2 Kings

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4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well

This text focuses on how lives that operate on faith display confidence, despite circumstances, that God will meet the needs of those who are called according to his purpose.

The prophet Elisha's life was illumined by mighty miracles. Each had a special purpose and served as a demonstration of the power of God. On one occasion Elisha came to say regularly at the home of an elderly god fearing couple who had no children. At verse 16 Elisha, acting as God's emissary, announced that she would have a child within a year's time as a reward for the kindness she had been shown. The next year the woman conceived. She had a son that grew old enough to walk and play. One day the child became ill and then died while sitting on her lap (v20).

Even though her child had died, the woman did not panic. She carried the boy into the room used by the Elisha on his overnight stays and shut the door. As she left to seek out Elisha she told her inquiring husband "It shall be well." When she reached Elisha his servant asked: "Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy child?" Though her son lay dead upon a bed in her house she responded "It is well.

Her statement suggested that she looked beyond the tragedy she saw earlier in her home. She looked to the God of Elisha. She felt if she could reach Elisha he could intercede with God and the situation could be reversed. She was so confident that she refused to leave until Elisha accompanied her home. Once there the prophet inspected the situation and then after a short while walked from the room with a living boy.

To the woman it was no surprise, she was confident that God would supply her need.

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Chapter 5: 20

5:20 "Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him."

This text focuses on an episode in which a young assistant to the prophet Elisha became greedy and was punished for both his greed and his deceit.

Elisha had gained great respect as a man of miracles just like his predecessor Elijah. He had a young man who was his assistant who was named Gehazi. No doubt the young had traveled far and wide with Elisha and was well aware of his spiritual abilities. He also noticed that despite his abilities, Elisha would not use his talents to enrich himself, which frustrated him obviously, because some of the people Elisha performed miracles for were grateful enough to show him liberal kindnesses if he would accept them. This text shows one such occasion after Naaman, a rich and powerful man, had come to Elisha to be healed of leprosy. He received instruction from Elisha, who was so unimpressed with his wealth that he would not even come out of his house to meet him, but sent him instructions by his young assistant. The instructions were simple, bathe seven times in the river and he would be cleansed. He was reluctant, but he complied with the instruction, and Naaman was healed.

Naaman returned to Elisha bearing great gifts for the old prophet but Elisha refused them. Gehazi his servant thought Elisha was ill advised to turn down such riches. He waited until Naaman had gone aways from Elisha's home and then chased him down. He made up a story that some hill country scholars were coming to study with Elisha and on second thought some of the gifts could be used to help accommodate them. He saw the large sacks of money Naaman carried and asked for the equivalent of $2,000. Naaman was so happy about being healed that he doubled the amount. Gehazi had his servants to take the money into his house and hide it as he returned to Elisha with a straight face and tried to hide his act. The prophet however, was able to read his heart and told him of his deed. He was punished by being given Naaman's disease leprosy because of his greed and deceit.

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