2 Kings 4:38

2 Kings 4:38 says, And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets.  When Elisha got to Gilgal, there was not a lot of food, and the sons of the prophets were there, and he asked his servant to set a great pot to make pottage for them.  Matthew Henry said this dearth lasted for seven years, the same as the one in Elijah's day.  Of course, as sons of prophets, they should have been looking to God for help first, just as we should today especially.  We do not have to go through priests or prophets to get God's help.  Verse thirty-nine adds, 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 shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.  One of the sons of the prophets found some wild gourds, brought them, and shredded them into the pottage without really knowing what they were.  We need to be careful that we do not allow things that we do not know what they are to feed us spiritually today.  Verse forty continues, 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, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.  As the men were eating, they cried out that there was death in the pot, and they could not eat it.  Whether this was because of the taste, or they were actually getting sick is not specified, but Matthew Henry says they were getting physically sick.  When we begin to ingest ideas that are not in accordance with God's word, it should make us spiritually sick.  Verse forty-one states, But he said, Then bring meal. 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.  Elisha told them to bring him some meal, he put it in the pot, and told them they could eat with no harm.  To continue the analogy of the pottage and God's word, once the truth of God is added to counter the lies of the world, it is safe for us to feed on it.  It does not make lies the truth, but makes us not be susceptible to their influence.  Verse forty-two adds, 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.  After this, a man from Baalshalisha came with twenty loaves of barley and some full ears of corn, which were said to be the first-fruits, or an offering to God, and told Elisha to give it to the people.  God will always provide for His people's needs.  Verse forty-three continues, 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.  The server asked if he was supposed to give this little amount to feed a hundred men.  He was looking at the material things instead of looking to God by faith and sometimes we do the same thing.  As long as we have faith in God and are following His will, He will always provide for us spiritually if not physically, and that is all that really matters.  The man who brought the food told him to go ahead, because God had said it would be enough.  Verse forty-four concludes, So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord.  When the man obeyed the word of God, it was as he said it would be, and it always will be when we are speaking God's word.