“The attendant on whom the king leaned for support said to the Holy Man, “You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?” And he said, “Behold, you shall not eat of it.” And so it happened to him, for the people trampled on him at the gate, and he died.”
You never want to be the guy that says, “Oh ya, prove it!”, and very soon after that you look like a fool for questioning the whole thing. Even worse, is the guy who uses some good old fashion sarcasm to drive home the unbelief.
The king of Aram was angry at the man of God and led an army to Samaria to kill Elisha. A great siege was taking place and no one could come in or go out of the city and food was in short supply. On one occasion, a women yelled for the king of Israel to help her because her and another mother had agreed to boil and eat their sons so many could eat. One women boiled her son but the other women refused and hid herself and her son. Crazy right?
After that, the king of Israel tore his clothes and put on sack cloth. The king and his royal officials came to Elisha and he promised by this time tomorrow, food shall be in great supply and everyone will eat. One of the royal officials spouts off sarcastically and says in verse 2, “You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?” Elisha then tells the man that he will not eat of any of the food.
Four lepers, who were outside the gate, had nothing to lose and decided to surrender to the Arameans hoping they will get some food. When they arrived, they found the camp empty and all the men had left behind everything. Verse 6 tells us that the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear chariots and horses like the sound of a great army and they fled for their lives. They go back and tell the good news to the king. After confirming that everyone was gone, the gates of the city opened up and the royal official who mocked Elisha, was trampled and died. This all fulfilled what Elisha said would happen.
I think we can all learn a valuable lesson in the royal officer. The royal official could have decided to believe what Elisha was saying, but instead he chose to sarcastically spout off and mock the man of God. In short he said, “you are crazy and I don’t believe any of your spiritual bla bla bla.”
We are all given choices, just like this royal official; believe or don’t believe. We can sometimes even miss God at work around us and not get to enjoy the fulfillment of God’s plan. When we choose not to follow the Lord, and do it our way instead, Joyce Meyer says that is when we need to “take another lap.” The only person who chose not to enjoy the food the Lord had provided that day was the royal officer who spouted off at Elisha.
Many times, we hear about people in the Bible praying that the Lord would help their unbelief. One occasion is in Mark 9:23-25 where the father asks Jesus to help his unbelief. Belief is powerful and pushing forward in belief makes faith grow. The lepers who went to the Aramean camp had nothing to lose and they experienced a mighty work of God that day. You also have nothing to lose by believing that Christ is the way the truth and the life. It all starts with belief.
John 10:27-28 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Even if your faith is small, a seed of belief is all Christ needs to show you that he loves you. Ask yourself, “Why am I taking another lap around the mountain trying to learn the same thing?” Maybe it is time for you step out on faith and believe.
Prayer: Father we all struggle with unbelief. The father of the sick girl even asked you for help in his unbelief. I pray that we would stand on the promises of your Word and believe. I pray that today we would speak those promises as if they had already happened believing you will answer our prayers (Romans 4:17). I pray that we would begin our belief journey today by stepping out and walking by faith and not by sight (1 Corinthians 5:7) In Jesus name, amen.
Let It Go 
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