Theme: Floodgates of Heaven
Text: 2 Kings 7:1-20
I greet you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We praise God the grace given to all of us to cope up with Locking and unlocking of our live streams for more than 96 days. By the grace of God, we participated 14 online Sunday Services and listened to the Word of God.
During June 2020 we had several devotions based on restoration. They are: Make us glad, Restoration of Fortunes, Lord restored the fortunes of Job, David recovered all, Compassionate Father restoring the Son, Restoration of Joy, Restoration of David Tent, and finally, we are ending with Floodgates of Heaven. If you missed any one of these series, kindly visit AMC YouTube Channel. If you have not subscribed, please do so for immediate updating.
This evening we are meditating under the theme: Floodgates of Heaven based on the text read to us. Though, this sentence was used by an unbelieving Officer of the King to express the inability of God. But we are going to see how God made it upside-down of his sentence by establishing the WORD of Elisha from three aspects, such as 1. Powers of Prophets, 2. Perils of Unbelievers, and 3. Proclamation of Preachers.
1. Powers of Prophets
Prophet Elisha was introduced as a man of great energy (1 Kings 19:19); he made a complete surrender to God and his trainer Prophet Elijah (1 King 19:20-21); he earned the double of power of Elijah by continuous struggle and follow up ( 2 Kings 2:9); he was a man of incorruptible integrity (2 Kings 4:9-10 & 5:16); and he always lived in the spirit of victory (2 kings 6:15) till his death.
As he was living in Samaria had experienced the same struggle the same problems of Israel, he was equally affected by the siege of the Syrians. He was equally sharing the burden of the people (2 Kings 6:32). Prophet Elisha was one of the Twin prophetic figures in Hebrew History. He never lost courage, never fled from enemies, never complained anything to YHWH. Despite his fiery predecessor, and his boss had all these issues. But Elisha never gave place for all these. Even in his deathbed, Elisha spoke with full power and declared the WORD of God.
King Joram also knew as Jehoram succeeded the family of Ahab and became a king of Israel (2 Kings 1:17 & 8:16). Joram had the counsel and blessings of Elisha about when the enemy will come, where he will come, and how to tackle the battle (2 Kings 6:8-10).
But now we do not know why God was silent about the sieges of Samaria by the Syrian army. So, the blame game started. King Joram first blamed Elisha then he blamed God the Lord for present situation (2 Kings 6:27,30). King Joram was so enraged and wanted to kill Elisha for three reasons:
a. Elisha did not foretell the invasion of the Syrian army as he used to do earlier (2 Kings 6:8-10 & 24),
b. Elisha did not allow King Joram to kill the Syrian army when they brought to his palace blindfolded (2 Kings 6:22-23),
c. He is not getting any revelation from God about the end of the Famine (2 Kings 6:30-31)
So, King Joram sent a captain who is very reliable to him. Since Elisha was a powerful man of God, He received the revelation immediately. Elisha Prophesised an event to happen on the morrow, he told them about the sale of essential commodities to a cheaper rate. It would be almost a resurgence of the economy of Samaria, an immediate crash of the stock market of Samaria which is supposedly beyond hope and reality to the King and his officers.
As of now, people are dying of starvation and eating their flesh; I mean their children. How is it possible for this small country? They do not have enough soldiers to battle, not enough chariots to run. The conditions are life-threatening and leading to great destruction. So, humanly speaking nothing would change their scenario.
But Elisha said: Hear the Word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow…(2 Kings 7:1) The man of God came with a fantastic prophecy of prosperity and plenty. He told very coolly to the King messenger that they will see a great miracle of the harvest of blessings. It would be a complete turn of the clock; within twenty-four hours, there would be an entirely different world for Samaria those who would believe and alive will experience it.
Elisha affirmed that it was Word of God, not predictions, not probabilities, not maybe, not there seems to be but surely. However, an officer closed to King expressed incredulity with a sarcastic comment that even the Lord opens the floodgates of the heavens, it would not happen. So Elisha warned him to set his house in order.
The creator God is almighty and Omnipotent. Who can comprehend the powers of God? God would change everything in a fraction of seconds and within a twinkle of an eye. He is so powerful and God of miracles. Everything is possible for him. Officer underestimated YHWH he did not believe the floodgates of heaven can feed the whole world from eternity to eternity. How amazing to see how God does miracles on every occasion of his children. "For the LORD had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army" (2 Kings 7:6).
