September 3, 2025 • 29 mins
# 229 - King Joram & The Boiled Babies - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, Samaria collapses under siege—famine ravages the city, the king unravels, and despair blames the prophet—until Elisha declares a shocking promise of overnight deliverance. This episode wrestles with judgment and mercy, the silence of God, and the unexpected ways He saves when hope seems impossible.
Episode 229 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
Sign up for The Chosen People devotionals at https://www.thechosenpeople.com/sign-up
For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Hosea 4:10, They will eat, but not have their fill; they will engage in prostitution, but not increase, because they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution.
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Show Notes:
(01:31) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:21) King Joram & The Boiled Babies
(27:43) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the Chosen People. Let me tell you this.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Hearing God's voice isn't about knowing secrets for your own gain.
It's about trust, the kind of trust that lets you
act when he calls and stays silent when he doesn't.
If you want that, you'd better learn to listen and
stop looking for shortcuts.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
In the war room of the King of Aram, the
king paced like a caged animal.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Where is dz Elisha? Tell me where he's hiding in Dauphan,
your majesty, A small city lightly defended.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
They're here, the army.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
They've surrounded us.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
There's no way out, master.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Do you hear me?
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Keisha gestured wildly toward the hills, where the Aramian army
stood like a silent avalanche waiting to fore. The air
shifted heavy and electric, as though the war world itself
held its breath. Keisha blinked, and when he opened his
eyes again, everything was different. The hills that had seemed
(01:09):
full of enemies now burned with light. Horses and chariots
of fire stood upon the ridges, their forms glowing with
an otherworldly brilliance. The Army of Heaven surrounded the Army
of Aram. Their numbers vast, their presence overwhelming.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
Shello, my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel.
I'm ya l estein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning
of life. Through Israel's story, we will find this truth
(01:56):
that we are all chosen for something great. So take
a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling
extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if
you left us a review. I read every single one
of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about
the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you can
(02:17):
visit IFCJ dot org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
The city of Samaria was dying. Its walls still stood,
the gate still barred, but inside famine had hollowed out
the people. Hunger had stripped away all pretense, dignity, and
morality had become distant memories. Outside the walls, the Aramians
(02:45):
waited patiently in their camp. They knew the city would
fall not by force, but by the slow, inescapable weight
of starvation. Far from the palace. In a small courtyard
shaded poorly by wilted trees, a group of young men
sat in a semicircle around their teacher. They were Elisha's disciples,
(03:08):
men who had left their homes and comforts to learn
the ways of the Lord from Israel's most controversial prophet, Elisha.
The heat of the day bore down on them, but
it was nothing compared to the heaviness in the air.
Elisha sat before them, his face calm, his voice steady.
(03:29):
He seemed unaffected by the misery that surrounded him. His students, though,
were not so composed. They fidgeted in silence, waiting for
him to speak.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Do you know why people hate the prophets?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
He asked the question lightly, almost conversationally, but no one
dared to answer.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It is not because we speak for God that they
can ignore. Nor is it because we speak the truth
that too they can dismiss. No, people hate prophets because
we make them see, and once a man sees, he
cannot unsee. That is what they cannot forgive.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
The students exchanged uneasy glances. They had heard the murmurs
in the streets, the whispers of blame cast at Elisha's feet.
To them, he was a man of wisdom and authority.
But to the people of Samaria he was something else,
entirely a reminder of the lord's demands, of their own failures,
(04:32):
and perhaps worst of all, of their inability to save themselves. Finally, Keisha,
Elisha's apprentice, spoke.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But surely, Master, they must know the famine. It's not
your fault.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
You warned them. This would happen if they did not
turn back to the law. Blame does not require logic,
my boy. The king sees his people starving and looks
for someone to hang the weight of it on. Can
blame the Amians. They are doing what enemies do. He
cannot blame himself. Kings are never at fault in their
(05:07):
own eyes. So he blames me, because I am here
and I am inconvenient.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
The students fell silent again. There are ease growing. They
had all heard the stories of the king's rage, of
his desperate attempts to find a scapegoat for the city's suffering. Elisha,
unbothered by their discomfort, pressed on.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
They will come for me soon. The king will send
his men, and they will knock down the door, and
they will drag me to his throne room, and do
you know what he will say?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
What will he say? Master?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You will say, why have you brought this on us?
Why has your god abandoned us? And I will tell
him what I have told him before. The Lord does
not abandon It is the people who walk away. But
the King will not listen. He will shout and threaten,
and perhaps he'll try to kill me, And still he
(06:06):
will not listen.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
The tension in the courtyard was palpable. The students shifted uncomfortably,
but none dared to interrupt. Finally, one of them, a
younger man with a thin, trembling voice, spoke up.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
The Lord will deliver us, won't he.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
He will not let his people perish, will he.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Deliverance will come, but not how you expect. The Lord
is not a tame god. He's not some street cat
you can woo with a saucer of milk.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
He's a lion.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
He does not move according to your timetable of mine.
