May 17, 2024 • 29 mins
Join us on this episode as we dissect the impactful story of a powerful woman from Shunem highlighted in 2 Kings chapter 4, verses 8 through 17. Delve into the life of a remarkable individual who, with her faith, generosity, and hospitality towards the prophet Elisha, has given us a striking example of God’s mindfulness and provision for His people.
In this engaging analysis, we uncover the cultural implications of the Shunammite woman’s actions, the importance of her interaction with a man of God, and how her deep faith intertwines with the larger Biblical narrative. Going beyond her personal story, we also investigate God’s consistency and faithfulness, and how it reflects in the story of this unnamed woman who showed exemplary faith and servitude.
This episode will take you on a journey exploring how serving God with generosity, humility, and submission can lead to joy and blessings, despite the challenges we face today. The Shunammite woman's story is a glowing testament to her character, her value for her community, and her contentment in her people, despite receiving no recognition in return for her tireless service. She was eventually rewarded with the birth of a son, proof of God's miraculous powers and the veracity of His prophetic words.
Nevertheless, real-life tests may come to bring us back to the Lord and cause us to live in a closer relationship with Him. The woman's trust in God remains steadfast, even after the death of her beloved son who was revived through God's divine intervention. This compelling tale teaches us critical lessons in trusting God’s sovereignty even in hopeless situations and serves as a beacon of hope for individuals grappling with their faith in challenging times. Listen today to revel in the transformative power of faith and God’s loving provision.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Music.
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Hello and welcome. You've tuned in to the School of Ministry podcast.
Paul is your Bible teacher today. If you have questions you would like addressed, let us know.
Maybe you have a need in your life and want to know how the Bible gives answers that apply to us today.
Feel free to contact us. Now enjoy the lesson.
Let's turn, if you will, to 2 Kings chapter 4.
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We're talking about a great woman today. 2 Kings chapter 4, I want to begin in verse 8.
Let's read through verse 17, and then, because you've given me so much time
to preach, we may go through the rest of the chapter.
Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable
woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food.
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So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
And she said to her husband, Look now, I know this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly.
Please let us make a small upper room on the wall, and let us put a bed for
him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand, so it will be whenever he
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comes to us he can turn in there.
And it happened one day that he came there, he turned into the upper room and lay down there.
Then he said to Gehazi, his servant, call this Shunammite woman.
When he had called her, she stood before him.
And he said to him, say now to her, look, you have been concerned for us with
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all this care. What can I do for you?
Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?
She answered, I dwell among my own people.
So he said, what then is to be done for her?
And Gehazi answered, actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.
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So he said, call her. When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
Then he said, about this This time next year you shall embrace a son.
And she said, No, my lord, man of God, do not lie to your main servant.
But the woman conceived and bore a son when the appointed time had come of which Elisha had told her.
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Well, God does have great concern for women.
Sometimes there are particular needs.
In the incident that just went before, you may be familiar with this of a widow
that needed, it says she was one of the wives of the sons of the prophets.
So her husband was gone. He had been a prophet and she had no means of income.
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And the Lord took care of her. However, here is another woman that the Lord
takes care of her need because it said that she had no son and her husband was
old. We're going to examine that. Why was that important?
It's unfortunate in the Near East times, in the Near East countries,
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women were considered inferior to men.
It's interesting because all you'll see is a note, this woman is not named.
Nowhere throughout is she given a name, and that's not uncommon.
There are many women in the Old Testament that were not named that were very prominent women.
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You might think of the Queen of Sheba. What was her name?
Queen of Sheba. That's all we're told. And so over and over.
Now, there are many women that are mentioned.
Eve, Sarah, and we could go on and on. There are many women in the Old Testament.
Their names are given, and many are not, just as just before here with Elisha
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with the widow and having the oil, we don't know her name.
Remember with Elijah, and there
was another incident with the son that she had, the widow of Zarephath,
and Elijah working and providing for her in the time of the great drought, and she's not named.
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So we can go throughout, out, and we can find all of that.
But notice, and I like what the King James says there in verse 8.
My new King James says, a notable woman. I like the King James says, a great woman.
So I've titled this message today, A Great Woman.
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And maybe if you have another one, the NIV says, a well-to-do.
The New American Standard says, a prominent woman.
All of those are correct. All of those are right. She's married.
She's living with her husband in the area of Shunem.
And we're going to examine today some parts of this scripture to see exactly
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why it is that she is a great, prominent, well-to-do woman. What makes her different?
You know, in the New Testament, there are so many women that are named and many that are not named.
You'll notice, like Mary Magdalene, Magdalene is not her last name.
It is because she was from Magdala. That was where she was from.
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Or you can read through the book of Acts and it says, Mary, the mother of John
Mark, or Mary, the mother of Jesus, because we have so many Marys in the New Testament.
