SLIDE: Shunnamite Woman
> The Woman from Shunem’s Story
Spread throughout Elisha’s ministry are encounters with this woman from Shunem.
Her part of the story begins back in chapter four. Elisha periodically traveled through her town, a little to the south west of the Sea of Galilee.
She invited Elisha to come and eat. Soon, that became a routine. Every time Elisha came to town, he ate with her family.
This woman and her husband were wealthy, and at her suggestion, they decided to make some modifications to their home. On the upper level of their flat roof, they created a guest room for Elisha. They furnished it with a bed, and a lamp, a table, and a chair. They did this for Elisha because he was a holy man of God.
Elisha called her over one day and said, “What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word with the King, or with an army commander?”
She said, “No, I’m fine. I’m content here among my own people.”
Elisha’s assistant Gehazi spoke up and said, “Her husband is older, and they don’t have a son.”
So Elisha promised her that within a year, she would be holding a baby boy.
She reacted emotionally, begging Elisha not to deceive her, but he didn’t. And in a year, she had a baby boy.
This woman from Shunem reminds us that in living a life that honors God, it doesn’t mean we don’t have bad experiences.
SLIDE: Boy getting carried back to the house
A few years later, the boy was in the field with his father and got a terrible headache. A little while later, he died.
As quick as she could go, she went to get Elisha. She said to him, “I didn’t ask you for anything. I didn’t request a son. Didn’t I tell you not to lie to me?”
You may remember the story. Elisha sent Gehazi ahead with his staff to lay it on the boy, but the boy wasn’t raised. Elisha ended up twice spreading his body over the boy’s body.
The second time, the boy sneezed seven times and came back to life.
We would have expected that her role in Elisha’s life was done, but here in chapter 8, Elisha receives a prompting from God about a famine, and so he tells the woman to leave all her property and possessions behind, and to live in Philistine territory until the famine has passed.
The occasion of this story in chapter 8 is that she is now returning home. Her husband isn’t mentioned, so we wonder if he passed while they were away.
But her property has been occupied, and she is going to petition the king to receive back her land.
SLIDE: Gehazi
> Gehazi’s Story
In this story, there is another captivating character.
His name is Gehazi.
Gehazi has been present in many of the situations we’ve looked at, but I wanted to wait until this story to look at him more closely.
Gehazi is Elisha’s assistant and apprentice. In most situations, he is unimpressive.
Elisha was selected to follow in Elijah’s footsteps, but it becomes obvious that Gehazi won’t serve a similar role.
Gehazi is there when Elisha promises the Shunnamite woman a son…he suggested it.
He is there when the woman’s son has died. In fact, on her way to Elisha, Gehazi goes to greet her and she ignores him and goes past him. “Is everything ok?” “Yeah, things are fine.”
She doesn’t tell Gehazi a thing, but runs for Elisha.
Gehazi tries to raise the boy with Elisha’s staff, but only when Elisha arrives does the boy come back to life. Gehazi’s efforts were not blessed, and therefore failed.
SLIDE: Naaman and Gehazi
The worst story involving Gehazi is the conclusion to Naaman’s story.
You remember Naaman…the powerful military leader who was cleansed from leprosy.
He brought with him an enormous amount of money and gifts. Elisha absolutely refuses his money, wanting for Naaman to be only on the receiving end of God’s goodness, not able to try and pay anyone back for what God had done.
Gehazi got greedy. After Naaman left, he chased down Naaman and said, “We have a couple of visitors from the community of prophets, and Elisha is requesting that you give him two outfits and a talent of silver.”
Naaman was happy to give him the clothes, and said, Take Two talents.
Gehazi returned, and Elisha said, “Where were you?” “Nowhere.”
“Gehazi, this was not a time for accepting money and gifts. Because of what you’ve done, Naaman’s leprosy will now cling to you and your family.”
It is the last time in Scripture we see Gehazi in the presence of Elisha, and we assume at this point he was functionally fired.
SLIDE: Power asking about Truth
> Power asks about Truth
So here in 2 Kings 8, we are surprised to find Gehazi sitting in the presence of the King.
It seems that even after he was done being Elisha’s assistant, his status still allowed him to have an audience with the King of Israel.
The King makes a request, “Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.”
We’ve heard of speaking Truth to Power. When the weak speak up and say to those in charge some things they might not want to here.
Founding of America…spoke to the King.
Here is a reversal…this is Power asking about Truth. Tell me about Elisha’s deeds.
SLIDE: 2 Kings 8:4-6
2 Kings 8
4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” 5 And while he was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”
> Telling the Story inspires new Creative Possibilities
Though I believe we can see the hand of God at work in the timing, this is now what we could properly call a “miracle” story.
