The Shunammite

II Kings 8-37
And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall;
and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a
candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn
in thither.

Elisa traveled through the tribes of Israel, and a wealthy woman concluded he was a man of God. She gave him a place to stay and even asked her husband to prepare a room for him. She made him comfortable, a part of the family in many ways. This was unheard of in that day for she was a Gentile not a Jew.

11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.

13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is
to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the
captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

Elisha wanted a way to repay her for her hospitality. When sent for she came to Elisha at once; she followed his word. Elisha may have thought she had an angle to get something from him. She told him that she dwelt among her people and wanted nothing from him.

14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. 16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

Again we see her obedience to Elisha. In verse 16 we see her hesitation. She told him not to say she would have a child unless he meant it. God wanted to show his power to the people. In verse 17 we see that it came to pass.

18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.

20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

More than likely the boy suffered from a heat stroke. His father dismissed him and had someone take him to his mother. The son died and the stage was set for God to show his power over idols. He was about to prove his unlimited power. The mother said nothing; after her miracle son died she placed him upon Elisha's bed. She put him in God's hands.

22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I
pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run
to the man of God, and come again.

23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel.
And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said
to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:

26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.

Again in verse 23 we see the father not being dependable. He was still no help for the situation. He came up short in fulfilling his family responsibility. In verses 25-26 we see her going to Elisha, the man of God for she knew she could depend on him.She was going to get her miracle back. In faith she answered that all was well.

27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she
caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And
the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my
staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him
not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff
upon the face of the child. 30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.

Elisha didn't know what happened to the boy. She reminded him that she asked him not to lie to him in receiving a son. When he figured it out Elisha sent his servant, but he woman would not leave Elisha. She knew it would take him to help her son, not the servant.

31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.

The staff is a symbol of God. Elisha thought within himself that she would leave with the servant He should not have given his staff to another person. This is the same principle given to the Ark of the Covenant. The staff was Elisha's alone. He couldn't make the decision for God; it was not his to make. God is the giver of life.

32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.

33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth
upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his
hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the
child waxed warm.

Elisha used the example of Elijah in how he was used to heal the boy. When he did as God wanted, she got her miracle back.

35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro;
and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed
seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite.
So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up
thy son.

37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

God showed his power to the Gentiles. The woman showed faith in Elisha's God and received her miracle back. We can have our miracles back. We must believe as she did that there is no God but our God. He did more in that one act than Baal could ever do in hundreds of years.