But what about Aquila and his wife, Priscilla?
There are some evil women that are mentioned in the New Testament,
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Herodias and Jezebel in the Old Testament.
So not all of them are named because they were good, but because they had some
kind of a prominent position.
Well, here this woman is a godly woman.
This is a woman that has a great measure of faith, as we're going to see.
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The word is gadol, the Hebrew word that is translated great,
notable, and it carries the idea of being dependable. She's well aware of her
standings, and we're going to see that.
In 2 Kings, here in chapter 4, verses 8 through 37, it carries the whole story
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of the woman's son, how he was born of a promise, but the child dies,
and Elisha resuscitates, brings him back to life.
And the story is very similar to Elijah and the widow at Zarephath.
But this is shown to see, this is a man of God.
So it's in contrast to that poor widow that had been in the story just before this.
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And Shunem, by the way, is near Jezreel. She has a well-to-do husband.
He's not named, by the way.
The child is not named. So moms, women, don't feel left out because it doesn't
name some of the others as well.
Well, this area was evidently traveled very often by Elisha as he would travel
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from Samaria to Jezreel and to other cities.
But this woman's faith in Yahweh God is seen when her desire that she wants
to be a blessing to the man of God.
She recognized that. She is spiritually sensitive to what the Lord's doing. She is outgoing.
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She's more outgoing than her husband. He did, however, consent to the wife's
idea and proposal to build a guest room.
Typically, the roof would have been flat on those homes in that area.
They would have then come in and built a room probably on the roof where some
of the evening breezes could come through.
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As oftentimes people would use the roof as kind of a porch like we might use
sitting out on a nice evening and nice afternoon. noon.
But here, Elisha is that prophet that's traveling through Israel and some of
the neighboring kingdoms.
We often think of the biblical prophets of only preaching in Judea,
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Judah, and Israel, the northern and the southern kingdoms.
But they also preached God's word in that whole region. So they would go throughout.
And so during his travels, it seems that he would pass through Shunem.
He was on his way often to Mount Carmel. So in our story, we meet a good woman,
a great woman, a notable woman.
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And I hope to point out some of these characteristics of a good wife,
of a good mother, because it fell on that day that Elisha passed to Shunem,
there was a great woman, King James says,
and she constrained him to eat bread.
And so it was that as often as he passed Past by, he would turn and thither to eat bread.
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There was something about her. She's given to hospitality.
She sees here is a man of God.
She sees a weary and a tired Elisha, and he's passing through, and she begs him.
She opens up her home to him.
She is hospitable. She says, come and rest and eat something.
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How many women, especially mothers, are able to see the needs of others that
I don't see when the kids get hungry. I don't see when something happens.
Well, that's what mothers do, right? They just see that. I would have never
noticed that. no fanfare, nothing for themselves.
And in this case, it's going to mean more work and means she's putting herself
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out because of her care and her help in this time.
And Elisha makes it a regular stop.
Notice that she served God by serving others. Verses 9 and 10.
She said to her husband, look now, I know this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly.
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Please let us make an upper room on the wall and let us put a bed for him there
and a table and a chair and a lampstand.
And so it will be whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.
Notice it says a holy man of God. This woman recognized Elisha was a person
set apart for the Lord's work, a very special prophet in that sense.
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Nowhere else in the Old Testament is the term holy used or applied to a prophet.
Only here, only with Elisha referring to a prophet. And over time,
she talks to her husband.
She asks him, hey, let's fix up a room for him so he has a comfortable place
to stay. What a blessing that would have been.
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So we see that not only was she serving the Lord by serving others, she was serving God.
By being very generous. So she took Elisha's welfare on as her own work,
as something that she could do for the Lord, something that she could be used of God in that sense.
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She was very submissive to her husband, by the way, and it was what she thought
she ought to do, what they thought should happen.
She could see it. She could conceive this is what needs to happen. and so what does she do?
Just like a good husband and wife, they do things together. They work together.
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That's the way God originally intended a husband and wife. The two would be
one, would have one purpose, one goal.
Unfortunately, what happened? Sin. Sin got in the way and has been a wreck ever
since throughout our whole world. That's why our world is groaning.
It's looking forward to the coming of the Lord.
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But she's submissive to her husband. And it's very important that her husband
would be brought in and allowed to be a part of this.
And they are making these decisions together instead of one person going off
and doing their own thing.
In verse 10, it says that he could stay there whenever he comes by us.
Her hospitality, the woman's hospitality, she was able to help sustain the proclaiming
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of God's word and God's work going throughout Israel through Elisha.
Look at verses 11 through 13.
And it happened one day that he came there and he turned into the upper room and lay down there.
Then he said to Gehazi, his servant, call the Shunammite woman.