God used the divine music to bring terror among the Arameans. The noise of the instruments wrought a miracle. God is so great and powerful to use anything, anytime, anywhere to perform miracles. The Syrians headlong flight made them throw away or scattering all their belongings and run for lives(2 Kings 7:15).
Mathew Henry comments: "Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity to magnifying his power, his time to appear for his people is when their strength is gone" (Deuteronomy 32:36). God exhibits himself always through Powerful Men of God. God looks for you and me to be powerful instruments of relief and joy. Instruments of miracles of God.
2. Perils of Unbelievers
Elisha told the officer of the King you will see it but will not eat it (2 Kings 7:2). The King of Israel had an officer who was an unbeliever in Yahweh and His Word. As per the Jewish Rabbis, he was a third officer of the kingdom. It is very identical to many leaders and their teams in Christendom. Many unbelievers hold positions and never allow the Word of God to grow. The King was unfortunate to have them in his kingdom. Unfortunately, King Joram had this man as his high officer, reliable officer. King Joram had sackcloth, mourning for this calamity but his office functioned without faith in God, this adviser was an unbeliever. Our faith always strengthened when we are with people of faith, people of prayer, people who fear God and practice justice and righteousness. When we are with honest people, we will practice honesty. We can see and experience the hand of God when we are with people who believe in God. Our inner circle of friends, believers play a vital role in our miracles.
We read in the Bible that the Kings of Babylonia and Persia had God-fearing Daniel as their political advisor. Pharaoh had Joseph as his political advisor. David had Ahithophel as his political advisor. Where there is no prophecy, where there is no wisdom, where there is no proper counsel the kingdom would fall.
Enduring Word comments Prophet Elisha was so upset with the king's officer who doubted the powers of God, the creativity of God and ability of the Prophet of God. So he passed this death sentence on him. King Joram’s quasi-government could not do anything for them. Real government YHWH has come down to feed people and free people. God has come down to save his people.
Jesus the Saviour has come to save us. Though Sin brings calamity God brings healing, restoration and prosperity. The Power of God overpowered the decisions of the King of Israel and the King of Syria. They were fighting with one another to establish their powers. But God used his mighty power to show them the miracle of God.
The gateway of cities in the ancient time was an Entry to the city, market place for people to sell and buy as well as the local court of Justice. Now God used the City gate to serve His three purposes,
1. Firstly, God opened the floodgates of heaven;
2. Secondly, people purchased whatever they wanted at an affordable rate;
3. Thirdly, the judgment of God came upon that unbelieving officer to stamped to death.
Hallelujah, any WORD of God comes out of the Powerful men of God never returns without fulfilling the purpose of God, never falls into the ground without fulfilling its purpose.
The citizens of Samaria were starving for many months and had gone through terrible starvation death experience malnutrition was their lifestyle. They experienced maladministration of the rulers (2 Kings 7:12). They had full of bitterness, hopeless situation, tasteless. Whereas, now they saw the blessings of God at the city gates because the Precious God decided to preserve their priceless souls.
Anyone who saw the WORD of God is being fulfilled but not been benefitted by it is a great curse. How often the believing community is not enjoying the fullest blessings of God because of their rational behaviour and unacceptance of Word of God which has come through a man of God whom they are displeased off.
God has intervened in the history of Israelites on many occasions and situations. Their history was full of miracles and wonders from the day God appeared to Moses until they scattered among the nations. Numerous miracles and countless wonders. God intervened for them. What fantastic experience of spirituality and grace while we walk along with the Bible. Yes, we have so many examples in the Bible how God intervened in their day to lives. God rained hailstones many times during the battles of Israel, he stood with them to defeat their enemies, he rained Manna as food for them in the wilderness journey, and he rained quails for meat. The Lord stretched his hand during the war times of many leaders, Judges and Kings of Judah and Israel.
Paul quotes the events of the wilderness and says it rings as a warning bell in our ears. Hence, we must be careful to keep ourselves from possible perils. The beauty of them as were saved, experienced miracles, enjoyed the blessings and had fellowships but their unbelief and rebellious insolence brought them to the bottomless pit. PLEASE READ 1 Corinthians 10:1-12.
3. Powers of Proclamation
Proclamation of the name of Yahweh or the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the gateway for the floodgates of heaven. The four lepers outside the city became sources of blessings through declaring the Good News of availability of sources. These four lepers enjoyed the fulfilled prophecy by their bold steps. Their boldness leads to enjoying an immeasurable and unclaimed blessing.