But he will move that I know.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
The boy's question hung in the air, unanswered in any
way that comforted him. Another student, Reuben, finally asked the
question that the rest of them were too afraid to voice, and.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
What will become of us?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Master?
Speaker 3 (07:04):
If the city falls.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Your task is not to ask what will become of you.
Your task is to be faithful the trust. The city
may fall, you may fall, but the Lord's purposes will not.
If you cannot understand that now, you will learn it
in time.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
The boy lowered his head, ashamed, but not at ease.
Elisha watched him for a moment, then turned his gaze
to the city beyond the courtyard.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And now, my students, I must go. The King will call,
and I must answer. Pray not for my safety, but
for their ears to be opened. For that, I fear
is the greater miracle.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
He left them, then, walking with a purpose that defied
the slow decay of the city around him. The students
sat in silence, their eyes following him until he was
out of sight. Somewhere in the distance, the faint sound
of a woman crying echoed through the streets. The Aramians
waited beyond the walls. The king brooded in his chamber,
(08:13):
and above it all, the Lord watched the Palace of Samaria,
once a symbol of power and wealth, now reeked of despair.
The grandeur of its walls and ornate chambers could not
hide the truth. The King of Israel was a broken
(08:33):
man ruling over a broken city. King Joam, son of
Ahab and Jezebel, paced restlessly across the floor of his
throne room, his royal robes hung loose on his frame,
his face gaunt, his eyes hollow. He was a man
whose power meant nothing against the relentless grip of famine outside.
(08:56):
His people starved. Inside, he wrestled with his own helplessness.
He turned his anger toward heaven and earth alike.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Donkey heads and dove droppings. This is what my people eat. Now, this,
this is the banquet I preside over as key.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
He stopped pacing and turned toward the window, where the
faint sound of weeping drifted up from the streets below.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
They hunted, crying out, help me, my lord, the king.
I ask for my As though I can turn stones
into bread, as though I can conjure water for the
tears of widows.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
How can I the threshing floors empty, the wine press dry?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Shall I give him? Call it a feast?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
King Joham's voice rose, trembling with frustration and fury, before
it cracked under the weight of his despair. He leaned
heavily against the window. His gaunt frame was silhouetted by
the dimming sunlight below. The city stretched out like a graveyard.
The streets were quiet except for the faint sound of weeping.
(10:14):
His eyes wandered aimlessly, hollow with exhaustion, until they settled
on a woman standing alone in the market square. Her cries,
sharp and insistent, cut through the stillness, drawing Joham's attention.
For a fleeting moment, something stirred within him, a glimmer
of purpose, a chance to act, to fix something. The
(10:38):
King straightened his robe, his voice ringing out with an
authority that felt foreign even to him.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I say, good, lady, Oh what troubles you speak?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Your King is here to help.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
The woman's head snapped toward him, her skeletal frame trembling
as she stepped forward, her hollow eyes narrowing. Her cries softened,
replaced by a rasping voice that carried the weight of
unspeakable grief.
Speaker 7 (11:09):
Dan, Jo, room, you must judge between me and this woman.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
The crowd shifted, murmurs rising as another figure, hunched and shadowed,
slinked further back into the square. Jo roam leaned closer,
his grip tightening on the window sill.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Tell me what has happened? How can I assist?
Speaker 1 (11:31):
The woman hesitated, her sunken eyes darting to the other
ghastly woman before locking on the king.
Speaker 7 (11:41):
She said, she said to me, give us your son,
that we may that we may eat.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Well, eat my son tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
The murmurs ceased, the square fell silent save for the
woman's ragged breaths. Jo Rum blinked as if the words
didn't register. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Speaker 7 (12:10):
So I I gave my thunder, We.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Boil you, we he my son?
Speaker 7 (12:27):
Oh God, we ain't my boy, my baby boy, Oh Lord,
forgive me.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
My She collapsed into herself, trembling violently as the words
spilled into the air like poison. Joe Rum recoiled his hands,
gripping the window sill so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Her confession lingered in the air, heavy and putred, and then,
(12:58):
as if pulled taut by own despair, she snapped upright,
trembling still, but now with a raw, searing fury. Her
voice cut through the suffocating stillness, sharp and unrelenting as
her trembling finger shot out, accusing towards the shadowy figure
who had betrayed her.
Speaker 7 (13:20):
But when it was hurting to keep her son, she
hid him, and she hid herse from me.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Where is the justice?
