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“Why Sit We Here Till We Die?”. 2 Kings 6:24-7:20. The Siege. The culprit 6:24 Ben- Hadad surrounds the city The cause 6:33 the Lord Leviticus 26:27-29 The calamity 6:25 famine (food shortage) The culmination 6:28-30 eating their own children Deuteronomy 28:52-57
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“Why Sit We Here Till We Die?” 2 Kings 6:24-7:20
The Siege • The culprit 6:24 Ben-Hadad surrounds the city • The cause 6:33 the Lord Leviticus 26:27-29 • The calamity 6:25 famine (food shortage) • The culmination 6:28-30 eating their own children Deuteronomy 28:52-57 • The contempt 6:31 wanted to kill Elisha Rev. 16 • The cure 6:32-7:1 no more food shortage promised • The challenge 7:2 “…could this thing be?” • The consequence 7:2 “you’ll see it but not eat it”
The Solution • The Lord caused the noise of a great army 7:6-7 • The Syrians assumed the king of Israel hired the Egyptian and Hittite armies to rescue Israel from the Syrian siege of Samaria • The Syrians fled and left everything • Four lepers discover the abandoned camp 7:3-5
The Lepers’ Options • Do the same thing (sit here and die) 7:3 • Do nothing (and die) 7:3 • Go into the city (and die) 7:4 • Go to the Syrians (maybe live…or die) 7:4 • What was the best hope in this case? • They acted on their decision 7:5 • By doing what they never did, they received what they never had • They started accumulating an abundance 7:8 • Then they stopped!
The Lepers’ Conscience • “We are not doing right” 7:9 • “This is a day of good news and we remain silent” • “If we wait till morning light, punishment will come upon us” Ezekiel 33, Matt. 28:18-20 • “Let us go and tell the king’s household” • They acted on their decision 7:10 • The king’s doubts 7:12 (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6) • Wise men suggested confirmation 7:13-15 • Many people were blessed7:16 • The doubter died at the gate 7:17-20 (Heb. 11:6)
Doing What Is Right • The lepers could not continue as they were • By taking a risk, they found results much better than expected, thanks to God • They realized they could not be silent with good news; they knew they had to tell others • Others were blessed, lives were saved • Doubters suffered consequences of their doubt Are you a spiritual leper? Why sit till you die? Have you experienced God’s goodness? Then tell others!