When he had called her, she stood before him and he said to him,
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say now to her, look, you have been concerned with us with all this care.
Air. What can I do for you?
Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?
She answered, I dwell among my own people.
You see, after Elisha had enjoyed this couple's hospitality,
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he wants to do something for her. He wants to give something back in return.
And he asked his servant Gehazi to express this need to the woman.
And maybe this was done that that he went through Gehazi to make sure that the
woman was more inclined to ask for something than she would have had the prophet ask.
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So if the prophet had addressed her, if Elijah had asked, she might be put off
a little bit. So he sends Gehazi.
God's grace is seen here to the faithful ones in Elijah's offer.
Elijah says, do you need some position of influence? Do you need a position
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of influence in the palace?
So Elisha must have had some influence in Jerom's political and religious practices.
He must have had some inroad to the king at that time.
Because he says, I can speak to the king on your behalf. I can speak to the captain of the army.
Is somebody oppressing you, giving you some kind of trouble?
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And the woman's replied, I have a home among my own people. I'm content.
I am happy with my lot in line.
She was at peace. She felt no special needs.
In verse 12, Gehazi then, and here, by the way,
is referred to in this passage for the very first time in the scriptures he's
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referred to here, and he appears to be serving Elisha in the same way that Elisha served Elijah.
If you remember back, it was Elisha serving Elijah in the same sense that Gehazi is serving Elisha.
So the two men, however, were drastically different in their character.
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Elisha and Gehazi. Gehazi gets in trouble a little bit later on,
but you can read on and see about that.
But here, this one, she's been so good to Elisha that he wants to do something in return.
And he says, I'll speak to the king. I'll speak to the captain of the guard.
What is it that you need? She says, I'm fine.
I live among my own people. She was content.
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You see, there's a wonderful thing when we find contentment in the Lord.
She's not looking for her hospitality to be paid back. She's not looking for anything.
She says, I have a home among my own people. and the Shunammite woman felt secure.
She felt content in the community, her own people, her own tribe.
She doesn't have a desire for government favors.
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She doesn't need anything back from government officials.
She's not looking for any kind of accolades because Elisha could have gone and
told the king, look at what a great woman this is.
But isn't it amazing that the scripture writes a great woman?
You know, we'll meet this woman one day. You'll meet this woman.
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Maybe then we can learn her name.
You'll just be able to say, the scripture said, you're a great woman, a notable woman.
She says, I live among my own people. I have everything I need.
I don't need a bigger house. I don't need more clothes.
I don't need any accolades. I don't need jewelry.
I'm fine. Got all that I need.
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She was content. tent. In verse 14 through 17, so he said, what then is to be done for her?
And Gehazi answered, actually, she had no son and her husband is old.
So he called her. When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
Notice this woman is aware of propriety.
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She's not going into the room. She is standing there at the door.
She is very aware of her situation and being proper in all So he said to her, call her.
And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. Then he said,
about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.
And she said, no, my Lord, man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.
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But the woman conceived and bore a son when the appointed time had come of which Elisha had told her.
You know, when it's the word of God, when it's God doing something,
you can count on it. You can be sure.
Having no son, and Gehazi says her husband is old, this remark really implies two things.
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She suffers shame of being a barren woman. And her husband might die,
and there'll be no heir to carry on in Israel to take the inheritance,
to carry on the family name.
And so this was something of a great need and a great disappointment because
it means that the family's name would cease, the land possessions would pass on to others.
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And so this was a great threat to this young wife's future.
This was the means that as a widow, her son would be social security.
Her son would be that which would take care of her.
That was the only social security in Israel in the old age, unless you went
out and you did like, remember Ruth and Naomi, how they would glean in the fields.
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Other than that, it was up to your family. But Elisha is determined to return her favors.
Elijah discussed with Gehazi, and after she left the room, what he could do
for her. And Gehazi observes, she's got no son.
Her husband's old. told Elijah calls her back and told her that she will have
a son about that same time in a year.
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This is a miraculous birth. Now, I don't like to use the term miracle loosely,
but this was a Bible miracle.
This was something that God did by setting aside whatever was wrong.
And the woman's response to this announcement doesn't mean that she doesn't want a son.
Every Israelite woman wanted that Because to be childless was to be regarded
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in Israel as having a great personal tragedy.
And her reply indicates that she felt having a son was just impossible.
And that's why this was something of the work of God.
She urged Elisha not to build up her hopes, not to build her up.
Her only hopes that might later have been disappointed.
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Elisha drops the bomb on her. Interesting, she hadn't asked for a child.
He just said, this is what's going to happen. This is what's going to come.
Within a year, you'll have one.
She is, the Shunammite woman is kind of incredulous because her response,
it's obvious that she wants a child and she says, man of God,
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don't mislead your servant.
