2 Kings chapter 7 verse 1. Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria. Then a Lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, Behold, If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate, and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city and we shall die there. And if we sit still here, we die also. Now, therefore, come. And let us fall unto the host of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we shall live. And if they kill us, we shall but die. And they rose up in the twilight to go unto the camp of the Syrians. And when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host. And they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent and did eat and drink, and carried then silver and gold and raiment, and went and hid it, and came again and entered into another tent. and carried fence also, and went and hid it. Then they said one to another, We do not well. This day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace. If we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us. Now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household. So they came and called unto the porter of the city, and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied and asses tied in the tents as they were. And he called the porters, and they told it to the king's house within. And the king arose in the night and said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry. Therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, when they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive and get into the city. And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it. Behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed. And let us send and see. 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. And the king appointed the Lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate and the people trod upon him in the gate and he died. as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him. And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria. And that Lord answered the man of God and said, Now behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, I shall see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And so it fell out unto him for the people trod upon him in the gate and he died. Amen. I want to preach a message this morning in this series on the life of Elisha on the character and the consequences of unbelief. Unbelief is a terrible sin. It has been said that it was unbelief that damned the devil. We know that the Lord Jesus Christ, in a certain part of the country in which He ministered, could do no mighty work among them because of their unbelief. Unbelief is a damning sin. And in this portion, we learn about the character of unbelief, 2 Kings chapter 7, and we also learn about the consequences of unbelief. Immediately as I look at this portion of Scripture, I learn this lesson, and that is how swiftly things can change when God Almighty intervenes in a given situation. For as we noted in our last message, in the city of Samaria, there was a tremendous crisis. There was a real difficulty. The people were in a terrible plight because there was a famine in that city that had been precipitated by a siege that was laid upon it. Look at chapter 6 of 2 Kings and verse 25. And there was a great famine in Samaria and behold they besieged it. That's the armies of Ben-Hadad. until an ass's head was sold for four score, that's eighty, pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. This was a terrible situation that had arisen. And such, we read, was the desperation of some in that city. They even resorted to cannibalism. They began to eat their offspring. But the prophet of God confidently announced to the king of Israel that there was going to come about a drastic change in circumstances. Look at chapter 7, verse 1. Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord, hear something that God has to say. Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate. of Samaria. And what we learn from that is that God can change things overnight. Now that encourages me in the work of God because in a spiritual sense this is true as well as in a physical sense. In Isaiah chapter 35 we have a wonderful portion that deals with the subject of revival and the flourishing of the kingdom of Christ. And among other things, this is what it says, The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. In other words, in a place where there is no fruitfulness, in a place of barrenness, in a place of absolute deadness, there will be a springing up of fruitfulness. For instance, again Isaiah 35 verses 6 and 7, it tells us, For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert, and the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. When God moves in power, things change, and they change dramatically. The Lord can suddenly produce great plenty and an abundant provision, where hitherto there has been barrenness and spiritual famine." That encourages my heart, the Lord is able to change things even in a spiritual landscape of a country or indeed of a church. Now this passage, 2 Kings 7, records how that the man of God, Elisha, made an announcement of good news. And it was good news, or it should have been good news to those people. And what was it? The famine is going to be over within 24 hours. Food is going to be so plentiful here that it's going to be sold almost for nothing. Chapter 7, verse 1. Tomorrow about this time, he said, 24 hours from now, a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria. Whereas before, even a donkey's head cost you 80 pieces