with the victory won. All are invited. The famous "tomorrow" announced by the prophet has been changed to "today." All may come, feast, and enrich themselves, though they are far from sharing the joy of the lepers.

These four men make a bold confession. They begin with the gatekeeper of the city — a very humble man. He tells the gatekeepers of the king's house, and they in turn tell the good news to the king's household within; and at last it reaches the king's ears. So the good news spread from the lowest to the highest in the land.

So they came to the city and told the gatekeepers at the gate. The eagerness of the men convinced the gatekeepers, and so did the treasures they showed, which proved their words were true. Then they woke the king from his sleep.

Further, they spread the "good news." They say, "If we are silent … punishment will overtake us." Our selfish nature would keep quiet, and so bring harm on ourselves. Perhaps we have tasted the grace of God only faintly. Perhaps we have barely grasped how richly He has provided us with silver and gold and clothing. So we have little to say, and we stay silent. Then we are in danger of slipping back into the world, with harm coming upon us.

Sometimes it happens that the believers who are the best fed are the poorest workers. They would rather have endless Bible readings than a vigorous gospel campaign. Is this right? Peter and John had no doubt that the facts of the gospel matter. When they were told to proclaim them no more, they replied: "We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). … In 2 Corinthians 4:13 Paul and Timothy give their reason for preaching: "we also believe, and so we also speak." … Do we believe that "Christ died for the ungodly"? Do we believe that "God raised Him from the dead"? … If so, let us not stay silent. This day is a day of good news.

When Elisha announced that "tomorrow" the famine would end, he said, "Hear." That word goes out to all without distinction: to the people, to the king, to the mocking lord. The sower's seed falls the same way, on every kind of ground. It is the same with the victory won. All are invited, and its results are offered to all without distinction… We see how the king and his servants receive the announcement of deliverance. For them, this salvation which costs them nothing hides a trap. Their thought, faced with the good news, is pure unbelief… Sight, for them, replaces faith. Even if they share in the results of the deliverance, like the others, sight does not save them. It has never saved anyone.

We see weak or slow-hearted faith in the king. He reasons about the good tidings. He does not, with the bold unbelief and scorn of the nobleman, refuse them outright. But he reasons about them… Yet grace abounds. Grace, as in Naaman's case, can provide a minister as well as a treasury. The slow-hearted king shares the spoils of the Lord's glorious victory, and so do the readier lepers. And all the famished city follow… None come short but the unbelieving nobleman. On the day of this feast, only distrust of God's generosity cuts a man off.

The king is a very different character from the lepers, and represents a different state of soul. He is not indifferent, for he arose in the night. Still less is he a rejecter of the good news, like the nobleman; but he is not a simple believer like the four leprous men. He does not in bold unbelief refuse the good tidings, but he reasons about them. Faith is a matter of the conscience and the heart, not a matter of reasoning. Some, like the lepers, readily believe in the heart. Others, like the king, are slow of heart to believe. Behind the slowness of heart is a reasoning mind and a lack of sense of need.

The king was sceptical when they brought him the news. He suspected a trick by the enemy to take the city. Elisha had said plainly, in his hearing, "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." Yet when it came about, he still hesitated to believe it. It seemed really too good to be true. This kind of unbelief is regrettable, but it is pardonable — or else where would any of us stand! In how many things do we hesitate to credit the Word of our God!

The people, the whole city, the king and his servants are all invited to this feast. All may come, feast, and enrich themselves, but they are far from sharing the joy of the lepers. For them, this salvation which costs them nothing hides a snare. Let us at least, they say, do something on our part, and they undertake to pursue the enemies. With two chariots and five worn-out horses! All they can do is delay the hour of deliverance by checking what the lepers had taken hold of before any investigation.

What did the king do? He did what many people are doing today: he sent out scouts. He could not believe the good news. And yet there were those four leprous men, with beaming faces, well fed, clothed, and happy, bearing witness to what they had found outside the city. … Ah, I do not believe that, says the king; the enemies are still there, they are only hiding. … Away they go all the way to Jordan — some fifty miles. It took them about six hours to go, and the same to return. So they put off their blessing by about twelve hours.

One of his servants was a wise man, and proposed that at least they might send and see… I would take up David's words and say, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him."