It really shows the depth, the desire, but her fear of disappointment.
How many times have we maybe not prayed because we're afraid,
well, maybe that's not God's will.
But notice the child comes, verse
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17, just according to the word of the prophet, God's word through him.
And she loved the child. The child wasn't an inconvenience. He was wanted. He was loved.
Just as Elisha had told her, the trustworthiness of Elisha's word was confirmed
and the birth of the son had shown the result of God's gracious intervention on her behalf. half.
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But when the woman conceived, she bore a son.
And when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
But you know, the story doesn't end there. We stopped our reading there.
You know the story, and I believe that you're familiar with it.
Because as the child grows at verse 18, it happened one day that he went out
to his father, to the reapers.
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And he said to his father, my head, my head.
So he said to the servant, carry him to his mother.
When he had taken him, brought him to his mother. He sat on her knees till noon and then died.
Now this child, and I use the word resuscitate, he's dead.
So when Elisha is used of God to resurrect him, to bring him back,
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to resuscitate and give life again, but it was the power of God.
And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon
him and went out. Then she called to her husband and said, please send me one
of the young men and one of the donkeys that I may run to the man of God and come back.
So he said, why are you going to him today?
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It's neither the new moon nor the Sabbath.
You see, fellas, sometimes we can be a little, don't want to say dense.
I can be dense. Sometimes I'm not aware of what really may be going on.
But isn't that a wonderful thing when you have a godly wife to help us see and perceive?
The husband is completely unaware. It's not a religious holiday.
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Why are you going after the man of God?
Why are you going down to church today? And she said, it is well.
Do we see her trust? Do we see that she's trusting in God? It's well.
Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, drive and go forward.
Do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you. And so she departed and went
to the man of God and Mount Carmel.
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And so it was when the man of God saw her afar off that he said to his servant
Gehazi, look, the Shunammite woman, please run now to meet her and say to her,
is it well with you? Is it well with your husband?
Is it well with your child?
And she answered, it is well.
Sometimes we sing the song, when peace like a river attendeth my way.
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It is well with my soul when that was written it was because he recognized.
That was the place where his family had died at sea, and he recognized that
it was only the Lord that could make him well. That's what this woman is seeing.
Now, when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet.
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But Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said,
let her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it
from me and has not told me.
So now we have her coming out of her deep despair and grabbing the prophet's
feet because there was something deep within her.
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And she knew she needed the man of God.
She knew that there was nowhere else but to go to the Lord. And she answered.
And so she said, verse 28, did I ask a son of my Lord?
Did I not say, do not deceive me?
Then he said to Gehazi, get yourself ready and take my staff in your hand and
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be on your way. And if you meet anyone, do not greet him.
And if anyone greets you, do not answer him, but lay my staff on the face of the child.
Now, we don't understand all that this may be, whether Elisha felt that just
by laying the staff, which was the symbol of his authority,
that God would recognize that or that some Some other lesson that was being
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taught by doing that, we just don't know.
But then verse 30, and as the mother of the child said, as the Lord lives and
as your soul lives, I will not leave you.
So he arose and followed her. He sends Gehazi out. That's verse 31.
Now Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid his staff on the face of the child,
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but there was neither voice nor hearing.
Therefore, he went back to meet him and told him saying, the child is not awakened.
Then Elisha came into the house. There was the child laying dead on the bed.
He went in, therefore, shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord.
And he went up and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth,
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his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands.
And he stretched himself out on the child and the flesh of the child became
warm. He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up
and stretched himself out on him.
Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
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Then he called Gehazi and said, Call the Shunammite woman. So he called her.
And when she came into him, he said, Pick up your son.
So she went in, fell at his feet. And he said, Pick up your son.
And bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
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There are times in our life when a situation gets so distressing,
when a situation gets so bad, and we think there's just no help, nowhere that we can go.
This notable woman, this prominent woman, this dependable woman.
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This great woman went to the right place.
She went to the Lord. She was seeking God. She knew only God.
God had given her this child.
But you know what? There are times in our lives where it might feel like you're
in a situation that is beyond what you can do.
And God may put you in a situation that it is truly beyond your scope.
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It is beyond all that you could think of.
And he does that sometimes to bring us back to him.
He does that to bring us back to the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ at an old cross.
How we love that old cross. How we love that old time.
There was a great woman in Israel, a Shunammite woman, and we'll meet her.
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I hope we meet her husband. I hope we meet the boy.
And I bet that she told this child, you were given to me by the the Lord.
You are something that was given by God.
Do you realize you are here because God loves you, because he cared for you? You are not a mistake.
You are not an error. Sometimes children are not planned and yet they're wanted
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and they're loved, but God doesn't make mistakes.
God always knows. He's always right.
