Children Bible Overview 76 05/10/08

MAN OF GOD, ELISHA TAUGHT THE KING OF ISRAEL

TO TRUST IN GOD’S PROVIDENCE

Teachers to read bible scripture: <2 Ki 6:24-7:20>

Children to memorize bible scripture: <Php 4:19>

Recap
Children, last week, we saw how man of God, Elisha captured the army of Aram, such that they lost
courage to violate Israel. Therefore when there are problems or danger, we must often see that God’s
angels are surrounding us and helping us.

Introduction
After some time. the King of Aram again sent his army to besiege the capital city of Israel, Samaria.
The people in the city therefore could not buy food from outside and the food supply within the city
was also insufficient. Therefore, there was a great famine and the people had nothing to eat. At that
time, to buy a donkey’s head required 1kg of silver and all other food were very expensive. Therefore,
many of the people died of hunger. There was once, the King of Israel was passing by on the wall, a
woman cried out to him, saying, “Help me my lord, the King to seek redress! There was a woman who
asked me to cook my son so we may eat him today, and she would do the same for her son the next
day. But the next day, she hid her son." When the King heard that, he knew that the people were all
going to die of hunger. He hence vented his anger at Prophet Elisha and wanted to kill them because
he felt that as God’s prophet, Elisha did not help the people of Israel. The King went to find Elisha
with his men. When they reached Elisha’s place, the King said, “God did not help us! How can I
believe the Lord, God? You are God’s prophet and you should be responsible.” Elisha said, “The Lord,
God said that tomorrow at this time, the famine will end and the Israelites would have a lot to eat. 7kg
of flour will sell for 11g of silver. There was an army officer beside the king who laughed at Elisha,
saying, “How can that be? Even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, it is impossible
that this will happen.” Elisha said, “You will see it with your own eyes but because you do not believe,
you will not eat any of it!” In the city, there were 4 men with leprosy. They said to one another, “Since
we are going to die of hunger, why don’t we go over to the King of Aram to ask for leniency. If they
want to kill us, then let him!” They hence went to the camp of the Arameans but not a man was there.
Actually, the Lord caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army,
so that they thought that Israel hired others war allies to attack them and hence were so frightened
that they fled, abandoning their tents, wealth, horses, donkeys and food. The 4 men with leprosy then
went to report to the King of Israel. The King sent his men to check and saw that it was indeed the
case and hence went to tell the people in the city. The people hence rushed out of the city and went
to the camp of the Arameans, plundering all their wealth and food. That day, because food was so
abundant, 7kg of flour was really sold for 11g of silver, just as what God said. At that time, the army
officer beside the King who did not believe in God’s words happened to be standing at the city
gateway. As the people rushed out from the city, they trampled the officer in the gateway and he died,
just as what God had said through man of God, Elisha.

1. Israel often did not believe God, therefore, the famine came
1) The King of Israel often did not believe and rely on God and also did not believe the
words of God’s prophet, Elisha. Therefore, they were often powerless. Hence, in the
eyes of the King of Aram, the army of Israel was weak and the country had no power.
Therefore, they had the courage to violate the land of Israel.
2) Because the King of Israel did not believe and rely on God, the King’s officials,
subordinates and army leaders under him also did not believe and trust God.
Therefore, when Elisha preached the Lord, God’s words, the army officer beside the
King laughed at him and belittled the words of God’s prophet.
3) Because the King of Israel did not believe and rely on God, the people of Israel
similarly did not believe and rely on God. Therefore, when the famine came, the
 Israelites did not seek God. Instead, they cracked their brains to the extent of killing
their own children to eat, bringing about even more problems.

2. Regardless of the famine that affected Israel, as long as God worked, the entire
lack became abundance
1) The main reason why God allowed Israel to experience famine (lack) was because of
the King of Israel and the people. He wanted them to acquire a heart that believed and relied
on God. This was because before they gave their heart to God, problems would continue to
come.
2) Actually, when God worked, He not only chased the Aramean army away, He also
left all the abundance of the Aramean army to the Israelites (like tents, wealth,
horses, donkeys, food), causing their lack to become abundance. [Therefore, to God,
there is no problem that is too difficult. As long as God works, all problems can
immediately become blessings.]
3) When God worked, not only would Israel receive abundance, they would at the same
time acquire a heart that believed and relied on God and testimonies that glorify God.
That caused the neighboring countries to be able to see the all-powerful Lord, God in
Israel.

3. Those who belittled or disbelieved the Lord’s God Man of God, would surely not
taste His abundance
1) God’s abundance is often and comes timely. But not everyone is able to enjoy that.
When a person belittles and does not even believe God’s words, he will definitely not
be able to enjoy God’s abundance. [Just like the army officer.]
2) Or when a person believes in God but does not pray to discover God’s perfect will,
he does not know what God is doing, how God is helping him, or what God wants
him to do. Such a person always cannot see God’s abundance preparation. [Just like
the King of Israel and his people. Although they knew the Lord. God, they did not
seek His perfect will and cracked their own brains instead.]
3) Or those who believed God’s words and also know God’s perfect will (know what
God wants them to do) but do not submit and follow wholeheartedly. [God continually
helped Israel but they did not submit and follow wholeheartedly. Therefore, they
could not see God’s abundant preparation.]