In the end they trace the evidences of the enemy "to Jordan." We can trace all our enemies to the Cross, there to see them no more. In the death of Christ every enemy was dealt with for the believer.

So the messengers return. The slow-hearted king enters into the blessing just as much as the wholehearted lepers, and the starving people of the city. The only man who misses the blessing is the unbelieving scoffer — the lord on whose arm the king leaned.

Faith in Israel was indeed at a very low ebb. They had to see before believing, and even when they did see, they thought it was a trap laid by the enemy. The Spirit of God is careful to record the literal fulfilment of the prophet's word.

The king is a very different character from the lepers, and represents a different state of soul. He is not indifferent, since he got up in the night. Even less is he someone who rejects the good news, like the nobleman. But he is not a simple believer like the four men with leprosy either. He does not refuse the good news in bold unbelief. Instead, he reasons about it. Faith is a matter of the conscience and the heart, not a matter of reasoning. … Behind the slowness of heart is a reasoning mind and a lack of sense of need. … With Naaman there were some wise servants who pleaded with him. In the same way, a wise servant is now ready to meet the king's reasonings. He will put those reasonings to the test by sending out two witnesses. In the end they trace the evidence of the enemy "to Jordan." We can trace all our enemies to the Cross, there to see them no more.

For them, this salvation which costs them nothing hides a trap. Let us at least, they say, do something on our part, and they set out to pursue the enemy. With two chariots and five worn-out horses! All they can do is delay the hour of deliverance. They try to verify what the lepers had already taken hold of before any investigation. Their thought, faced with the good news, is pure unbelief. Sight, for them, replaces faith. They do share, like the others, in the results of the deliverance, but sight does not save them. It has never saved anyone.

No one could question the wisdom of the proposal. I would take it up and press it on those who have doubts in their minds about the blessedness of knowing the Lord. I would take up David's words and say, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" The proof of the pudding is in the eating. And those who have tasted say with one voice, "The Lord is gracious."

At this point one of the king's servants says, Let us take some of those starving horses. Let us send a couple of scouts to see whether it is true or not. Good idea, says the king, we will have the country searched. Away they go all the way to Jordan — some fifty miles. It took them, I suppose, six hours to go and the same to return, so that they put off their blessing by about twelve hours at least.

But grace abounds. As with Naaman, grace can supply a servant as well as a treasury. So the slow-hearted king shares the spoils of the Lord's glorious victory, just as the readier lepers do. And all the famishing city follow… None come short but the unbelieving nobleman. Distrust of God's generosity alone cuts a man off in the day of this feast of Israel.

For them, this salvation which costs them nothing hides a snare. At least let us do something on our part, they say, and they set out to pursue the enemies. With two chariots and five worn-out horses! All they can do is delay the hour of deliverance. They try to check what the lepers had already laid hold of before any investigation. Their thinking, faced with the good news, is pure unbelief.

The king is a very different character from the lepers, and represents a different state of soul. He is not indifferent, for he got up in the night. Even less is he a rejecter of the good news, like that officer. But he is not a simple believer like the four men with leprosy. He does not refuse the good news in bold unbelief, but he reasons about it. Faith is a matter of the conscience and the heart, not a matter of reasoning... Behind slowness of heart is a reasoning mind and a lack of any sense of need... There is a wise servant ready to meet the king's reasonings. He will put them to the test by sending out two witnesses.

Then, at the suggestion of one of his servants, he adds, "Go and see." Sight, for them, replaces faith. And if they share, like the others, in the results of the deliverance, sight does not save them. It has never saved anyone.

What did the king do? He did what many people are doing today: he sent out scouts. He could not believe the good news. And yet there were those four men with leprosy, with beaming faces, well fed, clothed, and happy. They bore witness to what they had found outside the city... Away they go all the way to Jordan — some fifty miles. It took them, I suppose, six hours to go, and the same to return, so that they put off their blessing by about twelve hours.

Traces of the enemy lay every step of the way to that famous river. The whole road was full of clothes and containers the Syrians had thrown away in their hurry, but the Syrians themselves they did not find... The Jordan is a picture of the death of Christ. Have we traced our foes to it and found it to be the death of them all? Every believer in that precious Saviour may do so, and rejoice in a complete and everlasting deliverance.