And when it is outside of our scope, it's outside of all that we could ask or think, he is able.
He is able to do above and beyond all we can ask or think.
He is able to do all so that we could say like this woman, it is well.
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It is well. I may not understand all that you're going through.
I may not understand all that's happening in your life, but we do know this.
It is well, because we know who is on the throne.
We know who's in charge. We know where we can go in times of trouble, in times of distress.
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Thank you for joining us today. We hope you enjoyed the message.
We trust you've been encouraged, challenged, or generally built up spiritually.
If this lesson has sparked questions or perhaps you have questions of a different topic, let us know.
Our information is given on the website or can reach us at sclofministry at gmail.com.
Music.
Music.
(00:16):
Hello and welcome. You've tuned in to the School of Ministry podcast.
Paul is your Bible teacher today. If you have questions you would like addressed, let us know.
Maybe you have a need in your life and want to know how the Bible gives answers that apply to us today.
Feel free to contact us. Now enjoy the lesson.
Let's turn, if you will, to 2 Kings chapter 4.
(00:40):
We're talking about a great woman today. 2 Kings chapter 4, I want to begin in verse 8.
Let's read through verse 17, and then, because you've given me so much time
to preach, we may go through the rest of the chapter.
Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable
woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food.
(01:04):
So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
And she said to her husband, Look now, I know this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly.
Please let us make a small upper room on the wall, and let us put a bed for
him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand, so it will be whenever he
(01:28):
comes to us he can turn in there.
And it happened one day that he came there, he turned into the upper room and lay down there.
Then he said to Gehazi, his servant, call this Shunammite woman.
When he had called her, she stood before him.
And he said to him, say now to her, look, you have been concerned for us with
(01:54):
all this care. What can I do for you?
Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?
She answered, I dwell among my own people.
So he said, what then is to be done for her?
And Gehazi answered, actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.
(02:15):
So he said, call her. When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
Then he said, about this This time next year you shall embrace a son.
And she said, No, my lord, man of God, do not lie to your main servant.
But the woman conceived and bore a son when the appointed time had come of which Elisha had told her.
(02:40):
Well, God does have great concern for women.
Sometimes there are particular needs.
In the incident that just went before, you may be familiar with this of a widow
that needed, it says she was one of the wives of the sons of the prophets.
So her husband was gone. He had been a prophet and she had no means of income.
(03:07):
And the Lord took care of her. However, here is another woman that the Lord
takes care of her need because it said that she had no son and her husband was
old. We're going to examine that. Why was that important?
It's unfortunate in the Near East times, in the Near East countries,
(03:29):
women were considered inferior to men.
It's interesting because all you'll see is a note, this woman is not named.
Nowhere throughout is she given a name, and that's not uncommon.
There are many women in the Old Testament that were not named that were very prominent women.
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You might think of the Queen of Sheba. What was her name?
Queen of Sheba. That's all we're told. And so over and over.
Now, there are many women that are mentioned.
Eve, Sarah, and we could go on and on. There are many women in the Old Testament.
Their names are given, and many are not, just as just before here with Elisha
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with the widow and having the oil, we don't know her name.
Remember with Elijah, and there
was another incident with the son that she had, the widow of Zarephath,
and Elijah working and providing for her in the time of the great drought, and she's not named.
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So we can go throughout, out, and we can find all of that.
But notice, and I like what the King James says there in verse 8.
My new King James says, a notable woman. I like the King James says, a great woman.
So I've titled this message today, A Great Woman.
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And maybe if you have another one, the NIV says, a well-to-do.
The New American Standard says, a prominent woman.
All of those are correct. All of those are right. She's married.
She's living with her husband in the area of Shunem.
And we're going to examine today some parts of this scripture to see exactly
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why it is that she is a great, prominent, well-to-do woman. What makes her different?
You know, in the New Testament, there are so many women that are named and many that are not named.
You'll notice, like Mary Magdalene, Magdalene is not her last name.
It is because she was from Magdala. That was where she was from.
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Or you can read through the book of Acts and it says, Mary, the mother of John
Mark, or Mary, the mother of Jesus, because we have so many Marys in the New Testament.
But what about Aquila and his wife, Priscilla?
There are some evil women that are mentioned in the New Testament,
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Herodias and Jezebel in the Old Testament.
So not all of them are named because they were good, but because they had some
kind of a prominent position.
Well, here this woman is a godly woman.
This is a woman that has a great measure of faith, as we're going to see.
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The word is gadol, the Hebrew word that is translated great,
notable, and it carries the idea of being dependable. She's well aware of her
standings, and we're going to see that.
In 2 Kings, here in chapter 4, verses 8 through 37, it carries the whole story
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of the woman's son, how he was born of a promise, but the child dies,
and Elisha resuscitates, brings him back to life.
