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Prophets and Kings
his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went
up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon
him, and went out.”
In her distress, the Shunammite determined to go to Elisha for help.
The prophet was then at Mount Carmel, and the woman, accompanied
by her servant, set forth immediately. “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: 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?” The servant did as he was bidden, but not till she had
reached Elisha did the stricken mother reveal the cause of her sorrow.
Upon hearing of her loss, Elisha bade 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.”
But the mother would not be satisfied till Elisha himself came with
her. “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee,”
she declared. “And he arose, and followed her. 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.”
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When they reached the house, Elisha went into the room where
the dead child lay, “and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed
unto the Lord. 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. 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.”
Calling Gehazi, Elisha bade him send the mother to him. “And
when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she
went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took
up her son, and went out.”
So was the faith of this woman rewarded. Christ, the great Life-
giver, restored her son to her. In like manner will His faithful ones
be rewarded, when, at His coming, death loses its sting and the grave
is robbed of the victory it has claimed. Then will He restore to His
servants the children that have been taken from them by death. “Thus