We had no foes more terrible than our SINS. How the guilt of them weighed on us!... Before, behind, and on every side of us they gathered like a strong army besieging a doomed city.

So the messengers return. The slow-hearted king enters into the blessing as much as the wholehearted men with leprosy, and the starving people of the city. The only man who misses the blessing is the scoffer — the officer on whose arm the king leaned. In the crush at the gate of the city he was trampled and died. It might look like an unfortunate accident. But the government of God was behind it, and the prophet's word came true: "You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

What a relief it must have been to those starving Samaritans to find that Jordan was the end of their strong and merciless enemies. There were traces of them every step of the way to that famous river. The whole way was full of garments and vessels which the Syrians had thrown away in their rush. But the Syrians themselves they did not find. With what eager steps would those messengers return to tell the king!

He does not boldly refuse the good news in unbelief, but he reasons about it. Faith is a matter of the conscience and the heart, not a matter of reasoning… Behind the slowness of heart is a reasoning mind and a lack of any sense of need. The reasoning mind of the king says, "I will tell you what the Syrians have done to us." … He will test the news by sending out two witnesses. As a result they trace the evidence of the enemy "to Jordan."

For them, this salvation which costs them nothing hides a trap. Let us at least do something on our part, they say, and they set out to chase the enemies. With two chariots and five worn-out horses! All they can do is delay the hour of deliverance while trying to verify what the lepers had already taken hold of before any investigation began. Sight, for them, replaces faith. They share the results of the deliverance like the others, but sight does not save them. It has never saved anyone.

The scouts go off all the way to Jordan, and the people wait anxiously to hear the news. They had heard the truth hours before from the lepers, but they did not receive it; the lepers were not the authorised, recognised heralds. But when these worn-out messengers come back, they simply confirm the message of the lepers, and out go the people to find the reality for themselves.

The Jordan pictures the death of Christ. Have we traced our enemies to it, to the cross of our great Saviour, and found that it was the death of them all? Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ may do so, and rejoice in a complete and everlasting deliverance.

What marks this chapter is not a God who removes the defilement of sin. Otherwise these lepers, like Naaman, would not have remained as they were. It is a God who removes judgment in the person of the enemy, and at the same time destroys the power of death. He does this so that poor, defiled creatures might live and enjoy the blessings they had gone without.

Yes; when we come to Christ the famine is turned into a feast. We expected enemies and feared to meet them. Instead we find a full deliverance and God's plentiful provision for our need — exceedingly more than we are able to ask or think.

Barley was the well-known grain used as food for horses (1 Kings 4:28), and also as food for people when wheat failed. At the famine of Samaria, when the Syrian camp was found deserted, one measure (seah) of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel (2 Kings 7:1, 16). This shows that barley was worth half the price of wheat.

The people then went gladly out to plunder the tents of the Syrians. The amount of plunder they took was so great that Samaria was well supplied with food.

So faith in Israel was very low indeed. They had to see before they would believe, and even when they did see, they thought the enemy had laid a trap. The Spirit of God is careful to point out that the prophet's word came true exactly.

In this message of grace there is not a word said about the abominations that had taken place in the city — not a word about the daring wickedness of the king. There is only the unconditional announcement of blessing, in pure sovereign grace, to the very city in which sin had risen to its height; for all this blessing would be seen "in the gate of Samaria."

But if the enemy is to be defeated, the Lord must do the work. No one was with the Lord when He broke the power of the enemy. The city is in desperate need, and can do nothing. The Lord does all the work, and the city, in sovereign grace, shares in the blessing. There was no man with the Lord of glory when He went to the Cross… But guilty sinners, who believe, share in the spoils of His victory.

When Elisha made known that "tomorrow" the famine would cease, he said, "Hear" (v. 1). He spoke this word to all alike — to the people, to the king, to the mocking lord — just as the sower's seed falls on every kind of ground… All are invited. Its results are offered to all alike. The people, the whole city, the king and his servants are all invited to this feast. The famous "tomorrow" announced by the prophet has been changed to "today."

And being set free, we may now feast on what God's grace has provided for us, for where sin abounded grace abounds much more. The gold, the silver, the clothing, the wheat and the barley all have their counterpart in blessed spiritual realities in Christianity.