And the story is very similar to Elijah and the widow at Zarephath.
But this is shown to see, this is a man of God.
So it's in contrast to that poor widow that had been in the story just before this.
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And Shunem, by the way, is near Jezreel. She has a well-to-do husband.
He's not named, by the way.
The child is not named. So moms, women, don't feel left out because it doesn't
name some of the others as well.
Well, this area was evidently traveled very often by Elisha as he would travel
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from Samaria to Jezreel and to other cities.
But this woman's faith in Yahweh God is seen when her desire that she wants
to be a blessing to the man of God.
She recognized that. She is spiritually sensitive to what the Lord's doing. She is outgoing.
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She's more outgoing than her husband. He did, however, consent to the wife's
idea and proposal to build a guest room.
Typically, the roof would have been flat on those homes in that area.
They would have then come in and built a room probably on the roof where some
of the evening breezes could come through.
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As oftentimes people would use the roof as kind of a porch like we might use
sitting out on a nice evening and nice afternoon. noon.
But here, Elisha is that prophet that's traveling through Israel and some of
the neighboring kingdoms.
We often think of the biblical prophets of only preaching in Judea,
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Judah, and Israel, the northern and the southern kingdoms.
But they also preached God's word in that whole region. So they would go throughout.
And so during his travels, it seems that he would pass through Shunem.
He was on his way often to Mount Carmel. So in our story, we meet a good woman,
a great woman, a notable woman.
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And I hope to point out some of these characteristics of a good wife,
of a good mother, because it fell on that day that Elisha passed to Shunem,
there was a great woman, King James says,
and she constrained him to eat bread.
And so it was that as often as he passed Past by, he would turn and thither to eat bread.
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There was something about her. She's given to hospitality.
She sees here is a man of God.
She sees a weary and a tired Elisha, and he's passing through, and she begs him.
She opens up her home to him.
She is hospitable. She says, come and rest and eat something.
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How many women, especially mothers, are able to see the needs of others that
I don't see when the kids get hungry. I don't see when something happens.
Well, that's what mothers do, right? They just see that. I would have never
noticed that. no fanfare, nothing for themselves.
And in this case, it's going to mean more work and means she's putting herself
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out because of her care and her help in this time.
And Elisha makes it a regular stop.
Notice that she served God by serving others. Verses 9 and 10.
She said to her husband, look now, I know this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly.
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Please let us make an upper room on the wall and let us put a bed for him there
and a table and a chair and a lampstand.
And so it will be whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.
Notice it says a holy man of God. This woman recognized Elisha was a person
set apart for the Lord's work, a very special prophet in that sense.
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Nowhere else in the Old Testament is the term holy used or applied to a prophet.
Only here, only with Elisha referring to a prophet. And over time,
she talks to her husband.
She asks him, hey, let's fix up a room for him so he has a comfortable place
to stay. What a blessing that would have been.
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So we see that not only was she serving the Lord by serving others, she was serving God.
By being very generous. So she took Elisha's welfare on as her own work,
as something that she could do for the Lord, something that she could be used of God in that sense.
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She was very submissive to her husband, by the way, and it was what she thought
she ought to do, what they thought should happen.
She could see it. She could conceive this is what needs to happen. and so what does she do?
Just like a good husband and wife, they do things together. They work together.
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That's the way God originally intended a husband and wife. The two would be
one, would have one purpose, one goal.
Unfortunately, what happened? Sin. Sin got in the way and has been a wreck ever
since throughout our whole world. That's why our world is groaning.
It's looking forward to the coming of the Lord.
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But she's submissive to her husband. And it's very important that her husband
would be brought in and allowed to be a part of this.
And they are making these decisions together instead of one person going off
and doing their own thing.
In verse 10, it says that he could stay there whenever he comes by us.
Her hospitality, the woman's hospitality, she was able to help sustain the proclaiming
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of God's word and God's work going throughout Israel through Elisha.
Look at verses 11 through 13.
And it happened one day that he came there and he turned into the upper room and lay down there.
Then he said to Gehazi, his servant, call the Shunammite woman.
When he had called her, she stood before him and he said to him,
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say now to her, look, you have been concerned with us with all this care.
Air. What can I do for you?
Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?
She answered, I dwell among my own people.
You see, after Elisha had enjoyed this couple's hospitality,
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he wants to do something for her. He wants to give something back in return.
And he asked his servant Gehazi to express this need to the woman.
And maybe this was done that that he went through Gehazi to make sure that the
woman was more inclined to ask for something than she would have had the prophet ask.
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So if the prophet had addressed her, if Elijah had asked, she might be put off
a little bit. So he sends Gehazi.
God's grace is seen here to the faithful ones in Elijah's offer.