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Her words echoed through the square unanswered. The crowd stood frozen,
their faces pale, their bodies rigid. Jo Hum stared down
at her, his chest, heaving his mind, scrambling for something, anything,
to say. But there was nothing, nothing but the truth
(13:54):
staring back at him. The city was broken beyond repair,
and was he. King Joam's arms fell limply to his sides.
He turned slowly, retreating into the shadows of the throne room,
like a man fleeing his own death, just as the
(14:17):
woman's cries faded into the background. As the king retreated
in shame, What have we come? Jooram shut the door
behind him, drowning out the sobs and shouts of the people.
He fell face down onto the dusty and cobbled floor.
(14:40):
He peered up at the dark ceiling, wondering if the
Lord was there, Was he listening? Did he care? King
Joam tore his robe, the fabric ripping apart, as though
to reveal the truth of his helplessness. Beneath The king
wore sackcloth against his skin, a mar of mourning and repentance.
(15:02):
His sorrow curdled into rage, his trembling hands bawling into fists.
His grief gave way to anger.
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Elisha, Elisha, Elisha.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
This is his doing.
Speaker 8 (15:16):
He claims to speaking of Lord, and yet he lets
us supper. He boxes with his silence, fights while we starve,
and does nothing. They God deal with me severely in
the head of Elisha, son of Schaback, remains on his
shoulders today.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
The king's words echoed through the chamber as he turned
sharply toward his guards.
Speaker 8 (15:40):
Bring him to me, Drag him from whatever hole he
hides in.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
He will answer for this, his Lord, I will.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
The guards hesitated for only a moment before bowing and
hurrying to obey. The king, now alone in his chamber,
stood trembling, his breath shallow and ragged. Outside, the cries
of the starving city continued, and in the distance, the
drums of the Aramians beat a steady, merciless rhythm. The
(16:21):
guards marched through the streets of Samaria, their faces grim,
their hands resting uneasily on the hilts of their swords.
They dared not disobey the king's commands, although they didn't
find pleasure in it. Their destination was a modest house
near the edge of the city, where Elisha and his
students had gathered. The air was different within Elisha's home, calmer, quieter.
(16:46):
Elisha sat among his students, speaking softly.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
The city's salvation is near. Don't let your hearts grow Troubled.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Reuben leaned forward, speaking out of fear for the future.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
But Master, how can you say this? You luck a
man who sleeps in the boat while the rest of
us face the storm.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Elisha let out a wry half smile at his student's
clever allegory. Reuben pressed on, slightly aggravated by his master's
lack of reply.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Have you not heard the latest report? The people are starving.
Mothers boil their children for food. The king blames you,
and his anger grows by the hour.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Master. I've followed you since I was a boy.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I've always trusted you, But in this dire moment, I
don't understand you. How can you speak of salvation when oh, we.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
See his death?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Is it death that ridings you, dear, or is it
to suffer many men? Have fallen for fear of suffering.
But I entreat you to see beyond a door, what
is the Lord doing in the midst of it. Faith
does not come from what you feel, but from what
you know to be true about the Lord's character. And
(18:19):
what I know is this, the Lord has never failed us,
and he has not forgotten his people. He never has
and never will. Even now he is moving.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
The students exchanged uncertain glances. They wanted to believe him,
but the weight of the city's suffering bore down on
their hearts. Before any of them could speak, there came
a loud pounding at the door.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
The kingsmen, they're here.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
The students froze, their eyes, darting toward Elisha. The prophet
remained seated, unbothered. He gestured for one of them to
open the door. The guards pushed their way in.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Elisha, sign up, Safat, you are summoned to the king.
He has commanded your head.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Elisha remained unmoved. Slowly, he stood his gaze fixed on
the guards.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Do you not know what is about to happen? Before
the sun sets tomorrow, the siege will end, the gates
will open. There will be so much food in this city,
that a measure of the finest flower will sell for
a single shekel, and two measures of barley for the
same price. At the gates of Samaria.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
The guards stared at him, their stern expressions faltering. One
of them, an officer with sharp features, in a sneering tone,
stepped forward.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Do you take it for fools profit? Even if the
Lord himself opened the floodgates of heaven, could such a
thing happen?
Speaker 2 (19:51):
You will see it with your own eyes, but you
will not eat of it.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Oh what's that supposed to mean?
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Old man Elijah paused, his back still turned, the faintest
flicker of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
He glanced over his shoulder, his gaze steady, unyielding. You
will see the words landed like stones. The officer opened
his mouth as if to retort, but no words came.
(20:22):
Something in Elisha's tone, calm, sure, final, made his sneer falter.
The room felt colder, the silence stretching unbearably long, as
Elisha turned away again, his focus now on his students,
as though the officer had already ceased to matter.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Stay here, my students, pray for the city. Salvation is near,
and when it comes, it will come swiftly.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
With those words, he allowed the guards to lead him away.
