From despair to positivity – Part 2

However, the message from the Bible passage is that, irrespective of how terrible our situations might be, there is great hope from the Throne of The Majesty, that all will be well.

It is a statement of assurance from God that something better is on the way for us and that as His own true children, our unwholesome situations can never be permanent, in as much as we serve God in spirit and in truth.

To serve God in spirit and in truth includes: no more rituals, no more sacrifices (Jesus has sacrificed Himself for us, once and for all), no more worshiping of idols and no replacement for the name of Jesus Christ in all our secular and church activities.

The case of the people of Samaria (2 Kings 6 & 7)

This was a case of no hope and it was evident that the only way out would be for death to come and take everyone, one after the other.

Benhadad, the king of Syria, had besieged Samaria, creating famine with the people feeling disillusioned. The Bible captures it this way in chapter 6:24-25. “(24) And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

(25) And there was a great famine in Samaria; and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.”

The situation then was so bad for the Northern Kingdom of Israel, that a woman had to come to the king to express her anger of how herself and another woman had boiled her own son and they both ate him, only for the other woman, refusing to allow the same fate to befall her own son (6:26-29).

This made the king of Israel to be very angry and sent for Elisha, who later gave them a message from God – “then Elisha said, hear ye the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord, tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.”

Not only did the word of the prophet come to pass, but also the servant of the king, who doubted the ability of God to solve all problems, saw it happening and did not live to enjoy it (7:17-20).

The feeding of the Four (Five) Thousand (Matthew 14: 13-21; 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10)

This was even more miraculous than the first, for neither was there any city besieged nor was any plenty food found anywhere, but the little became miraculously multiplied.

The people did not complain of hunger to Jesus though, but the reality was that they might have been captivated by the ministration of the Messiah that they could not even feel any hunger.

Jesus has this to say in Mark 15:32 “…I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.”

In view of this, it was obvious that the multitude had not taken food for days and if they had to go for physical food, they would lose the spiritual nutrients in the ministration of Jesus Christ.

From this assertion, it was evident that they were hopeless, but when they least expected, the miracle Worker worked on them and they became fulfilled.

Therefore, what is expected of us at any critical period of despair, which we may find ourselves, is to do less of sharing of blames, but to change our ways, live righteously and pray. And every of our lost hopes shall be restored in Jesus name.

Remain permanently under God’s banner!

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