Transitioning from the mire to the choir

Charles Spurgeon once said, “I hold one single sentence out of God’s Word to be of more certainty and of more power than all the discoveries of all the learned men of all the ages.” No other book compares with the supernatural power of the sacred Scripture. It alone is a living book that imparts life. The Bible alone reveals the true knowledge of God to hearts that they might grow in godliness.

What type of person does God use for His glory? What are the characteristics of a person who is mightily used by God? The answers are found in a very obscure Old Testament text. Second Kings 6:24-7:8 reveal four characteristics of the person whom God blesses.

The situation was ugly. “And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria” (2 Kings 6:24). The siege of Samaria, Israel’s capital, produced a great famine. The famine was so severe a donkey’s head sold for 80 pieces of silver and a pint of dove droppings sold for five shekels of silver! The famine was accompanied by weak and impotent leadership. A woman cried out to the king, “Help, my lord, O king!” (verse 25) He replied, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you?” (verse 26) The king was broken and defeated and discouraged.

The famine and the weak leadership brought a total disregard for human life. Verses 28-29 describe a horrendous situation. “Then the king said to her, ‘What is troubling you?’ And she answered, ‘This woman said to me, “Give me your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.”’ So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him;’ but she has hidden her son.” Normally women love their children and care for them. This was a terrible, terrible time.

Yet, God was still working. He had not abandoned His people. Beginning in 2 Kings 7 four characteristics are described of the person who is mightily used by God. The first characteristic is that God uses the despised. “Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate …” (2 Kings 7:3) Leprosy destroys the ability of the body to sense pain. Lepers in ancient times were outcasts. They were forced to live outside the city. If they saw a healthy person they had to cry, “Unclean! Unclean!”

God often uses the despised. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:26-27, “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…” God uses the despised so that all the glory goes to Himself!

The second characteristic is that God uses the desperate. “…and they (the four lepers) said to one another, ‘Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, “We shall enter the city,” the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die’” (2 Kings 7:3-4) They were desperate. The status quo was no longer acceptable.

God uses those who are tired of their present situation and turn for answers to the Bible. In every generation, those who have most treasured God’s Word have been the most mightily used by God. No one can love God without loving His Word. The desperate turn from themselves and look to Jesus for answers.

The third characteristic is that God uses the daring. “And they (the four lepers) rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians…” (2 Kings 7:5) Courage is never the absence of fear but despite the fear pressing ahead. Faith is risk. It is learning God’s plan in the Scriptures and then responding to it. True, saving faith always involves the mind, the emotions and the will.

The fourth characteristic is that God uses the debtors. When they arrived in the Syrian camp, it was empty. “For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses- the noise of a great army…” (verse 6) The entire army fled. Verse 9 describes the four lepers, “Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing what is right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent … Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.’”

They recognized the need to tell others. The Syrian camp was filled with food and provisions. They were debtors to spread the good news. As Christians, have we received good news that must be shared with others? Of course! The best news is the gospel. Jesus, God’s Son, left heaven to end the war between God and man. God’s holiness demands payment for sin. Man’s sinfulness demands judgment. The solution is Jesus who took our sins and God’s wrath upon Himself.

In your desperation, won’t you turn to Jesus today? Jesus receives everyone who comes to Him in repentance and faith — even the despised. Be daring. Turn to Him and then recognize your obligation to live as a debtor. Spread the good news and live for His glory.

Ethan Hansen (ethanchansen@gci.net) is pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.