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- [00:00]
A
Previously on the Chosen People.
- [00:04]
B
Let me tell you this. 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.
- [00:24]
A
In the war room of the King of Aram, the king paced like a caged animal.
- [00:30]
C
Where is this Elisha? Tell me where he's hiding.
- [00:35]
A
In Dorthan, your Majesty. A small city, lightly defended.
- [00:40]
D
They're here. The army. They've surrounded us. There's no way out.
- [00:46]
C
Master, do you hear me?
- [00:48]
A
Kisha gestured wildly toward the hills where the Aramean army stood. Like a silent avalanche, waiting to fall. The air shifted, heavy and electric, as though the world itself held its breath. Kisha blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, everything was different. The hills that had seemed 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 survived, surrounded the army of Aram, their numbers vast, their presence overwhelming. This is an iHeart podcast.
- [01:39]
E
Shalom, my friends. From here in the holy land of Israel, I'm Yael Eckstein with 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 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 visit ifcj.org let's begin.
- [02:28]
A
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 Arameans 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, 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. 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.
- [03:45]
B
Do you know why people hate the prophets?
- [03:49]
A
He asked the question lightly, almost conversationally, but no one dared to answer.
- [03:56]
B
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.
- [04:16]
A
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, and, perhaps worst of all, of their inability to save themselves. Finally, Kisha, Elisha's apprentice, spoke.
- [04:47]
D
But surely, Master, they must know the famine is not your fault. You warned them this would happen if they did not turn back to the Lord.
- [04:56]
B
Blame does not require logic, my boy. The king sees his people starving and looks for someone to hang the weight of it on. He cannot blame the Armenians. They are doing what enemies do. He cannot blame himself. Kings are never at fault in their own eyes. So he blames me because I am here and I am inconvenient.
- [05:21]
A
The students fell silent again, their unease 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.
- [05:37]
B
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?
- [05:47]
C
What will he say, Master?
- [05:49]
B
He will say, why have you brought this on us? Why has your God abandoned us? 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 will not listen.
- [06:12]
A
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.
- [06:28]
C
The Lord will deliver us, won't he? He will not let his people perish, will he?
- [06:35]
B
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. He's a lion. He does not move according to your timetable or mine. But he will move. That I know.
- [06:54]
A
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.
- [07:06]
C
And what will become of us, Master, if the city falls?
- [07:11]
B
Your task is not to ask what will become of you. Your task is to be faithful, to 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.
- [07:28]
A
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.
- [07:39]
B
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.
- [07:54]
A
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 Arameans waited beyond the walls. The king brooded in his chamber, 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 man, ruling over a broken city. King Joram, 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, his people starved. Inside, he wrestled with his own helplessness. He turned his anger toward heaven and.
- [09:09]
C
Earth alike, donkey heads and dove droppings. This is what my people eat now. This. This is the banquet I preside over as king.
- [09:20]
A
He stopped pacing and turned toward the window, where the faint sound of weeping drifted up from the streets below.
- [09:28]
C
They come to me crying out, help me, my lord the king. They ask for my help as though I can turn stones into bread, as though I can conjure water for the tears of widows. How can I help them? The threshing floor is empty. The winepress is dry. Shall I give them nothing and call it a feast?
- [09:55]
A
King Joram'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. 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 Joram's attention for a fleeting moment, something stirred within him, a glimmer of purpose, a chance to act, to fix something. The king straightened his robe, his voice ringing out with an authority that felt firm even to him.
- [10:50]
C
I say, good lady, what troubles you?
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F
Speak.
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C
Your king is here to help.
- [10:57]
A
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.
- [11:14]
F
Joram, you must judge between me and this woman.
- [11:18]
A
The crowd shifted, murmurs rising, as another figure, hunched and shadowed, slinked further back into the square. Joram leaned closer, his grip tightening on the windowsill.
- [11:31]
C
Tell me what has happened. How can I assist?
- [11:36]
A
The woman hesitated, her sunken eyes darting to the other ghastly woman before locking on the king. She said.
- [11:47]
F
She said to me, give us your son that we may. That we may eat him. And we will eat my son tomorrow.
