The Instructions for a Miracle 2Kings 4:42-44

1. The Instructions for
a Miracle
2Kgs 4:42-44
42) And there came a man from Baalshalisha,
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.
43) And 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.

2. 44) So he set it before them,
and they did eat,
and left thereof,
according to the word of the LORD.
I. Positionisno PreventionforGod
2Kgs 4:42
42) And there came a man from Baal-shal-i-sha,
and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits,
twenty loaves of barley,
and full ears of corn in the husk thereof…
A handful of purpose is more than plenty if it comes from
God’s hand.
Baal-shalisha (2Ki 4:42), about 12 miles N. of Lydda

3. 1Sam 9:3-4
3) And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish
said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with
thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4) And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed
through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not:
then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there
they were not: and he passed through the land of the
Benjamites, but they found them not.
Don’t let the disappointmentof history discourage you from an
impendingmiracle.
…there came a man from Baal-shal-i-sha…
As we would expect from Baalshalisha,he doesn’t have the
provisionsneeded for the situation.
…twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the
husk…
20 loaves of cheap (common) bread and unpreparedcorn still
in the husk is not what 100 men would consider a feast.
II. Provisionis noProblemforGod

4. 2Kgs 4:43
43) And 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.
And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an
hundred men?
This “servitor” is probablythe soon to be infamous Gehazi.
Poor Gehazi never could grasp the supernatural.
Here he had no faith in God’s abilitywith meager provisions.
When the Shunammite’sson died he thought Elishia’sstaff was
all that was required for the power of God.
When Naamanoffered payment for God’s power, he thought it
was time to “builda nest egg”.
2Kgs 5:26
26) And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with
thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to
meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to
receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and
sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

5. III. PerceptionisGod’s PrerequisiteforProvision
2Kgs 4:43
43) And 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.
Isa 6:9
9) And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed,
but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive
not.
They see but reject God’s word because they don’t hold it
as priority over human wisdom.
You never get so smart you can out-reason God.
John 6:5-9
5) When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great
company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence
shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6. 6) And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what
he would do.
7) Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread
is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take
a little.
[money is not the means for this miracle]
8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother,
saith unto him,
9) There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and
two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
2Cor 12:9
9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for
thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Isa 35:3-4
3) Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the
feeble knees.
4) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong,
fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance,
even God with a recompence; he will come and save
you.
Heb 11:6

7. 6) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for
he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and
that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 11:34
34) Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge
of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of
the aliens.
Jer 35:13
13) Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and
tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words?
saith the LORD.
2Tim 3:16
16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: