Volume 12: Second Kings. Part 22

By M E Rosson

The last miracle of Chapter four, is one that is read quickly and not understood fully by many who read it. Because of the mountains and topography, it is amazing how different a harvest can be within a very short distance. Within 2 days walk from where Elisha was and within one day of Gilgal, is a village identified as Baalshalisha. Of this town, little is know except when there was a dearth or drought in the area where Elisha and prophets were staying, this village had a bountiful harvest and for some reason, the Lord or ruler of this village thought that he should share his food with Elisha.

Elisha tells the man to give the food to the people. Twenty Barley loaves of bread and a container of raw wheat or barley, with the grain still needing husking to prepare even more bread. During a drought, this was a rich gift and Elisha tells the man to give it to the people.

The man tells Elisha that there is not enough for 100 people, that were there in his village, but Elisha tells him to give it to them and that if he did, there would be bread and grain to spare.

Jesus would repeat this miracle twice for 4000 and 5000 men, with families in the New Testament, but this is not the first time that God had provided bread for His people:

Read the following text:

Exodus 16 King James Version (KJV)

16 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:

3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

4 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

This was not a hundred people, or several thousand people, but this was, if you do the math in numbers up to 1.2 million people! God provided them their bread day by day.

Jesus taught us to pray with these words:

Matthew 6 has this account:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Give us this day our daily bread. Why should we worry and fret about food? Jesus says later in Matthew this:

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

My friends, if you have Christ as your Savior, then God is your Father and if God is your Father, then your needs will be supplied!

Elisha performed a miracle with bread and grain, but God has always done this for His Children

If you have a question or comment, please email me at markrosson@comcast.net. To order one of my books type in "M E Rosson" at amazon.com.