- [12:00]
A
The murmurs ceased. The square fell silent, save for the woman's ragged breaths. Joram blinked, as if the words didn't register. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
- [12:15]
F
So I. I gave my son to her. We boiled him. We ate my son. Oh God, we ate my boy. My baby. O Lord, forgive me. My son.
- [12:42]
A
She collapsed into herself, trembling violently as the words spilled into the air like poison. Joram recoiled, his hands gripping the window sill so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Her confession lingered in the air, heavy and putrid. And then, as if pulled taut by her 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, toward the shadowy figure who had betrayed her.
- [13:25]
F
But when it was her turn to give her son, she hid him. She hid her son from me. Where is the justice? Where is the justice?
- [13:37]
A
Her words echoed through the square, unanswered. The crowd stood frozen, their faces pale, their bodies rigid. Joram stared down at her, his chest heaving, his mind scrambling for something, anything, to say. But there was nothing. Nothing but the truth staring back at him. The city was broken beyond repair. And so was he. King Joram'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.
- [14:17]
F
Where is my justice, King Joram? Where is my.
- [14:22]
A
The woman's cries faded into the background as the king retreated in shame.
- [14:28]
C
My people, my people. What have we become?
- [14:34]
A
Joram shut the door behind him, drowning out the sobs and shouts of the people. He fell face down onto the dusty and cobbled floor. He peered up at the dark ceiling, wondering if the Lord was there. Was he listening? Did he care? King Joram 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 mark of mourning and repentance. His sorrow curdled into rage, his trembling hands balling into fists. His grief gave way to anger.
- [15:16]
G
Elisha.
- [15:17]
C
Elisha. Elisha. This is his doing. He claims to speak to the Lord, and yet he lets us suffer. He mocks us with his silence, hides while we starve and does nothing. May God deal with me severely. The head of Elisha, son of Shaphat, remains on his shoulders today.
- [15:39]
A
The king's words echoed through the chamber as he turned sharply toward his guards.
- [15:45]
C
Bring him to me. Drag him from whatever hole he hides in. He will answer for this. If the Lord will not wait, I will.
- [15:59]
A
The guards hesitated for only a moment before bowing and hurrying to obey. The king, now alone in his chamber, stood trembling, his breaths shallow and ragged. Outside, the cries of the starving city continued, and in the distance the drums of the Arameans beat a steady, merciless rhythm. The 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. Elisha sat among his students, speaking softly.
- [16:55]
B
The city's salvation is near. Don't let your hearts grow troubled.
- [17:00]
A
Reuben leaned forward, speaking out of fear for the future.
- [17:05]
C
But Master, how can you say this? You're like a man who sleeps in a boat while the rest of us face the storm.
- [17:13]
A
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.
- [17:23]
C
Have you not heard the latest reports? The people are starving. Mothers boil their children for food. The king blames you, and his anger grows by the hour. Master, I've followed you since I was a boy. I've always trusted you. But in this dire moment, I don't understand you. How can you speak of salvation when all we see is death?
- [18:02]
B
Is it death that frightens you, dear Reuben? Or is it to suffer? Many men have fallen for fear of suffering. But I entreat you to see beyond it all. 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 what I know is the Lord has never failed us. And he has not forgotten his people. He never has and never will. Even now, he is moving.
- [18:37]
A
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. The king's men.
- [18:52]
C
They're here.
- [18:54]
A
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.
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G
Elisha, son of Shaphat, you are summoned to the king. He has commanded your head.
- [19:12]
A
Elisha remained unmoved. Slowly he stood, his gaze fixed on the guards.
- [19:19]
B
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 flour will sell for a single shekel and two measures of barley for the same price. At the gates of Samaria.
- [19:39]
A
The guards stared at him, their stern expressions faltering. One of them, an officer with sharp fists, features in a sneering tone, stepped forward.
- [19:49]
G
You take us for fools, Prophet? Even if the Lord himself opened the floodgates of heaven, could such a thing happen?
- [19:56]
B
You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it.
- [20:01]
G
Oh, what's that supposed to mean, old man?
- [20:04]
A
Elisha 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.
- [20:16]
B
You will see.
