Poison in the Pot

2 King 4:38-40

In 2 Kings 4:38-40, we learn that during a time of famine a company of prophets partook of pottage in which a poisonous herb had been cooked, and nothing but a miracle, performed by Elisha saved them from death.

Elisha, (Heb.-God is salvation) (Greek- Eliseus) (Luke 4:27), was a prophet, the successor of Elijah, much like Joshua to Moses. Elisha’s call to the prophetic office was given by the prophet Elijah and was acted out in the manner characteristic of many of the Old Testament prophets. As he passed by Elisha, Elijah cast his cloak or robe upon him. Elisha immediately ran after Elijah and said that he would follow him as. soon as he had said farewell to his parents. Elisha, like many other Biblical heroes, was close to the soil. At the time of his call he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; and killed two of them in a farewell feast.

Elisha accompanied the older man as he made his rounds to the prophetic schools, or groups of “sons of the prophets”. Elijah asked him what he wanted as a favor from him. Elisha requested a double portion of the spirit of the older man; this was granted on the condition that Elisha saw him as he was being taken away from him; separated by a chariot of fife and horses of fife, as Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind as the younger man watched in awe. (2 Kings 2:1-12).

The double portion of spirit Elisha received, in fact, resulted in twice as many miracles in his ministry. Many of these miracles, especially those in Chapter four of 2 Kings, have many similarities to the miracles that Jesus, Himself would later perform; the widow’s oil the Shunamite son restored to life, the poisoned stew, feeding of a hundred, Naaman healed of leprosy, and the floating axe head. They show God’s caring for the needs of ordinary people.

Elisha’s work was very different from Elijah’s. Elijah’s was the thundering truth; the work of condemnation and judgment – a bold and rugged character. Elisha’s was a more peaceful mission of sweetness and grace and glory. His work was to teach the way of the Lord, healing, and rejoicing; a “reformer” – steadfast, full of energy, determined. He was a man of great mildness, and kindly spirit, of self-denial, but could also be stem. He was mocked by many. youth who were un-godly, saying “Go up bald head like Elijah”, “Go up bald head like Elijah”! They were cursed and by an act of God, killed by bears. So, “even kindness and freedom has its limits. Authority and reverence must be maintained for God’s representatives – ministers, pastors, leaders, teachers, parents and for God.” (PK 235-237) (2BC 1037) (Ed 58) (5T 44)

But, in every miracle, whether of Elisha’s, other prophets, or Jesus, in every book and verse, in every parable, there’s a treasure, a hidden message for us; for our time. For every sermon or teaching from the pulpit, there’s an important, comforting message for us by inspiration of God, through the Holy Spirit, “for instructional reproof, profitable for doctrine, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2Tim 3:)6) …and warning.

The healing of the poisonous stew by Elisha is both a warning and healing message for our time. “The poison of sin is at work at the heart of society and the world. Cities, and villages, are steeped in sin, moral corruption, and indifference. The world is full of sickness, suffering, fear, panic, and iniquity. Near and far off are souls in poverty and distress, weighed down with a sense of guilt, and problems, perishing for want of a Saviour. . . A saving influence. The gospel truth is kept ever before them, yet they needlessly perish, because the example of those who should be a savor of life to them is a savor of death. Their souls drink in bitterness, pride, anger, and hatred. Why? Because the springs are poisoned, when they should be like a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.” (PK 232)

Poison is any substance that on contact with or being absorbed into the body or mind, is capable of exerting a deleterious effect. Poisons chiefly enter through the mouth or alimentary tract, or by injection into the body, or inhaled. There’s very little mention in the Bible of poisons taken by mouth, although Paul, the Apostle, was attacked by a serpent, a poisonous serpent at that, and was miraculously saved. (Acts 28:3-6)

There is, however, on one of Elisha’s visits to the school of prophets at Gilgal that he healed the poisoned pottage. “There was famine (death) in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him.” Hunger and starvation was often on the horizon for many of the inhabitants of Palestine and Jerusalem. Its weather has always been fickle and crops varied from excellent to very poor. War, locusts or any other natural plague quickly depleted the food supply. The undernourished were always subject to disease and injury; and these people were numerous. The constant wars added to the problems, and accidents were common.

In this somber setting, “Elisha said unto his servant, ‘set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds, his lap full, and came and shed them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said ‘Dh thou man of God, there is death in the pot”! And he said they could not eat thereof. But, he said ‘then being meal’ (flour). And he cast it into the pot; and he said ‘Pour out for the people, that they may eat.’ And there was no harm in the pot.” (l Kings 4:38-40).