His disciples stood in stunned silence as the door closed
behind them. Far beyond the city walls, the Aramian camp
stretched out like a great beast, lying in wait. Tents
and fires dotted the landscape, but there was something unusual
(21:13):
about it. The fires burned, the food cooked, but the
camp was silent, too silent. Something was happening in the night,
something no one in Samaria yet understood. The throne room
of Samaria was in disarray. King Joam, gaunt and twitching
(21:37):
with barely contained frustration, sat slumped on his throne. Attendants
hovered nearby, trying to appear useful, but avoiding eye contact
with the king. It was at that precise moment, when
things could not possibly get worse, a lone leper burst
into the room. By all accounts, lepers made the least
(21:59):
life heralds of good news. Their bodies ravaged by disease,
marked them as untouchable. But this one's expression, a bizarre
mix of giddy excitement and nervous energy, suggested he carry
tidings of significance.
Speaker 9 (22:17):
Your majesty, I bring urgent news, news that will change everything.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
What the what is this thing doing in my throne room?
Who let this contagion dut vermin in here?
Speaker 8 (22:34):
God sees him, your, your majesty's he's a leper.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
You you want me to touch him? Of course, seize him,
But my liege, I'll get leprosy.
Speaker 8 (22:49):
Did wear gloves or you the stick? Shoot him with
an arrow? Must I think of everything?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Hey, hey, don't shoot the messenger. I'm just trying to help,
all right.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Speak lepper.
Speaker 10 (23:03):
But if this is some trick, I'll make sure you
regret even existing.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Oh, my king. We went to the Aramian camp, my
friend and I.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
We were desperate.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
You see starving bones sticking out everywhere.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
It's a miracle we even had the strength to crawl there.
Speaker 9 (23:24):
We thought better to die by the sword than waste
away here, right, So we snuck into the camp and
lo and behold it was empty, completely abandoned.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Empty.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Yes, yes, not a single soldier in sight, just tense.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Filled with food.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
Oh oh, the food, your majesty, bread, wine, roast, lamb
perfectly seasoned by the way, like they knew we were coming.
Oh and the cheeses, soft cheeses, had Jesus cheese I
didn't even know existed.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
The gods they still talk.
Speaker 9 (24:06):
And the wine, all the wine, barrels of it, red white,
something with hints of lavender. Though I'm not an expert,
of course, But anyway, we feasted for hours hours.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I mean, I haven't eaten like that since it died.
Speaker 9 (24:21):
The point, you fool, Oh, right, right the point, at
the point.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
The point.
Speaker 9 (24:27):
The point is they're gone.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
The whole army vanished. We don't know why, but they
left everything behind.
Speaker 9 (24:37):
Food, wine, gold, silver, it's all still there.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I didn't expect me to bewaitss is in some elaborate trap.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
No, no, no, no, no, it's not a trap, I
swear my king. If you don't believe me, send some scouts.
Speaker 10 (24:53):
Please, sir.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
The city is starving.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Said, This branch is lying our seat. That his punishment is.
And if he's telling the truths snaking sense out of
my sight before you spread bull Israel, you.
Speaker 9 (25:17):
Won't regret this, your majesty. Oh and if you happen
to find a barrel of wine marked with a red x, ah,
we may have finished that one.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Sorry, that's out, Joam for all his faults, was not
quite as much a fool as his father Ahab. He
ordered scouts to investigate, and their return confirmed the leper's
outlandish tale. The Aramians had fled, leaving behind a bounty
(25:49):
so vast it defied comprehension. As words spread, the starving
masses surged toward the gates, a desperate tide of humanity,
ready to claim the salvation they had long prayed for. Jurham, however,
was fixated on one thing, or rather one man.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Elisia's prophecy. It's come true against all arms. The prophet
was right.
Speaker 10 (26:18):
And my officer, that doubting fool, Oh, he'll be utterly
crushed hears this, I must tell you.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
The king moved to the window, his smirk fading as
he peered down at the chaos below. The gates had
been thrown open, and the people, hollow eyed, skeletal and frantic,
were surging toward the abandoned camp like a flood breaking
through a dam. And there at the center of it
all was the officer who The officer, the same man
(26:53):
who had sneered at Elisha's prophecy, had been stationed at
the gate to manage the crowd. But there was no
managing the mob. They pushed, clawed, and trampled in their desperation,
and the officer's body, frail against the tide, disappeared beneath
the crush of humanity. He was quite literally.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Crushed, crushed by the news.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
The dark irony of his words hung in the air,
heavy and bitter. Elijah's prophecy had been fulfilled to the letter.
The city was saved, the famine broken. But for the
doubting officer, salvation had come too late.
Speaker 11 (27:45):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her of youew we read them, and me personally
I cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully.
I leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers sex
ivare hashem vishmerecher Yeah Heir haschempanave ileha cha ye sa
(28:11):
hashempanave Lechra Salon. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face shine upon you, May
he be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his
face towards you and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle
Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the Pray
dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
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(28:48):
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Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah se Else, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
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(29:08):
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(29:30):
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Previously on the Chosen People. Let me tell you this.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Hearing God's voice isn't about knowing secrets for your own gain.
It's about trust, the kind of trust that lets you
act when he calls and stays silent when he doesn't.
If you want that, you'd better learn to listen and
stop looking for shortcuts.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
In the war room of the King of Aram, the
king paced like a caged animal.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Where is dz Elisha? Tell me where he's hiding in Dauphan,
your majesty, A small city lightly defended.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
They're here, the army.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
They've surrounded us.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
There's no way out, master.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Do you hear me?
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Keisha gestured wildly toward the hills, where the Aramian army
stood like a silent avalanche waiting to fore. The air
shifted heavy and electric, as though the war world itself
held its breath. Keisha blinked, and when he opened his
eyes again, everything was different. The hills that had seemed
(01:09):
full of enemies now burned with light. Horses and chariots
of fire stood upon the ridges, their forms glowing with
an otherworldly brilliance. The Army of Heaven surrounded the Army
of Aram. Their numbers vast, their presence overwhelming.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
Shello, my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel.
I'm ya l estein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning
of life. Through Israel's story, we will find this truth
(01:56):
that we are all chosen for something great. So take
a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling
extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if
you left us a review. I read every single one
of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about
the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you can
(02:17):
visit IFCJ dot org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
The city of Samaria was dying. Its walls still stood,
the gate still barred, but inside famine had hollowed out
the people. Hunger had stripped away all pretense, dignity, and
morality had become distant memories. Outside the walls, the Aramians
(02:45):
waited patiently in their camp. They knew the city would
fall not by force, but by the slow, inescapable weight
of starvation. Far from the palace. In a small courtyard
shaded poorly by wilted trees, a group of young men
sat in a semicircle around their teacher. They were Elisha's disciples,
(03:08):
men who had left their homes and comforts to learn
the ways of the Lord from Israel's most controversial prophet, Elisha.
The heat of the day bore down on them, but
it was nothing compared to the heaviness in the air.
Elisha sat before them, his face calm, his voice steady.
(03:29):
He seemed unaffected by the misery that surrounded him. His students, though,
were not so composed. They fidgeted in silence, waiting for
him to speak.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Do you know why people hate the prophets?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
He asked the question lightly, almost conversationally, but no one
dared to answer.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It is not because we speak for God that they
can ignore. Nor is it because we speak the truth
that too they can dismiss. No, people hate prophets because
we make them see, and once a man sees, he
cannot unsee. That is what they cannot forgive.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
The students exchanged uneasy glances. They had heard the murmurs
in the streets, the whispers of blame cast at Elisha's feet.
To them, he was a man of wisdom and authority.
But to the people of Samaria he was something else,
entirely a reminder of the lord's demands, of their own failures,
(04:32):
and perhaps worst of all, of their inability to save themselves. Finally, Keisha,
Elisha's apprentice, spoke.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But surely, Master, they must know the famine. It's not
your fault.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
You warned them. This would happen if they did not
turn back to the law. Blame does not require logic,
my boy. The king sees his people starving and looks
for someone to hang the weight of it on. Can
blame the Amians. They are doing what enemies do. He
cannot blame himself. Kings are never at fault in their
(05:07):
own eyes. So he blames me, because I am here
and I am inconvenient.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
The students fell silent again. There are ease growing. They
had all heard the stories of the king's rage, of
his desperate attempts to find a scapegoat for the city's suffering. Elisha,
unbothered by their discomfort, pressed on.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
They will come for me soon. The king will send
his men, and they will knock down the door, and
they will drag me to his throne room, and do
you know what he will say?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
What will he say? Master?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You will say, why have you brought this on us?
Why has your god abandoned us? And I will tell
him what I have told him before. The Lord does
not abandon It is the people who walk away. But
the King will not listen. He will shout and threaten,
and perhaps he'll try to kill me, And still he
(06:06):
will not listen.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
The tension in the courtyard was palpable. The students shifted uncomfortably,
but none dared to interrupt. Finally, one of them, a
younger man with a thin, trembling voice, spoke up.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
The Lord will deliver us, won't he.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
He will not let his people perish, will he.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Deliverance will come, but not how you expect. The Lord
is not a tame god. He's not some street cat
you can woo with a saucer of milk.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
He's a lion.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
He does not move according to your timetable of mine.
But he will move that I know.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
The boy's question hung in the air, unanswered in any
way that comforted him. Another student, Reuben, finally asked the
question that the rest of them were too afraid to voice, and.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
What will become of us?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Master?
