(REFLECTIONS ON 2 Kings 6:24-33, 2 Kings 7:1-2)

Earlier in 2 Kings 6, we read about the king of Aram’s attempt to capture Elisha because it seemed like Elisha knew his private discussions and was able to warn the king of Israel. In the end, the Lord was with Elisha and there was peace from the Arameans.

However, as we often see in life, peace doesn’t last forever. Old wounds and unresolved issues seem to have a way to creep back into peoples’ minds, because although there might be other distractions that take our mind off of things for a time being, they never actually ever leave the heart.

And so in today’s Scripture, Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered his army and besieged Samaria. This led to a destructive famine, that brought out the deepest level of human depravity.

26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 He said, “If the Lord does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?” 28 And the king said to her, “What is the matter with you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.”

The issue that the woman presented was regarding inequality in eating her and another mother’s sons. Even the king of Israel was disgusted that Israel had turned into a culture of cannibalism.

30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body. 31 Then he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.”

Why did the king of Israel blame Elisha for this turn of events? Although Scripture doesn’t directly tell us, but perhaps the king of Israel was blaming Elisha’s presence for the siege of Samaria by the king of Aram. Earlier, the king of Aram wanted to capture Elisha, and failed at his attempt.

Another possibility was that the king of Israel blamed Elisha as prophet of the Lord for not taking care of this issue. Whatever the reason, he came for Elisha’s head and didn’t trust that the Lord could do anything about this.

As we move on to 2 Kings 7, Elisha speaks the words of the Lord, saying relief would come, not far away, but just a day away. It is a reminder to us, that many times when we are facing the darkest days of life, where we ourselves no longer feel the presence of the Lord, and even perhaps don’t even act like the people of the Lord, we must not lose hope, blame the church, or even worse blame the God that we put all our hope and life in.

When hearing this, the king of Israel’s royal officer doubted Elisha’s word, but let us in reading today’s Scripture not doubt in the power and authority of our God in the darkest hour.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 2 Kings 6
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 2 Kings 7