As you probably know, not all mushrooms are safe to eat. In fact, only 3,000 of the 14,000 known mushroom species are edible. Poisonous mushrooms are also known as toadstools (thought to have originated from the German word todes which means death). That’s why I rely on the experts, for I can’t tell a good mushroom from a bad toadstool.
Due to a famine, Elisha once sent his servant to look for some food to eat (not necessarily mushrooms!). The young man came back with herbs and wild gourds, and shredded them to make a pot of hot stew.
The famine referenced in 2 Kings 4 came about because the people had rejected God’s Word (Leviticus 26:3-4; 1 Kings 18:18). This resulted in both a natural famine and one of not hearing the word of the Lord (Amos 8:11).
I see a spiritual analogy here. For the world we live in is like that pot of stew—full of all kinds of ideas, beliefs, convictions, philosophies, and teachings. They’re tossed in together, mixed, adapted, assimilated, and served to Christians as wholesome biblical truth.
God’s people should be hungry for His Word. But there is no shortage of “wild gourds” out there. You or someone in your church family may read a book or go to a conference that presents what sounds like sound teaching from God’s Word, but it’s actually nothing but “wild gourds.” Soon it’s served in “a pot of stew” to the rest of the congregation. That’s why it’s so important that we grow in our knowledge of what God’s Word actually says, and what it doesn’t say (Hebrews 5:14; Ephesians 4:11-14).
Got some “wild gourds” that you’ve taken in? Test them by the scrutiny and authority of God’s Word (Job 12:11; Mark 4:24). If you don’t, their poison will pass from you to others.
More:
What did the Bereans and the Thessalonians do to test the teachings they were hearing? (Acts 17:11; 1 Th. 5:21).
Next:
Where do you go to get your spiritual food? Have you been feeding on the Word of God—reading and studying it daily? How have you been searching the Scriptures to see if what you’ve been taught is true?
Soldier4Christ on February 22, 2011 at 4:45 am
I agree that we must put all that which we take in to the test of God. There are many out there that would lead us astray either knowingly or otherwise. The most important thing that you can do is read the Word daily and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study the Bible.
lindagma on February 22, 2011 at 6:54 am
It’s pretty easy to get caught up in Charismatic personalities and ideas can be supported with scripture taken out of context. Add in a little “tickling of the ears” with what we want to hear and you’ve got a movement following a man and not God. Diligent prayer and Bible study is vital.
eppistle on February 22, 2011 at 7:11 am
Any analogy about the flour thrown into the pot?
eppistle on February 22, 2011 at 7:17 am
There are a lot of poisonous mushrooms in this world – not only false religions and cults, but maybe most pervasive in the US is secular humanism. It looks so reasonable, it seems like it would be good for you. That’s why Christian scholarship is so important (2 Timothy 2:15) – most importantly to read the Bible and prayerfully meditate upon it, but also to read books from wise Christian authors. Then when our minds are saturated with God’s Word, through the Holy Spirit we can “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (I John 4:1).
sowharvest on February 22, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Truly a reading (daily) of the Word of GOD is essential to not taking in “wild gourds/what sounds good”. The other day we were (family) there was discussion about using our words to lift people up instead of tearing them down. I knew there was a biblical scripture dealing with very issue but could not recall when or where I had read it. So I picked up my bible and the Holy Spirit had me open to the very page/verse. Eph 4:29. So yes daily reading is necessary so that we may not allow “wild gourds” to enter into our lives and take root that will surely lead to death.
daisymarygoldr on February 23, 2011 at 12:08 am
Good analogy and insight KTS! Once I remember having kicked up a big fuss over The Shack. Biblical truth was so distorted in that book. And yet the heart-warming stew of that wild gourd is so deceptive that even seasoned Christians bought into its lies.
There is a spiritual famine in our world today just as it was in the days of Elisha. Interestingly, it looks like wild gourds thrive well during famine. When there is a famine of hearing God’s Word, there is a profusion of poisonous “wild gourds” expressed through—the arts, literature, science, philosophy and other forms of humanistic thinking. In Col 2:8, the Apostle Paul cautions us about not being caught up in empty philosophies and human thinking.
Nowadays, some of the preaching interspersed with few scriptural references is combined with pop psychology methods. And most of the times, even we readily accept those doctrines because it is brought by a renowned Pastor or Bible teacher. The person bringing in the wild gourd does so sincerely and with good intentions. But erroneous teaching no matter how sincere will bring death not only to that person but also to others in that group.
When the flour was added to the poisoned stew it did not harm them. Flour typifies the true written and living Word of God which is our spiritual food. And solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. (Heb 5:14)
When we are firmly rooted in God’s Word, we can easily discern what is good and what appears as good. “Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right.” -Charles Spurgeon