The Shunamite Woman
Insights Into The Shunamite Woman:
2 Kings 4: 8-36
Raising people from the dead did not start in the New Testament. Today we will discover just how relevant the Old Testament is for the 21st century.
This passage begins by letting us know that the woman in the story is wealthy. She is married to an older man and has no children. She is discerning and has a complete faith in the God of her people.
She took initiative and after having invited Elisha, a prophet, to their home several times for meals as he passed through, she insisted to her husband that this man of God be honored and a room was added to their home for him and his servant.
She didn’t do that for selfish or ambitious reasons but, in order to honor God and HIs servant. This is how we today are still supposed to act. We need to first of all honor God and His true servants. We should also pray for and discern obediently regarding the men and women we support and trust.
After a very long time Elisha became comfortable in his room and decided to pay homage to this remarkable woman. She responded with a contented life and no need for anything. Yet God knows the deepest desires of her heart and promises her a son.
She had undoubtedly seen and heard of the many miracles of Elisha and his predecessor, Elijah. But she feared the let down of such a luxurious act on her behalf.
Women of her day, and still in many countries around the world now, are considered a step above a slave. They did all the tasks to keep the home running and gave her husband children. Without children they were considered “broken” and “cursed”. Even in her financial abundance she was not favored by God in the opinion of the people of her time.
God wanted to show her the fallacy of that belief. He wanted to heal the deep brokenness in her. He gave her the very gift that she dared not to ask.
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) He still longs to heal our broken places and lavish His unfathomable love on each of us. (Proverbs 34:7)
When the unthinkable happened and her son died she said nothing and would not talk about it to anyone. She laid him on the bed of Elisha and went to him as quickly as humanly possible.
When unthinkable situations arise in our lives we need to take the time to lay the situation down at a place of rest in Him. Then without going to our friends and family to discuss the situation and figure out the next steps, we need to go to God directly, trusting Him with everything. Knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that He desires to and is capable of doing above and beyond all that we can ever possibly ask, think, or even imagine.
She ran to Elisha, past his servant and fell at his feet longing to comprehend the reasons behind this tragedy. God had hidden this situation from Elisha and he sent his right hand man to do what he himself would have done. His servant failed.
Please note here that his servant was there at his side day and night. He was obedient to him and believed fully that this situation could be rectified. Yet, it was not.
Sometimes we go to a trusted pastor or friend and expect that their relationship with The Father would allow for the answer to come. When it does not we often give up. But she did not and neither should we. She told Elisha that she would not leave him and at her persistence he went with her.
He entered the room and prayed and lay on the young boy and breathed into him. He did warm up but, he did not wake. He repeated this and the miracle was complete.
When we go directly to God and we do not leave His presence, He is moved with compassion. And because we are His Bride, He wants nothing more than to give all that we desire. He wants to heal, save and bless us in every way. He can and will remain with us throughout all of our scary moments and joyful times.
He waits for us to come and stay in His stillness. There is none like Him.
For further reading and affirmation:
Ephesians 3:20 2 Corinthians 1:5
Revelation 19:6-8 Psalms 46:10
Great article!
Daddy, I love that you are reading my writings! It makes me feel like I may be able to rank up there with you someday! I hope you will read the series I am putting out right now. The first blog post has been published on the parable of the Prodigal Son and there will be several more to follow in the next couple of weeks as my schedule begins to settle a little. Love you, Gennie
Very powerful. Perfect timing to see this. But of course, God’s timing is always perfect.
Sarah, I am so excited that you have looked at any of my pages and posts! I had taken a necessary break in Oct. last year and just picked back up recently. Felicia was in a car accident and it seems like the whole world went in a spin. I am helping her and she is doing exceptionally well but the concussion symptoms have taken a toll. Her husband was not able to take any of the stress and drank himself out of the family. It’s been a long road. She lost the job she had just finished school for and money was non existent. We have gotten a lot of help and she went back to school again and has been working nights as well to make ends begin to meet. She has an associates degree in medical transcription and a certificate in phlebotomy. And the school for phlebotomy has a sponsor that wants to pay for her to go on to be an LPN. She will start that in August. God’s hand is in it all but man, it seems sometimes like we take the longest possible route anywhere sometimes.
Any way, I am glad you read that and that you found it to be helpful. I am in the process of doing a series about the parable of the prodigal son. The main post has been published and the next few weeks will be lessons learned and prayers for each part of the parable. I am excited to see what God has planned for all of this. I love you, Gennie