2 Kings 7:1-2 : “Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, twelve pounds of the finest flour will sell for a piece of silver and twenty pounds of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” 2 The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!

God is calling us to be radical in our approach to life. He is calling us to look and operate in unorthodox ways to make his presence felt in the world. Oftentimes we are so caught up in the traditional and the status quo that we miss the new thing God is doing. Recently I was reminded how radical God is as I listened to a message from 2 Kings 7 from Rev. Dr. Stephen Jennings. Here is my reinterpretation
Firstly, God sees our plight, will radically change the situation around us shortly and sends a word of deliverance to us his people. Look! I am about to change your situation. Look for the windows and floodgates of heaven opening pouring out the blessings I have in store for you. Believe God when he says, by this time tomorrow deliverance will come. In the passage, God gave them 24 hours’ notice to get ready for the blessings. Twenty-four (24) hours to move from scarcity to abundance. Twenty-four (24) hours to get ready for the miracle. God is sending us a message: leaders and followers alike to listen to him. God is saying I Am the God of the impossible, can transform your mourning into dancing.
Secondly, when God sends the word of deliverance to his people, the negative detractors are always present. Can you imagine the servant of the king utter disbelief. He was so positive that the situation was beyond redemption that he dared to say to the prophet, ‘not even God could make that situation possible. Who does this prophet think he is’? This servant in his importance challenged God’s ability to provide and this caused another prophesy to be made about the next 24 hours. He would see the provision but would not benefit. Sure enough, he saw it just before losing his life in a stampede. God is calling us to repent of the skepticism and negativity. Don’t let the negativity of the world system seep into your soul. Believe the report of the Lord, even though it is a radical departure from what you know. When he says he will open the windows and floodgates of heaven and pour out on your behalf and enough for others to receive, take him at His word.
Thirdly, God uses the most unlikely people to be the means of salvation for the entire nation. Can you imagine that God used four lepers to positively change the destiny of a nation. These lepers were outside of the city, estranged from friends and family, regarded as unclean, were marginalized, scorned, vulnerable, feeling the pressure, had no support from the city. Yet, these were the radical men God used. God is not limited in how he chooses to bring deliverance. It does not always come in the packages we expect. Doesn’t this remind you about the manger that housed Jesus at birth? Deliverance was wrapped up in swaddling clothes hanging out with the animals. What about you? Are you feeling like the lepers: vulnerable, left out, marginalized? God wants to use you the most unlikely person in these hard and difficult times to transform your situation and others. On the other hand, are we ignoring those who will bring deliverance because of their position (all puns intended)?
Fourthly, God wants us to exercise faith, to move from where we are into the unknown, risking even greater discomfort. The lepers had nothing to lose but everything to gain if it worked out. They felt the strong urge /call by God to save their lives and move out of starvation. They took a big risk. They had no clue what was awaiting them: death or salvation. You know that the situation is dire when the choice is to stay and die or go and die too or maybe salvation. Today God is calling us to exercise our faith and move. When God has better for us, he sometimes makes the place where we are so uncomfortable that we have no choice but to move forward, as backward was never an option.
Fifthly true to his word, 24 hours later, the windows and floodgates were opened, and God fulfilled his word. The enemy that you are afraid of, has already been defeated by God. God had caused the enemy to hear chariots, horses and a great army and so the enemy fled long before the lepers got there. What a radical God who will dispatch your enemies with his strategies! Why are you worried again? The enemies not only fled but they left all the provisions that were needed to move into abundance. Hallelujah what a Saviour. This passage reminds me of Moses at the Red Sea who assured them that the Lord is fighting for them and those enemies you see today you will see no more. What enemy are you facing today? Fear, Doubt, Financial or Emotional Distress etc.? Know that we are no longer prisoners to fear but have been given power, love and a sound mind. God has already defeated our enemies. Let us walk in the faith, knowing that God has already provided what we need.
Finally, this provision was not for the lepers alone. There was so much that the whole city had more than enough to eat. God indeed had radically opened the floodgates. Desperation, starvation and poverty turned to rejoicing riches and abundance. God want us to share with and bless others when he blesses us. Bless them with what you have: a word of encouragement, food, prayer, money, use what you have in your hand to bless. However, this is not a show, when you bless others don’t announce it to the mountaintop. Just do your thing silently. God is no man’s debtor.
Prayer:
Father God, new every morning is your love our waking and uprising prove. Thanks for your provision. Thanks for reminding us that nothing is impossible for you, that your windows and floodgates are not closed. We confess our unbelief and believe your report that you will in short order change our situation. We praise you now as we move into your abundance. In Jesus’ name. Amen