One Year from Now (Part II)

Samaria was suffering a terrible famine. People were eating the excrement of birds and animals and a story in 2 Kings 6 tells us that two women had eaten one of their sons because of great hunger. Chapter seven, verse three tells us that there were four leprous men who stood at the gate of Samaria. The lepers were not allowed in the city because their disease was contagious. They had been given food, but from a distance. The famine was now so severe that there was no food to be given the lepers. What were these men going to do? To enter the city was forbidden and besides, there was no food there anyway. To stay where they were was to automatically choose death. They looked at one another and asked, “Why sit we here until we die?" (2 Kings 7:3) They made a decision to rise up in the twilight and go to the enemy’s camp, the Syrians. “If they save us alive we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die" (7:5) The lepers did not have the best of options, but they chose not to sit in their dilemma or until death embraced them.

The lepers rose up in the “twilight” (7:5). “Twilight” means morning or evening. In this case, the lepers rose in the evening (v.9). “Twilight” also means “to blow; evening breeze.” The Holy Spirit is often referred to as “A Wind.” We see in Genesis 3:8 that God walked with Adam and Eve in the “cool” (the wind). Acts 2:2 says that a sound from heaven came on the day of Pentecost “as of a rushing mighty wind.” The lepers chose to rise up and when they did, the “twilight” – the Holy Spirit carried them. The Holy Spirit began to move. This Wind that carried them was the same “twilight” or Wind found in verse seven. The same Wind that moved with the lepers is the same Wind that causes the enemy, the Syrians, “to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host.” The Wind for the Syrians caused them to run for their lives; abandoning their camp with food, animals, and all belongings.

The lepers entered the unguarded Syrian camp and ate and drank until satisfied; then took for themselves silver, gold, and raiment. They went back to Samaria sharing the good news. The people were also able to share the food supply and wealth.

Are you facing great dilemmas today? What are you doing about them? What are your options? Maybe we should ask ourselves, “Why sit we here until we die?” “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding; In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5&6). We ask the Lord to direct us, but if I have a dilemma, I’m not going to sit for 20 years and do nothing. I’m going to do what I can do and believe the Lord for Him (The Wind) to carry me to my deliverance and provision. Notice, The Wind (Twilight) was present when the lepers arose to go to their only option. Praise the Lord! The Wind blew when the lepers made a decision to get up! Seek God for direction, but don’t sit down in hopelessness and die. Rise up out of your sack cloth and ashes and believe God. He will carry you in His Spirit, and the same Wind will bring confusion to your enemies. Blessed be the Name of Jesus! Where will you be one year from now? I am believing at a place of victory in Christ Jesus. Amen!