2 Kings 4 (Part 3) Bible Study (Elisha Raises the Shunammite's Son) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Let's come together to second Kings chapter four. This is our third installment in this chapter and it will not be our last. As you know, it's a it's a lengthy chapter and we are no rush to try to advance without meditating on everything that it has to offer. So turn with me to first Kings chapter four eighteen, but at the same time, allow me to set the stage for this study from another part of your bible and my bible. In Hebrews chapter 11, you and I are provided a concise definition of faith and along with it, an extensive catalog of what faith looks like.

And how the Holy Spirit does it in Hebrews 11 is that he lists for us notable figures and characters and real people from the scriptures who demonstrate in their respective ways what trust in God looks like. So Hebrews 11 is commonly known as the hall of faith. Right? Now if you read that chapter very carefully, what you'll notice is that there are a total of sixteen sixteen names explicitly provided. 16 names.

And we see there that out of all those names, there are 14 men mentioned and two women. Does anybody know the name of the two women that are mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11? You can say it if you know it. Rahab and who's the other one? Very good.

Now here's what's more interesting. Seven of those men and one of those women, right? So we have 16, so exactly half, seven and one, are located in the book of Genesis alone. Now we don't have time to get into the possible reasons for that, but I just think it's an interesting observation. As you advance in Hebrews chapter 11, what you'll notice is that the author, inspired by the spirit, no longer lists names but instead describes different exploits of faith in a more general manner.

And I know I told you to turn to second Kings four four already, but I want you to see if you would like Hebrews chapter 11 verse 35 as he is coming to the end of his teaching on faith, practical faith, lived out faith, fleshed out faith. Notice what he says in Hebrews eleven thirty five. Woman received back their dead by resurrection. Now pause there. The two most notable instances of women receiving back their loved ones from the dead are found in our study of first and second Kings.

The first one is the widow from Zarephath. Remember when Elijah raised her son from the dead? And the second will be the woman from Shunem. When we are ready to study, Elisha will help raise from the dead. Now, the woman from Zarephath, was she a Jew or a Gentile?

She was a Gentile. And the woman from Shunem, she was what? She was a Jew. Showing us that faith is meant and is available to be exercised by anybody. And with that, no matter who you are, God will honor you for your faith.

But while we're here, I I want us to make mention of something else because the point of our study in second kings four will be to see the power of faith and also the wisdom of God in our trials. But while we're here, notice how this verse continues. Hebrews eleven thirty five, women received back their dead by resurrection, some were tortured, refusing to accept release so that they might rise again to a better life. And then when you read verse 36 and verse 37, you discover that he discusses suffering, mocking, flogging, imprisonment, stoning, being destitute, afflicted and mistreated in connection to the faithful. What is he getting at here?

Why is he mentioning these things in light of faith? To teach us and to clarify that the rewards of faith and faithfulness do not always promise relief or restoration in the way that we hope. There are times when faith will not bring about deliverance from your problems. But instead will grant you the joy, the courage, the endurance in the midst of them as well as a reward in the life to come. So the Holy Spirit is being very realistic and is trying to teach us a balanced view of faith.

You know, a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a teaching while getting ready for one of our services. Sometimes, if I have enough time and not rushing too much, I I listen to music or listen to sometimes whatever is being preached on my phone. And I stumbled upon a teaching of a young prosperity preacher, young guy. I guess he's up and coming, I'm not too sure. But he he got my attention because he was teaching out of Hebrews chapter 11.

And he started from verse one and he was reading down this chapter and I decided to stick around because I was anticipating and looking forward to how he was gonna explain verse 35, verse 36, and verse 37 to talk about the very things that I mentioned to you. What is he going to say? Because as you know, prosperity preachers love to teach on faith as the means, as our ability to unlock God's blessings at will or however you wish. And in a way that can deliver you from absolutely any kind of affliction or problem. And so as he was reading, I was thinking, okay.

