By Philip Blows, Operations Director

Let me briefly illustrate, through an Old Testament story in the Bible, our mandate for being involved in the work of distributing the Word of God.

In 2 Kings 6 and 7 we read about the situation when Samaria was besieged by Ben Hadad, the king of Syria. There was a great famine in Samaria, and there was what we would today call ‘hyperinflation’. The costs of the very meanest and lowest items of food were astronomical, and we even read in the Scriptures of the great travesty of cannibalism taking place.

At this time of famine there were four lepers in the city gate. They could not dwell with the people in the city for fear of passing on their leprosy, but they also could not go outside the city as that is where the enemies were who were besieging Samaria. So there they stayed in the gate, neither in the city nor out of the city.

Eventually there came a point where they were close to death, and they felt they had nothing to lose by going out of the city. Maybe if they went out of the city to the Syrians, they would receive mercy from the Syrians and might even receive some food. If they stayed in the city gate they would soon die anyway as they were starving, so they felt they had nothing to lose.

But you know that when they went out expecting to see this Syrian army, instead they discovered an empty and abandoned camp! By Divine intervention, the Syrians had fled and had left all behind. So these four lepers had a field day. There was all the food and drink that they could want and after all that time you can be sure that they filled their stomachs. The Bible tells us that they ate, drank, took of the silver which they found, took of the gold, and of the clothing. We could say that they looted it; they went away and they stashed it, they looted some more, and they stashed some more.

But then what happened? Conscience struck. 2 Kings 7.9 says, ‘Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household’. They had come across a treasure trove, and they knew in their consciences that they did not well to hold on to this bounty for themselves while their fellow men were in a state of dire famine. They must share what they had with those who had nothing.

Let’s consider that in regards to Bible distribution. For those of us who speak English, we have a faithful Bible in our language. We have good copies of it. We have many copies of it. We may have a reference Bible, a text Bible, a leatherbound Bible, a hardback Bible, a large one, a small one: we may have a super abundance. However, we do not well if we content ourselves with what we have, while without are those who are in famine, ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD’ (Amos 8.11).

We might think of those parts of the world where there has not been a history of the spread of the Gospel, and perhaps there is not a Bible translation. This is absolutely the highest priority, to provide a faithful edition and copies of the Scriptures in these languages.

Also, think about countries who have had the Gospel and have had a Bible. Are there not many homes in your neighbourhood and mine where there is no Bible, and the children grow up knowing nothing of the Lord and His marvellous works?

We have an obligation, a moral and spiritual obligation. We have a bounty of the Word of God, and we have an obligation to share with those who are in famine. We have a duty towards Bible distribution, but also a privilege to be involved in Bible distribution.

The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 10.8, ‘Freely ye have received, freely give’ and we can apply that to the work of the Trinitarian Bible Society, and to the work of distributing the Word of God. We trust that you will join with us in that work.

First published in Quarterly Record 651. Last updated 6 May 2025.