Speaker 3 (07:04):
If the city falls.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Your task is not to ask what will become of you.
Your task is to be faithful the trust. The city
may fall, you may fall, but the Lord's purposes will not.
If you cannot understand that now, you will learn it
in time.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
The boy lowered his head, ashamed, but not at ease.
Elisha watched him for a moment, then turned his gaze
to the city beyond the courtyard.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
And now, my students, I must go. The King will call,
and I must answer. Pray not for my safety, but
for their ears to be opened. For that, I fear
is the greater miracle.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
He left them, then, walking with a purpose that defied
the slow decay of the city around him. The students
sat in silence, their eyes following him until he was
out of sight. Somewhere in the distance, the faint sound
of a woman crying echoed through the streets. The Aramians
waited beyond the walls. The king brooded in his chamber,
(08:13):
and above it all, the Lord watched the Palace of Samaria,
once a symbol of power and wealth, now reeked of despair.
The grandeur of its walls and ornate chambers could not
hide the truth. The King of Israel was a broken
(08:33):
man ruling over a broken city. King Joam, son of
Ahab and Jezebel, paced restlessly across the floor of his
throne room, his royal robes hung loose on his frame,
his face gaunt, his eyes hollow. He was a man
whose power meant nothing against the relentless grip of famine outside.
(08:56):
His people starved. Inside, he wrestled with his own helplessness.
He turned his anger toward heaven and earth alike.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Donkey heads and dove droppings. This is what my people eat. Now, this,
this is the banquet I preside over as key.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
He stopped pacing and turned toward the window, where the
faint sound of weeping drifted up from the streets below.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
They hunted, crying out, help me, my lord, the king.
I ask for my As though I can turn stones
into bread, as though I can conjure water for the
tears of widows.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
How can I the threshing floors empty, the wine press dry?
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Shall I give him? Call it a feast?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
King Joham's voice rose, trembling with frustration and fury, before
it cracked under the weight of his despair. He leaned
heavily against the window. His gaunt frame was silhouetted by
the dimming sunlight below. The city stretched out like a graveyard.
The streets were quiet except for the faint sound of weeping.
(10:14):
His eyes wandered aimlessly, hollow with exhaustion, until they settled
on a woman standing alone in the market square. Her cries,
sharp and insistent, cut through the stillness, drawing Joham's attention.
For a fleeting moment, something stirred within him, a glimmer
of purpose, a chance to act, to fix something. The
(10:38):
King straightened his robe, his voice ringing out with an
authority that felt foreign even to him.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I say, good, lady, Oh what troubles you speak?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Your King is here to help.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
The woman's head snapped toward him, her skeletal frame trembling
as she stepped forward, her hollow eyes narrowing. Her cries softened,
replaced by a rasping voice that carried the weight of
unspeakable grief.
Speaker 7 (11:09):
Dan, Jo, room, you must judge between me and this woman.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
The crowd shifted, murmurs rising as another figure, hunched and shadowed,
slinked further back into the square. Jo roam leaned closer,
his grip tightening on the window sill.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Tell me what has happened? How can I assist?
Speaker 1 (11:31):
The woman hesitated, her sunken eyes darting to the other
ghastly woman before locking on the king.
Speaker 7 (11:41):
She said, she said to me, give us your son,
that we may that we may eat.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Well, eat my son tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
The murmurs ceased, the square fell silent save for the
woman's ragged breaths. Jo Rum blinked as if the words
didn't register. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Speaker 7 (12:10):
So I I gave my thunder, We.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Boil you, we he my son?
Speaker 7 (12:27):
Oh God, we ain't my boy, my baby boy, Oh Lord,
forgive me.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
My She collapsed into herself, trembling violently as the words
spilled into the air like poison. Joe Rum recoiled his hands,
gripping the window sill so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Her confession lingered in the air, heavy and putred, and then,
(12:58):
as if pulled taut by own despair, she snapped upright,
trembling still, but now with a raw, searing fury. Her
voice cut through the suffocating stillness, sharp and unrelenting as
her trembling finger shot out, accusing towards the shadowy figure
who had betrayed her.
Speaker 7 (13:20):
But when it was hurting to keep her son, she
hid him, and she hid herse from me.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Where is the justice?
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Her words echoed through the square unanswered. The crowd stood frozen,
their faces pale, their bodies rigid. Jo Hum stared down
at her, his chest, heaving his mind, scrambling for something, anything,
to say. But there was nothing, nothing but the truth
(13:54):
staring back at him. The city was broken beyond repair,
and was he. King Joam's arms fell limply to his sides.
He turned slowly, retreating into the shadows of the throne room,
like a man fleeing his own death, just as the
(14:17):
woman's cries faded into the background. As the king retreated
in shame, What have we come? Jooram shut the door
behind him, drowning out the sobs and shouts of the people.
