The Shunammite’s Son Restored to Life

II Kings 4:28-37
Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

The Shunammite poured out her heart to Elisha, the man of God. True, she had not desired a son like Hannah did. Yes, she also asked Elisha not to deceive her for she was convinced that she will not have a child. We also can go to our Father in prayer pleading Him by claiming His promises for us. If you are going through a temptation in your life, your temptation is not anything new to God although it’s unique to you. You will not be in this state forever because I Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” God will provide a way to escape from the temptation so that you can bear it. Remember James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” Though the temptation is hard, it is but for a season and we should endure it and not yield to the enemy. We should praise God for He provides comfort and peace amidst the temptation. Here the Shunammite has not accepted the fact that her child is dead and went to Elisha pleading him for her son’s life.

Upon hearing the Shunammite, Elisha asked his servant Gehazi to gird up his loins and take Elisha’s staff in his hand and go on his way. Girding up loins signifies preparation for the battle. The battle that Elisha asked his servant to fight on his behalf was against the enemy to raise the Shunammite’s son from the dead. We also should gird up our loins and prepare for the battle against enemy. Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth”. We should gird up with the truth of God’s only son Jesus Christ who is our only way against the enemy. Elisha further asked Gehazi to take his staff in his hand. Staff represents that we should equip ourselves for the spiritual warfare. Only when we are equipped properly, can we withstand enemy. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”. Yes, we have to bear the whole armor of God to withstand in the evil day against the enemy. When the enemy comes in like a flood against us, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19). The key is we should be filled by the Spirit of the Lord so that the Spirit can lift up a standard against the enemy. Elisha asked Gehazi not to salute a man if he meets any; also if a man salutes Gehazi he was not to answer. This says that Elisha wanted Gehazi to just stay focused on his mission for great is the task before him that he cannot get disturbed. When we commune with God, we too should just concentrate on God and not get distracted. The same is the case when we are waging a war against the enemy. We should seek God and His Spirit so that the Spirit of God can battle on our behalf. The battle is the Lord’s and for our sakes He wages a mighty war against the enemy. We simply should yield to God’s will in our lives. God has to use us His children to prove His power against the enemy. Enemy is well aware of the fact that He cannot win against God; the enemy only tries to see if we, God’s children will turn to him by bringing the temptations our way; we should not yield to the tricks of the enemy and this can only happen if we are living a Spirit-filled life. Finally, Elisha wanted Gehazi to lay his staff upon the face of the child. Psalm 23:4 says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The child had walked through the shadow of death and yet no evil shall befall him. God’s rod and His staff shall comfort us always.

The Shunammite insisted that Elisha should go with her and that she will not leave without him. When we are caught by the snares of the enemy we should plead that the Lord Jesus be present with us and He will be right by us as He was with David. Acts 2:25 says, “For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved”. Gehazi passed on before them (Elisha and the Shunammite) and laid the staff upon the face of the child but there was no voice or sound. Therefore, Gehazi returned and told his master that the child did not awake. Then Elisha came into the house and noticed that the child was dead and laid upon his bed. Some times servants of God might fail to perform a miracle but God will not fail. Just seek the Lord for He will never leave you nor forsake you! Elisha went into the house and witnessed the death of the child. He was going to cry out to God and breathe on the child the breath of God like the way Elijah had to, in order to raise Zarephath’s son from the dead.

Elisha went into the chamber and shut the door with just the two of them and prayed unto the Lord. This is how we should pray to our God in secret, not an ostentatious display like the Pharisee but in secret with utmost reverence like the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). He went up and laid upon the child and put his mouth upon the child’s mouth, his eyes upon the child’s eyes, and his hand upon the child’s hands and stretched himself upon the child. Let us take courage and know that the Lord will also lie with us in our bed of sorrows; put His mouth upon ours to breathe over us; His eyes will be fixed on our eyes to wipe away our tears and to help us find comfort in His loving eyes; His hand will be joined with ours to provide strength unto us and lift up our weary souls. The Lord God is completely united with us when we yearn for Him and His communion with us. And the flesh of the child waxed warm. We will find great warmth when we are one with Him like the way the child of Shunammite found the warmth from Elisha.

Elisha returned and walked in the house to and fro, for he was seeking God’s direction to recover the child fully back to normal. Elisha went up, and stretched himself upon the child this time. The first time he laid upon the child and this time he stretched to completely cover the child with his presence. God covers us completely when we are alone in a battle. The child sneezed seven times, and opened his eyes. This time the child is showing the signs of complete life in him. Therefore, Elisha called Gehazi, and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So, Gehazi called her. And when she came in unto Elisha, he asked her to take up her son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. Elisha asked that the Shunammite be brought in only when the child was back to normal, full of life! Jesus Christ our intercessor presents our case to God, the Father. He pleads the Lord God for our sakes and the Father hears Jesus for God knows how Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. Remember, we have an ultimate intercessor who is interceding and the Father God is a God of mercy and grace who offered His own son for our sake. How much more must His heart be grieved when we are battling a strong temptation; He is far greater than the storm and can with one word stop the storm from bothering us; look up to Him and lose not your heart; just believe that He is with you and battling for you. We will have the victory like the way the Shunammite had victory in her life if we stay tuned with God all through. The Shunammite fell at Elisha’s feet to show her gratitude and took up her son and went out. When we witness the mighty hand of God in our life, let us not just keep the happiness to ourselves; instead let us step out and share our testimony with others around us. God loves to be glorified through us and He uses us for His glory. Lord, not our will but let your will be done! Amen.

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