The plant here mentioned seems to be the colocynth (the cucumis co 10 cynthis) of botany which grows abundantly in the East; its leaves resemble the vine, its fruit like a large orange, and is here called ‘wild gourds’. It’s used for medicinal purposes, but is also very poisonous – which explains the cry – “there is death in the pot”. The poison, however, was neutralized by a miraculous act of Elisha’s: ‘He cast meal into the pot, and there was no harm in the pot. ‘

“There is death in the pot”; or the “poisonous stew”. As the company in Elisha’s time had a lot of good material spoiled by the addition of the poisonous weed, so now there are certain evil or poisonous elements and movements that are the ingredients that spoil all the good there is in this life.

But, the young class of prophets seated around the table of Elisha were willing to believe there was great danger. They felt that God alone could make their food safe, and the faith of their teacher saved them from death.

There will soon be a revival of the antiquated Sunday laws, and endeavoring thus to decide by civil laws a controversy that has been going on for nearly 2000 years, dictating as to the day one elects for the Sabbath, or way of worship, and place of worship – acting in place of God -just what the papacy actually professes to do; spoiling all the good, as in Elisha’s time by adding the “poisonous weed”. It will take a miracle again to counteract the poisonous weed.

In Matthew 24, we’re warned again as Jesus spoke to His disciples upon the Mount of Olives, as they asked Him for the sign of His coming and of the end of the world. He answered saying, “Take heed that no man deceive you, for many shall come in my name, saying, ‘I am Christ, and shall deceive many'” (verses 3-5). Here, again, the company of believers, the children of God, need to be vigilant that the good material – the doctrines of truth and faith – not be spoiled by poisonous weeds – false doctrines and compromise – so that the woeful cry be not, “there is poison in the pot”; and apostasy follows.

The cultures of the world are at war with themselves. Civilization is boldly advancing, yet decaying, crumbling, from within with corruption and greed. Mankind is facing many of the same problems they always had. There are a bewildering array of men newly challenged, yet in the face of this, pervasive (invasive) and destructive forces are frighteningly escalating at a faster pace.

“For there are many devices in man’s heart (Prov. 19:21), and he deviceth wicked devices to destroy.” (Isaiah 32:7). A rare and unexpected “poisonous weed” is insidiously consuming the world. Its name is… ANTHRAX! We need to know more about this “poisonous weed”, and its effect on our lives and faith, as a symbolic sign. …A ghastly sign. …Or another sign?

The “wicked devices” of man are senselessly using this heinous biological weapon to ruthlessly destroy mankind; but, “therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filed with their own devices.” (Pro 1:51)

What is this plague-like disease and why is it important for believers and unbelievers to know? Anthrax, named from the Greek work for coa4 is so called because a sore with a coal-black center develops on the skin of the infected person. A strange omen, perhaps, of things to come? The first plague of Rev. 16:2, of the vial of wrath of God being poured upon the earth; “and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and whom them upon them which worshipped his image.” This will be strange for many and grievous woe for many others; a “moment of truth;” the first sign to appear, a condemnation or acceptance by the Lord! But, for the here-and-now, science has confirmed anthrax as a bacterial disease, highly contagious, deadly, acute, specific, and rare zoonosis (transmittable to human) affecting man, caused by a Bacillus anthracis.

Past history of the plague, a malignant pestilence – a nuisance and evil scourge – occurred frequently in Egypt during the years B.C., as well as in Asia and Europe. In the 14th century, plague called Black Death swept across Europe and killed an estimated 25,000,000 people or one-fourth of the entire population. There was no known cure then for plague. The ancient Israelis suffered plagues, also, in their wilderness journeys.

In Leviticus 13 and 14 (KJV), the word plague is used loosely for any kind of skin rash. It was the duty of the priests to examine the victim and determine if it was harmless or required isolation.

The series of plagues in Egypt (Exodus 7- 12) were penal miracles… Called the “judgments”. . . “pestilence, plague” (Exodus 7:4); “signs and wonders” (Exodus 7:3). The sixth plague of Egypt (ancient) is interesting and calls for some consideration and study; “boils – inflammations breaking out in pustules” – “to bum; filled with pus”, or vesicles, or abscesses… “for the boils were upon the magicians” (Exodus 9: 11). The sixth plague reached the high counselors of the pharaoh. Rats and fleas were the common carriers of plague then.

Is the anthrax scare a plague in essence, or just another disease… or sign? It does have many similar traits or characteristics. The plague of pharaoh’s Egypt: when symptoms appeared, the ensuing progress is rapid, with severe fever, chills, septicemia (blood poisoning), pneumonia, buboes (inflamed lymph glands, edema, mental deterioration, and death – all within 3 days).

Anthrax is somewhat more deadly. Its bacteria from microscopic spores that can persist in the contaminated soil and dead animals (meat) which are highly resistant and retaining their virulence for years. They resist heat, desiccation (drying), and chemical disinfections. Goat, sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, mules, dogs, cats, and wild animals are the most susceptible. Man can acquire anthrax by handling wool, (called “wool sorters disease”), hair, hides bones, handling or eating contaminated meat, and those in contact with pastures.

Anthrax in man occurs as a cutaneous (skin), pulmonary, or intestinal infection, the most common (95%), being localized on skin in the form of a carbuncle (boil), or malignant pustule with a black necrotic center, which becomes generalized, leading to septicemia (blood poisoning). Other forms of the disease affect the lungs and intestine. The pulmonary form results from inhaling anthrax spores, makes a rapid course and ends in rapid death. Symptoms vary depending on the form of the disease. After a short incubation period, it can be characterized by fever, followed by depression, spasms, breathing or heart problems, trembling, staggering, convulsion, and death. There can also be bloody discharges from body openings, swellings on different parts of the body, vomiting and severe diarrhea.

Anthrax, however, a rare disease of man, is one of the oldest recorded diseases of animals and man, being mentioned by Moses in Exodus 9:9, and among classical authors of Greek and Roman antiquity, by Homer, Hippocrates, Pliny, Virgil, Ovid, and Galen. “And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and it shall be a boil breaking forth with blains Inflammatory swelling, sore, boil) upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

Although a rare disease, man again, “deviceth wicked device to destroy'” anthrax, a favored biologic weapon today, because its microscopic spores are hardy and easy to produce; can survive being grouped up, dried, buried or sprayed around, to come back to life in a warm, wet place such as inside the human lung, intestine, or skin. Anyone with a good knowledge of microbiology and the right facilities can produce anthrax, but turning it into a biological weapon is a bit more difficult…but, man’s ingenuity and corrupt mind has accomplished it; capable to destroy millions of people, by simply spreading it on the air, the preferred mode, and breathing or inhaling it by the lungs. . . resulting in pulmonary anthrax, attacking the lungs, a suffocating bronchitis results, from which few survive.

Here we vividly see a shocking picture of the human potential for evil doing and the results of sin Here we distinctly see evil infecting the life of a nation; a vital nation founded and established on the foundations of “freedom of conscience of religion”… the fear of God, and represented in the Bible as “the lamb with two horns rising up from the earth.” (Rev 3: 11); America. . . measurable fulfillment of ongoing prophecy.

The anthrax scare has set off a mass world hysteria, mass fear has been gripping people around the world.. .mass panic which is the prime objective. Authorities are trying to counter this terrible threat… a horrible threat that was unplanned, uncontrolled and probably unstoppable by man!

“Death is in the pot”;…”poison is in the pot…” The “poisonous weed”; the ingredients of fear, panic, and death: the malicious ingredients that spoil all the good there is in this life, ending in a lingering and senseless death of the soul and body. Panic is the worst counselor. The basis of panic is cowardice. Our Lord teaches us to look things full in the face. He says, “when you hear of wars don’t be scared for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.” (Mk. 13:7) It is the most natural thing in the world to be scared and the clearest evidence that God’s grace is at work in our hearts…is when we do not panic.

Our Lord insists and warns us of the inevitableness of peril. “You must make your accounting with wars, hatred, and death.” Men may have lived undisturbed over a volcano for a long while, when suddenly an eruption occurs. Jesus did not say, “you will understand why war has come, but-” Don’t be scared when it does come,”; so, do not be in terror-stricken panic.”(Mk. 13:7)

It’s amazing, really astonishing how we ignore Jesus Christ’s words. He said that nations would end in war and bloodshed and havoc or devastation. We ignore His warnings; and when war and terror comes we frantically lose our wits and exhibit panic… bewildered panic!

In the healing of the poisonous stew, the meal (flour) cast in the stew by Elisha to counteract the poisonous wild gourds, portray’s sharply the power of God to remove evil. Through our faith He is able to remove the evil in us…the evil in man. . . with faith.

With the young “sons of prophets” seated in class around Elisha, the deadly alarm was given, and acted upon. But, in this troubled world, the alann makes little impression. No Elisha is here to present the truth; or even if he were, few would believe him! The terrible effects of the poison will soon be bitterly realized in all its unrestrained force… a terrifying force!

We learn, also, when Elisha’s terrified servant saw that the city was surrounded by their enemies, leaving no route for escape, Elisha calmly prayed, – “Oh Lord open his eyes that he may see.” Instantly the servant saw that “the host of the Lord’ had encircled them in protective care. (2 Kings 6:8-24). What a wondrous revelation! What a stirring sight!

When troubles surround us, it is easy to share the fear and despair of Elisha’s servant. That is when we need to remember Elisha’s prayer. Like him, we can pray, “Dh Lord open our eyes that we may see.” Then what fear will you bring over to God?

God is surrounding us with a protective presence and has promised that we will never be left alone or forsaken (John 1 :5). Supported and strengthened by this promise we can stand firm and trust God when circumstances look desperate and there’s “POISON IN THE POT… !”
AMEN

By: Dr. John Theodorou – U.S.A./Greece