If I Stay Here, I’ll Die: Part One
by LATOIA
Filed under Evangelism, Faith
Sometimes in this Christian walk we need a Word from the Lord that just jolts us into action. That Word is one that helps us to examine our current circumstances and realize that we are living beneath the privileges that our heavenly Father has promised to those that live according to His precepts and examples.
I recently had the pleasure of hearing just such a Word. The vessel was Evangelist Ramona Nelson. God used her in a mighty way to minister to the hearts of His people–conveying a message of faith, trust, and determination. I pray that this Word is as much of a blessing to you as it has been for me. Be blessed.
If I Stay Here, I’ll Die
2 Kings 7: 3-4 NLV
3. Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. “Why should we sit here waiting to die?” they asked each other. 4.”We will starve if we stay here, and we will starve if we go back into the city. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway.”
The Message
3. It happened that four lepers were sitting just outside the city gate. They said to one another, “What are we doing sitting here at death’s door? 4. If we enter the famine-struck city we’ll die; if we stay here we’ll die. So let’s take our chances in the camp of Aram and throw ourselves on their mercy. If they receive us we’ll live, if they kill us we’ll die. We’ve got nothing to lose.”
Today we want to address the issue of making changes, moving forward, getting sick and tired of being in the same situation. A situation where there is no life; no movement; a situation in which if you don’t do something you will die. If you don’t make some changes you will die.
The Lord has spoken that this is the year of demonstration. This is the year in which he will show himself strong. This is the year of the harvest. In our text today we are going to deal with the story of the four lepers. But before we get into the text I feel we need to cover some of the background scripture leading up to our text.
We find ourselves in the book of II Kings. The Book of 2 Kings is a sequel to the Book of 1 Kings. It continues the story of the kings over the divided kingdom (Israel and Judah.) The Book of 2 Kings concludes with the final overthrow and deportation of the people of Israel and Judah to Assyria and Babylon, respectively.
The Prophet Elisha was active in the Northern Kingdom approximately a century after it had broken off with the Southern Kingdom of Judah, following the death of King Solomon. He brought the word of Yahweh to the people during a period when the Ten Tribes were barred from traveling to the Temple in Jerusalem. T his was a very dark period for the Northern Kingdom because their capital, Samaria, was in the last stages of famine from the prolonged Syrian siege.
The city was surrounded by the enemy and slowly but surely starving to death. Donkey heads and dove dung were being sold on the streets for food. Even little children were being fought over by parents to be eaten as food. Humanity had sunk to its lowest possible level. It could not get any worse. Elisha confronted the city leadership with a message from God. “By this time tomorrow, there will be so much food that bushels of flour will be sold on the streets for pennies.” One leader stood to question such a bold prophecy and the preacher pointed his bony old finger in his direction and replies: “ You’ll see it with your own eyes, but you will never taste any of it!”
A city going from famine to feast in 24 hours? From donkey head soup to a chicken in every pot. Only God could do this and he would use the four lepers in bringing this miracle to pass. This brings us to our text.
3. It happened that four lepers were sitting just outside the city gate. They said to one another, “What are we doing sitting here at death’s door? 4. If we enter the famine-struck city we’ll die; if we stay here we’ll die. So let’s take our chances in the camp of Aram and throw ourselves on their mercy. If they receive us we’ll live, if they kill us we’ll die. We’ve got nothing to lose.”
Leprosy was such a dreaded, highly contagious, gruesome disease, and one that was feared. We know that the law made special provisions concerning it (Lev. 13-14). These men were at the entrance of the gate because they were to be separated from the people. The lepers were excluded from the city. They were considered outcasts. Why were they outside the city walls? Because they, as all lepers were excluded from the community! These poor men could not even remain in the city to starve with the rest of the people. They were shunned, feared and abandoned. They were considered living death, as leprosy was always associated with sin, which is why only Jesus ever touched lepers and healed them. They knew that there was nothing to eat where they were, and nothing to eat if they broke the law and entered the city.
There are four points I would like to bring out to show how the lepers decided to chose life over death.
1. Evaluate your current situation
The lepers had a decision to make. They were placed between the walls of the city in the midst of a famine and the Syrian Army that surrounded the city. They didn’t have many options. They couldn’t go to aunt Sally’s house to live with her for a while. They were considered living death even by their families. In their mind the situation looked hopeless. If they went into the city, there was famine and death, and they would die. However, if they stayed where they were, they would die. They would either die for having the audacity to come into the city and die of starvation because of the famine. If they went out to surrender to the Syrians, they probably would be killed, especially since they were leprous.
In desperation and being sick and tired of being sick and tired they decided to do something. They came to the conclusion that they had nothing to lose. We need to realize that many times our season is over for where we are currently. If you wonder why you are stagnate and nothing is happening, then it may be time for you to bust a move. You need to come to the conclusion, what have I got to lose? Either I take a chance on God who I know will not fail me, or I stay here and I die. Die spiritually as well as naturally.
Deuteronomy 30: 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
2. Take Action
Once the lepers decided they did not want to just sit there and die, they got up at dusk and made their way into the Syrian Camp in search of food. They simply wanted to have a chance at a better life. If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always be where you are. I’m quite certain they ascertained that it would not be a good idea to infiltrate the city in broad daylight. They were lepers they were outcasts, they would definitely be killed. They had to be smart with their strategy.
Turn a corner: We have to be careful that we don’t make new converts feel like spiritual lepers that sit on the outskirts of the city as outcasts because we are so territorial and intimidated by new ideas and new concepts. Let them inside the city limits. They are somebody too. Just because you have been in the way too long doesn’t mean it’s the right way. I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Part Two
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