What is he gonna say here? Now he comes to verse thirty, thirty one, 32, pauses here and there to explain it and he comes to verse 35. What do you think he did? Very quickly says, let's skip this part. And he left over all these truths that the Holy Spirit wants to instruct the people of God concerning what faith, real faith looks like.

Let this be a reminder that when you choose to skip parts of the bible, that's how you get wonky theology. I'm surprised the people in that place didn't stand up and protest. At the same time, I'm not surprised because some people don't mind skipping parts of the Bible. But we are not among those who do that, do we? We honor all that God has to say.

And that's why we're studying the Bible the way we study it week after week. So now we're we're coming to this text in second Kings chapter four to observe a woman with incredible faith and to see what that faith did for her in this life. Faith, yes, can also do things today, tomorrow, within our world. So then you have this opposite understanding of faith where it's just don't expect anything. Don't pray for anything.

Don't don't challenge your unbelief. Just just kinda dismiss it and go with the flow and that's also wrong. So we're going to see a woman who had faith and that faith did something for her and I want you to see that God expects us to also trust in him and to seek him when we need him. Let's read, beginning at verse 18 of second Kings chapter four. We're gonna be ending in verse 37, so we're not gonna read this all in one shot.

We're gonna take our time by reading this verse by verse. When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers, and he said to his father, oh, my head, my head. The father said to his servant, carry him to his mother. And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon and then he died. We remember how this Shunammite was rewarded with a child for her support for this man of God known as Elisha.

Now between verse 17, when we're told that the woman conceived and bore a son, and verse 18, a few years had passed. We're not told how many years passed, we're not told how old this boy was at this point, But evidently, he was old enough to do what? To walk to the fields independently, to talk, but young enough still to be taken, carried, and placed in the lap of his mother. So he he's a few years old here. And tragically, while there is so much ahead for this child and this family, we learn that he suddenly dies.

And there are so many things that we can say about these verses, but I want us to focus primarily on the timing of this trial. This is a a catastrophe. This is this is horrible. This is horrific. But notice when it happened.

Read again here in verse 18, the last three words. The child had grown right. He went out one day to his father among the reapers. What does that tell you about the timing of this event? Harvest time.

This is during harvest season. And harvest season was a busy season. It was a hectic time. Sowing and planting was was was a demanding thing, but harvesting was equally demanding. You you want to make sure that there was no waste.

You want to make sure that you gathered in all that you worked hard for. And so there was a special emphasis here in terms of gathering in the servants, hiring new people, just like holidays in in our context where the stores are busier, the malls are more filled, there are there are people hiring, just for the season and for the rush and the business. This is what we are seeing here. This is a busy, hectic time, which makes this trial a little bit more inconvenient. But harvest season also defines in the scripture a time of joy.

Right? This is the in gathering. This is the product. This is the fruitfulness. And so scripture often connects harvest season with jubilance.

This is a time where the people of God would gather, they would feast, they would fellowship in communal reflection on the faithfulness of God and his provision throughout that year. Moreover, there are feasts that demand that there would be first fruits and different celebrations connected to your produce and your in gathering that would be a means of worship to the Lord. And so you have this combination of, the hustle of harvest season also the anticipation of joy being at its peak. And it's there and then this child dies. Right here, we're learning something about affliction, something about tribulation, something about trials.

They tend not to honor your schedule, your plans, your hopes, your desires, your dreams, they have a tendency of barging in unannounced without warning. And we see here that this child's illness, eventual death took place at a time that was unpleasant. Now we can all admit in general that there is no test of our faith that is a pleasurable thing. It's not a exciting thing that we look forward to, but we can also say that there are times when trials come that are especially disruptive. And God's word seeks to teach us that there can be devastating interruptions in our lives.

Not to scare you, but to prepare you. And the best way to be prepared for such things is not to be pessimistic or cynical. You have people who live like that. You have people who live day by day in in just bracing themselves for impact. They don't know how it's gonna happen, they don't know where it's gonna happen, and it sucks the life out of them.