In fact, Elisha isn’t even present in this last part of the events.
Yet there is this amazing outcome.
- The woman returns after 7 years, to find that her property is occupied, and she will have to plead with the king to receive back what is hers.
- At the very moment she is going to the king to make her case, Gehazi and the King just happen to be talking about her and her son.
- The King is feeling inspired, and he not only gives her back all of her land, but says, “give her back the money she lost from the day she left until now.”
ILLUS:
It is common to hear of the government stepping in and charging people back taxes for taxes the government hadn’t collected earlier.
It is absolutely unheard of for the government to pay to someone “back revenues” for what they would have been profiting.
SLIDE: Naboth’s Vineyard…Reverse Ahab
What makes this story more amazing is that this is King Jehoram…he is an Omride King (from Omri), just like Ahab.
If there’s any story we associate with the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel, it is a dispute over a vineyard owned by Naboth. They killed him in order to take his property.
This story involves another King from the same family. Some scholars have pointed out that when this woman left her property, it actually would have become the possession of King Jehoram. So the King himself gives her back all of her property, and all the money he would have made off of it.
Jehoram just became a reverse Ahab.
Think about this carefully…
This isn’t a miracle story, but this is a story about a change of heart that led to an incredible act of justice and generosity.
What caused this to happen? Why did he do this?
SLIDE: What changed?
The thing that inspired this king was the retelling of the story of God’s miraculous love.
Think about that.
No coercion. No threats from Elisha.
They sat down together, and Gehazi told the King about what amazing things God had done, and therefore the King himself was inspired to do something amazing.
It’s all in the power of testimony, isn’t it.
When we continue to talk about God’s actions, it gives these miracles durable, present-tense power, even today.
This is why it is so important for us to keep telling and talking about the stories.
It is through continuing to tell the stories that new creative possibilities open up, and people are inspired to be faithful.
SLIDE: Psalm 145:4-13
Psalm 145 paints a beautiful portrait of this:
As God’s faithful community, what are the words that should be on our lips? What are the thoughts that should be in our heads?
Psalm 145:4-13
4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
> Continuing to Tell the Stories
We need to keep opening ourselves up to God’s great deeds of the past, because they can inspire new possibilities for the future.
You personally need to keep yourself open to the Word.
We do this together when we assemble, but that doesn’t need to be the only exposure you are having to God’s word.
Rather than wasting an hour flipping channels because you can’t figure out what to watch on TV. Rather than wasting another hour scrolling down Facebook and Instagram.
Open up your Bible. Click on your Bible app instead, go to a Gospel, and just read.
As you read, think about it. Pray about it.
Ask yourself questions about it, “If this really is God’s word…if this really is what God has been doing…what does it mean in my life that I need to do differently?”
You don’t have to be brilliant to do this more in your family. Just read a story. Select one bold heading, read it out loud and say to each other, “What do you think about this?”
SLIDE: Deuteronomy 6:6-9
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
I would add, “Put them on your T-shirts, and add decals to your walls. Post them on your refrigerator and bathroom mirror. Stick them above your television screen.”
Talk about them as you ride in the car, and when you eat dinner.
Add them to your holiday celebrations and family traditions.
SLIDE: Family together
Do whatever it takes to make space for the Word of God to be part of your life.
> Message matters more than Messenger
There is a bit of good news for all of us when we consider Gehazi’s role in this story.
Sometimes we choose to keep silent because we worry about our own lack of credibility, how people will treat us, or what parts of our life we don’t have together.
SLIDE: Imperfect Messengers
I want you to consider Gehazi. he was a failed miracle worker. He was a lying cheat, who abused his status as a religious leader to fill his pockets with money and his closets with possessions.
Even as he stood telling this story, his skin was covered with leprosy as a result of a curse that had been placed upon him.
But God could work through EVEN SOMEONE like Gehazi…just by Gehazi telling a story from Scripture.
Rather than always jumping to applications, we would do well to continue to tell the stories.
When a person in the crowd shouted at Jesus, “Tell my brother to divide our inheritance with me!” Jesus responded, “Let me tell you a story about a Rich Man…”
Let me tell you the story of a boy named David who stood up against a really scary enemy because of his faith in God’s protection.
Do you know the story about a father who had two sons? One of his sons went out and squandered all his inheritance on wild living, but let me tell you what the father did when that boy came home…
Until you’ve tried it and experienced it it’s hard to believe just how capable God is of using our simple efforts to keep telling people about his love.
Make space for God’s word in your life. Keep the word of God in your thoughts and on your lips.
