“And Gehazi said, ‘My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.'” 2 Kings 8:5
There are times when God moves in such a way that only a person who chooses to be blind, will not see it. Such was the case of a woman whom Scripture calls, “…a great woman,” a Shunammite. She was great certainly because of her status, but also, of her nobleness of character, sense of justice, and in particular in her peception of the things of God, for she discerned that Elisha, who often passed by, was “…an holy man of God.” (2 Kings 4:9) Upon seeing Elisha pass by, she asked her husband if there could not be prepared for him a little room, where he rest, as it would have a table, bed, and stool, and a candlestick. This would be for Elisha a quiet, resting place. Elisha perceived her kindness in providing this for him, and asked what he could do for her. Because of her situation in life, she did not need anything. However, it was Elisha’s servant who noticed that she did not have any children. Elisha then would tell the woman that in the following year she would embrace a son. The woman responded to that impossibility by saying, “…do not lie unto thine handmaid.” A year later, she indeed had a son. The son would grow until one day, being in the presence of his father among those who worked in the fields, his head began to hurt terribly. He was taken to his mother, who took him upon her lap, where he died. She went up, and laid her son on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. She told her husband that she needed a young man to accompany her, along with a donkey, for she was going to “run” to the man of God, and come again.
As Elisha and his servant were on Mount Carmel, it was the man of God who perceived the Shunammite afar off. She came to Elisha and fell at his feet, catching hold upon them, asking Elisah, “Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not decieve me?” Elisha would arise and return with the woman to her house, finding the young boy dead upon his bed. Elisha would pray unto the Lord, spread himself upon the child to give him warmth, then walk through the house, certainly to make sure that there was nothing there hindering God’s answer to his prayer. Elisha then commanded his servant to call the Shunammite. When she came in to him, Elisha said, “Take up thy son.” God had by Elisha quietly brought the boy back to life.
Some time later, Elisha would tell the Shunammite that a famine was coming, and that it would last seven years. He told her to arise with her household, and soujourn whereever she could. So, she went to the land of the Philistines, to reside seven years. She then returned from the land of the Philistines, then came and cried to the king for her house, and for her land. The king had just been talking to Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, seeking to hear all the great things Elisha had done. It was at the moment when Gehazi was telling the king about how Elisha had raised a dead body to life, that this woman appeared to cry unto the king for her house and land. Then, remarkably, Gehazi recognizes her and declares to the king, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.” (2 KIngs 8:5)
The result of this amazing coordination, and combination of events, was that the king commanded his servants to, “Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even unti now.” Why did he do this? Cerainly the king saw the hand of God in that meeting, at that time, a miracle indeed.
Dear Father, Direct all our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.