That's not how God wants you to live. Underlying anxiety, that's not how he designed you to operate. The best way to be prepared, even for startling trials, is to abide in Jesus Christ. Day by day so that you can draw from him the source of strength and wisdom that you need every single day. Day by day.

Even for uninvited surprises. See, trials, even trials of this kind, don't have to sabotage your faith, don't have to vandalize your witness. It doesn't have to happen. And the Shunammite is a prime example of that. So let's see what happens.

Right? The boy says, oh my head my head. I mean it's harvest season so it's extra hot this time of the year. And she carries him, holds him, and we don't know how long she was doing that for before he gave his last breath. Verse 21, and she went up and laid on him the bed, on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out.

And she called to her husband and said, send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again. And he said, why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath. She said, all is well. You know what stands out to me about this woman?

Her composure. Her composure is convicting. Think about it. Imagine mothers in this house, God forbid, but just imagine holding a child a few years old and that child dying in your arms. What do you do?

How do you react? Here's what this woman does. She quietly carries the same child, goes upstairs, puts him in the guest room, closes the door, goes to her husband, says, I need the keys to the car. I'm looking at this and I'm thinking, what's the explanation? And I believe the best one is that this woman, who was not just wealthy materially, but rich in faith, understood that this child was miraculously provided by God.

She never lost sight of the origins of this story. She understood that God was the one who sovereignly granted this gift, and she believed still that God did not lose control of his sovereignty. And so she's able to remain sane and stable. You see, knowing that God was the one behind the birth of this child meant that he was in control of the destiny of this child. And acknowledging God's control from the start, listen, will help you not lose control at any time, at any point.

Now that is not to say that she did not experience grief. I mean, verse 27 would say otherwise. Look at verse 27. We didn't read it yet, but this is when she finally arrives to the man of God and notice what he says. In verse 27, the latter portion, it says, leave her alone for she is in bitter distress.

So faith doesn't delete your emotions. Possessing faith doesn't make you emotionless. What it does though is enable you to remain grounded. So I I just praise God for the songs that we sang today. So much about being anchored in Christ Christ, being our anchor, hope, peace, joy as a result of our trust.

Listen, knowing God's character and trusting in his character, what he reveals about himself is your anchor. Is your anchor. And such faith, listen, it promised us to be never carried away in the midst of the storm. You'll be in the Faith doesn't promise you no storms, it just promise you to remain steadfast in the storm. And that's exactly what this woman demonstrates.

And unfortunately, many cannot interpret the world that this woman how this woman does because of their limited understanding of who God is. Now I mentioned last time that we studied last week in connection to this woman's faith, her husband in contrast, that that maybe she had and she possessed greater spiritual insight than her spouse. And I believe what we see here with this interaction confirms that conclusion. Why do I say that? Because notice, she takes the child, goes into Elisha's room, closes the door, and asks for a servant and a vehicle to get to Elisha.

What does she leave out? She didn't tell her husband that the child died. She doesn't. Why do you think she didn't? I mean, you can only speculate.

Here's what I believe. That the husband probably wouldn't see it the way she saw it. And a prior to this husband during harvest season wouldn't be go and find Elisha, but let's plan for the funeral. So she knows her husband very well. And she understands that there is a man not too far from here who has received a mantle from another man named Elijah who was used by God to raise the son of another woman.

And so she wants to take advantage of this. And she's not gonna accept this immediately. She's going to do all that she can to seek for an intervention before anything else. And I think here that this woman shows us once again something that you and I know very well that the godly are not exempt from such things. She understood that she was a he was a unique prophet.

And though we can celebrate her faith, we should also admire her for a character because she doesn't rail against her husband. She doesn't disrespect him. This is what we saw last week as well when she asked for his permission and asked to partner with him to build this extended room for Elisha. And we see the same consistent care and honor for her spouse despite his slender spirituality. But before we move on, don't you appreciate something that the husband acknowledges about her?

Look at verse 23. And he said, why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath. So that indicates to me that this woman frequently visited Elisha. And that during certain holy days, Elisha must have had meetings where he preached and he taught the word of God and she attended those meetings.