Elijah says, do you need some position of influence? Do you need a position
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of influence in the palace?
So Elisha must have had some influence in Jerom's political and religious practices.
He must have had some inroad to the king at that time.
Because he says, I can speak to the king on your behalf. I can speak to the captain of the army.
Is somebody oppressing you, giving you some kind of trouble?
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And the woman's replied, I have a home among my own people. I'm content.
I am happy with my lot in line.
She was at peace. She felt no special needs.
In verse 12, Gehazi then, and here, by the way,
is referred to in this passage for the very first time in the scriptures he's
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referred to here, and he appears to be serving Elisha in the same way that Elisha served Elijah.
If you remember back, it was Elisha serving Elijah in the same sense that Gehazi is serving Elisha.
So the two men, however, were drastically different in their character.
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Elisha and Gehazi. Gehazi gets in trouble a little bit later on,
but you can read on and see about that.
But here, this one, she's been so good to Elisha that he wants to do something in return.
And he says, I'll speak to the king. I'll speak to the captain of the guard.
What is it that you need? She says, I'm fine.
I live among my own people. She was content.
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You see, there's a wonderful thing when we find contentment in the Lord.
She's not looking for her hospitality to be paid back. She's not looking for anything.
She says, I have a home among my own people. and the Shunammite woman felt secure.
She felt content in the community, her own people, her own tribe.
She doesn't have a desire for government favors.
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She doesn't need anything back from government officials.
She's not looking for any kind of accolades because Elisha could have gone and
told the king, look at what a great woman this is.
But isn't it amazing that the scripture writes a great woman?
You know, we'll meet this woman one day. You'll meet this woman.
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Maybe then we can learn her name.
You'll just be able to say, the scripture said, you're a great woman, a notable woman.
She says, I live among my own people. I have everything I need.
I don't need a bigger house. I don't need more clothes.
I don't need any accolades. I don't need jewelry.
I'm fine. Got all that I need.
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She was content. tent. In verse 14 through 17, so he said, what then is to be done for her?
And Gehazi answered, actually, she had no son and her husband is old.
So he called her. When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
Notice this woman is aware of propriety.
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She's not going into the room. She is standing there at the door.
She is very aware of her situation and being proper in all So he said to her, call her.
And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. Then he said,
about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.
And she said, no, my Lord, man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.
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But the woman conceived and bore a son when the appointed time had come of which Elisha had told her.
You know, when it's the word of God, when it's God doing something,
you can count on it. You can be sure.
Having no son, and Gehazi says her husband is old, this remark really implies two things.
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She suffers shame of being a barren woman. And her husband might die,
and there'll be no heir to carry on in Israel to take the inheritance,
to carry on the family name.
And so this was something of a great need and a great disappointment because
it means that the family's name would cease, the land possessions would pass on to others.
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And so this was a great threat to this young wife's future.
This was the means that as a widow, her son would be social security.
Her son would be that which would take care of her.
That was the only social security in Israel in the old age, unless you went
out and you did like, remember Ruth and Naomi, how they would glean in the fields.
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Other than that, it was up to your family. But Elisha is determined to return her favors.
Elijah discussed with Gehazi, and after she left the room, what he could do
for her. And Gehazi observes, she's got no son.
Her husband's old. told Elijah calls her back and told her that she will have
a son about that same time in a year.
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This is a miraculous birth. Now, I don't like to use the term miracle loosely,
but this was a Bible miracle.
This was something that God did by setting aside whatever was wrong.
And the woman's response to this announcement doesn't mean that she doesn't want a son.
Every Israelite woman wanted that Because to be childless was to be regarded
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in Israel as having a great personal tragedy.
And her reply indicates that she felt having a son was just impossible.
And that's why this was something of the work of God.
She urged Elisha not to build up her hopes, not to build her up.
Her only hopes that might later have been disappointed.
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Elisha drops the bomb on her. Interesting, she hadn't asked for a child.
He just said, this is what's going to happen. This is what's going to come.
Within a year, you'll have one.
She is, the Shunammite woman is kind of incredulous because her response,
it's obvious that she wants a child and she says, man of God,
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don't mislead your servant.
It really shows the depth, the desire, but her fear of disappointment.
How many times have we maybe not prayed because we're afraid,
well, maybe that's not God's will.
But notice the child comes, verse
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17, just according to the word of the prophet, God's word through him.
And she loved the child. The child wasn't an inconvenience. He was wanted. He was loved.
Just as Elisha had told her, the trustworthiness of Elisha's word was confirmed
and the birth of the son had shown the result of God's gracious intervention on her behalf. half.
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But when the woman conceived, she bore a son.
And when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
But you know, the story doesn't end there. We stopped our reading there.
You know the story, and I believe that you're familiar with it.
