Why should I hope in
the Lord any longer?
2 Kings 6:33
We are studying "hope." But ... the first two mentionings of "hope" in the Scriptures are not very hopeful!
Yesterday we looked at the first time that the word "hope" appeared in the Bible. In Ruth 1:12, we learned that Naomi had her husband. She'd also lost her sons. From a human perspective, she was without hope.
And that's true for all of us. If we focus only and ultimately earthly things, we will eventually and inevitably wind up at the side of a grave. Lasting hope does not come from the things of this earth. Thus ... the lesson is: Look up.
Today's verse represents the second time that "hope" is mentioned in the Scriptures -- the second time at least in my translation (NRSV).
Now it seems like the king of Israel, who utters these words, has been looking up, right? As opposed to Naomi who'd been looking only downward at her losses, the king of Israel seems to be say, "I've been looking up and looking up and hoping and praying, but the results are not in my favor; therefore, 'Why should I hope in the Lord any longer?'"
Isn't that what this sounds like? "I've been looking up ... but now I just plain give up." (Isn't that interesting ... and sad. The first two times that hope is mentioned in the scriptures, the people are hopeless.)
A little context: In 2 Kings 6, the capital of Israel is under siege by King Ben-Hadad of Aram. Cut off from food and supplies, the famine was so bad that anything even semi-edible cost a fortune. For example, "25 one-fourth of a kab of dove’s dung [sold] for five shekels of silver." (And trust me, as disgusting as that is, that's the pleasant part of this story.)
The king is mortified by the plight and horrors surrounding (and perpetrated by) his people. And he cries out to the prophet Elisha, "Why should I hope in the Lord any longer?"
Question: Was the king looking up -- hoping, trusting, believing in the Lord all along? Or was he really looking down? In grief at the plight of his people, was he focused on earthly circumstances (just like Naomi was looking down at the griefs in her own family)?
It's possible (probable) that as humans we think we're looking up and relying on God when we're really still focused on the things of this earth and the trials around us.
Even with a prophet (or pastor) standing right next to us, it's natural to focus on the things of this earth, to worry about the things that can be seen rather than trusting in the One who can't be seen.
I am constantly guilty of this too. It's normal. It's human. And it's self-defeating.
The last words of 2 Kings 6 are, "Why should I trust in the Lord any longer?" But turn the page! The first words in chapter 7 are: "But Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord ..."
What was God speaking life into the king and into Israel. He was saying essentially: “Today looks bad. I know. God knows. Today, pigeon dung is being sold as food for five shekels of silver, but by ‘7:1 tomorrow about this time a measure of choice meal shall be sold for a shekel.’ Indeed, by tomorrow at this time, there will be hope."
Yes, today is often hard, but trust in God for tomorrow.
In Christ's Love,
a guy who needs to quit
focusing on today's troubles
and start looking for
tomorrow's victories
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