The Famine and the Leppers

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Introduction: This chapter is a great picture of salvation and telling others the good news.

I.           THE PROPHECY OF ELISHA (2Kings 7:1-2)

A.        Elisha Prophesied an End to the Famine (2Kings 7:1).

1.         Hear ye the word of the Lord.

a.         The source – came from God

b.         The medium – God uses words.

c.         The audience – given to be heard by the people

d.         The phrase – “Hear ye the word of the LORD.”

(1)       Contains seven words

(2)       Used exactly seven times in the Bible

(a)       The famine will end tomorrow (2kings 7:1).

(b)       Why have you gone far from the Lord? (Jeremiah 2:4-5)

(c)       Bear no burden on the Sabbath day (Jeremiah 17:20-21).

(d)       I will bring evil upon this place (Jeremiah 19:3).

(e)       Follow righteousness or be judged (Jeremiah 21:11-12).

(f)         My name shall disappear from the mouth of the Jews in Egypt (Jeremiah 44:26).

(g)       Woe unto the foolish prophets (Ezekiel 13:2-3)

2.         The time of fulfillment – To morrow about this time

3.         The proof of fulfillment – the price for food (compare 2Kings 6:25)

a.         A measure of fine flour for a shekel

b.         Two measures of barley for a shekel

4.         The place of fulfillment – in the gate of Samaria

B.        The King’s Steward Declared It Impossible (2Kings 7:2a).

1.         The lord on whose hand the king leaned (compare 2Kings 5:18)

2.         Not possible if God would make windows in heaven

3.         Note: but God says there are windows in heaven; they are mentioned five times in three different passages.

a.         A source of water at the time of Noah’s flood (Genesis 7:11; Genesis 8:2)

b.         The object of doubt by the king’s lord (2Kings 7:2, 19)

c.         A source of blessing to those who give (Malachi 3:10)

C.        Elisha Prophesied Judgment on the King’s Steward (2Kings 7:2b).

1.         The king’s lord to see the fulfillment

2.         The king’s lord not to eat of the blessing

3.         Note: compare this with Moses’ judgment (Deuteronomy 34:1-5) which, as in this lesson, was caused by lack of faith (Numbers 20:12).

II.          THE DISCOVERY OF THE LEPERS (2Kings 7:3-11)

A.        They Reasoned in Their Bondage (2Kings 7:3-4).

1.         Their bondage (2Kings 7:3)

a.         Four leprous men

b.         Outside the city gate

c.         Without food to eat

d.         With no hope in sight

2.         Their reasoning (2Kings 7:3-4)

a.         Their crisis – Why sit we here until we die? (2Kings 7:3)

b.         Their options (2Kings 7:4)

(1)       To enter the city and die

(2)       To stay where they are and die

(3)       To fall to the Syrians and possibly die

c.         Their decision – to take their chances with the Syrians

B.        They Rose Up in the Blackness (2Kings 7:5-7).

1.         They entered the camp of the Syrians (2Kings 7:5).

a.         They rose up in the twilight.

b.         They came to the uttermost part of the camp.

c.         They found no man there.

2.         The Syrians were not in the camp (2Kings 7:6-7).

a.         They heard a noise (2Kings 7:6).

(1)       The Lord made them to hear it.

(2)       It sounded like the noise of a great host.

b.         They said one to another (2Kings 7:6)

(1)       Israel has hired the Hittites.

(2)       Israel has hired the Egyptians.

c.         They fled from their imagined opponents (2Kings 7:7).

(1)       In the twilight

(2)       For their lives

d.         They left everything behind (2Kings 7:7).

(1)       Their tents

(2)       Their horses

(3)       Their asses

(4)       They left the camp as it was.

C.        They Were Rewarded for Their Boldness (2Kings 7:8).

1.         They found food for their hunger.

2.         They found riches without measure.

3.         They gathered and hid these treasures.

a.         The first tent

b.         The second tent

D.        They Reported of Their Blessing (2Kings 7:9-11).

1.         They reflected on their actions – We do not well (2Kings 7:9).

a.         This day is a day of good tidings.

b.         We hold our peace.

2.         They resolved to tell the good news (2Kings 7:9).

a.         If we tarry until morning, evil will come on us.

b.         We will therefore go and tell the king’s household.

3.         They reported the retreat of the Syrians (2Kings 7:10-11).

a.         They told the porter of the city (2Kings 7:10).

b.         The porters told the king’s house (2Kings 7:11).

III.        THE CONFIRMATION OF THE RETREAT (2Kings 7:12-15)

A.        The Sovereign Suspected a Trick (2Kings 7:12).

1.         The Syrians have hidden themselves in the field.

2.         They plan to ambush us when we come out.

B.        A Servant Suggested They Investigate (2Kings 7:13).

1.         Take five horses that remain.

2.          Let us send and see.

C.        The Scouts Surveyed the Camp (2Kings 7:14-15).

1.         They went with two chariot horses (2Kings 7:14).

2.         They followed the trail of the Syrians (2Kings 7:15).

a.         Full of garments and vessels

b.         All the way to the Jordan River

IV.       THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECY (2Kings 7:16-20)

A.        The Famine Ended (2Kings 7:16).

B.        The Steward Died (2Kings 7:17).

C.        God’s Prophet Was Vindicated (2Kings 7:18-20).