CLEAN – podcast 21, Wealthy Shunammites’ Child

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.IntroductionCLEAN 21, The Wealthy Shunammites’ Son = also OT character study 64.Yesterday we saw how the prophet Elijah saved the life of the son of the Widow of Zarephath. Today we will look at a similar account—and it’s easy to confuse the two!—involving Elijah’s successor, Elisha.This woman is probably younger than the widow of Zarephath. Her husband is still living, and out in the fields working, probably as a supervisor. That makes more sense, since they were wealthy. But even wealthy persons have problems, suffer tragedies, and need God.Perhaps the woman is the main character because the money came from her family. At any rate, she eclipses her husband.Scripture: 2 Kings 4:8-37; 8:1-6The couple are friends and supporters of the prophet Elisha -- and his ministry.The couple ups their game: hospitality will now include a room (v.10). It makes us think of the guest room Paul anticipates Philemon will provide.They were a very giving couple. Elisha wishes to reciprocate, to give them a precious gift for all their kindness (v.14).Quite naturally, the woman cannot believe her ears (v.16)! Her dream of being a mother (again?) has died, or lain dormant. Now the Lord is revivifying it.Barrenness is a common theme in the Bible. Just think of all the older women who were enabled to conceive (think Sarah and Elizabeth).This child wasn’t conceived of the Holy Ghost! Since the baby came a year later, she and her husband obviously took action sometime in the three months after Elisha made the promise.Now the scene is several years later (the child can talk (v.19) – perhaps he is two or three years old).Notice how the father delegates the care of his son to a servant, and then his wife. Was he overcome with worry, or too busy to help, or overconfident that the child’s medical complaint was minor?Just imagine what it must have been like to watch your child’s life slip away, while you were holding it in your lap (v.20)!Those who have lost a child (miscarriage, car accident, cancer, suicide...) face overwhelming and heavy sadness.Sometimes we lose our "spiritual" children. We helped them to become Christians, and we invested in their lives. When they turn back from following Christ, the disappointment and grief can really set us back.Then something really surprising happens.The surprise is not that she turned to the prophet for help, but that she has completely bypassed her husband (v.22-23)!Gehazi seems clueless as to what’s happening, as well as to her deeper emotional state (v.27), which is not all that surprising, since at first Elisha himself hasn’t fathomed the situation.It is for the woman to alert them to the horror of the situation.The woman will not leave Elisha. He is her connection with God, her source of hope!Gehazi simply doesn’t have the spiritual power to bring back the child (v.31).The child is resuscitated – or reanimated (vs.32-25)!Gehazi is still useful, even if he is slower on the uptake than his master.She has her life back (v.37)! Her shattered dreams have been repaired.It seems the story is over – but then four chapters later she reappears (8:1-3).Elisha stays in touch. Or maybe it’s simply that she knew who to turn to if she really needed help again…This is after 2 Kings 5, where Gehazi received the leprosy of Naaman.Her family, her household, has already been restored; now it’s her house (2 Kings 8:1-3). People first, then things.What a remarkable story! But what makes it remarkable isn’t the plot, the persons, or even the reanimation. It’s God.ApplicationBeing healthy and whole isn’t just the absence of impurity. It involves your key relationships, and, to a much lesser extent, your possessions. Nothing is more important than relationships. What relationships need restoring in your life?Like the woman, we need to know what’s out of place, where it hurts, what needs to be restored, before we can feel wonderful and clean and in God’s presence.Do you relate more to the woman, to her husband, to Gehazi, or to Elisha?What will you be willing to do today to have a full, godly, wholesome life?