2 Kings Chapter 8
The last we heard of the Shunammite woman and her son was in 2 Kings 4:37, where we see her picking up her son and leaving after the son was brought back to life by Elisha.
Here we see how God continued to extend His loving care and concern for her by helping her escape from the famine which lasted for seven years. The woman reciprocated in faith by heeding the words and doing according to instructions.
Though Jesus only mentioned about the widow and Naaman in Luke 4:23 – 27, I am sure that the woman’s faith is no less significant. We should note that the widow and Naaman were mentioned as examples of non-Israelites who manifested greater faith than the people of God, the Shunammite woman is one of the rare few Israelites who remain faithful and true to God.
We might also marvel at the timeliness of her appeal before the king for her house and land. If she made an appeal to the king at other times, the king may not listen to her appeal nor even bother to grant her an audience. It is only because Gehazi was witnessing about her that the king was swayed to action.
To others, it may seem like she is lucky to catch the king at the right time, we should see it instead as the hand of God in the matter. Just like how Joseph and Mary travelled to Bethlehem because of the census ordered by Caesar Augustus, we know that these are all God’s doing because He has full sovereignty over the heavens and the earth. God knows all things, even before they happen, just like in the matters of Hazael and Ben-hadad.
Nothing is hidden from His eyes, nothing escapes His notice, He is indeed all-knowing, always present and almighty (omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent).
When one enters into the delight of the Lord, one can be sure of the statement that “all things work together for good”. The Shunammite woman definitely received many folds in return for her labour of love. Let us be encouraged to do likewise.
Turning our attention to the king of Israel, he seemed to have an appetite for the stories of Elisha, which is akin to us eagerly listening to testimonies, on the great works of God or even bible stories.
We know that the king is only paying lip-service to the word of God, he is probably grasping vainly (and hopelessly) at whatever slim chance that he thinks he still has in obtaining favour and deliverance from the Lord. Not acknowledging and realizing the need to show true repentance.
Heb 4: 2 reminded us that if we want to profit from the word of God, we must not merely listen, but need to ‘mix’ the words with our faith. Which is the same message as James, “not merely hearers of the word, but be doers as well, that faith without works is dead.