Because as the child grows at verse 18, it happened one day that he went out
to his father, to the reapers.
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And he said to his father, my head, my head.
So he said to the servant, carry him to his mother.
When he had taken him, brought him to his mother. He sat on her knees till noon and then died.
Now this child, and I use the word resuscitate, he's dead.
So when Elisha is used of God to resurrect him, to bring him back,
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to resuscitate and give life again, but it was the power of God.
And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon
him and went out. Then she called to her husband and said, please send me one
of the young men and one of the donkeys that I may run to the man of God and come back.
So he said, why are you going to him today?
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It's neither the new moon nor the Sabbath.
You see, fellas, sometimes we can be a little, don't want to say dense.
I can be dense. Sometimes I'm not aware of what really may be going on.
But isn't that a wonderful thing when you have a godly wife to help us see and perceive?
The husband is completely unaware. It's not a religious holiday.
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Why are you going after the man of God?
Why are you going down to church today? And she said, it is well.
Do we see her trust? Do we see that she's trusting in God? It's well.
Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, drive and go forward.
Do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you. And so she departed and went
to the man of God and Mount Carmel.
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And so it was when the man of God saw her afar off that he said to his servant
Gehazi, look, the Shunammite woman, please run now to meet her and say to her,
is it well with you? Is it well with your husband?
Is it well with your child?
And she answered, it is well.
Sometimes we sing the song, when peace like a river attendeth my way.
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It is well with my soul when that was written it was because he recognized.
That was the place where his family had died at sea, and he recognized that
it was only the Lord that could make him well. That's what this woman is seeing.
Now, when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet.
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But Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said,
let her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it
from me and has not told me.
So now we have her coming out of her deep despair and grabbing the prophet's
feet because there was something deep within her.
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And she knew she needed the man of God.
She knew that there was nowhere else but to go to the Lord. And she answered.
And so she said, verse 28, did I ask a son of my Lord?
Did I not say, do not deceive me?
Then he said to Gehazi, get yourself ready and take my staff in your hand and
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be on your way. And if you meet anyone, do not greet him.
And if anyone greets you, do not answer him, but lay my staff on the face of the child.
Now, we don't understand all that this may be, whether Elisha felt that just
by laying the staff, which was the symbol of his authority,
that God would recognize that or that some Some other lesson that was being
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taught by doing that, we just don't know.
But then verse 30, and as the mother of the child said, as the Lord lives and
as your soul lives, I will not leave you.
So he arose and followed her. He sends Gehazi out. That's verse 31.
Now Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid his staff on the face of the child,
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but there was neither voice nor hearing.
Therefore, he went back to meet him and told him saying, the child is not awakened.
Then Elisha came into the house. There was the child laying dead on the bed.
He went in, therefore, shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord.
And he went up and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth,
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his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands.
And he stretched himself out on the child and the flesh of the child became
warm. He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up
and stretched himself out on him.
Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
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Then he called Gehazi and said, Call the Shunammite woman. So he called her.
And when she came into him, he said, Pick up your son.
So she went in, fell at his feet. And he said, Pick up your son.
And bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
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There are times in our life when a situation gets so distressing,
when a situation gets so bad, and we think there's just no help, nowhere that we can go.
This notable woman, this prominent woman, this dependable woman.
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This great woman went to the right place.
She went to the Lord. She was seeking God. She knew only God.
God had given her this child.
But you know what? There are times in our lives where it might feel like you're
in a situation that is beyond what you can do.
And God may put you in a situation that it is truly beyond your scope.
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It is beyond all that you could think of.
And he does that sometimes to bring us back to him.
He does that to bring us back to the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ at an old cross.
How we love that old cross. How we love that old time.
There was a great woman in Israel, a Shunammite woman, and we'll meet her.
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I hope we meet her husband. I hope we meet the boy.
And I bet that she told this child, you were given to me by the the Lord.
You are something that was given by God.
Do you realize you are here because God loves you, because he cared for you? You are not a mistake.
You are not an error. Sometimes children are not planned and yet they're wanted
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and they're loved, but God doesn't make mistakes.
God always knows. He's always right.
And when it is outside of our scope, it's outside of all that we could ask or think, he is able.
He is able to do above and beyond all we can ask or think.
He is able to do all so that we could say like this woman, it is well.
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It is well. I may not understand all that you're going through.
I may not understand all that's happening in your life, but we do know this.
It is well, because we know who is on the throne.
We know who's in charge. We know where we can go in times of trouble, in times of distress.
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Thank you for joining us today. We hope you enjoyed the message.
We trust you've been encouraged, challenged, or generally built up spiritually.
If this lesson has sparked questions or perhaps you have questions of a different topic, let us know.
Our information is given on the website or can reach us at sclofministry at gmail.com.
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