“The captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, ‘If the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?’ But he said, ‘You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.’” (2 Kings 7:2)
The city of Samaria was besieged by the Syrian army, causing a famine so severe that mothers boiled and ate their own children! In this hopeless situation, Elisha prophesied: “Thus says the Lord, Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria” (2 Kings 7:1). In other words, people would be able to buy food at normal prices! That was incredibly good news, but the captain of the king dismissed it as nonsense. Not even God could provide so much food, he mocked. Elisha answered him: “You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it”.
The next day, Elisha’s words came true. The Syrians fled away when the Lord made them hear the sound of a great army, and the soldiers abandoned their tents packed with silver, gold, clothing and food right before the city gates. The people all went out to plunder the camp, and in their haste they trampled the unbelieving captain, so that he died.
This story is a warning for us. God promised salvation, and His promise came true. The captain saw it with his own eyes, but he died before he could eat of it — because of his blasphemy and unbelief.
Do you believe and accept God’s offer of salvation?