THE SHUNAMMITE’S SON

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 28, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 30.

THE SHUNAMMITE’S SON

Lesson VII.—Sunday, August 14, 1898.

THE SHUNAMMITE’S SON.

Note.—This Shunammite was “a great woman,” who took a special interest in Elisha, and entertained him as he passed back and forth in his travels. In her house a room had been prepared for his special accommodation. For this service she refused any remuneration, but her kindness was not forgotten by the Lord. It was accepted as done unto Him. Matt. 25:40. She was childless, a condition much bewailed by oriental women, and Elisha told her that at a certain time she should have a son. The promise was fulfilled; but when the boy had grown large enough to go out to the field where his father and the reapers were at work, he was suddenly taken sick. His father sent him to the house, and he sat on his mother’s knees until noon, and then died. Laying him upon the prophet’s bed, the mother sent for her husband; then she called for an ass to be saddled, and a servant to accompany her, and started to find Elisha. The remainder of the story is told in the lesson.

Lesson Scripture, 2 Kings 4:25-37, R.V.

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 the Shunammite; 26 run, I pray thee, now 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. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but 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. 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 returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. 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 him; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 35 Then he returned, and walked in the house once 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 she took up her son, and went out.”

Golden Text: “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.” Ps. 55:22.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) Where did the woman of Shunam go to meet “the man of God”? When he saw her afar off, what did he say? V. 25. Note 1. (2) What direction did Elisha give to his servant? How did the woman answer him? V. 26. Note 2. (3) How did she greet the man of God? What did Gehazi do? What did Elisha say? V. 27. Note 3. (4) What plea did the woman make? V. 28. Then what did Elisha say to Gehazi? V. 29. Note 4. (5) Did the sending of Gehazi satisfy the woman? V. 30. Note 5. (6) How did Gehazi carry out his instruction? What was the result? V. 31. Note 6. (7) When Elisha came to the woman’s house, what did he find? V. 32. (8) What did he do first? V. 33. (9) What effort did he make in addition to his prayer? What was the effect upon the child? V. 34. (10) Then what further effort did the prophet make? How was the restored life manifested by the child? V. 35. (11) What did the prophet then tell his servant to do? What did Elisha say to her? V. 36. (12) How did the woman show her gratitude? V. 37. Note 7.

NOTES.

1. Shunam, now called Solam, is a town in what was the land of Issachar. It is about three and a half miles north of Jezreel, and fifty-three miles from Jerusalem. It is supposed that Elisha’s location on Mount Carmel was at the scene of Elijah’s triumph over the prophets of Baal, as, it will be remembered, Elijah “repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down,” thus indicating that it was a recognized place of worship. From this high eminence the prophet was enabled to see the woman approaching, and recognize her “afar off.”

2. “It is well.”—The woman’s answer to Elisha’s servant, when asked if it was well with her and with her husband and child, was very brief. She evidently did not wish to delay to explain her errand to the servant; it was the “man of God” she wished to commune with in her hour of trial.

3. Gehazi’s resentment.—He showed something of his real character when he would prevent the woman from making her wishes known to the prophet after declining more than a mere formal notice of him. The selfish disposition of Gehazi was further manifested when Naaman the Syrian came to Elisha to be healed of his leprosy. See 2 Kings 5.

4. No salutation by the way.—The reason that Gehazi was directed not to salute any one by the way was because haste was enjoined. Oriental salutations were, as they are to this day, very elaborate and formal. They occupied so much time that a journey requiring haste would be much hindered by the ceremony. When Christ sent out the seventy laborers in advance of his personal tour, he indicated the importance of their mission and message by the same injunction. They were to go without encumbrance, and to “salute no man by the way.” Luke 10:4. Such is the urgency of the final Gospel messages to the world. Their proclamation is represented as being carried by angels flying in the midst of heaven. Rev. 14:6-12. We are now in the time of the very last message, and should hasten to give it to the world.

5. The woman’s confidence.—The woman had no confidence in either the staff or the servant. She knew that the Spirit of God was in the prophet, therefore she clung to him, and would not go home without him. Her opportunity finally prevailed, and Elisha accompanied her home. It was the struggle of faith, as Jacob wrestled with the angel, and she won her suit.

6. The woman’s doubts were verified.—Gehazi went with all haste; he even carried the prophet’s staff, and did as the prophet directed. But there was no virtue in the staff. It must be connected with the Spirit of God, or with one in whom that Spirit was manifested, before it could be an instrument of spiritual power. No doubt Gehazi went with ostentatious expectation, but his ministration was not honored of God.

7. “According to your faith.”—It is the Master’s promise that we shall receive according to our faith. It was even so with the Shunammite woman. Her faith was manifested in the most urgent manner,—a journey of some sixteen miles, and such importunate pleadings that the “man of God” was constrained to yield to her prayer. And now she finds Heaven’s response to the prayer of faith. But the Lord remembered her still further, years afterward, by moving the king to restore her home, which had been taken from her during a seven years’ absence. See 2 Kings 8:1-6.