Biblical Prophets - Bible Study Online
We find ourselves at the city called Shunem. This city was one that was part of the tribe Issachar and was located on a road that went between Samaria and Carmel. We find that this is a road that Elisha traveled quite often. On occasion he would stop by at a particular house that was owned by an elderly couple that were doing quite well. Now the woman that lived there who name we are not told, would ask Elisha to stop by and have a meal whenever she would see the prophet passing by. This would end up becoming a regular routine for Elisha, so the woman decided that she would make a small room on the roof of her house for him. "I know that this man that often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us," she would say to her husband. So the husband would agree and now every time Elisha would stop by he would have a place to rest his body as well. So on this particular day we find that Elisha was laying in his new room thinking about the continued kindness that this woman had shown towards him. "Call the Shunammite," the prophet would say to his servant Gehazi. So his servant did as Elisha had asked and we find that the Shunammite woman was standing before the man of God. "Tell her, 'You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?" Elisha told his servant to ask her. "I have a home among my people," the woman would say as she walked away. Note: The kindness that she showed towards the prophet came from a pure heart and uncorrupted mind. She wasn't showing kindness towards Elisha so she could get some type of reward. But Elisha would be persisted in trying to repay this good hearted woman in some kind of way. "What can be done for her," Elisha would ask his servant Gehazi. "Well she has no son and her husband is old," Gehazi would tell the prophet. "Call her," Elisha told his servant. So Gehazi call the Shunammite woman back to the room, and while she was standing in the doorway Elisha spoke to her. "About this time next year you will hold a son in your arms," the prophet would say. "No... my lord, don't mislead your servant, O man of God!" the woman would plead with the prophet. But the woman would indeed become pregnant and about that time next year she would give birth to a baby boy. And we find that the child had grown past the infancy stage, perhaps a little older than a toddler we are not told. But we know that he was old enough to head out to the fields to meet his father on his own. Now on this particular day we find that the child had went out to the fields to meet with his father. "My head, my head!" the boy would cry out to his father. "Carry him to his mother," the boy's father would tell the servant. So the servant did as he was told and carried the boy back to his mother where he would later die in the noontime while sitting on her lap. After this had happened the mother carried him up to Elisha's room and laid him on the bed and shut the door and headed out to meet her husband. "Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return," she would tell her husband. Confused and curious he asked her, "Why go to him today? It's not a new moon or the Sabbath." His wife would tell him that everything will be alright as she saddle up the donkey, "Lead on; don't slow down for me unless I tell you," she would tell her servant. So she headed out to Mount Carmel, hoping to meet with the man of God. "Look! There's the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, 'Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?' Elijah would say to his servant as he saw the woman approaching from a distance. So Gehazi headed out to meet the Shunammite woman and had done what he was told. But the woman did not want to speak to Gehazi, she wanted to speak with Elisha. So she told Gehazi that all is well as she continued to press towards the prophet. When the woman made it to the mountain she approached Elisha and fell to the ground and took hold of his feet. Gehazi would quickly come over to try to remove her, "Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why," the prophet would say to his servant. "Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn't I tell you 'Don't raise my hopes'?" the woman said to the prophet. "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy's face," Elisha would tell his servant. Afraid that Elisha wasn't coming, "As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you," the woman said to Elisha. So the prophet got up and followed her back to her son. Gehazi had already left and did just like the prophet had instructed him to, but the boy did not awake. Finally when Elisha had reached the house and saw that the boy was lying dead on the couch in his room. He went in and closed the door behind and began to pray to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and laid on top of the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. The boy's body began to grow warm and Elisha walked away from the body and began pacing the room. He then went back to the body and stretched out upon the boy once more. Then all of a sudden the boy began to sneeze seven times and open his eyes. Elisha then called Gehazi to come into the room, "Call the Shunammite," the prophet would tell his servant. As the woman had entered the room, "Take your son," Elisha would say to her. The Shunammite woman quickly fell and started bowing at Elisha's feet. Then she took her son and went out. Note: This was an awesome story that showed how a good harvest was reaped during a time when the Shunammite woman needed it. She had sowed good seeds by being kind and caring towards Elisha, and in return she received increase in the form of a child and through tremendous faith her child's life was restored. Start at the Beginning: Elijah the Fire Prophet 13) Elijah and the Chariot of Fire 15) Elisha - She Bears Attacking 17) The Blood Water 19) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 20) Elisha and the Pot of Death 24) The Siege of the Dark Famine 26) The Shunammite's Divine Provision 27) Hazael Anointed Syrian King 29) Jehu Is Anointed King of Israel 30) The Demise of Jehoram & Ahaziah 
|
