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“What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.
Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”
Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”
…When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.
- 2 Kings 4:14-16, 32-37
This story reads like the plot of a drama. We are introduced to a woman, wealthy and hospitable. She provides a furnished room for Elisha—God’s prophet—to make his regular journeys along the road more comfortable. He is grateful for the generosity and asks how he can help her? He had strong political connections. Perhaps Elisha could get her a tax break or perhaps guaranteed protection. Maybe he could secure her another home for getaways. But she has no need for all that. Elisha’s servant discovers that she has no child. That’s an impossible favor to provide, is it not? But the promise is made. A son will be born to her. She will finally have an heir for her wealth. Her family’s name will continue. She will no longer be considered cursed for her barren state. She would finally hold her head high.
But, just like a movie, all this good news is too early on in the story. Something bad is coming. You can feel it. Every good story has a major conflict, and much of the tale is devoted to wading through that conflict. Sure enough, the child grew, but one day felt an incredible pain in his head and, later that day, died in his mother’s arms.
Imagine her grief. Her anger. She hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up in the first place—the pain would be too great to hope for such a gift only for it fail to arrive. Even worse, then, the pain of having the gift of a child given for too short a time. Some of us have experienced that sort of heart-wrenching pain. Some of us have lived through those most difficult, painful scenes depicted in the movies. Horrible news of death—a loved one taken much too soon. A tragic loss that grips the hearts of a community.
In her grief, the mother is determined to chase down Elisha, refusing to leave him. When Elisha finds the boy, he is lying dead on his bed. It’s an eerie scene that follows. Elisha climbs on the boy, stretching his arms out along the arms of the boy. Face to face. Nose to nose. Eyes to eyes. The warm body of Elisha draped over the cold, dead body of the boy. Incredibly, the boys body begins to warm and eyes twinkle alight with the sign of life. An absolute miracle.
This story is powerful and moving. But that does not make it normative for our experience. The story does point forward, however, to another story that is the reality for the Christian life. Years later, another would come who would not just lay on the cold flesh of a dead son. Jesus would take on the flesh, becoming one of humanity who had found themselves dead in sin. He would stretch his arms out, but not just for one boy. He would do it for all people. He would die, but raise his own cold, dead flesh from the grave. By this work of resurrection, new life is a reality for us—his people. Those who have died, those for whom we have mourned so deeply, and are in Christ will live again. Just like the mother and son were reunited, we too will be reunited with those who have gone on before us.
And I think that we might have a similar reaction as the mother—to fall down, bowing before the feet of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Thanks and praise to him alone for such a hope!
~ Pastor Tim