It is times like these that God has us just where he wants us. It is times like these that God is ready to glorify His name because we have run out of options that we can see working out. It is times like these that we know our answer came from God.
Sometimes, when confronted by a difficult situation, we are tempted to think our situation is worse than anyone else has had to deal with. That our situation is graver, that no one has ever struggled as badly as we have struggled. Among other reasons, I think this is one reason that II Kings 6:24-7:20 is in our Bibles. It is rough. It is raw. And it is hopeless.
There was a famine in the land so cupboards were bare.
The Syrians had laid siege of Samaria so there was no food or supplies coming into the city.
A donkey's head was sold for 80 pieces of silver. (A year's wages in those days)
Some dove's dung was sold for 5 pieces of silver (20 day's wages)
Two women made a pact to 'share' their sons. (Eating one one day, and the other the next)
Think about the hopelessness. How bad would it have to be for someone to consider selling dove dung, much less buying it? A year's wages for a donkey head? Even at minimum wage, we're talking over $15,000 in the US economy (I guess I would call that relative dollars - what it would feel like to those of us living in the US today) It was so bad a woman thought to suggest eating children, and even worse, desperate enough that it sounded like a good idea! I am glad that I cannot imagine a situation that tough.
And in the midst of this, God provides. And his provision involves lepers, the invading army, an incredulous King, and an imaginary army (that the Syrians heard). Wouldn't exactly be my list of things to meet the need, but it was God's. He made the Syrians hear an army that wasn't there. Samaria didn't hear it, but the Syrians did, and they were convinced that the sound itself was such an immanent danger that they needed to flee. It was so terrifying that they cast off the valuables they had grabbed to take with them. They didn't even take their horses, they just ran. He used lepers that no one paid any attention to as part of his solution. Their desperation caused them to go into the camp no matter what the results were. And the king who was so far in disbelief that he knew an empty camp full of food and provision was a trick of their enemy. Add to that the lord, one of the king's trusted advisers, who didn't think God could provide food even if God made windows in heaven. Windows in heaven would be a great trick, but God doesn't need tricks. He always has many avenues available to fulfill His Word to us.
They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king. And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.
- II Kings 7:14-16
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