He fell face down onto the dusty and cobbled floor.
(14:40):
He peered up at the dark ceiling, wondering if the
Lord was there, Was he listening? Did he care? King
Joam tore his robe, the fabric ripping apart, as though
to reveal the truth of his helplessness. Beneath The king
wore sackcloth against his skin, a mar of mourning and repentance.
(15:02):
His sorrow curdled into rage, his trembling hands bawling into fists.
His grief gave way to anger.
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Elisha, Elisha, Elisha.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
This is his doing.
Speaker 8 (15:16):
He claims to speaking of Lord, and yet he lets
us supper. He boxes with his silence, fights while we starve,
and does nothing. They God deal with me severely in
the head of Elisha, son of Schaback, remains on his
shoulders today.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
The king's words echoed through the chamber as he turned
sharply toward his guards.
Speaker 8 (15:40):
Bring him to me, Drag him from whatever hole he
hides in.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
He will answer for this, his Lord, I will.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
The guards hesitated for only a moment before bowing and
hurrying to obey. The king, now alone in his chamber,
stood trembling, his breath shallow and ragged. Outside, the cries
of the starving city continued, and in the distance, the
drums of the Aramians beat a steady, merciless rhythm. The
(16:21):
guards marched through the streets of Samaria, their faces grim,
their hands resting uneasily on the hilts of their swords.
They dared not disobey the king's commands, although they didn't
find pleasure in it. Their destination was a modest house
near the edge of the city, where Elisha and his
students had gathered. The air was different within Elisha's home, calmer, quieter.
(16:46):
Elisha sat among his students, speaking softly.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
The city's salvation is near. Don't let your hearts grow Troubled.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Reuben leaned forward, speaking out of fear for the future.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
But Master, how can you say this? You luck a
man who sleeps in the boat while the rest of
us face the storm.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Elisha let out a wry half smile at his student's
clever allegory. Reuben pressed on, slightly aggravated by his master's
lack of reply.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Have you not heard the latest report? The people are starving.
Mothers boil their children for food. The king blames you,
and his anger grows by the hour.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Master. I've followed you since I was a boy.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I've always trusted you, But in this dire moment, I
don't understand you. How can you speak of salvation when oh, we.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
See his death?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Is it death that ridings you, dear, or is it
to suffer many men? Have fallen for fear of suffering.
But I entreat you to see beyond a door, what
is the Lord doing in the midst of it. Faith
does not come from what you feel, but from what
you know to be true about the Lord's character. And
(18:19):
what I know is this, the Lord has never failed us,
and he has not forgotten his people. He never has
and never will. Even now he is moving.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
The students exchanged uncertain glances. They wanted to believe him,
but the weight of the city's suffering bore down on
their hearts. Before any of them could speak, there came
a loud pounding at the door.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
The kingsmen, they're here.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
The students froze, their eyes, darting toward Elisha. The prophet
remained seated, unbothered. He gestured for one of them to
open the door. The guards pushed their way in.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Elisha, sign up, Safat, you are summoned to the king.
He has commanded your head.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Elisha remained unmoved. Slowly, he stood his gaze fixed on
the guards.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Do you not know what is about to happen? Before
the sun sets tomorrow, the siege will end, the gates
will open. There will be so much food in this city,
that a measure of the finest flower will sell for
a single shekel, and two measures of barley for the
same price. At the gates of Samaria.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
The guards stared at him, their stern expressions faltering. One
of them, an officer with sharp features, in a sneering tone,
stepped forward.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Do you take it for fools profit? Even if the
Lord himself opened the floodgates of heaven, could such a
thing happen?
Speaker 2 (19:51):
You will see it with your own eyes, but you
will not eat of it.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Oh what's that supposed to mean?
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Old man Elijah paused, his back still turned, the faintest
flicker of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
He glanced over his shoulder, his gaze steady, unyielding. You
will see the words landed like stones. The officer opened
his mouth as if to retort, but no words came.
(20:22):
Something in Elisha's tone, calm, sure, final, made his sneer falter.
The room felt colder, the silence stretching unbearably long, as
Elisha turned away again, his focus now on his students,
as though the officer had already ceased to matter.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Stay here, my students, pray for the city. Salvation is near,
and when it comes, it will come swiftly.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
With those words, he allowed the guards to lead him away.
His disciples stood in stunned silence as the door closed
behind them. Far beyond the city walls, the Aramian camp
stretched out like a great beast, lying in wait. Tents
and fires dotted the landscape, but there was something unusual
(21:13):
about it. The fires burned, the food cooked, but the
camp was silent, too silent. Something was happening in the night,
something no one in Samaria yet understood. The throne room
of Samaria was in disarray. King Joam, gaunt and twitching
(21:37):
with barely contained frustration, sat slumped on his throne. Attendants
hovered nearby, trying to appear useful, but avoiding eye contact
with the king. It was at that precise moment, when
things could not possibly get worse, a lone leper burst
into the room. By all accounts, lepers made the least
(21:59):
life heralds of good news. Their bodies ravaged by disease,
marked them as untouchable. But this one's expression, a bizarre
mix of giddy excitement and nervous energy, suggested he carry
tidings of significance.