Because it it wasn't strange for her to want to go see Elisha. It was strange for the husband that she was trying to go to church when it wasn't Wednesday, Friday or Sunday. Say, hey, there's no service today. Why are you going? I just it warmed my heart.

Why did it warm my heart? Because I like to see that she was a part of a remnant that went to these meetings in a day of great apostasy in Israel. When society was collapsing and falling apart, she was among those that enjoyed going to a man of God, among the people of God and receiving from God. Isn't that a precious little insight? That just blessed me.

Why are you going? And here's our answer. All is well. All is well. Really?

How is all well? You know what the Hebrew word? It's one word. Shalom. Peace.

All is well. How can you say all that's a contradiction to your circumstances. Yeah, but when you understand God's character, then you can say something like this. And it's not the only time she's gonna say it. All is well.

Verse 24. Then she saddled the donkey and she said to her servant, urged the animal on, do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you. So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. She's from Shunem. She wants to go to Mount Carmel.

Elisha frequently visited Mount Carmel. That's what the scripture seemed to hint. The journey between Shunem and Mount Carmel, perhaps five hours. Five hours during harvest season. It's hot, but she's desperate.

So she makes her way and notice what happens. Verse 25. When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, look there is the Shunammite. Run at once to meet her and say to her is all well with you, Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?

And she answered, all is well. So even the sight of the Shunammite was strange to Elisha because, you know, she usually comes to Friday night bible study and she usually comes to Sunday service. But Why is she coming today? Why is she making her way to the office now? Something must be wrong.

And so she he dispatches Gehazi. Gehazi gets her. Is everything okay? Is everything okay with your husband? Is everything okay with your son?

And she answers no differently than she did with her husband. All is well. Shalom. Now why did she do this with Gehazi? It could be that she didn't want to be detained.

She didn't want to have to stop there and explain to Gehazi, time was of the essence she needed to get to the man of God who was used by God to bring her this child to begin with? Or or could it be that this perceptive, discerning woman, she felt something about Gehazi and she'd rather deal with Elisha directly? Remember, we sort of commended Gehazi for his observation of the woman's need, helping Elisha to provide her a reward for her hospitality. But Gehazi from this point on will not will not demonstrate the greatest character traits. And I just wonder, I wonder if this Shunammite picked up on some things about Gehazi.

I mean, we see it in the very next verse. Look at verse 27. And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet and Gehazi came to push her away. That's not how you treat a woman in distress. While you might try to justify it or, you know, explain it on in defense of Gehazi, but notice what happens.

He's rebuked for it. Look at the rest of verse 27, but the man of God said, leave her alone. Leave her alone for she is in bitter distress and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me. So let me say a few things here. The first thing I wanna mention in the verses that we just read is that Elisha here, once again, receives this rare title, man of God.

And it and it appears with great intention. No other person, named person in all the Bible is the title man of God attributed to than Elisha. And notice where it is mentioned again. It is brought in the context of his compassion. So look at the the the middle of verse 25, when the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi servant, look there's a Shunammite.

Run at once, not walk. Run. Run at once and ask her these questions. Now, do you recall how he responded when the widow earlier in the same chapter approached them, one of the one of the woman who was married to son of the prophet with her issue with her sons. Do you remember how he responded?

Look back at verse two of the same chapter. And Elisha said to her, what shall I do for you? Tell me what have you in the house? And she said, your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil. So here's what I learned.

Whether it was a widow or a wealthy woman, Elisha demonstrated the same earnestness in serving and alleviating their suffering. Listen, Elisha's compassion and his ministry did not discriminate. No matter who the Lord put before him, he determined to show the love of his God and our God Jesus Christ. So he wasn't picky and choosy, whether it was a widow, whether it was a a wealthy woman, whether it was two sons or one son. How may I demonstrate Christ's compassion toward you?

That's a man of God. And so Gehazi, as he sent out as an extension of this man's love, comes back and he demonstrates a different attitude. What does he do? She comes and he pushes her away. What it how do you even explain this?

