A Lesson from Ancient History

2 Kings 6-7

Israel agreed to live by the Law and always do what was best,
But once again they abandoned God and now were starving to death.
Ben Hadad, the king from Syria, surrounded Samaria town.
The capital city of Israel was about to come crashing down.

Joram, the King of Israel, was married to Jezebel’s daughter.
It was her devotion to the Baals that led the people to slaughter.
What good is it to cry out to God with such a divided heart?
God has demanded all of us. He won’t settle for just a part.

Elisha had told him not to surrender, to wait for God’s intervention.
Joram was angry accusing the Lord of deliberate inattention.
Elisha’s life was about to end with the removal of his head,
But right on time Israel would find deliverance was just ahead.

Four starving lepers huddled together outside the city gates.
“We might as well surrender ourselves, for certain death awaits.”
They arose at twilight and walked forth towards the Syrian camp.
There was nary a person there, not even a lighted lamp.

There in the camp was food and drink along with the Syrian horses.
God had provided for the town from the most unlikely of sources.
The people went out and plundered the tents gathering the corn and flour.
The famine broke and the city was spared from Satan’s evil power.

There are observations in this text appropriate for our land.
Consider the misery that prevailed following the wisdom of man.
The prophets warned again and again, but the people would not hear
Until the blessings they enjoyed began to disappear.

If only the king and people too had knelt with bended knee
Confessing their sin and turning their back on wicked idolatry,
They would have avoided the horror brought to their family and friends.
Oh what a price sin extracts before it comes to an end!

We have been blessed in America. What a land to live in!
But now we are about to spend ourselves into complete oblivion.
It is time for the church to wake up today and pray for our moral ills.
It’s time for congress to tighten its belt and decide to pay its bills.

We are in a substantial mess in need of help from above.
The answers are found in the Word of God our nation used to love.
America needs a spiritual renewal to sweep across the land.
Wake up and pray, O saints of God, for judgment is at hand!

© Copyright 2010 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved