Who do you get alongside with? Who gets alongside you? What are the qualities of an ally? In today’s study, we see an ally come alongside someone. We would explore 2 Kings 4: 18-37
In this study, the tools we would use for this study are
- Who, What, When, Where, and How tool
- What does it mean?
- How does it apply to me today?
So let’s dig in and turn the bible to 2 Kings 4: 18 – 37
Who, What, When, Where, and How tool
The boy was on the field with his father. He became ill and was taken to his mother. Then suddenly the boy dies. The Shunamite woman set about a course of actions that is unusual. She didn’t say a word about the passing on of her boy to anyone.
She informed her husband that she needed to visit the prophet urgently.
She went back to the person who prophesied about the boy’s birth
She reaches Elisha and grabs his feet, weeping.
Gehazi wanted to prevent her
Elisha does not know what has happened but could sense she was in much sorrow.
The Shunamite woman was filled with questions of why her son. She directed her grievance at prophet ELisah saying
“Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”
Elisha sent Gehazi his servant to go and lay his staff on the boy but the Shunamite woman would not accept that course of action. She insisted that Elisha himself had to come with her.
Elisha prayed and the boy was brought back to life. Elisha asked Gehazi to call the Shunamite, He handed the boy back to his mother. She was very grateful and thanked Elisha
What does (this passage ) mean?
Why wouldn’t she wail and tell anyone about the boy’s death?
She guarded her lips under this sudden affliction. She believed He who miraculously gave her son must be capable of bringing him back to life. She did not want arguments to be raised against her belief.
Why would the Shunamite woman seek the prophet out when her son suddenly died?
Perhaps she believed that he would be restored to her as the boy was miraculously given to her. She demonstrated great faith!
Her phase to Elisha: “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” Indicated to prophet Elisha that this problem at hand was not that of the Shunamite but of prophet Elisha as well. She got Elisha to be invested.
Elisha cried unto God in faith; and the beloved son was restored alive to his mother. O what joy the Shunamite would have had.
How does it apply to me today?
The Shunamite woman had an issue but how does she handle it? She does not yield to the normal convention. She had a belief that the boy could be restored to her if not she would not have taken the steps to go to prophet Elisha. Her actions were inline with her belief. She didn’t speak to anyone who would not feed her belief.
Prophet Elisha didn’t say she asked for the impossible but rather oblige her and prayed, and persevered in prayer and the boy was bright back to life
The Shunamite woman was smart in that she spoke to the person who would feed her belief and come alongside her in prayers.
Who do you\ speak to? Who do I speak to? Are we speaking to those who would fuel our belief and join us in prayers?
And if someone were to speak to you about a situation, are you one to speak a word of faith? Are you one to join in prayers?