Again, I wonder if this woman picked up on something about Gehazi. And here's the lesson for you and I. Right? Because she doesn't deal with Gehazi. Listen to this.

I'm speaking, I hope, to a room filled with people who want to serve God most effectively, then listen to this insight. She doesn't want to deal with Gehazi. She wants to deal directly with Elisha. And I would say here that we have an indication that if you are someone like Gehazi, insensitive, lacking tenderness and patience for others, you will severely hinder your ministry. Can I say it in another word?

If you're like this, people won't reach out to you and people won't wanna receive from you. I'm reminded, no matter what your ministry is by the way, I'm not just talking about pastors here, I'm talking about anybody serving in any capacity because if you're really serving God, you're gonna be serving people. I'm reminded of the words of the apostle Paul in his introduction to the Philippians in his letter to those believers and he says something in verse seven. He says, I have the right to feel this way about you for I have you in my heart. Wow.

The beginning of his letter, he wants to remind these believers in Philippi, you live here. What a wonderful model for ministry. If you want to be received, if you want to be effective, if you want no shortage of serving people, Let them know that you love them. Let them be convinced that you care about them. Let them perceive that you actually want to see them blessed.

And if you have that kind of heart for people, listen, you'll even have license to speak stern words. A person who truly loves other people can rebuke at times, reprimand, and those people, because they know that you love them, will receive from you still. I have you in my heart. Ask God to help you really love people and it will revolutionize your ministry. Gehazi was not such a person based on how he's treating this woman here.

Elisha, on the other hand, you can see it in his words. You can see it in his in his urgency. So what happens? He rebukes him. Leave her alone for she is in bitter distress.

Notice this part. I can't move on without acknowledging this, and this is also for those who wanna serve the Lord. For the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me. I find it relieving that Elisha admitted this. Don't you?

I mean, this is one of the most reputable prophets in all of redemptive history and he confesses, hey, look, I don't understand what's going on here. God tends to speak to me beforehand, but here, this is veiled to me. I I I don't understand what's happening. And he actually mentions that. Like, this is humility.

He doesn't pretend. So lesson number one, you don't always have to have answers to people's problems. And you can sometimes say, I don't know. Especially when you try to help somebody figure out God's ways in their lives. Be very careful making conclusions on behalf of God.

Sometimes it's clear, sometimes it's obvious and yes, you can remind people at the right time of God's characters, his wisdom, his ways, but you don't have to give decisive answers all the time. You don't need to do that. Moreover, I'm reminded here that even with God's greatest men, a broader lesson that with all of his servants, he from time and oftentimes will lead us while we're in the dark. The fact that Elisha didn't have insight here doesn't mean that God abandoned the situation. It just means that Elisha also is going to be stretched in his faith.

This story is about the Shunammite's faith, surely, but it's also about Elisha growing in his faith as well. And if you and I are gonna grow in our faith, that means we're not gonna get answers all the time. So to want to know every step, every chapter, every turnaround ahead that expels the possibility of your faith being exercised. One of my favorite verses concerning this truth is Isaiah 50 verse 10. Hey, I would say memorize this verse.

Because he says this, who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? So pause there. He is addressing those who fear the Lord and who obey the voice of the Messiah. So right there, let's just pause and ask, is that me? Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant?

I hope every hand here can say, me, I do. Okay, good. Once you have figured that out and you've acknowledged that, get ready for the next part. Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. What kind of darkness is he talking about here?

Is he talking about sinful darkness? Is he talking about not having the light of truth? No. He just finished qualifying that this is for those who fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant. He says, k.

If you're that kind of a person, it's possible for you in this life to seem like you're walking in the dark. Where you have no sense of direction, where you have no clarity on a matter, where you don't know what to do now, where you don't know where to go then. If that is you, realize you're not exempt from that experience but you are commanded to trust in the name of the Lord and rely on your God. Even a prophet of God who in a unique can I use this word? Dispensation.

