Here comes a man from Baal-shalisha, and he seems to be carrying something.
This was a hungry time, and there were a hundred men to feed. When they saw the man carrying something, they might have thought, I hope it’s food for all of us, but it wasn’t. It was a present for Elisha—twenty loaves of fresh barley bread and some ripened grain in the husk. In Bible days, the loaves of bread were very small, and one man could eat three. The twenty loaves of bread could not feed everybody since there were a hundred men with Elisha. Would he keep the bread for himself?
No, of course not. And that’s why we are sharing this Bible story with you. Is there a Bible in your house? Even just one? The fact is that one Bible has good news in it that is intended to save lots more than a hundred people! It tells us of the hopeless, sinful downfall of each of us in God’s sight. And there is no patching or covering up with anything that will clear away our sins.
Just one Bible tells the whole story of Jesus, the Saviour of sinners. It tells how evil men crucified Him. But it also says that He was punished by God Himself for my sins. Then after He was dead, a soldier pierced His side with a spear and His blood flowed out. A verse in the Bible explains it perfectly: “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). Will you say, “Oh, that’s for me!” or will you say, “That’s not for me”?
Elisha told his servant to set the twenty loaves of bread before the hungry men. But Elisha must be making a mistake: It wasn’t nearly enough bread to feed a hundred men!
Maybe that’s what you think too. I wasn’t there when Jesus died two thousand years ago, so how could His blood be shed for me?
Leave the miracle with God. He knows what to do. God’s promise to Elisha was that all those men would have enough to eat, and there would be leftovers. God’s promise came true. The only thing the men had to do was eat!
And it is certainly true that the precious blood of Jesus is enough for every sinner in the whole world for the past several thousand years and also for right now! Is there anything you must do? Yes, just accept God’s offer. There will be enough for you and your whole family and friends, but each one of you must say, “Yes,” with your whole heart. God hears your answer, and if you say, “Yes” and really mean it, your sins are gone—forever!
But as one little girl said, “I answered Him yesterday, but I don’t know if I’m really saved or not.” Can’t you believe God? Those barley loaves left the men hungry the next day, but our Jesus is forever. Trust Him and read His Word every day. “He [or she] that comes to Me shall never hunger” (John 6:3535And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)).
You may read this story for yourself in 2 Kings 4:42-4442And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. 43And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. 44So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord. (2 Kings 4:42‑44).
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