- [20:18]
A
The words landed like stones. The officer opened his mouth as if to retort, but no words came. Something in Elisha's tone, calm, sure, final, made his sneer falter. The room felt colder, the silence stretching unbearably long. And as Elisha turned away again, his focus now on his students, as though the officer had already ceased to matter.
- [20:47]
B
Stay here, my students. Pray for the city. Salvation is near. And when it comes, it will come swiftly.
- [20:56]
A
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 Aramean camp stretched out like a great beast lying in wait. Tents and fires dotted the landscape, but there was something unusual 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 Joram, gaunt and twitching 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 likely 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 carried tidings of significance.
- [22:22]
D
Your majesty, I bring urgent news. News that will change everything. Everything.
- [22:29]
C
What the. What is this thing doing in my throne room? Who let this contagion riddled vermin in here? God. Seize him.
- [22:41]
G
Your. Your majesty, he's. He's a leper. You. You want me to touch him?
- [22:47]
C
Of course. Seize him.
- [22:50]
G
But my. My liege. I'll get leprosy.
- [22:54]
C
Then wear gloves or use a stick. Shoot him with an arrow. Must I think of everything?
- [22:59]
D
Hey, hey. Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just trying to help. Alright, fine.
- [23:06]
C
Speak, leper. But if this is some trick, I'll make sure you regret even existing.
- [23:15]
D
Oh, my king. We went to the Aramean camp, my friend and I. We were desperate, you see. Starving, bones sticking out everywhere. It's a miracle we even had the strength to crawl there. 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.
- [23:43]
H
Empty?
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D
Yes, yes. Not a single soldier in sight. Just tents filled with food. 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, hard cheeses. Jesus, I didn't even know existed.
- [24:11]
F
And the wine.
- [24:12]
D
All the wine began. Barrels of it. Red, white, something with hints of lavender. Though I'm not an expert, of course. But anyway, we feasted for hours.
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C
Hours.
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D
I mean, I haven't eaten like that since.
- [24:26]
C
Get to the point, you fool.
- [24:28]
D
Oh, right, right, the point, the point. The point. The point is they're gone. The whole army vanished. We don't know what, why, but they left everything behind. Food, wine, gold, silver. It's all still there.
- [24:46]
C
And you expect me to believe this isn't some elaborate trap?
- [24:52]
D
No, no, no, no, no, it's not a trap. I swear, my king. If you don't believe me, send some scouts. Please, sir, the city is starving.
- [25:01]
C
Sin riders. If this wretch is lying, I'll send see to that. His punishment is legendary.
- [25:10]
G
And if he's telling the truth.
- [25:18]
C
Out of my sight before you spread more misery in here.
- [25:22]
D
You won't regret this, your majesty. Oh, and if you happen to find a barrel of wine marked with a red X, we may have finished that one. Sorry.
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C
Get out.
- [25:37]
A
Joram, 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 lepers outlandish tale. The Arameans had fled, leaving behind a bounty so vast it defied comprehension. As word spread, the starving masses surged toward the gates, a desperate tide of humanity ready to claim the salvation they had long prayed for. Joram, however, was fixated on one thing, or rather one man.
- [26:14]
C
Elisha's prophecy. It's come true. Against all odds. The prophet was right. And my officer, that doubting fool. Oh, he'll be utterly crushed when he hears this. I must tell him.
- [26:33]
A
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. And there, at the center of it all, was the officer. The officer, the same man 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 crushed.
- [27:22]
C
He'll be crushed by the news.
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A
The dark irony of his words hung in the air, heavy and bitter. Elisha'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.
- [27:50]
E
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and it has affected your life, we'd love it if you left a review. 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 6. 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.
- [28:31]
C
Amen.
- [28:33]
H
You can listen to the Chosen People with Yael Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the prey.com app today. This pray.com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Catena, Max Bard, Zach Schellewager and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yael Eckstein. Edited by Alberto Avila. Narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Jr. Rosanna Pilcher and Mitch Leschinsky and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Bree Rosely and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin Van Etten, Caleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Pray.com productions on the Pray.com app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed the Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.
- [29:46]
A
This is an iHeart podcast.