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safe and abundant supply.Yet, who knows what natural or man-made disaster could wreak havoc in the future. Further discussion on this subject is beyond the scope of this book. Suffice it to say, a lack of wa ter reminds us just how vulnerable and dependent on God we are. Unproductive land- The curse on Jericho not only applied to the water in Jericho, but the land there as well. No crops meant no food for the people and their livestock. The 1930s will go down as one of the worst decades in our nation’s history. Not only were we undergoing the Great Depres sion, the Great Plains endured the Dust Bowl. Due to federal land policies, poor farming practices, weather, etc., crops failed, livestock died and farmers from Texas to Nebraska fled their land. Though the problem was more isolated at Jericho, the peo ple faced a crisis in which their very lives hung in the balance.With Elisha arriving on the scene, note the solutions offered. Assessing the situation, the prophet said, “‘Bring me a new bowl,’ he said,‘and put salt in it.’ So they brought it to him” (2 Kings 2:20, emphasis added). Salt, a staple product used throughout time and around the world, both purifies and enhances. From a biblical standpoint, it’s a far more interesting subject than you might think. It is mentioned 47 times in Scripture, both positively and negatively, literally and figuratively. Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt when she gazed back upon the lures of Sodom (Genesis 19:26). Enemy lands were covered with salt following defeat in battle (Judges 9:45). Con versely, salt signified friendship (2 Chronicles 13:5) and served as an offering (Ezekiel 43:24). Newborn babies were rubbed with salt, presumably to provide hygiene and prevent infection (Ezekiel 16:4). Most notably, speaking symbolically, Jesus proclaimed, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be

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