Troublesome Times Are Here
II Kings 6: 24-33; 4 Kingdoms 6: 24-33
A country gospel song from a few decades ago reflected the troubling conditions in our world and proclaimed the expected relief in the Second Coming of our Lord. The opening lines may be also applicable to many in the present day:
Troublesome times are here, filling men's hearts with fear;
Freedom we all hold dear now is at stake.
Humbling your hearts to God saves from the chastening rod;
Seek the way pilgrims trod, Christians awake!
We are living in troubling times. Our eyes and ears are filled with such terms as inflation, food shortages, supply chain blockages, soaring fuel costs, rising prices in most markets, etc. Furthermore, we are beset with increasing personal fears and anxieties, depression, and tensions that pierce the hearts and souls of our people.
Clearly, there are numerous factors at work which contribute to this situation, but we may do well, in this piece, to consider only two – which actually appear to be interrelated. That is, economic turmoil and religious turbulence swirling around us. Instability and uncertainty in both economic and spiritual matters affect our lives both outwardly and inwardly.
Now, I am certainly not qualified to offer a professional analysis nor propose an adequate solution to these conditions that beset our nation. However, in recent days, a passage of Scripture has made its abode in my mind – a story that is strikingly similar to the present day. It took place in the distant past (almost 3000 years ago) and in the distant land of Israel. Perhaps a closer look into that time and those events may offer us some understanding, comfort and assurance …. by the goodness of God.
Following the death of the wicked king, Ahab (I Kings 22: 34ff.) about 897 BC, his son, Ahaziah, reigned in Israel two years. “He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother (Jezebel) … he served Baal and worshipped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.” (I Kings 22:52,53). Ahaziah died and because he had no son, his brother, Jehoram, became king in his place (II Kings 1:17). Like his brother and his father before him, Jehoram did evil in the sight of the Lord. Therefore, it is apparent that, for years, God was sorely displeased with the ungodly leadership, idolatrous worship and spiritual apathy in this Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Lord had been patient with them; sending first the prophet Elijah and then the prophet Elisha – looking for signs of repentance and return to their spiritual heritage. But that was obviously not occurring. That now brings us to the text before us.
Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, began making war against Israel. His strategy included surrounding the capital city of Samaria, obstructing their supply chain and, in time, forcing their submission. With their food and other necessities diminishing, the Samaritans could be easily conquered.
The operation was apparently succeeding as we read in II Kings 6:25: There was a great famine in Samaria; and, indeed, they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver (approx. $582) and one-fourth of a kab (1/4 of a pint) of dove droppings for five shekels of silver ($36). These numbers vividly point to shocking inflation, panic and desperation. Further, a donkey was an unclean animal and forbidden by Jewish Law to be eaten. Besides, the head would be the last portion one would choose for food.
There is some debate among scholars as to the identity of “dove droppings”. In those times, animal excrement was commonly used as fuel for cooking. After being gathered from cows, sheep and birds, the droppings were laid outside the house to dry and then burned in the kitchen fire pit. Within this perspective ($36/half-cup), they had a severe shortage of fuel at an inflated cost!
Others propose that the term refers to a small pea which was grown in that region. The Arabic word here is similar to that for the chickpea. Even at that, $36 for a handful of peas was an enormous amount.
We are then told that the situation was even worse. In desperation bordering on insanity, two women had agreed to boil and eat their sons on successive days (vs. 26-30). (Would these likely have been infants/ newborn?) When the king (Jehoram) was faced with this, he admitted that he was helpless and tore his clothes in utter frustration.
Sadly, the city of Samaria and the kingdom of Israel was in a dreadful state. Inflated prices, food and fuel shortages, supply chain stalled, young children expendable, frustrated rulers and the enemy poised to seize a victory.
How could this be? These were God’s people, whose ancestors had been delivered from Egypt and given a Promised Land. Their history – from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Moses, Joshua, David and Solomon – had been lived in a covenant relationship with the living God. Were they now being forsaken?
Pausing here, let us be reminded that the Lord God had been provoked to anger from the time of Ahab and neither of his sons (Ahaziah and Jehoram) had made any effort to turn from their wicked ways. For years (as noted previously), the Lord had waited patiently, even sending the prophets Elijah and Elisha to earnestly call those kings and the people to repentance – but they had not listened. So, it is evident that these horrible conditions we have listed have largely resulted from the sinful culture and godless behavior among Israel’s leaders and those who willingly followed them.
One would think, given what we have read, that there would have been an outcry of godly grief – pleas for mercy, tears of sorrow from broken and contrite hearts – raised to the Lord; and that being led by the king.
But no, we regrettably hear only the opposite: “Then he (King Jehoram) said, “God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today”” (vs. 31). Jehoram was actually blaming Elisha for all the troubles in Israel!
Furthermore, when the king, following his messenger to Elisha’s house, realized that the chastisement was coming from the Lord, he said, “Surely this calamity is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” (vs.33). Not only had he blamed Elisha, but now he was openly withdrawing any trust in God! He had no interest in seeking a spiritual solution to these problems.
But the end was not yet as we shall see. The mercy of the Lord is greater than we can conceive. It would yet be more than a century and a half before this corrupt kingdom would fall (721 BC).
Yes, this was long ago and far away – a different culture, another way of life, etc. – but those people were just like us; created by the same God, living on the same earth, and yearning for prosperous and peaceful lives with their families and neighbors. Therefore, as we reflect on this troubling account from Scripture, perhaps we may again be reminded that the nation which turns from God, embraces idols in any form, follows godless leaders, slays their children and blames the servants of the Lord, will not escape the chastening of God.
Spiritual ills can result in economic anemia producing an anxious and angry society. As it was in Samaria, may it not be in our beloved country. May God have mercy upon us.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)
This has likely been a distressful study. We would hope that our hearts would be quickened to seek the Lord even in the most troublesome times. In the following study (hopefully within a few days), we will find cause for rejoicing when our gracious God intervened to grant mercy to His people.
Fr. Andrew
About The Author
