The Bible talks about a period where an intensive famine came upon the land of Samaria. So much that some women began to eat their Children.
2Ki 6:24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
2Ki 6:25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
The famine was remained until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver (that’s about 1.6 million naira today) and the fourth part of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver (that’s over a 100k naira in today’s market). Isn’t that shocking?
There has never been such kind of famine as such that happened in Samaria even in this present time. The world has never experienced such kind of famine that lasted for about seven years where men had to eat dove’s dung for survival and women ate their Children in return.
Today, the world cries about how famine has beseeched the land and some others cry about how so many bills they have got to pay. Some are presently in debt. Friends, 2 kings 6 is the answer. See how God redeemed Samaria from their famine; that the next day a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel according to the word of God through his servant Elisha.
My personal take on this is that; we’ve never experienced such kind of famine in this world today but yet we cry and get wearied over little challenges, little trauma and so much more. The famine the world is facing hasn’t brought us to a state where we began to eat dove’s dung? Have it? Why then are we encompassed with so great a cloud of worries and murmuring and negative words against the government.
What I mean is that if God in his infinite mercy through his servant Elisha was able to take away the most grievous famine that was ever noted in the Bible in just 24hrs; then 3hrs is such a big-time for God to do same in our world today.
A Lord on whose hands the king leaned, cried out to Elisha and said (2 Kg 7:2) even if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? But Elisha said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. O’ wish you got that! He doubted the Word of God’s servant and he paid with his life. The Bible says that the righteous shall live by faith. Only those that knows their God shall be strong and do exploit. It doesn’t matter how much famine your family is experiencing today, there’s an abundance of rain coming. You can bank on God’s word, yes! You can! He said and He will do it! By the way, we can’t do anything about it, so why worry and beat yourself over it.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
You can’t imagine how many people must have died from that famine. Even the King became overwhelmed after he heard of the trauma in his own land. It’s absurd for one to see a king walking all by himself in mid-day. The famine got so deep that he had to leave his throne (2 kings 6:26). And as he was passing by he met some pretty strange women who called for his help. The kings immediate response tells us that he could do nothing to help his people. Atleast 2 kings 6:27 makes it so clear. The king could do nothing to help. Meanwhile, the kind was tempted to ask what the problem was and their reply will almost make one to vomit; “this woman has refused to give his son so we may eat him for food today” the woman said. If you were the king what could you have done? Well, to sum it up, the king of Isreal sent for Elisha who interceded for the land and God brought provisions from the camp of their enemies, the Syria.
There are so much to learn from this story. I don’t know what you have learnt so far but as for me God is Faithful. If he delivered the Samaria from the most deadly famine ever, then He can deliver you, your household, and your nation from famine too!