Speaker 9 (22:17):
Your majesty, I bring urgent news, news that will change everything.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
What the what is this thing doing in my throne room?
Who let this contagion dut vermin in here?
Speaker 8 (22:34):
God sees him, your, your majesty's he's a leper.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
You you want me to touch him? Of course, seize him,
But my liege, I'll get leprosy.
Speaker 8 (22:49):
Did wear gloves or you the stick? Shoot him with
an arrow? Must I think of everything?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Hey, hey, don't shoot the messenger. I'm just trying to help,
all right.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Speak lepper.
Speaker 10 (23:03):
But if this is some trick, I'll make sure you
regret even existing.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Oh, my king. We went to the Aramian camp, my
friend and I.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
We were desperate.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
You see starving bones sticking out everywhere.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
It's a miracle we even had the strength to crawl there.
Speaker 9 (23:24):
We thought better to die by the sword than waste
away here, right, So we snuck into the camp and
lo and behold it was empty, completely abandoned.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Empty.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Yes, yes, not a single soldier in sight, just tense.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Filled with food.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
Oh oh, the food, your majesty, bread, wine, roast, lamb
perfectly seasoned by the way, like they knew we were coming.
Oh and the cheeses, soft cheeses, had Jesus cheese I
didn't even know existed.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
The gods they still talk.
Speaker 9 (24:06):
And the wine, all the wine, barrels of it, red white,
something with hints of lavender. Though I'm not an expert,
of course, But anyway, we feasted for hours hours.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I mean, I haven't eaten like that since it died.
Speaker 9 (24:21):
The point, you fool, Oh, right, right the point, at
the point.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
The point.
Speaker 9 (24:27):
The point is they're gone.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
The whole army vanished. We don't know why, but they
left everything behind.
Speaker 9 (24:37):
Food, wine, gold, silver, it's all still there.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I didn't expect me to bewaitss is in some elaborate trap.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
No, no, no, no, no, it's not a trap, I
swear my king. If you don't believe me, send some scouts.
Speaker 10 (24:53):
Please, sir.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
The city is starving.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Said, This branch is lying our seat. That his punishment is.
And if he's telling the truths snaking sense out of
my sight before you spread bull Israel, you.
Speaker 9 (25:17):
Won't regret this, your majesty. Oh and if you happen
to find a barrel of wine marked with a red x, ah,
we may have finished that one.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Sorry, that's out, Joam for all his faults, was not
quite as much a fool as his father Ahab. He
ordered scouts to investigate, and their return confirmed the leper's
outlandish tale. The Aramians had fled, leaving behind a bounty
(25:49):
so vast it defied comprehension. As words spread, the starving
masses surged toward the gates, a desperate tide of humanity,
ready to claim the salvation they had long prayed for. Jurham, however,
was fixated on one thing, or rather one man.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Elisia's prophecy. It's come true against all arms. The prophet
was right.
Speaker 10 (26:18):
And my officer, that doubting fool, Oh, he'll be utterly
crushed hears this, I must tell you.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
The king moved to the window, his smirk fading as
he peered down at the chaos below. The gates had
been thrown open, and the people, hollow eyed, skeletal and frantic,
were surging toward the abandoned camp like a flood breaking
through a dam. And there at the center of it
all was the officer who The officer, the same man
(26:53):
who had sneered at Elisha's prophecy, had been stationed at
the gate to manage the crowd. But there was no
managing the mob. They pushed, clawed, and trampled in their desperation,
and the officer's body, frail against the tide, disappeared beneath
the crush of humanity. He was quite literally.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Crushed, crushed by the news.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
The dark irony of his words hung in the air,
heavy and bitter. Elijah's prophecy had been fulfilled to the letter.
The city was saved, the famine broken. But for the
doubting officer, salvation had come too late.
Speaker 11 (27:45):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her of youew we read them, and me personally
I cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully.
I leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers sex
ivare hashem vishmerecher Yeah Heir haschempanave ileha cha ye sa
(28:11):
hashempanave Lechra Salon. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face shine upon you, May
he be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his
face towards you and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle
Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the Pray
dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive
(28:48):
producers of The Chosen People with Yaile Exstein, edited by
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by
Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah se Else, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky,
(29:08):
and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music
by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie
and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin,
kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson, and the team
at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear
(29:30):
more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot Com app,
available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein. Please
rate and leave a review.
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