of silver. Great change. But that good news, that message, was not received by all. And that's what I want us to focus on today. Look at the second verse of 2 Kings 7. Then a Lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? Here is the language of unbelief. Here is the language of scorn and mockery and blasphemy, in fact. What this man was saying, in effect, was this. This cannot be true. Even though you have told us, thus saith the Lord. I don't believe it. It could never be. Even if God were to open the windows of heaven, this thing could not be. That's what he said. And the reply of Elisha is worth noting. It was swift and it was sharp. At the end of verse 2, and he said, Elisha said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And as it was foretold by the prophets, so it turned out. God's Word always is fulfilled. God's Word always comes to pass. Look at the end of the chapter. Verses 16 and 17. And the king appointed the Lord, on whose hand he leaned, to have the charge of the gate. And the people trod upon him in the gate. And he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him. He died. He died in unbelief. And there is a spiritual parallel that can be drawn from this incident. This passage of scripture, I believe, as we spiritualize it, is full of gospel truth and gospel application. Because there are many today, and maybe there's even one or more in our church this morning, in this very position, like this man, in unbelief. And if you die in unbelief, you'll go to a lost eternity. Let's notice what this portion teaches us in the Gospel. First of all, the prophecy that was spoken. In verse 1, we hear these words immediately. Hear ye the word of the Lord. In other words, listen to what God says. Thus saith The Lord. This prophecy that was spoken was not dreamed up by Elisha. It was not something that he got as a figment of his imagination. But this was a word that was divine. It was a word from the Lord. It was the word of the Lord. Thus saith Jehovah. You'll see that that is the word there, because LORD, in your authorized version, is in small capitals. And always, and I mean always in the Old Testament, where you have L-O-R-D in large letters, it is Jehovah in the original. It's the covenant keeping God. It's the God who keeps His Word. Thus saith the God who keeps His Word. Here's something that is divine. And men and women and young people, we need to learn this in the day in which we live, that what men think or say is of no consequence. It does not matter what men think. You know, I hear people all the time, well, I think this and I think that. And they have all these great ideas about God and about God's Word and about what is the Word of the Lord and what God really likes and what God doesn't like. And they'll say, well, I think this and I think that. And I don't care whether it's a preacher or a lay person or whoever it is, a person's own thoughts. are of no vital importance when it comes to spiritual things. It is what the Word of the Lord says that counts. Of course, it matters what you think if you're speaking forth the Word of God. It does matter what you say. It matters a lot. And it mattered a lot what Elisha had to say here. He had a message from God. It reminds me very much of that left-handed Judge Ehud. He came to that big, fat oaf of a king. Before he plunged the dagger into his belly, he said, I have a message from God unto thee. I have a message from God unto thee. Elisha had a message from the Lord. Hear ye the word of the Lord. And I would say that to every congregation that sits under my voice. Hear ye the word of the Lord. Never mind what I think. But hear ye the word of the Lord. Because it's important, and it is true, and men ought to give heed to it, because it is a thus saith the Lord. Now, if it's thus saith the free church, you can take it or leave it. If it's thus saith the minister, you can take it or leave it. But if it's thus saith the Lord, you'd better listen. You'd better hear. When God speaks, we must listen. Jeremiah 22 and verse 29 says this, O earth, Earth, Earth, hear the Word of the Lord. Hear the Word of the Lord. The Word is the Word of the Lord. It's in this Bible. It's in this Bible. Here is what God has said. God has spoken. And we ought to give earnest heed to God's Word. Hebrews 12.25 says, See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escape not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven. See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. Do not refuse the Word that is divine. The Gospel is a divine message. It's divine in its origin. Men didn't dream it up. It's from God. When Paul came preaching, He came with a, thus saith the Lord. He said to the Galatians something about this preaching of his. Listen to this. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. It's the word of the Lord. The gospel is God's word. It's God's message. It's a message about sin. What God thinks of sin. How God defines sin. A message about salvation. How you can be delivered from sin. A message about heaven. And yes, it is also a message about hell. A message of eternal glory. A message of eternal condemnation and judgment. And it carries with it a thus saith the Lord. That's why Jesus said, He that heareth you, heareth me. The words of the Lord. The prophecy here in Elisha's day was not only divine, it was from the Lord, but it was definite. Notice how specific it was. Look at verse 1. Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time. So he identified the actual time. shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria." So it was very specific, very definite, there was an exact time, place and amount. And isn't it just like that where the gospel is concerned? We're not here to preach an uncertain message. We're to preach a clear, definite, unambiguous message of plenteous provision. Food. Not for the body, but for the soul. The gospel is a definite, direct message to sinners. It's a message of grace. Because this was a message of grace. Tomorrow there's going to be fine flour. There's going to be barley. It's going to be freely available, very cheap, at the point of origin. A message of grace. And there is a plenteous provision in the gospel, a provision of mercy and of forgiveness of sin for all who will avail themselves of it. There is no doubt here. There's no double meanings that can be taken out of this here. There is grace. There is forgiveness. There is a welcome for the sinner who repents and believes the gospel. The gospel in a nutshell has often been called John 3.16. We all should know it, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Or how about the words of Paul in Romans 10, 13? For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. It's a very clear message. It's a very definite message. No wonder old Spurgeon used to say, Our God is not a God of might be's and could be's, but of shalls and of wills. There is a definite promise given to the sinner in the gospel. Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. Whoso believeth shall be saved. This was a definite message that Elisha gave. I want you to see what that message involved. Look at verse 1. See here that which he talked about. A measure of fine flour and two measures of barley. It's always interesting for us to consider in our Bibles the first mentions of anything. There is a law of Bible study and it's called the Law of the First Mention. There's also the Law of the Further Mention. There's the Law of the Final Mention. The Law of the First Mention is very important because the first mention of anything gives a key to the understanding of that doctrine or subject in the rest of Scripture. So if you look at the first mentions of fine flour and of barley in the Bible, I believe it's very, very revealing. For instance, let's go to Leviticus, the third book of the Bible and the chapter 2. Leviticus chapter 2. And here we have the directions of the Lord concerning the meat offering, sometimes called the meal offering. Verse 1, And when any will offer a meat offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour." Now, when we were studying the tabernacle, we talked about the fine flour being used in the baking of the showbread, on the table of showbread. We said that that fine flour is a picture of Christ, and so it is. Because this fine flour of Leviticus chapter 2, verse 1, and that's the first mention of it in the Bible, it literally means rolled or crushed small. They would take the wheat and they would crush it in the pestle and mortar. And they would crush it and make it into fine, fine flour. It had been subjected to this process, this treatment. And I believe that is a wonderful picture of our Savior in His sufferings. Didn't the Lord Jesus say, if a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone? But if it die, it bringeth forth great fruit. He was talking about himself. The Lord Jesus is this rolled or crushed flower. The Lord Jesus was punished by God for our sins. He was put to death. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. He is that fine flower. But let's think also of the barley. Elisha talked about the barley and the first mention of it is in the book of Exodus. In the chapter 9 and verse 31. And it's talking here about the judgment of God upon Egypt. Exodus 9, 31. And the flax and the barley was smitten. For the barley was in the ear and the flax was bold. Notice that. The barley was smitten. In other words, judgment. fell upon the barley in Egypt, the judgment of God. That barley smitten in judgment speaks to us of the Lord Jesus Christ suffering divine wrath. Because that very word, smitten, is used in Isaiah 53, where it says He was smitten of God and afflicted. The Lord Jesus is that barley being judged. suffering divine wrath. And so the gospel is here in picture and in type. You have here in the words of Elisha, the cross of Christ and the Christ of the cross, the crucified Savior, spoken of typically, the fine flour and the barley. Talks to us about a crucified Savior, one who bore all the wrath of God for his people. And that provision is then offered to sinners graciously in the gospel message. The question is today, if you're not saved, will you receive this Savior as your own? Will you have this man to rule over you? Not only do we have here the prophecy that was spoken, however, we also have here the person who was skeptical. In verse 2, We're introduced to this man. He's identified as a lord on whose hand the king leaned. He was the highest courtier of the king. He was a man of great importance in the nation. But he was a skeptic, he was a cynic, he was an unbeliever. And when he heard this wonderful message, This famine is going to be gone tomorrow. There's going to be plenteous provision for all who will have it. He didn't believe it. Furthermore, he scoffed and mocked at it. Even if God opened the windows of heaven, this thing could not be. The person who was skeptical did not believe. He did not accept the Word of God at the Prophet's mouth. And isn't this man typical of many today? Isn't this man typical of many folks that we know, folks that we've met? That the gospel is to them a matter for scorn and ridicule and mockery. And if they