Seeing through the Eyes of Faith

There are many amazing women mentioned in the Bible, but the one I always think of when my faith needs energised is the Shunammite woman. Turn with me to 2 Kings 4 and let’s read the passage starting at verse 8

In his travels Elisha frequently passed through Shunem, which was located near Jezreel (close to the Sea of Galilee where Nazareth would later be). A very affluent and respectable woman saw that he was a holy man and decided to bless God by showing unusual hospitality and generosity toward the prophet. After speaking with her husband, she proceeded to fit out a small upper room in her home for Elisha to use when ever he was passing through.

One day the prophet told his servant to bring her to him as he wanted to repay her in some way for the care he had received. Elisha asked if he could speak on her behalf to the king or the commander of the army in order that she might obtain favour with them. She refused and humbly expressed her sincere satisfaction at residing among her own people. This woman was not after increasing her profile or becoming a celebrity.

Gehazi, the prophet’s servant then came up with another suggestion. He had noticed that she and her husband had no children, so why not offer to make this dream a reality. Elisha summoned her again but this time he prophesied that in about a year’s time the woman would embrace a son.

The following spring she bore a son. Just as God had provided children for Sarah, Rachel and Hannah, so too had He miraculously caused this hospitable woman to give birth to a baby boy. Out of a barren womb the Lord brought forth life.

Years later the boy suffered a stroke of some kind and died, probably due to inflammation of the brain cause by sunstroke. Having died in her arms, the boy’s mother immediately took him and put his body on the bed in the prophet’s chamber. Then without revealing the reason to her husband she rode off with great speed to find Elisha. But notice what she had said to her husband before leaving, “It is well.”

This mother’s confession was completely in line with her trust in God (operating through His servant Elisha). She was seeing through the eyes of faith, and therefore, the tragic circumstances she’d encountered did not matter. It is through the eyes of faith that the unseen blessings of God can become visible. The Shunammite mother of this dead boy was a true woman of faith. She gazed intently at the invisible in order for the impossible to become a reality. Her experience with God regarding her son was that of a dead womb being brought to life, and this situation was not very different. After all, she hadn’t asked for a child – God had blessed her with one.

Back to the story; seeing her approaching, Elisha sent Gehazi to meet her in order to find out if anything was wrong. She did not tell Gehazi the purpose of her visit and kept her confession the same, “It is well.” The woman soon met with Elisha who sensed her deep distress and permitted her to speak. Being a good mother she had an emotional outburst saying, “Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say to you, not to deceive me?” Meaning, “I didn’t ask for a child and I don’t want to be deceived by being given a son and then having him taken away from me!”

God had not revealed to Elisha the purpose of her visit or the cause of her distress, but the moment he realised what was wrong, he sent Gehazi to lay his staff on the dead boy’s face. The woman’s reaction is very fascinating. She turns to the prophet and says, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” Implying, “Until you decide to come, I’m not leaving you!” Isn’t this what most mothers would do? It’s called ‘skilfully applied pressure’ something that most men cannot resist.

Without hesitation the prophet decides to return with her and on route they meet up with Gehazi who informs them that the boy had not awakened. Guess who knew all along that this would be the case? Anyway, the story has a wonderful ending. Elisha went into the room where the child’s body lay, closed the door, prayed, and stretched himself out on the child. Then he got up, walked back and forth, and stretched himself out on the boy again. This time the lad sneezed seven times and then opened his eyes. The woman’s faith had caused the Lord to make possible what was impossible, and I believe that the key to achieving this desperate desire was her confession.

Not once did she confess that her son was dead, and like any good mother would do, she went back to the very person whom God had used to bring forth life out of death, fruit out of barrenness. She then managed to bring sufficient pressure to bear on the current situation and made sure the prophet would respond according to her specific wishes. This incident provides us with a clear illustration of the importance of positive confession and also persistence.

The thankful mother received her son back to life again. Something she was determined to achieve. However, Elisha, God’s instrument on this earth, had a big part to play. In raising the child, he had to fully identify with the dead boy; mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. His own chosen instrument, his staff, had effected no change, however, as God’s instrument Elisha was able to lay himself of the boy and breathe his own life into him. Something the mother would gladly have done if she was able to.

For this miracle to take place it took the perseverance of a mother and the obedience of a man of God, and both had to ‘speak out’ what was right (what they were seeing through the eyes of faith). The prophet said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son,” and the mother simply declared, “It is well.” Yet these confessions were both necessary for the boy to be raised from the dead.
Partnering together in faith can bring about miracles!

Chris Demetriou, 18/03/2007