There is a serious crisis in Israel. The Syrians have invaded and besieged the city of Samaria.
Because of the siege, a famine ensues; a famine so serious that people are reduced to eating unclean animals and even their own children (vs. 28 & 29).
In his distress, the King threatens to behead Elisha for not doing something about the situation.
It is always so much easier to blame someone else for our troubles than own responsibility for our actions.
The famine was not Elisha's fault and the cure wasn't his responsibility either. The nation had departed from serving the Lord and he had sent the armies of Syria to get their attention. Repentance was the answer. But the King chose to play the blame game. It's an attempt to throw the light off ourselves, the source of the problem, and shine it on someone or something else.
I find it interesting that in our day Christians are often blamed for the woes of our society. We seem to be holding back progress (if you can call it that). Repentance is needed but that would mean we would have to acknowledge to God of our forefathers, heaven forbid. It would mean we would have to acknowledge that our ways are not pleasing in His sight. it would mean forsaking those ways and returning to Him. This we do not want to do. So the dilemma continues and the blame game continues.
Somehow many in our society have come to believe that eliminating Christians would create a better environment for them to move forward when the converse is really true. Returning to God is the answer. When we return to Him, His blessing will return to us and we can go on.
God in His mercy delivered Israel through the word of His prophet (see the following chapter). He will once again deliver the earth through the word of His people.
Let those of us who love Him remain faithful to Him and not give in to the ways of the world. We are its hope but only if we continue to speak for truth and righteousness.
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