Even a unique man of God in a unique period of time was what? Was at one point led in the dark where God turned off the light. And you and me, we pull our hair and we question our faith And we're far from being a prophet when God seems to not give us answers for the next step. What are you supposed to do? Just trust.

Just trust. Worship while you wait. Serve in the capacity that he's granted you while you wait and he will lead you through. So Elisha here acknowledges this and he goes, okay, I'm not sure because I I wasn't prepared for this, but let's see what the Lord has in store. And so he does what he can to try to solve this issue with the wisdom that he possessed.

So notice what happens in verse 28. Then she said, did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say do not deceive me? You don't blame her for asking those questions. Right?

So here you have a barren woman who didn't ask for this when she met Elisha. She just served out of the abundance of her heart, and Elisha wanted to do her a favor. And finally, when there was something that she truly desired, when that was unfolded, she said, please don't lie to me. This is really if this is really true, I I can't I can't even believe it. And he goes, it's gonna happen.

And it happened. So God miraculously provides this child only for a few years later, take that child away. So perhaps at this point in the study, you're going, why? And you might have some who are skeptics or critics even accuse God of being sadistic, which means to take pleasure in somebody else's pain. Is God just playing games here?

Okay. Here's a child. Okay. Now I'm gonna take the child away. She has questions.

Sometimes we have questions especially in our trials, especially trials of this degree. Does God have answers? You better believe it. Does he sometimes show you the reason for it before you meet him face to face? Yeah.

And actually, with the Shunammite, we actually have at least one reason why God did this. But you're gonna have to stay awake until the end of the bible study to know it. So what happens? He realizes something bad happened. And so in verse 29, he said to Gehazi, tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go.

If you meet anyone, do not greet him. And if anyone greets you, do not reply and lay my staff on the face of the child. And the mother of the child said, as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. In other words, she heard him instruct Gehazi to go and deal with the problems. He goes, uh-uh.

I'm here for you. So I'm not leaving you. And I believe the reason why Elisha does this is because perhaps Gehazi was younger, he can get there more speedily, so he sends him off as a signal both to to her that this is me making an urgent appeal and attempt at this problem. So look what happens, verse 31, Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore, he returned to meet him and told them the child has not awakened.

It didn't work. Why didn't it work? You have some who are inclined to actually blame Elisha for this. And they would say because Elisha is doing this out of impulse. He he doesn't have divine instruction or approval for this plan.

He just says, okay, Gehazi, take my staff, which is a symbol of authority, and go lay it on his face and and hopefully something will happen. I'm not inclined to believe that. And the reason for that is because Gehazi does go, it's a failed attempt, he returns and then Elisha arrives on the scene and what happens? The boy comes to life. If there is anybody to blame in this part of the story, if there was anybody to blame, it would be Gehazi.

It'd be Gehazi. I think Gehazi here in this failed attempt is preparing us for something that we're gonna discover in second Kings chapter five. That what? Externally, he served. Internally, he was rotten.

He was, in fact, going to be disqualified permanently from ministry. And that didn't just suddenly happen. There was something in his heart that was very, very much out of line with God's heart. And I think at this point of the story, Gehazi represents something. Gehazi represents ministers who they they might work for godly ministries, they might even be associated with godly men, they might even occupy a spiritual office or position, but they are void of the power of God.

He's a sobering illustration that it is possible to approach ministry without God's backing. I'm not interested in ministry if I don't have God's backing. And I say that because it's no accident that immediately after Gehazi fails to accomplish something, we're told that Elisha is receiving and grants success to the matter. Notice what happens. Verse 32.

When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the Lord. So he closes the door and he gets before the Lord and he prays. He prays. And I think there's something there.

Yes. This is a unique instance, but there's there's themes. There are principles here. You cannot disconnect God's authentic seal on your service from private prayer, from regularly coming before the Lord and depending on him. That is what distinguishes a powerful ministry from a powerless one.

