There was great famine in Samaria, and as the King of Israel was passing by, a lady called to him for help. She narrated how because of the famine she had agreed with another woman to kill their sons and eat them. They had as agreed, killed her son and eaten him. However, when it got to the turn of the other woman she was hesitant in giving her son to be killed, cooked and ate.
Such an abomination! The King was alarmed and virtually angry with God for bringing such a calamity on them. For he believed it was from God. The King of Israel sought to kill the Prophet of God, Elisha, as a result. But Elisha foresaw the evil in the King's heart, and sent him this message: “Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” 2 Kings 7:1
It looked impossible - such a tremendous change overnight? 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!” 2 Kings 7:2-3
True to Prophet Elisha's words which were sent from God, four lepers happened to go to the camp of the Arameans in search of food. The Lord magnified their footsteps and the Arameans thinking their enemies were coming at them, fled. The four lepers had their fill of the goodies the Arameans left behind, and as concerned citizens, informed the King of Samaria of their great find. The King sent spies to confirm. Once it was confirmed, the Samarians plundered the Arameans - 2 Kings 7: 16 Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the LORD had said.
Great change happened overnight, just as the Prophet of God had prophesied. At the time of the prophesy, it sounded outrageous. However, the God of all possibilities caused it to happen by unusual means. It is not a good thing to doubt the Words of God, for nothing is impossible with Him. 2 Kings 7:17-20 Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house. It happened as the man of God had said to the king: “About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”
The officer had said to the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.
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