IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Elisha Feeds God’s People

Date: Mar. 22, 2025

Passage

2 Kings 4:38-44 (ESV)

38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. 40 And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 He said, “Then bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot and said, “Pour some out for the men, that they may eat.” And there was no harm in the pot.

42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” 44 So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 4:44

So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

During Elisha’s ministry, there was a severe famine in the region. Elisha was meeting there with some of the other prophets. In their hunger, they collected some herbs and wild gourds to make a stew, not even knowing the ingredients. It smelled so delicious, but it had a bad effect. The men suspected there was something bad or even poisonous in the pot. God's servant Elisha purified it with some flour. This represented his dependence on God. Then the stew in the pot became edible and nourishing.

Another time, a man came bringing Elisha twenty fresh loaves of barley bread, baked from his first ripe grain. It was meant as a gift for Elisha personally. But Elisha instructed his servant to give the bread to the people. The servant objected, because it was not enough for a hundred hungry men. Elisha was sure of God’s provision, even in that desperate time. God blessed Elisha's generous heart and his faith in God’s abundant provision. The bread became more than enough to feed everyone.

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust you and your provision even when times are bleak. Use me to feed God’s people with faith.

One Word: Trust God’s provision by faith

Daily Bread

Making a Covenant

2 Kings 11:1-21

Key Verse: 11:17

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