One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who 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.”
~II Kings 4:8-10
Why do you think stopping at this woman's house became a habit for Elisha? Why do you think she wanted to go as far as to add on a room for him?
- Elisha thought that he had some guidance from God for them
- She thought Elisha might have some wisdom for them
Have you ever been hospitable when it was difficult or inconvenient? Or only when it fit into your schedule? By this standard, how would you describe true hospitality?
- I don't believe I've ever had a difficult situation gong on at the same time when I needed to be hospitable, so most of it would be whenever someone would need a place to stay.
- True hospitality is when someone kindly offers you a place to stay as you visit them
One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, “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?’”
She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”
“What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.
Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”
Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”
“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”
~II Kings 4:11-16
Why do you think the Shunammite woman responded the way she did when Elisha told her she would have a child? What was she afraid of? See verse 28 also.
- she thought she was too old to conceive a child
- She thought that Elisha was lying to her
- This is what verse 28 says:
“Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”
It looks like Elisha's prophecy became true
The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!”
His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.
She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.”
“Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.”
“That’s all right,” she said.
She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “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?’”
“Everything is all right,” she said.
When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”
“Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”
~II Kings 4:18-28
Why did the woman tell her husband and Gehazi that everything was "all right" when it obviously was not? What was her goal?
- she didn't want to put anyone else in distress, and she wanted to only tell Elisha
Have you ever been able to say "It's all right" even when something bad has happened to you or someone you love? Why would you say such a thing during a difficult time?
- It certainly has never been easy to say such a statement when I am obviously not alright and something bad has happened to me.
Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”
But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.
Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”
When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.
~II Kings 4:29-37
Why do you think the woman insisted Elisha go with her?
- because she didn't thing Gehazi would do a good enough job
- I think I could say my mom
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