Elisha had come back to Gilgal and it was here that he was teaching the sons of the prophets. Gilgal was east of Jericho close to the Jordan River. Gilgal was a memorable place in the history of Israel. It was here Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground and set up the 12 stones. Here at Gilgal was the place where Israel circumcised the young men who had been born in Egypt and the wilderness. It was at Gilgal that the manna stopped and Israel first ate of the corn of the land. But it was also at Gilgal that Saul disobeyed God by not putting all the Amalakites to death. Unfortunately Gilgal had become a backsliding land filled with apostate Israelites who worshipped false gods and forgot Jehovah. Gilgal was in the midst of a famine. It was geographically close to the Jordan River meaning it should have had some sort of moisture despite a famine. However, this was God’s judgment for Israel’s backsliding.
Elisha and the prophets became hungry while at Gilgal, which was problematic due to the famine. Elisha had one of the men go get a large pot in order to cook some food. “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.” Not much grows during a famine, but this man stumbled upon some dangerous ingredients for Elisha’s pottage.
Once the concoction was ready they began to pour some out for the hungry prophets. As they began to eat they noticed something funny about their stew. Something they tasted opened their senses that something was deadly in the pot.
Elisha said, “Bring me some flour to throw in the pot!” Somehow Elisha’s ingredient counteracted the deadly herb, and the men were able to continue to eat.
Have you ever ordered something at a restaurant but wanted the kitchen to exclude some ingredient? Perhaps you’re not a fan of onions, but somehow onions end up in your meal. It’s difficult to get every last bit of onion out. That’s what sin is like. No matter how hard you try, once it’s in your heart you have a difficult time getting it out. There’s only one ingredient that can get the sin out of your life, and that is the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ! But Jesus isn’t an ingredient to add on to your life. No, He replaces everything and makes your life better. The writer said, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”