You know, it's interesting how Jewish rabbis interpret the scriptures. You should be very careful to rely on Christ denying Jewish interpretations of the scriptures. Some some some have strange ideas of of what takes place here and sometimes they read too much into the text. And we have to be careful of doing the same. We see here that when Gehazi arrives on the scene, he was specifically told, do not greet anybody.

Don't stop at any place. Go directly to that room. Lay that staff on his face and see what happens. And and some people say, well, yeah, but but Gehazi must have stopped and talked to some people. And they go beyond that.

They say, Gehazi on his way was telling people, I'm about to raise somebody from the dead. You wanna come and see it? And he gets to the room and notice that it's not told in the text that he closed the door and he tried to make a public spectacle of it and that's why God didn't honor. That's reading too much into the text. I believe more than anything else, if you contrast Gehazi and Elisha, Gehazi was missing a true fear of God, a true relationship with God, whereas Elisha possessed it.

Do you realize that in in this text, twice we read all is well. All is well. It's not the last time you see that phrase in connection to the story. At least in connection to these men who are involved in the story. Go to second Kings chapter five very quickly.

This is after another miracle will take place and we're gonna unpack that in greater detail in the weeks to come. Naaman, remember Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Syria. He ex he he has leprosy. He goes to Elisha to receive healing. He is granted that healing and he wants to pay him.

Naaman wants to reward him and we're gonna study in a few weeks why Elisha refused to receive payment. But what happens? Gehazi overhears this and he overhears that he denied this and he thought it was foolish. So let me just read this. We read here in verse 20.

Gehazi the servant of Elisha, the man of God said, see my master has spared this Naaman, the Syrian, and not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him. So Gehazi followed Naaman, and when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, is all well? How does he answer in verse 22? And he said, all is well.

My master has sent me to say there have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim, two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give me a talent of silver and two changes of clothing. And Naaman said, be pleased to accept two talents. And he urged them and he tied up the two talents of silver and two bags with two changes of clothing and laid them on two of his servants and they carried them before Gehazi. Is all well, Gehazi?

All is well. No. All is not well, actually. You know, there are many people today who believe all is well when all is not well because they have the cancer of greed eating them up, because they're bound in lust, because they're riddled with pride, because they have sued their conscience by convincing themselves that there is no God and there is no accountability and there's no eternity and they think all is well. Have you ever talked to somebody who's outside of Christ and they say all is well.

I don't need your Jesus. I don't need your gossip. Your your your gossip. I this is a reflection of Gazi. Is all well?

All is well. And just a few short verses, he was inexperienced judgment, divine judgment. I don't know how long Gehazi believed all was well, but when we come back to second Kings chapter four, he should have picked up on some clues, A rebuke from his teacher. Something not happening when he was instructed by a prophet. He delayed.

But when Elisha comes on the scene, he prays, he seeks God, and what what do we read happens? Verse 34. Then he went up and laid on lay on the child putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house and went up and stretched himself upon him.

The child sneezed seven times and the child opened his eyes. Elisha shows us the true way of a truly successful ministry. No prayer, no power. Little prayer, little power. Much prayer, much power.

A seasoned prophet who never forgot the true success, the true secret, pray. And when something doesn't work, pray. And when you think it's gonna work, pray. And when the answer doesn't come right away, just like this child, his body first became warm, he didn't instantly get up and start sneezing, pray. Pray.

Pray. He prays. The child sneezes seven times. Very difficult to find a reason for why the evidence of his life returning to him came about in this fashion. Verse 36, then he summoned Gehazi and said, call the Shunammite.

So he called her and when she came to him, he said, pick up your son. She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground, then she picked up her son and went out. And you and I might think this is the last that we'll see and hear of the Shunammite woman and we would be wrong. She asked a question earlier, did she not? Did I ask for a son?

Did I not say do not deceive me? She was trying to figure this whole thing out herself. I I don't get I didn't look for this. I didn't demand this. I didn't really fast for it.

