2 Kings 7:15-20: a reflection

15They went after them to the Jordan; and behold, all the path was full of garments and equipment which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king. 16The people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the LORD’s word. 17The king had appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate; and the people trampled over him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18It happened as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria;” 19and that captain answered the man of God, and said, “Now, behold, if the LORD made windows in heaven, might such a thing be?” and he said, “Behold, you will see it with your eyes, but will not eat of it.” 20It happened like that to him, for the people trampled over him in the gate, and he died.

When Elisha had promised that God would suddenly provide abundance in the besieged, starving city, a royal officer had scoffed: even if the LORD made windows in heaven, could this happen? Elisha told him he would see it with his eyes but not eat of it. And so it came to pass: the abundance came exactly as God had said, but the scoffing officer, in the crush of the crowd rushing for the food, was trampled and died, seeing the fulfillment but not sharing in it. His unbelief, which had doubted God's word, cost him the blessing.

Notice the outcome of the officer's unbelief: he saw the blessing but did not share in it. He had scoffed at God's word, doubting that God could provide as promised; and though the provision came exactly as God had said, he did not partake of it, dying as he saw it. His unbelief did not stop God's word from being fulfilled; the abundance came. But his unbelief cut him off from sharing in the blessing he had doubted. He saw with his eyes the fulfillment of the word he had scoffed at, but did not eat of it. Unbelief cost him the blessing.

That is a sobering warning, for unbelief that doubts God's word can cut us off from the blessing it doubts. When God promises something, and we scoff or doubt, our unbelief does not stop God's word from being true; but it can cut us off from sharing in the blessing, as the officer saw the abundance but did not eat of it. Do not scoff at or doubt God's word, lest your unbelief cut you off from the blessing it promises; the officer doubted and saw the fulfillment but did not share in it. Believe God's word rather than scoffing at it, that you may share in the blessing it promises, rather than being cut off from it by unbelief, as the officer saw with his eyes the fulfillment of the word he had doubted but did not eat of it; for unbelief that doubts God's word can forfeit the very blessing that word would bring.

Lord, when Elisha had promised that you would suddenly provide abundance in the besieged, starving city, a royal officer had scoffed: even if the LORD made windows in heaven, could this happen? Elisha told him he would see it with his eyes but not eat of it. And so it came to pass: the abundance came exactly as you had said, but the scoffing officer, in the crush of the crowd rushing for the food, was trampled and died, seeing the fulfillment but not sharing in it. His unbelief cost him the blessing. Show me the outcome of the officer's unbelief: he saw the blessing but did not share in it. He had scoffed at your word, doubting that you could provide; and though the provision came exactly as you had said, he did not partake of it. His unbelief did not stop your word from being fulfilled; but it cut him off from sharing in the blessing he had doubted. Take that sobering warning to my heart, for unbelief that doubts your word can cut me off from the blessing it doubts. When you promise something, and I scoff or doubt, my unbelief does not stop your word from being true; but it can cut me off from sharing in the blessing. Keep me from scoffing at or doubting your word, lest my unbelief cut me off from the blessing it promises; the officer doubted and saw the fulfillment but did not share in it. Help me believe your word rather than scoffing at it, Lord, that I may share in the blessing it promises, rather than being cut off from it by unbelief.