Seeing and Eating

Embracing doubt robs people of experiencing God's blessings.  Many people have heard about or read concerning the peace, joy, forgiveness, and love of God, but unbelief keeps them from receiving.  A perfect illustration of this is seen in 2 Kings 7.  The army of Syria had besieged the city of Samaria, and the inhabitants were suffering from a grievous famine.  The situation had become so dire, people were boiling and eating their own children to survive.  After seeing the desperation of the people, the king of Israel stormed over to the man of God, Elisha.  The king sought to kill Elisha, blaming him and God for the terrible state of the city.  2 Kings 7:1-2 reads, "Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: 'Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.' " ² So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, "Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" And he said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

Elisha proclaimed the word of the LORD:  in 24 hours, the famine would be completely over.  Grain in abundance would be available at the open gate of Samaria.  The king's assistant voiced his doubt aloud:  "Even if God made windows in heaven, how is that possible?"  For a long time the people had languished away in the famine, and therefore Elisha's words seemed like idle fantasy.  The officer's belief in the power and salvation of God had eroded away.  Elisha said, "You shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it."  Such is the effect of unbelief.  We read in the Bible of the promises and provision of God.  But if we are focused on our weakness, inability, and the seeming impossibility of fulfillment, we will never taste and see that the LORD is good.  We see changed lives all around us by the power of the Gospel, but unbelief insulates us from God's touch.  Case after case of God's provision and deliverance may parade before us, but doubts prevent us from experiencing it personally.

How tragic it would be to be starving at a dinner table piled with tantalising foods!  This is the condition of many people who come to church and hear God's Word faithfully preached.  A gourmet meal is spread before people when they open the pages of God's Word by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  The napkin is laid across the lap, the food is presented beautifully, and refreshing water and wine are poured into glasses.  All around people begin to partake of the delicious meal.  But unbelief keeps a person from eating.  It is a lash which ties hands to the back of the chair and sews shut the mouth.  You may have sat down hungry, but now you are famished!  Frustration grips the heart.  It would be better to have stayed home and slept until noon than to sit through another sermon without belief.  Maybe you can relate.  Like the king of Israel, you might blame God for your hunger pangs.  But the reality is, God is the only one who has the words of life.  Jesus is the Bread of Life who supplies Living Water which satisfies our souls.  Whoever by faith receives of Christ's body and atoning blood will live forever.  God is not to be blamed for offering gifts you refuse to receive through unbelief.  Many see with unbelieving eyes, but few hearts trust and eat.

The word of the LORD through Elisha was fulfilled.  That night, the Assyrian army fled at the sound of a great army advancing towards them in the darkness.  Thinking the Samaritans had hired mercenaries to defeat them, the entire army fled and left all their tents, weapons, animals, food, and supplies behind them.  2 Kings 7:16-20 tells us, "Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. ¹⁷ Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. ¹⁸ So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be sold tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria." ¹⁹ Then that officer had answered the man of God, and said, "Now look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?" And he had said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it." ²⁰ And so it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate, and he died."  Even as God had fulfilled his word to end the famine, the life of the unbelieving officer was ended as well.  The officer saw God's salvation but he never ate of the abundance He graciously provided.  His unbelief led to his demise - not in a time of famine - but in a season of great plenty.

Perhaps you have experienced a spiritual famine for a long time.  You have read much but received little.  Even as the children of Israel could not enter into the Promised Land because of their unbelief, you have been unable to follow Christ as a disciple because of the same.  The promises of God remain a unsettling illusion, like cackling spectres in the shadows, instead of the life-supporting and mind-transforming gifts as God intended them.  Confess your unbelief and joyfully await the breaking of the dawn, for a feast waits for you!  It is a feast that will last for eternity, for God's Word will endure forever.  May the words written of Abraham be applicable to every Christian today in Romans 4:20-21:  "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."  If you have not yet repented and trusted in Christ as Saviour, He has promised eternal life to all who believe in Him.  Open the windows of heaven, Father!  May we both see and eat!