It is estimated that over two million Hebrews left Egypt after over 400 years of captivity. Of those 20 years and above in this large congregation, only Joshua and Caleb got to the Promised Land. The rest wandered and wasted in the wilderness. Twelve spies were sent to survey the Promised Land. Ten of them brought a negative report that the giants were in the land and they would not be able to possess it. Their report spread fear in the camp, leading to murmuring and suicidal talks. They wished that they might die in the wilderness, and God granted the wish.
Unbelief is costly. It is a terrible sin because it limits God in the affairs of men.
In our text, we read about the death of an officer of the king on the day that abundance returned to the land of Samaria. The man had whittled down the prophetic word spoken the previous day. Elisha had announced that within 24 hours the cost of food items would crash. The officer countered that even if God opened the windows of heaven, such a word would not come to pass. Responding, Elisha prophesied that he would see the abundance but never partake of it. What was the problem with the two stories narrated here? Unbelief! Unbelief is costly. It is a terrible sin because it limits God in the affairs of men. “Again and again they limited God, preventing him from blessing them. Continually they turned back from him and provoked the Holy One of Israel!” (Psalms 78:41 TPT).
