Richard Roberts
God’s blessings do not come to those who doubt. This truth from the Bible is illustrated in many places, but perhaps no more clearly than in 2 Kings chapter 6 and 7.
The city of Samaria was under great siege by the Syrian army. The people were out of food. Even a little morsel of food cost hundreds of dollars (in today’s money) and there was such a devastation that the people had resorted literally to eating their own children. The king was heartsick and angry at this, but could do nothing about it except turn his rage on the prophet Elisha. He sent soldiers to kill Elisha but when they arrived, Elisha received a message from the Lord for the king, and said, “About this time tomorrow, you’ll be able to buy food for only pennies at the gate to the city.”
A top aide standing near the king heard those words and said, “Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be” (2 Kings 7:2)? His attitude was, “Oh, Really?” He was a criticizer, a doubter, a man who didn’t believe in the unlimited power of God to perform unlimited miracles for His people.
Elisha responded, “Yes, it will happen, but because of your doubt, you won’t eat any of it.”
The prophecy of Elisha came to pass just as he said. During the next 24 hours, four leprous men march toward the Syrian armies. God multiplied the sound of their footsteps so they sounded like a great multitude and the Syrian soldiers fled in fear… and all of their spoil was made available to those in the city, including plenty of flour and grain… for only pennies!
The king assigned the aide who had doubted the Word of the Lord to be the gatekeeper, where he was trampled to death by the starving people rushing for food. Doubters do not experience the fullness of God’s blessing. God’s word to us today: Don’t doubt; only believe (Mark 5:36)!