King Ben-Hadad of Syria went up to fight Samaria. He gathered his army and besieged the city. By surrounding the city, he prevented food from arriving, and the people from leaving. A great famine was in the land, and food was so scarce that the mothers ate their own children (2 Kings 6:24-29).
Four leprous men sat at the entrance to the gate. "...Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, 'We will enter the city,' the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die." {2 Kings 7:3,4} This was good reasoning--either way they were going to die, and just maybe the Syrians would feed them.
What did they find when they arrived at the Syrians camp? "...to their surprise no one was there. For the LORD had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses--the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, "Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!" Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact--their tents, their horses, and their donkeys--and they fled for their lives. And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it." {2 Kings 7:5-8} Great; now they didn't have to die.
After a short while their consciences began to bother them. Listen to their powerful words: "...We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us..." {2 Kings 7:9} Why? The city was in the midst of a great famine. Here was the answer to their prayers. The Syrian army had fled; food and supplies were just outside the gate. Why not share the good news with the Samaritans? Tell the king they came and plundered the tents and were saved.
I would like to make some current applications to this wonderful story from the past. Are you a Christian who has been saved by the blood of Christ? Do you understand the saving power of the gospel of Christ? Do you know that Christ gave His life on that cross for all men? Do you understand the certainty of death, and judgment? Do you understand the punishment awaiting the disobedient? Then why do you REMAIN SILENT? If we do not share the wonderful story of love with our neighbors, friends, and family, how do we differ from those four lepers who, for a time, remained silent?
God has given us the duty of spreading that message to the lost and dying world. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." {Matthew 5:13-16} Could it be we are being a little selfish with the gift and promise of eternal life?
Brethren, we need to see the urgency is getting this message into the sinner's heart. It won't happen unless we "sow the seed of the kingdom." How can we remain silent? We have in our possession the message that sinful men need more than any other. We must share it with them. Get out and shout about the hope we have in Christ and about the Lamb's saving blood!