don't laugh at it outwardly, they laugh at it in their hearts. It's not true. Don't believe it. They regard anything of supernatural origin with derision. They treat spiritual truth with disdain. They look down their nose at it. And then, of course, there are others. And they don't sit in the scorner's chair. They're not openly mocking at the things of God. But they do not believe. They do not believe. They're indifferent. They're unresponsive. They're unaffected by the gospel. They can come to church. They can hear the strongest of preaching. And they can go away again. And it all rolls off of them like water off a duck's back. It makes no difference. None whatsoever. to their hearts or lives, they do not believe. And I would say to you today that their case is equally sad and it's just as perilous to their souls as one who mocks and who laughs and who scorns at the things of God. For it's the same result in the end, unbelief will take you to a lost eternity. Notice particularly here in this individual, this person who was skeptical, his contradiction of the man of God. He more or less said to Elisha, you're not telling the truth. I hear you Elisha, I hear what you said, hear ye the word of the Lord, thus saith the Lord, there's going to be flour, there's going to be barley, but I don't believe it. If the Lord was even to open windows in heaven and create a new universe as it were, and pour out all this blessing, it still couldn't happen. I don't believe you. You're not telling the truth. God hasn't said this at all. That's really what he was saying. That's not what God has said. Don't we remember we hark back to the Garden of Eden? And the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field. And the serpent said to Eve, Yea, hath God said. That's not what God means. That's not what God's saying at all. And the devil will say the same thing to you and to others in church. That's not what God means by that. That's not what the Bible really means. That's not really true what that preacher says. That's just preaching. You heard about the little girl, one time we heard the preacher telling a story in the pulpit. And on the way home from church, she said to her mom, Mom, was that true what the preacher said or was he just preaching? There's some churches you would have to say that, I'm afraid. It's not reality they're dealing with, it's figments of their imagination. But when we're talking about the gospel, we're talking about things that God has said. And for you to say God hasn't said it is to make God a liar. His contradiction of the man of God is here. His contempt for the message of God is here. And we must learn this, folks. It's not just that this man, this courtier of the king, was disbelieving of Elisha. It's not that he was not just ready to receive Elisha's words, but it was Elisha's God he was rejecting. It was Elisha's God. It was the word of the Lord that he was rejecting. That's the thing that makes me sad when people don't want to be under the preaching of God's word. You know, it's nothing to no matter what people might say, sometimes it's not really. It's not really. The preacher that they have a problem with. It's the word of God that they have a problem with. It's the word of God they have a problem with. And this man was calling God a liar. And that's what sinners in every age are guilty of when they reject the testimony of God against themselves. It's not what the Lord Himself says. For example, and here He's actually speaking to believers. But it applies to all men. In 1 John 1, verses 8 and 10. Listen to it. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar. And His Word is not in us. People say, well, I wouldn't call God a liar. But that's exactly what you're doing when you do not believe His Word. Romans 3, verses 3 and 4, What? For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yea, let God be true. But every man a liar. Let God be true. God's Word is truth. And when we think back to this character in 2 Kings 7, all of his unbelief didn't change the fact. It didn't change the fact. And everything that God said in His Word came to pass. And we have people today who parrot their unbelief, who repeat their unbelief, who are very good at coming on even to the media and telling folks that they're atheists and they don't believe the Word of God. But that doesn't change the fact. They can say whatever they want. Doesn't change anything. All of man's unbelief doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the fact God's Word is true. People have often said, well, I'll say this. God says it and I believe it and that settles it. No, it doesn't. God says it and that settles it, whether you believe it or not. God says it, that settles it. That's the end of the story. This is what God said. And here's a man who had a contempt for the message of God. He didn't believe it. Notice also here, this is very important, not only his contradiction of the man of God and his contempt for the message of God, but his conclusion about the might of God. I think this is very revealing, because he says in verse 2, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? What was he saying? He was saying, even of God, even if God were to intervene in the way that you say He would, He couldn't make such provision as you're talking about. What he's saying really in effect is this, God hasn't got the power to do such a miracle. God can't do that. I don't believe it. Isn't that what some preachers indeed have even said in dealing with the Scriptures? Way back in the 19th century, there were higher critics in Germany who went into the Bible and said, well now, It says that Jesus walked on water, but men don't walk on water, so therefore we have to find some explanation as to why this is in here. Ah, the disciples thought He was walking on water, but He was actually paddling on a sand bank just under the surface of the water, and so they thought He was walking on water. That's the explanation. It's all nice and tidy, isn't it? That's satanic unbelief, because God says Jesus walked on the water. Furthermore it says Peter walked in the water to go to Jesus. God can do that which none other can do. But men look at the Bible, they see the miracles and they say well now that couldn't happen. There's no such thing as Noah's Ark. He couldn't get all those animals and people into that ark and populate the whole of society with those. So therefore it didn't happen. Jonah swallowed by a whale. Doesn't happen, can't happen, therefore it didn't happen. They go through the Bible and they take out of it all the supernatural, take out of it all the miracles of Christ. Because they, in their unbelief, will not accept that there is a God who can do such things. Aren't there many who view the great truths of the Christian faith as impossibilities? Creation out of nothing. The same people are willing to believe that there's a big explosion of gases and then everything that we see came out of that. That's unbelievable. But they believe it. Or they say they believe it. I wonder if they really do. But that's what they'll say. Because they can't accept that there's a God who has always been there, who made all things out of nothing, as the Catechism says, in six days and all very good. They can't accept that. So they don't accept it. Creation out of nothing. Ex nihilo. Creation. They don't believe in it. They don't believe in the incarnation. They say, well, a man cannot be born of a virgin birth. That doesn't happen. Therefore it can't happen. It didn't happen. Atonement by blood? No, that's not right. Resurrection? Nope. Jesus couldn't rise from the dead. Men don't rise from the dead. Jesus didn't rise from the dead. And so they go through the Bible. They talk about all these great truths that we believe. The ascension of Christ to God's right hand is coming again in glory. They scoff at it, don't they? They laugh at it. Where is the promise of His coming? For all things continue as they were from the beginning of the world. The Bible even prophesize their scoffing and their mockery. In the last days, there shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts. They don't believe these things. Here's a man who came to a conclusion about God which was blasphemous. If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? God can't do that. But not only did this man show great skepticism, the person who was skeptical But we need to concentrate in the third place on the provision that was special, because when we go to verse 16, this is also great gospel truth in a picture. It says, 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. God's word came to pass exactly as God said it would, exactly. Now, I could take you through Scripture and show you prophecy after prophecy that came to pass exactly as the Lord said it would. Think about the cross of Christ. Isaiah had written 800 and some years before, and he was numbered with the transgressors. There he was, crucified between two thieves. Hundreds of years before that, David had written in the Psalm 22, They pierced my hands and my feet. In the very words of Christ's mouth on the cross, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Think of the wonderful prophecies that were fulfilled at Calvary. They happened just exactly as God said that they would. They shall look on me whom they pierced. The soldier put the spear into his side in fulfillment of God's word. They didn't break a bone in his body because the Bible had said not a bone of him shall be broken. And so we could go on. God's Word is true. And in Samaria there was a miracle performed. We read about it there in verse 16. Exactly as God said it would happen, so it happened. But go back to verse 6 and see how this plenteous provision came about. Now we touched on this in the message last time when we talked about the lepers. It says in verse 6 that the Lord, for the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host. They began to hear things. And they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us. Wherefore, they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. So they heard this noise, they thought they were going to be destroyed, and they ran away. And why? Because God did it. The Lord did it. So why was there plenteous provision in Samaria 24 hours later? Was it because the people earned it? Was it because they worked for it? No. It is only because God had worked on their behalf. You might say it was all of grace. It was all of grace. It was God's goodness in making the Syrians to hear the noise of the armies. and to leave all of that food and provision behind. It was all of grace. And isn't salvation all of grace? Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to God's mercy, He hath saved us. And note again, and this is important. Note again, the Lord used human instruments to notify the people of Samaria about the plenteous provision that was now available. You see, it wasn't that they came across it by accident. It's because these four leprous men that are mentioned in verse 3 said one to another in verse 9, we do not well, this day is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace. Now therefore let us come that we may go and tell the king's household. It's because they went and told that this plenteous provision was there that the people ended up partaking of it. These frail messengers these four lepers. We talked about their weakness last time. We talked about the fact that they were dying men themselves, talking to dying men. And that's the way it is with us. We're to take the gospel as dying men to dying men. Believer, it's your duty to call sinners to the gospel feast. It's your duty. To tell others of Jesus, the mighty to save. The provision that was special. We could talk a lot more about that. But I want to concentrate on this at this time. The punishment that was swift. Go to the end of this chapter 7 and from verse 17 to the end of the chapter we read, And the king appointed the Lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate. So he was put in that position to oversee, if you like, the divvying out of the food. giving out this plenteous provision. He was to take charge of that. Now we read in verse 17, And the people trod upon him in the gate. There was a stampede. Any wonder? People were starving. They saw this food. On they went and they trampled him underfoot. And he died as the man of God had said who spake when the king came down to him. And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria. And that Lord answered the man of God and said, Now behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And so it fell out unto him. For the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died. Exactly what God said would happen, happened. The skeptic perished. The unbeliever died, just as Elisha had prophesied. Remember what he said in verse 2? Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. You're going to see the provision. You're going to see what God does, but you're not going to enjoy it. Now, what does the Bible say about unbelievers? Listen to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 3, 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And notice that it doesn't say will have. It doesn't say sometime in the future when he dies, he will have everlasting life. No, it says he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. If you're saved today, you have everlasting life. It's not that you're going to have it. You have it. He that believeth shall never die, Jesus said in John 11. But notice John 3.36b, And he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Abiding wrath. Eternal wrath. Eternal punishment. This is what the Bible teaches. Unbelievers are going to be punished everlastingly. Listen to the words of Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. And he's talking to a group of professing believers. There's a possibility of those that profess not possessing. There could be in you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. There was an evil heart of unbelief in this character here in the Old Testament. His punishment was swift. Notice the tragedy of his death. Now listen carefully. He perished in the very place where the provision was. You know, I find that very tragic. Because where was the provision? Where was the provision? Verse 1, Hear the word of the Lord, thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall be a measure of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. In the gate, at that very place. And it tells us in verse number 17, And the people trod upon him in the gate, the place where the provision was so plenteous. He perished. You know what that tells me? So near and yet so far. You know, a lot of people go to hell from church. A lot of people go to a lost eternity from church. Sitting under the Word of God, sitting under the preaching of the Word, but yet they perish in the gate. They see with their eyes, but they don't partake. They never taste and see that the Lord is good. They never truly come to Christ. They just hear, but don't heed. Remember what Jesus said of this, John, or sorry, Luke 13, from verse 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate. There it is, the gate. For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us. And he shall answer and say unto you, I know ye not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence. Lord, we went to the Lord's table. We were at communion. We have eaten and drunk in thy presence. Thou hast taught in our streets. We have heard the preaching of the word. We've been under the ministry of the means of grace. But he shall tell them. He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. You will see, but you will not partake. That's a tragedy. Wasn't that also true of the rich man who was in hell? In hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. The Lord gave him a revelation of the joys of glory. But he was at that very time experiencing the pangs of hell. How terrible! How terrible to be familiar with the things of God and yet be lost. How terrible to be like the one in the Gospels of whom Jesus said, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. Not far from it, but not in it. A lot of head knowledge, but no heart experience. That's a terrible thing. Here's a man in 2 Kings 7 who saw the provision of God, but he did not share in it. You might say he saw others being delivered. He saw the people coming, trampling through the gate to go and get this great provision, but he didn't receive any of it. Isn't it a terrible thing to hear other people testify to the grace of God in their lives, how that the Lord has saved them? And to see other people saved even, and yet you yourself to be lost? That's a terrible tragedy. What an awful lot. to experience in all eternity, to have even tasted to some