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2 Kings 6:33

33And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, "This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"


The capital of Israel, Samaria, was under siege by the Syrians. It was a long siege and the people of Samaria began to starve. Some were even resorting to cannibalism. The king had put on sackcloth, a sign of repenting, but hid it with outer clothes. He was so distraught and angry with God that he sent a messenger to Elisha with the intent of decapitating him.

The messenger said to Elisha that their circumstances were from God, so why should they wait on God any longer? The king appeared at Elisha's door with one of his captains, right behind the messenger. Elisha told them that things would return to normal in one day. That was hard to believe, and the captain who was with the King said that even if God opened the windows of heaven it couldn't happen. Elisha predicted he would see it but not eat it.

God had caused the sound of a great army to strike fear into the hearts of the Syrians who fled in the middle of the night. The tents, their food, and animals were all there for the taking. The gates of the city were opened and people stampeded to the Syrian camp to take the food. In the process, the captain that said it would never happen was trampled to death.

Consider: When circumstances seem as if they couldn't get worse, we are tempted to become angry with God. His deliverance may be just around the corner and come in a way you never expected. Why should you wait a little longer? It's because our hope is in the LORD. He's the only one who can turn things around, and He can do it in an instant.