So the messengers return. The slow-hearted king shares in the blessing just as much as the wholehearted lepers and the starving people of the city. The only man who missed the blessing is the scoffing unbeliever — the lord on whose arm the king leaned.

Elisha's word seemed impossible to fulfil. The lord on whose hand the king leaned was as godless as his master, and he scoffed at the prophet's words. He did not believe them. "Behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might this thing be?" he asked. Can God pour wheat and barley from heaven? So he poured out the scorn of an unbeliever on the Word of the Lord. He showed that he knew nothing of the grace of God's heart, the power of His hand, or the certainty that His Word never fails.

The officer who had mocked Elisha saw this, for the king had appointed him to take charge of the gate. But the excited people trampled him in the gate so that he died. Probably he was trying to restrain the crush of the people and they swarmed over him. Verses 18 and 19 recall the words of Elisha and of the officer. They impress on us the truth of God's prophecy and the sad defeat of the unbeliever. His words against the Lord proved empty.

The only man who missed the blessing is the scoffing unbeliever — the lord on whose arm the king leaned. In the crush at the gate of the city he was trodden upon and died. It might look like an unfortunate accident. But the government of God stood behind it, and it fulfilled the word of the prophet: "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

For them, sight replaces faith. Even if they share in the results of the deliverance, like the others, sight does not save them. It has never saved anyone. The captain is a frightening example of this. The prophet had said to him: "You shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it." "And so it happened to him; and the people trampled upon him in the gate, and he died." For him, seeing came just before death.

As the sacks of flour passed through the gate, I have no doubt this hungry lord said to himself, "My turn will come soon." But his turn never came. He died under the judgment of God in full sight of salvation.

But grace abounds. Grace can supply a servant as well as a treasury, as it did with Naaman. The slow-hearted king shares the spoils of the Lord's glorious victory, just as the readier lepers do. And all the famishing city follow. "The lame take the prey." None come short but the unbelieving nobleman. Distrust of God's generosity alone cuts a man off in the day of this feast of Israel.

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." His judgments are as sure as His favours. No word of His can ever fail. The scornful lord found Elisha's words came true to the letter: "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it." The Lord Jesus gave a very similar warning to the unbelieving men of His own time: "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out." Awful thought! They see others blessed, and themselves outside of it for eternity.

The Spirit of God emphasizes, by minute repetition of the sin which brought it down, the judgment of God upon the scorner of His precious grace. No words of mine could be as solemn as the historian's inspired words to one who died in the very middle of the abundance the prophet had predicted.

What did that mean? It meant salvation for the Samaritans. Nobody could doubt what it meant. Within twenty-four hours the common necessities of life would be plentiful. Barley meal was to sell at three farthings a pound, and the finest flour at three halfpence a pound. Those were not famine prices. The Lord says, By this time tomorrow you shall have things cheaper and better than you have ever known them before.

"In the gate of Samaria!" That thought is truly precious to the needy soul — a blessed sign of the grace of the gospel! You need not look for salvation in heaven above or in the depths beneath. It has come to us. The sin offering lies at the door. The Israelite did not need to leave the doorway of his own house to make it fully safe from the sword of the destroyer. Grace brings the relief that grace has provided. The fine flour and the barley were to be had by the famished people at the very gate of their city!

Such a moment was the moment of God's glorious grace. Where sin abounded, grace abounded more. At the cross of Christ, man was at the height of his rebellion, and God was also at the height of the glory of His goodness. So now, when the sin and misery of Samaria were at the full, the cup of divine blessing was also about to overflow.

The king did not believe this message, as what follows shows (v. 12); he kept his hatred and rebellion intact in his heart. Still, his state was not as terrible as that of this mocker, at the moment when His prophet was proclaiming the good news of the grace of God. The prophet says to him: "You shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it." God has great patience toward all sinners, but those who mock Him and His Word are lost beyond remedy.

How sad for someone to see others greatly blessed by the grace of God, and to have no share in it himself!

He said, "Tomorrow a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel" — that is, tomorrow salvation will come to you. The same One said, "You shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it." Each word came true; as the first, so the second. And He who spoke as no man ever spoke says, "Whoever believes in me shall never hunger" and "whoever believes shall be saved." He also says, "whoever does not believe shall be condemned."

