03.24. The Raising from the Dead

The Raising from the Dead

Elisha and the Shunammite were now at hand. The prophet had willingly accompanied her, and needed not her urgent entreaties. Compassion and kindness would not suffer him to remain behind. How naturally would the sight of this man of God attending her, compose her mind with the assurance that all would even yet have a happy termination! How joyfully then ought we to pursue our way, who have a greater than Elisha at our side, even Him, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Jesus Christ our Lord!

Gehazi having hastily come away to meet his master, and having reported to him that the child was "not awaked," Elisha, followed by the mother, has now entered the melancholy dwelling. Her husband, we may well suppose, having, during her absence, returned home, had received them with a burst of sorrow. And we can hardly forbear adding that she, on the other hand, was almost prepared to comfort him with the assurance, that "the Lord their God would help them!" Elisha, however, caused the chamber of death to be opened. He entered it, as usual, alone; and requesting every one to leave him, he "shut the door on them twain," that is, upon himself and the corpse, and prayed unto Jehovah. And now let death and hell arm themselves for the conflict; for a greater than Gehazi is here; here is more than a staff of wood, and an empty form. Here is faith in the Almighty’s word and arm; a faith that can remove mountains with a word or breath of prayer. On Elisha’s first petition, the bands of death were not loosed. He then, doubtless by Divine direction, extended himself upon the body, and put his mouth upon the child’s mouth, and "his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm." He then rose up from it, and walked to and fro with lifted hands, and fervent prayers. Again he throws himself upon the body, embraces it as before, breathes the desire of his soul in faith and prayer, and lo, to the honor, not only of his prophetic mission, but of prayer itself, the prayer of faith,—he prevails. The gates of heaven fly open! Oh, the ecstasy of that moment! Signs of returning life appear; the child, sneezing seven times, opens his eyes, fixes them with a bright and steady gaze upon the prophet, and—lives. Elisha immediately calls Gehazi, and desires him to call the Shunammite. Almost breathless with joy, the happy mother rushes into the chamber, nothing doubting that she is summoned again to receive her darling. Neither have her hopes deceived her; for the prophet advances to meet her, holding the beloved child by the hand, in all the freshness of life and health, and says, "Take up thy son!" No sooner has the delighted mother beheld her son, than she throws herself at the prophet’s feet, and embraces his knees. Hallelujah after hallelujah rises from her innermost soul to the throne of Him who had done such great things for her. She has not only recovered her child; but its restoration would serve as a renewed pledge of Jehovah’s favor; a living monument of that Divine assurance, "Fear not, I am with thee." And she "took up her child, and went out:" whither, we may well imagine, though we may not follow her. The history here closes her "chamber" door upon her; but as we pass softly by it, we hear sobs within, as it appears, partly of joy, and partly of distress; with broken words,—words of supplication, of homage, and of grateful praise. Here then let us be content to leave her; for surely she is prostrated with her child at the Lord’s footstool, renewing the surrender of her heart to the God of her salvation, dedicating her child to him as an eternal possession; and casting all that she has before the foot of his throne. How sacred and impressive is such a moment of sacred retirement, into which further we cannot intrude! Let us, however rejoice, that the Lord has thus published his name so gloriously abroad in the earth, and that upon those that love him, and whose names are written in the book of life, his mercy endureth for ever.