The Jewish tradition and many Old Testament scholars connect these four men as Gehazi and his three sons because of the nature of their previous lifestyle and the sequence of the events (2 Kings 5:27 & 7:3, 8:4). They were forbidden to enter into the city as per purification laws given by Moses (Leviticus 13:46 and Numbers 5:3). The four lepers dared to enter into to enemy camp. They were starving to death due to scarcity of food the siege of Samaria was another reason for them not to have food for many days.
So the Lepers decided to die. 2 Kings 7:3-4 records the word DIE for four times. They said to each other: Why to stay here until we die? If we go to the city, we will die of the famine. if we stay here, we will die of the starvation if we go to Arameans if they give to eat we will survive or if they kill we will die. Hence, their courageous faith journeys their willingness to die brought blessings to their existence and to others. Courage to die leads to be alive.
Jesus puts these blessings of the Brave with beautiful sentences: “ I tell you the truth unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25). So, whoever commits to God, indirectly commits to people and society; commits for blessings of others. Their boldness was a result of their commitment to God.
As we meditated last week on the return of the lost Son to his father’s home was a faith journey. As soon as he came to his senses, he said: “I will rise, I will go, I will confess”. He did without delay, immediately he rose from that wretched squandered life. He came back to his father (Luke 15:17-20). The same way the four lepers rose at dusk or twilight and went to the Syrians camp (2 Kings 7:5). Procrastination delays the blessings of God and leads to further damage to the soul.
God blesses whoever takes the bold step in faith. Bible has many best examples to understand how God was with those who took the bold steps., Abraham stepped out of his country without knowing the destiny and terminus(Genesis 12:1-4). David went to the battleground with faith steps. He had great faith to kill the five of the valiant warriors' Goliath and his four brothers, therefore he took five smooth stones in his pouch (1 Samuel 17:26,40,45-47). Esther decided to go to King's court though it was against the law. She told Mordecai “ If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). When David was thirsty, three men of his garrison risked their lives and went to the enemy camp and brought the water to save the life of King David (1 Samuel 23:16-17).
Reading 2 Kings 7:8 – ‘The Lepers reached the edge of the camp and entered one of the tents. They ate and drank, carried away Silver, gold and clothes and went off and hid them.’ And repeated the same thing. It was their habitual Sin. As I explained earlier Gehazi was very habitual to these kinds of Activities (2 Kings 5:20-24, 5:27).
Human beings are inclined to a particular habit or Sin. The criminals always use the same ‘Modus Operandi’, a particular way of doing something in the same manner. Police usually trace the criminals of theft, rape and murder very quickly because they usually go back to the track records of the criminals of that area as soon as an incident is reported to them. The Modus Operandi of Gehazi and his Sons was to lust after good materials, take them and hide them(2 Kings 5:20-24).
2 Kings 7:9 (Orthodox Jewish Bible): “Then they said one to another, We do not right; this day is a Yom Besorah, and we hold our peace; if we tarry till ohr haboker, some Avon (punishment for being sinful) will overtake us; now, therefore, come, that we may go and tell the Bais HaMelech.”
Lepers or Gehazi and his Sons confessed, ‘We are not doing right, punishment for being sinful will overtake us’. They were already under punishment of God, its good opportunity to earn the goodwill of the King and the people, above all the mercies of God. It is always good for us to use the opportunities to serve people and others. ‘The wages of Sin is Death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23). Good News: God has given the good news of Life, eternal life. The real bread ‘Evangelion’ is with us to share with others. This good act brought him healing from Leprosy as well as elevation as the King’s Servant (2 Kings 8:4). Those who preach the good news are blessed. However, some theologians differ on it. Jewish Vulgate does not give this privilege to Gehazi.
Preachers are the doorway of the floodgates of heaven. When we flop through the pages of the Bible we can see many of them – Joseph for the Jacob Family during Famine; Moses for the wilderness community; Little boy during the discourse of Jesus Christ with five loaves and two fishes; Daniel to save the lives of all wise people in the kingdom; Paul saved the lives of the People during the voyage. Blessings flow through preachers, Gospel preachers. Their feet brings healings, prosperity and everything from heavenly places.
Conclusion:
Dear Friends, remember The Power of Prophets, Perils of Unbelievers and Powers of Proclamation. Come closer to God and proclaim the blessings of God, the good news of life eternal, Amen.