At least there's no evidence of it in the scripture. It was granted to me and just when I was enjoying it, you took him from me and now you bring it back to me. She was thankful with that, I'm sure. Is there any any threat, any kind of clue of how we make sense of this story? And I believe there is.

Just like how sometimes it might take time in your life to discover how God's wisdom works in our trials. Go to second Kings chapter eight. I'm scared to explain this too too much because we're gonna come to it eventually if God wills. But let me just give you some kind of insight that will make this bible study's conclusion a bit more clear. A famine hits the land and up to this point, Elisha still stays in touch with the Shunammite.

Look at verse two of second Kings eight. So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God, because Elisha says, you need to leave here. There's gonna be a seven year famine. You need to go. You need to go to the land of the Philistines.

So she went with her household and sojourn in the land of the Philistines seven years. And at the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. You might wonder what's Gehazi doing before the king? We're gonna discover that in the next few chapters.

But Gehazi was there with the king saying, right, what does the king say? Tell me all the great things that Elisha had done. He he knew that this man worked for and worked with Elisha. So he's just out of curiosity, you know, I'd like to hear some of those glory stories. Can you explain some of the amazing miraculous things that took place while you worked with Elisha?

Verse five, and while he was telling the king how Elisha restored the dead to life, behold. Underline that. Pause. Behold being check this out. Look at this.

Behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, my lord, oh king, here is the woman and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life. Is this coincidence? Don't you dare say it is. This is not coincidence.

It starts with the letter p. This is providence. Right at a time when Gehazi was speaking to the king and the king wants to hear stories about Elisha and what he had done for the Lord. And this woman is coming back from seven years of exile so to speak, and right when she walks into her appointment with the king to restore her house and her land, Gehazi is talking about her. And what happens?

Verse six. And when the king asked the woman, she told them, so the king appointed an official for her saying, restore all that was hers together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now. Were kings generally good or wicked during this time in Israel's history? And so what what was it that compelled this king to not just restore her land, but say, you know what? Everything that you missed out on these past seven years, I'm gonna return to you and restore to you.

What was it that moved him? The testimony of her son being raised from the dead. When this king realized that God had such favor upon her and God moved on her behalf in such a way, it moved him to say, I'm willing to help you. So he let's put this together. Back in second Kings chapter four, this woman receives this son.

The son dies. She goes through agonizing pain, I'm sure as a loving mother. There are no answers right away, but down the road we realize that the God who knows your tomorrows prepares you today. And how did he prepare? For the years that would come where this famine would hit and there would be a specific ruler and he would need a specific story to be behind her and to support her and to restore and to take care of her and her family.

It would take this season of pain so that it would produce a compelling story so that she would be taken care of for the rest of her life. That's why. One reason why in the scriptures. So why was this provided to us in the word of God? So that when you are trying to make sense of this chapter, understand that God has already written every chapter.

You just haven't read it yet. And you don't understand how this masterful supernatural author will piece it all together. So this this is just one among many stories for you to understand. I I don't understand this. I don't understand why this happened now.

I don't understand why God did this only for it to lead to this. I may not understand it, but I know a story in my Bible of a Shunammite woman who also didn't get it until later on. And that insight, that foresight should grant you and I the energy and the stability and the confidence to say all is well. When at this time, it may be difficult to say it. Because the one who loves you, cares for you, has lived out and prepared your tomorrows.

He is worthy of our praise. Let's thank him for this bible study. Father, you are beyond good to love us enough, to provide us this incredible testimony so that we can be prepared for trials that might knock the wind out of us. And for us who may still be trying to make sense of what's happening with our children, with our spouses, with our ministries, with our health, with our finances. You've provided us this story.

You've inscribed it in holy writ to remind us that we can say all is well because you have a reason and more than one reason for why you're allowing what we are enduring. And so Lord, even as we sing this song in light of these scripture truths, may you receive the honor and the glory. May you infuse us with a real faith, a stronger faith that would anchor us as we walk out of these doors tonight and live out day by day whatever you have prepared for us. We give you thanks for what you've done, what you will do, and we pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. All is well. Let's stand.