Believers can testify to the goodness of God

God speaks His promises into hopeless situations (2K 7:1)

Explanation: The Syrian army had the city of Samaria under siege, and living conditions were desperate. The text gives no duration, but the siege had lasted long enough that the food had run out and famine had set in. What little food remained was attached to inflated prices and some were even resorting to cannibalism. (2K 6:24- 31). The famine was severe and the outlook was hopeless.

Into this dire situation, God has His prophet speak words of hope and encouragement. God promised that the famine would be broken within 24 hours and that food would be readily available. God promised that He would bring about a deliverance from the tragedy.

Argument: We are not facing starvation due to war, but we may find ourselves in desperate situations in which we struggle to find hope.

abusive relationships

drug and/or alcohol addictions

chronic pain

terminal illness

failed or failing marriages

prodigal children

pornography

Whatever the specifics of our situation, when we are in the middle of it, it seems like it will never end and the despair can be overwhelming.

Application: We can find hope and encouragement in the promises of God. Philippians 4:6-7 and Psalm 55:22 are two of His promises on which we can meditate.

Unbelievers may mock the promises of God (2K 7:2)

Explanation: One of the king’s officers was in the presence of Elisha when the prophet promised God would deliver in 24 hours. This officer openly mocked God’s ability to fulfill His promise. This was not an expression of doubt; it was a direct insult towards the power of God

Illustration: haters who mock the power and effectiveness of prayer. They openly scorn the call to pray in the midst of national tragedies. (recent school shooting in Minnesota)

Argument: Unbelievers have been mocking and ridiculing the promises of God for thousands of years - it is nothing new. Noah had hecklers and mockers while he was building the Ark, and Jeremiah was put in prison for sharing God’s truth. The apostle Peter also wrote about scoffers in the NT. (cf. 2 Peter 3:3-4)

Application: Haters gonna hate and we cannot change that. We are called to stand firm on the promises of God in the face of unbelief. Expect to be mocked and ridiculed by the world for your faith.

NOTE: God passed judgment on the scoffer. Elisha told the officer that while food supplies would be flowing freely in Samaria in 24 hours, he would not see it. Elisha did not personally take action - he just told the officer what God would do to him.

When our God is mocked and His Word is dishonored we should be offended. It is not, however, our place to retaliate, but instead leave it to God (cf., Rom 12:19)

God has the power of deliverance and He uses it (2K 7:3-7)

Explanation: From a human perspective, the position of the Samaritans was hopeless. They city was surrounded by an entire army and their limited resources were almost entirely gone. God, however, has unlimited resources and He supernaturally caused the Syrian army to fear for their lives to the point they broke and ran away home. They were so afraid they left all of their belongings.

Argument: The One who Inhabits Eternity has the power and the authority to intervene in His creation in any way He desires, whenever He chooses. The One who created the entire universe in 6 days out of nothing, can certainly cause an entire army to disband and run away in fear.

This same God can also deliver you out of your seemingly hopeless situation. God did not stop working when the Bible was completed. He is still very much involved in His creation, and His power is undiminished. There is no human situation that God cannot resolve.

Application:

Avoid limiting God. How arrogant for a created being to declare that ‘my situation is so messed up that not even God can fix it!’ We may not say that out loud, but we can allow ourselves to think it. Avoid this way of thinking!

Accept His timing. We want the pain and heartache to disappear immediately. While God indeed can act instantaneously, He is often more interested in building our faith and character over time.

Receive His grace when His deliverance is different than your expectations. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Believers can testify to the Goodness of God (2K 7:8-10)

Explanation: There were 4 lepers outside the gate of Samaria. Their leprosy had already committed them to being outcasts from society, and now they were out of hope. The evaluated all of their options and concluded they were facing death no matter which path they chose. In their desperation, they chose to go to the Syrians on the slight chance they might be allowed to live as prisoners. (2K7:3-5a)

When they got to the camp of the enemy, they found it deserted. (2K7:5b). They were excited beyond belief! They immediately started eating and drinking and looting the place! They were having a great time - what an incredible turn of events. They had been as good as dead and now they were living their best life. They were in paradise!! (2K7:8)

Then conviction set in. They realized that while they were living it up, the others in the city were still starving and facing a hopeless future (2K7:9). They realized that instead of hoarding this wonderful news, they had the responsibility and the privilege of sharing it with others.

Argument: When something positive happens we generally share it with others. My son hit the home run that won the game; I just got promoted at work; my granddaughter won the school spelling bee.

Nothing wrong with any of that. The real question is this: do we give public praise to God for His acts of deliverance? Are we bragging on God’s amazing power of deliverance in our every day life?

Application: We have that responsibility (Matt 28:19-20) and we have the privilege of sharing the goodness of God with others. We CAN tell others the ways in which God delivers us

Conclusion:

We can and should share the Gospel with others. We who are in Christ have been delivered from something far greater than physical death. We have been set free from the penalty and power of sin and our eternal destiny has been changed. At one time we were separated from God and without hope in this world (Eph 2:12), but now through faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross we have been redeemed! That is a message worth sharing with those who are still in darkness.

An awareness of God’s judgment should also compel us to share. Remember the officer who mocked the promises of God at the beginning of this account? God supernaturally arranged for the King to place this officer at the city gate when the good news of available food arrived. The starving horde stormed the gate to get outside and this officer was trampled to death by the mob. (2K 7:17-20)

God is a God of justice; no one will escape His righteous accounting. Not all receive their judgment as quickly as this officer, but all will be judged. (Hebrews 9:27). Since unbelievers are headed for eternal separation from God, it is important for us to share the Good News with them when we have the opportunity.