Though it began with "Thus says the LORD," the man said to the prophet, "If the LORD Himself should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?" This was outright contempt. He openly defied the word of the LORD. The doom of the scorner is certain in every age.

In Genesis 7 we read: "On that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened" (v.11). So here the windows of heaven are opened — but for a terrible judgment — and this already in the first book of the Bible. In the second passage the king's captain mentions the windows of heaven, but only with doubt (if not mockery). He pays for this with his death (2 Kings 7:2, 19). We meet the third passage only on the last page of the Old Testament. There God wants to open the windows of heaven and pour out blessing in abundance (Mal. 3:10).

"Salvation tomorrow? I do not believe it," says the lord. "You tell me there is full deliverance coming tomorrow. It cannot be. If it were rained down from heaven it might be; in no other way could it be" — "in the gate of Samaria." But that is just the point, the whole truth: salvation comes to the very place where you are.

Remember, "you shall see it with your own eyes," when it is too late for you to accept it. Oh remember, you, even you shall know it is all true, when you can never have it. You shall hear those sounds of heavenly music inside the gates where you may never enter. You might have joined in that music, but now you never may.

So the messengers return. The slow-hearted king enters into the blessing as fully as the wholehearted lepers and the starving people of the city. The only man who misses the blessing is the unbelieving scoffer — the lord on whose arm the king leaned. In the crush at the gate of the city he was trampled and died. It might look like an unfortunate accident, but the government of God was behind it, and the word of the prophet was fulfilled.

He was given charge of the gate when the great supplies came into the city, and the people trampled him there, and he died, just as the man of God had said. Scripture records the fact twice, and it closes the story. The three solemn words, "And he died," ring in our ears and stay in our thoughts when we have closed the Book. They are there for our warning and as a solemn caution against unbelief. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" — those are the words that answer to them in the New Testament. Words not spoken by an angel, or even by an apostle, but by the Lord Himself.

It will be just the same when He comes, and every eye will see Him — when He is glorified in His saints and marveled at among all who have believed (2 Thess. 1:10)… But today is a day of salvation for all who now come to the Saviour, believing God's testimony to the finished work of His Son.

Though it was prefaced by "thus says the LORD," the man said to the prophet, "If the LORD Himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" This was outright contempt for the word of the LORD. The doom of the scorner is certain in every age. So Elisha passed sentence on him: "You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it." And so it happened. Within twenty-four hours, just as the prophet foretold, there was plenty in Samaria again. But the solemn part of his prophecy came true just as precisely. The rush for food was so great that someone had to take charge of handing it out. The job went to the scornful officer, and the hungry people simply trampled him to death.

"In the gate of Samaria!" What a precious thought that is to the needy soul — a blessed notice of the grace of the gospel. Salvation is not to be sought for in heaven above or in the depths beneath. It has come to us. Grace brings the relief that grace has provided. The fine flour and the barley were to be had by the starving people at the very gate of their own city.

The only man who missed the blessing is the scoffing unbeliever — the lord on whose arm the king leaned. In the crush at the gate of the city the people trampled him, and he died. It might look like an unfortunate accident, but the government of God was behind it, and the word of the prophet was fulfilled: "You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it." It is no different in our day for those who reject the grace of God. For such the word says, "Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish."

We see weak or slow faith in the king. He reasons about the good news. He does not, like the nobleman, refuse it outright with bold scorn. Yet grace abounds. The slow-hearted king shares the spoils of the Lord's glorious victory, as much as the readier lepers do. And all the starving city follows. Nobody comes short except the unbelieving nobleman. Distrust of God's generosity is the one thing that cuts a man off on the day of Israel's feast.

Scripture records the fact twice, and it closes the story. The three solemn words, "and he died," ring in our ears and stay in our thoughts after we have shut the Book. They are there to warn us against unbelief. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" — those words answer to them in the New Testament. No angel spoke them, and no apostle either — the Lord Himself did.

When the Lord returns and gathers His own into glory, and you are still in unbelief, then you will know — too late — that the gospel was true. You will know that the way of salvation was plain and simple. It came not to the one who works but to the one who believes, by the free sovereign grace of God. I have no doubt that as the sacks of flour passed by through the gate, this hungry officer said to himself, "My turn will come shortly." But his turn never came. He died under the judgment of God within sight of salvation.