degree of the heavenly gift, but to perish. Notice something as well here, and I've thought much about this, that this man had the charge of the gate. Verse 17 tells us, the king appointed the Lord in whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate. He was in charge of the place where the food was to be distributed. He was supposed to be making sure that the food was distributed in an orderly fashion. That's why he was there. He had the charge of the gate from the king. He stood, if you like, where the provision was to be received, but he never partook of it. Isn't that awful? Isn't that a terrible thing? To have a position in a church, for example, and not to be saved? to be a church member, to be maybe an elder of a church or a minister of a church and go to hell? That's the equivalent of those that are in the gate, the place where the food is distributed. Terrible shame to go to Sunday school to hear all that Bible teaching and preaching every week and go to hell. I grew up with kids who went with me to Sunday school and they're nowhere today. Spiritually, I mean, they're nowhere. They're away from God. There's no time for the things of the Lord, none whatsoever. That's very sad, because if they go on the way they're going, they'll end up in hell. Having a position in the church will not save you. You know, you could, as my pastor said, kiss the door of heaven and go to hell. Because that's what Judas Iscariot did. Jesus said, I am the door. And in the garden of Gethsemane, Judas Iscariot kissed him. He kissed the door of heaven, but he went to hell. You talk about close. You're at the gate of heaven where the gospel is preached. Every time the gospel is preached, the Lord's bringing you to the gate of heaven. But if you never taste and see that the Lord is good for yourself, you'll perish. Notice then the time of his death, as well as the tragedy of it. I'm sure that that man intended with the other people to partake of the provision. He was there in the gate. He was in a position where he could probably have thought that he would have his choice of what was available. After all, the king had put him in charge of the gate. But friends, he died before he had a chance to eat. He died before he had the opportunity to eat. And that happens to men and women and indeed young people every day. It happens every day. They go out of this world before ever partaking of the benefits of the gospel. They're cut off. They die in unbelief. There's an awful scripture, and I mean awful in the sense of fearful. It's found in the book of Proverbs. The chapter 29 and verse 1. I would to God that every person who is a regular attender at church would hear this. Proverbs 29 verse 1. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. He that being often reproved, There are people who hear the gospel time and time and time and time again, and it has absolutely zero effect upon them. Zero. Look, the Bible says, Revelation chapter 21 verse number 8, But the fearful and unbelieving, underline that, and unbelieving, And the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." The fearful and unbelieving! Where will you be in eternity? Are you ready? Are you ready to die? Are you? Say I'm ready to live. Are you ready to die? No. If the Lord were to take you from this scene of time today, where would you be in eternity? It's a good question to ask yourself. Where would I be in eternity if this were to be my last day on this earth? Wouldn't it be an awful thing to go to a lost eternity from a church service, from a preaching service? Say you're trying to scare me. I'm not trying to scare anybody. If I thought I could scare somebody into Being a Christian, I would do it as much as I could. But I can't. Only the Lord can save. But I'm seeking to be faithful to your soul and to the souls of any who might hear this message even on the recording. When it's uploaded onto the internet, there may be those who would tune in and listen to this message as well. I want to make sure that I don't miss and hit the wall. That I warn people. It's possible, it's possible to know about the provision, to hear about the provision and to see the provision and to see others who are going to partake of the provision and not to partake of it yourself and to be lost. May it not be the case that any would just gaze at glory but their only gaze is on their way to outer darkness. Put your trust in the Lord today. Lord, help my unbelief. Give me the peace. of faith, to hear what thy gospel saith, that whosoever will believe shall everlasting life receive. Shall everlasting life receive. Let's all pray. Father in heaven, we pray today that thou wouldst save the lost, that thou wouldst open the eyes of unbelievers, bring them not only to see with the physical eye, but to see with the eyes of the heart. I pray, Lord, that the deaf and ears will be unstopped, that the hard hearts will be broken, that, Lord, thou wilt save by thy power those who hear the gospel of Christ and who are yet today in unbelief. Lord, we fear the consequences of unbelief. He that believeth not shall be damned, said the Lord Jesus Christ. O God, we pray today. Give men and women, boys and girls, faith in the finished work of Christ. Save them, we pray. Bless your people. Lord, give us a burden for souls. Give us a desire to be like those leprous men. This day is a day of good tidings. We hold our peace. We do not well. Lord, help us to spread forth this glorious message, knowing that Thou alone can save and Thou wilt save all that come unto Thee by Christ. Hear our prayer this day. We give Thee thanks. In Jesus' name, Amen.