2 Kings 8:1-6 (NKJV)
When the King Restores
March 5, 2023
Today’s scripture begins with the Shunamite woman we preached about in chapter 6, where we learned that she had prepared a rooftop room with a bed, a desk and chair for Elisha. Because of her hospitality toward the prophet, God blessed her with a son. When that son fell ill working in the field by his father’s side and later died in the arms of his mother, God brought that young boy back to life again. We are to note that since that last time we spoke of her and her son that her husband has died, for he is no longer mentioned in the text. Thus, the inheritance would now be passed to the son. But Elisha foresaw a seven-year famine which was coming and advised her to take her household and seek refuge outside the land. Obediently she sought refuge in nearby Philistia and waited. So, at the end of the seventh year, on her return, she discovered that her son’s inheritance had been taken over by someone in her absence. Now instead of seeking the prophet to resolve her legal matter, her intention was to appeal to the king for her son’s rights to be restored. For she was a woman of means, a woman of resources. The history shows that it was in the will of God that this happened precisely at that time that the king was asking Gehazi, Elisha’s former servant, to report to him some of Elisha’s miracles, and Gehazi was telling him about Elisha raising the boy from the dead. And as he was speaking Gehazi saw the Shunamite coming to the king he said, “This is the woman, and this is her son.”
The Return – This woman was told to leave here home for 7 years. When God tells you to move, it does not mean that the place where you want to be is not for you it simply means that it is not for you now. She returned to the land of her choice as soon as the famine was over. But she found things different from when she left. Her house and her land had been taken over by another. Sometimes what God is moving you away from is simply because it’s not your season. You see… It’s not that you are not ready for it, No it’s just not ready for you. You may have it, but just not now. It’s yours if you are willing to wait for it. If you would simply wait for it to be prepared for you. There are some things that will harm you now, but if you wait, He will clear that away. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.” He said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Why couldn’t the disciples go right then? It wasn’t their time! Jesus did not say that they weren’t ready to be with Him, He said the place that I have for you has to be prepared for you! He taught through Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” 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. God gave this woman resource and intellect and she prepared to use it wisely! Do what you have the power to do! Do you remember when Elisha first met this woman in chapter 6 he told her that he could get her an audience with the king. She said no because she didn’t need Elisha’s influence, she knew by law how to get to the king. There is a lesson for us here; she did not ask anything of the prophet, that she could handle on her own.
The Report - So, she went to the king as the custom was to plea for what belonged to her. While she was preparing her argument God had aroused the king’s curiosity and he called for Gehazi, Elisha’s servant and said, “tell me, please, all the great things the prophet has done.” I need a report! I need a testimony. Surely the king remembered, his great victory over the Syrian raiders and how He blinded their eyes so Elisha could lead them into his own Israeli territory of Samaria. Tell me what other great things Elisha has done by the power of God. So, Gehazi told the King of the floating Ax head. He told the king of how Elisha purified the pot of poisoned strew. He told the king of how Elisha blessed one of his minister’s wives and her son to take a little jar of oil and fill a multitude of empty pots to sell and pay her debts and live on the abundance of her profits. Then he told him of the Shunammite’s son of how God promised a wealthy woman a son and then when he got sick and died how God raised him up again! At that very moment, in the midst of Gehazi’s report, here comes the woman from Shunem up to the king to make her case. Gehazi says, “This is the woman and this is her son who was once dead but now lives.” There is power in the testimony of God’s grace! It is through continual telling of the biblical history that people are inspired to act out in faith. Revelations 12:11 says that when the evil one accused the saints day and night, “they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony.” There is power in your testimony!
The Restored - So, the king appointed for her an officer of his court saying, “Restore all that was hers and all the proceeds of the field from the day she left until now.” The King says, “Not only give her the house back, but give her back all the money she lost on the land from the day she left until now.” 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. Not only did the king give her profits that she did not work for he also called on an officer of the court to be appointed to her case to ensure that everything he just decreed would be carried out to the letter! You may think that when you step out on faith that God is going to sit back and just watch you work. God will go before you and get the conversation started so when you get there all you have to do is show up prepared and God will show out! Oh, God knows your talent! He gave it to you! Oh you can make a plea and get the land back on your own, but when you get there after you have done what God has told you to do… When God restores you, He will give you what you never worked for. God said, I gave you cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and wells that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat, I made your belly full. When God spoke through the prophet Joel, He said, “I will restore to you the years that the locust and the cankerworm, has eaten” He said, “And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that has dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of [you], and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.” There is a King born from Adam, born from Abraham, born from Jacob, born from David and He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and 2000 years ago He paid the price to restore you to His prefect creation. So, when King Jesus restores you, Paul says that you are sealed with the Holy Ghost; Who is the guarantee of our inheritance as child of the King!
