1 Kings 17:8-24 & 2 Kings 4:8-37
Death and resurrection affect us in different ways. Two contrasting examples of women in the Old Testament whose sons were raised from the dead are worth considering. The first woman was a widow from Zarephath living with her son during a famine when Elijah came to her. In obedience to his command she gave the prophet Elijah her last meal. He in turn rewarded her obedience by sustaining them with food throughout the famine. The second woman was a wealthy woman from Shunem who provided lodging for Elisha. As a reward, the prophet promised her a son. Both these sons later died. The reaction of the two mothers was very different. The measure of faith of each one was revealed though their trials. We may conclude, also, that their reaction was in part a result of the teaching they received from the two respective prophets.
Dealing With Death
The widow of Zarephath lived near Zidon at the time Elijah had asked God to withhold rain as a testimony against the evil in Israel. His message was a call for Israel to return to Jehovah the true God. During the famine, Elijah promised the widow that the meal and the oil would not fail until Jehovah God had sent rain. This was fulfilled, but later the son fell sick and died. Under this trial the woman responded with two questions. The first was, “What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God?” She called in question her relationship with the prophet and showed a lack of confidence in the prophet, after he had miraculously provided for them. The second question was, “Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?” In this we see that she was insecure in her own soul. She did not have peace about her sins. She knew about the power of God but nothing of the forgiveness of God. Her comments were negative.
The woman of Shunem perceived that Elisha was a holy man of God and provided a place of lodging for him to stay when he came. This was more than obedience to a command; it was an act of kindness from her heart. When Elisha wanted to reward her, she, being content with her circumstances, declined the offer. But the prophet not wanting to owe anything to her, at the suggestion of Gehazi, promised her a son. Later, when the son died, she took him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door and went out. There was no calling in question her relationship with the prophet. On the contrary, she went directly to him. He was the one who had given her the son. Her comment on the way to the prophet was, “It shall be well.” She trusted him, and her claims to him were on the basis of his grace, not her merit. She had peace in her circumstances.
The Reactions to Resurrection
After the son of the widow died, Elijah asks for the lifeless son and “took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.” There He prayed that the Lord would not bring evil upon the widow. The child’s soul came into him again and he brought him down to his mother and said, “See, thy son liveth.” Her response was, “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.” She acknowledged that God was near her in the prophet, but there was no acknowledgment of relationship with God through the prophet, nor was there any word of thanks. Those who think they deserve blessing are often unthankful. She seems to have received her son back on the same basis she had him before. There is no progress of faith like Hannah who lent her son to the Lord.
It is refreshing to see the attitude of the Shunamite when Elisha said to her, “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.” Her priorities were right; she worshipped the Lord first, and then took up her son. She had committed her son to the Lord in laying him on the bed of the prophet. She was resigned to God’s will and would receive him back on the basis of His goodness. This leads to praise and thanksgiving.
May the Lord lead each of us to rise up in faith concerning His perfect ways with us as we pass through the valley of the shadow of death. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” (Psa. 23:44Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)). D. C. Buchanan