2 Kings 7:1-20 Don’t Hold Your Peace !
Intro: The city of Samaria was surrounded by the Syrian army. In ch. 6 we are told that things were so bad that a donkey’s head was sold for 25 pieces if silver and that dove’s dung was sold for 5 pieces of silver. Mothers were killing their children to eat.
I. Their Dilemma V 3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
a. They were Sick. The disease of Leprosy was regarded as a awful punishment from the Lord. It’s name means "smiting".
Like leprosy the sinful nature of man is inheritied. Every person born into this world outside of Christ himself is born in sin. The Psalmist declared "In sin did my mother conceive me." Like leprosy, sin spreads. Leprosy affected those who were in immediate contact as does sin.
Sin, like Leprosy brought shame and disgrace upon the individual. The leper was hopeless apart from a work of God as is the sinner. Outside of a miracle from God the Leper would die in his condition. Apart from the work of grace, the sinner is doomed !
Their Condition was :- Heinous, Hopeless, & Helpless
b. They were Separated. V 3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate
No leper could live in a walled city. And wherever he was he was (a) required to have his outer garment torn as a sign of deep grief. (b) required to go bareheaded, and to cover his beard with his mantle as if lamenting at his own virtual death. (c) obligated further to warn passers-by to keep away from him, by calling out "Unclean ! Unclean ! (d) not allowed to speak to any one, or receive or return any salutation since this involved in an embrace. (e) The Leper was cut off from the house of God, and was excluded from priesthood. They lived a shameful, segregated, and separated life. We are separated from God because of our sin ! We are unclean !
c. They were Starving. V 3 and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 1.Their Condition Was Hopeless: 2.Their Calamity Was Certain: 3.There Choice Was Obvious: (vs. 4) Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians:
II. Their Decision . V4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
a. We see them Dying.
Though Leprosy itself was and is rarely fatal, it is like a living death because of the pain associated with it, the deformity that it brings, and the stigma that accompanies it.
They were alive.....but dead ! In Europe during the Middle Ages people with Leprosy were declared dead. They then witnessed their own funeral and symbolic burial before they were banished. The person without Christ is alive physically, but dead spiritually.
Paul refers to the lost as being "dead in trespasses, and sin !
b. We see them Dwelling. V4 and if we sit still here, we die also.
Why sit we here and die ? There were few opportunities for the lepers. Not many choices were available. But they realized that if they remained where they were...they would die !
c. We see them Deciding. V4 Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians:
To enter the city would first of all be in violation of the law, and would only end in their death because of the famine. Yet to sit where they were would be certain death. They had to make a decision ! Something had to be done !
d. We see them Departing. V.4 let us fall unto the host of the Syrians:
The word "fall" means to "cast ourselves down". If they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die
The Lord has provided a way for us to escape our sinful state. The Lord Jesus died on the cross that we might be cleansed ! We too must make a decision to depart from where we are.
e. We see them Depending. V5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
They cast themselves at the mercy of the Syrians or so they thought. Unknown to them, God had provided the miracle which had earlier been prophesied. We can trust God !
III. Their Discovery . v. 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
As they entered the camp of the Syrians about twilight, they found that the camp had been totally abandoned. The Syrians left the camp at twilight, the Lepers arrived at twilight ! God is always just in time, and on time !
a. They discovered Refreshment. v.8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink,
The starving lepers found food and drink. John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. b. They discovered Riches. v.8 and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again,
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; We have the riches of his Grace We have the riches of his Goodness We have the riches of his Glory awaiting us His Presence; His Provision: His Power; His Promises;
c. They discovered Raiment. v.8 and raiment
Having a change of clothing was a bonus to these lepers ! I doubt if a change of clothing was high up on their list ! Yet, God furnished them with raiment.....robes ! Note: Those who have come to the Lord Jesus for salvation have also traded their rags, Isa. 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. for His robes, Isa.61:10; I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Rev. 19:8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
2 Cor 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
IV. Their Delay . v.9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household.
Josephus records that they plundered four different tents.
a. They were Selfish.
Who could blame them for stuffing themselves with the essentials ? But they became so caught up they totally forgot about the condition of the others. The mentality of our world today is get as much as you can while you can ! Eat, drink and be merry !
This was a miraculous supply from God, and they had the responsibility of making it known...yet
b. They were Slack.
They were slack concerning their responsibility !
c. They were Silent.
They filled themselves with food, and drink...clothed themselves in new raiment, and hid gold and silver......and kept silent !
While they were dining....others were dying. As they were filled, others were famished. They were helped...others were hopeless. They knew the secret.....yet for awhile they didn’t share !
But thank God notice.....
V. Their Declaration . V10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.
a. Their Reflection. 9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household.
They remembered their condition of starvation. The believer must keep in mind our previous spiritual condition before being saved.
b. Their Recognition. v.9 We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace:
They recognized that what they were doing was not just or right ! Acts 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
c. Their Revelation. V 10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.
Samaria had been delivered but did not know it. But now the four lepers will make it known to them. It is now night, but it will not wait til morning, and so in the darkness they return to the gates of the city, and reveal the good news to the gatekeepers who in turn spread the news to the king.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. A. It Involved Courage - Jer. 1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Rom. 10:13-14 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? B. It Involved Compassion - Rom. 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. C. It Involved Conversions - Because four men refused to hoard up their blessings, a multitude was saved! Note: When you share your faith, remember that you are not responsible for the results. We say soul winning, but we have been called to be soul warners. Our job is to tell, God does the saving! Andrew. bringing someone to Jesus. First, it was his brother Peter, John 1:41, He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. then it was a young boy, John 6:8-9; One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? later, he, along with Philip, brought a group of Greeks to Jesus, John 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. He was a soul warner! 1 Cor. 9:22, To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
