Refusing Prophecies

6 min read

43 “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked. But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’ ” 44 Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.
— 2 Kings 4:43-44

This account is similar to when Elijah helped the widow of Zarephath during a famine and also to when Elisha helped the prophet’s widow against her debtors. In both those cases, God provided food so that the people in need could live. The former reveals God’s compassion to the Gentiles. The latter reveals God’s faithfulness toward His covenant promises.

And obviously, this account is similar to when Jesus fed the 5,000 and the 4,000. Of course, Jesus’s miracle was on a scale that suggests God’s compassion and faithfulness to the whole world.

But Elisha’s prophetic word stood out to me: “‘They will eat and have some left over’”—especially considering that this account follows another account of protecting the company of prophets after they some poisonous mushrooms. Because the way prophecies are, they not only speak to a specific situation at hand, but also to a future fulfillment and also to the ultimate fulfillment after Jesus returns.

The reason that we don’t see miracles like this today is because God will only act according to our powerlessness. In other words, God will not do what we can do. He will only do what we cannot.

God has “taught” us to “subdue” certain life-threatening aspects of living on this planet. And so, it is in those areas we have no control over that God will act. In those areas we can take care of ourselves, why should He?

One point to consider is that when it comes to the matter of food and famine, humans have advanced enough in our agricultural know-how and capacity to be able to feed the whole world—even if certain areas are experiencing extreme famine. The only reasons that people starve due to famine or poverty are greed, pride, distrust, hatred, and political chaos—in other words, sin.

If not for sin, this prophecy through Elisha would be fulfilled today.

I am not a bleeding-heart liberal who believes in socialism. Although, I do not idolize capitalism either. The problem with every political-economic system has always been sin. And so it seems to me that the world perpetuates a cycle of poverty because as a whole it values profit more than it does human life.

So what does that mean for me today? I am reminded that God used the generosity of a man to provide bread for Elisha, and that God used the compassion of Elisha, to feed those who were hungry. May I have such compassion and generosity toward people in need.

As I feast with my house church tonight, I will give thanks to God and rejoice in His blessings. But I will also mourn and pray for those who do not have such simple “luxuries.” More than that, I will mourn and pray for those who will starve in eternity because they do not know Christ.

Father, I confess that I take for granted Your abundant provision in my life. I so easily forget that there are people in this country and in this world who go hungry day to day. I pray that You would provide for them as You provided for the prophets.