2 Kings 6:29-33: a reflection

29So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him;’ and she has hidden her son.” 30When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body. 31Then he said, “God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.” 32But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” 33While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, “Behold, this evil is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

In the midst of a terrible siege and famine, the king of Israel, overwhelmed by the suffering of his people, gives up on God at the very moment when deliverance was about to come. Behold, this evil is from the LORD, he says; why should I wait for the LORD any longer? He had reached the end of his patience and hope; the suffering seemed unbearable, and he concluded that waiting on God was pointless. Yet, though he could not know it, deliverance was near; the very next day would bring a sudden, dramatic rescue. He gave up on God just before the deliverance he had despaired of was to arrive. This is a sobering lesson: we can be tempted to give up on God at the darkest moment, concluding that waiting is pointless, precisely when deliverance may be nearer than we think. To abandon hope in God at the point of deepest darkness is to risk giving up just before the dawn. The king despaired at the very hour deliverance was approaching. Giving up on God at the darkest moment can mean abandoning hope just before deliverance comes.

Notice when the king gave up on God: at the darkest moment, just before deliverance. The suffering was real and terrible; his patience was exhausted; and he concluded that waiting on God any longer was pointless. But he did not know what was about to happen: the very next day, God would bring a sudden and complete deliverance. He despaired at the very hour that deliverance was near. This is a sobering warning: the darkest moment, when we are most tempted to give up on God, may be precisely the moment just before he acts. To abandon hope in God at the point of deepest darkness is to risk giving up just before the dawn breaks. We cannot see, in our darkness, how near deliverance may be; and to conclude that waiting on God is pointless, at the very moment he is about to act, is a tragic mistake. The king's despair came just before the rescue he had given up on. To hold on to hope in God even at the darkest moment, when deliverance may be nearer than we can see, is wiser than to give up. The darkest hour may be just before God acts. Do not abandon hope when deliverance may be near.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can be tempted to give up on God at the darkest moment, just when deliverance may be near, and we do well to hold on. When suffering is at its worst and our patience is exhausted, we can conclude that waiting on God is pointless and give up hope, as the king despaired, why should I wait for the LORD any longer; but he gave up just before the deliverance was to arrive. The darkest moment may be precisely when God is about to act. To abandon hope in God at the point of deepest darkness is to risk giving up just before the dawn. When you are tempted to give up on God at the darkest moment, remember that deliverance may be nearer than you think, as it was for the despairing king. Hold on to hope in God even at the darkest moment, rather than giving up just when deliverance may be near, as the king in the siege despaired and asked why he should wait for the LORD any longer at the very hour deliverance was about to come; for the darkest moment, when we are most tempted to conclude that waiting on God is pointless, may be precisely the moment just before he acts, and to abandon hope at the point of deepest darkness is to risk giving up just before the dawn, so that it is wiser to hold on to hope in God even then, when deliverance may be nearer than we can see.

Lord, in the midst of a terrible siege and famine, the king of Israel, overwhelmed by the suffering of his people, gives up on you at the very moment when deliverance was about to come. Behold, this evil is from the LORD, he says; why should I wait for the LORD any longer? He had reached the end of his patience and hope; the suffering seemed unbearable, and he concluded that waiting on you was pointless. Yet, though he could not know it, deliverance was near; the very next day would bring a sudden rescue. He gave up on you just before the deliverance he had despaired of was to arrive. Show me when the king gave up on you: at the darkest moment, just before deliverance. The suffering was real and terrible; his patience was exhausted; and he concluded that waiting on you any longer was pointless. But he did not know what was about to happen: the very next day, you would bring a sudden and complete deliverance. He despaired at the very hour that deliverance was near. This is a sobering warning: the darkest moment, when I am most tempted to give up on you, may be precisely the moment just before you act. To abandon hope in you at the point of deepest darkness is to risk giving up just before the dawn breaks. I cannot see, in my darkness, how near deliverance may be. Take that to my heart, for I can be tempted to give up on you at the darkest moment, just when deliverance may be near, and I do well to hold on. When suffering is at its worst and my patience is exhausted, I can conclude that waiting on you is pointless and give up hope, as the king despaired; but he gave up just before the deliverance was to arrive. When I am tempted to give up on you at the darkest moment, help me remember that deliverance may be nearer than I think, Lord, as it was for the despairing king, and hold on to hope in you even then, when deliverance may be nearer than I can see.