The breakneck speed at which the donkey was approaching, told Elisha that its riders were filled with urgency. He watched as they galloped into closer view, revealing the figures of a servant with a woman riding behind and hanging on for dear life. As the mule skidded to a sudden halt, the servant jolted forward allowing Elisha to see the woman’s face. Recognizing her immediately, the prophet could feel that something was terribly wrong.
“Gehazi,” Elisha said to his servant. “That’s the woman from Shunem, whose house we stay at. Hurry up and ask her if everything is all right.” But in his heart Elisha knew everything was far from all right. Running up to the prophet, the woman pushed Gehazi aside, and fell at Elisha’s feet. And with deep sorrow she cried out, “How could you do this to me? I never asked you for a son, but you said I would conceive. And I begged you not to lie, for my heart couldn’t take it. So when God blessed me with my boy, I was filled with hope, faith and belief. Yet in the end I was deceived, because he has been cruelly taken from me!”
Moved by the sadness in her eyes, Elisha’s heart ached as he remembered the promise he had given to her that day. The prophet and his servant often traveled to the city of Shunem. While there, they had encountered the woman, who because of the goodness of her heart and her gift of hospitality, insisted they dine with her and her husband.
Going one step further, and asking for nothing in return, the couple had constructed an upper chamber in their house. A place fully furnished and extremely comfortable, reserved for Elisha and Gehazi alone. Touched by the woman’s humble generosity, Elisha asked what he could do for her in return. But the woman was neither in need, nor interested in money or fame. Indeed the only thing she lacked was a male heir.
Then the Lord spoke through Elisha, promising that at this same time next year, she would bear a son. And although she thought Elisha untruthful, and his promise too good to be true, the fire of hope was lit in her heart. And that hope was realized when at the time Elisha predicted, the woman gave birth to a baby boy. Yet that hope was short lived, as the boy later fell ill and died in his mother’s arms. Grieved beyond consoling, the woman laid the boy’s body on Elisha’s bed upstairs, and raced to find the prophet.
Upon hearing her story, Elisha sent Gehazi immediately with the prophet’s staff, straight to Shunem, to lay the rod on the boy’s face. But the woman refused to go back home without Elisha by her side saying, “As the Lord lives, I will not leave you.” So the prophet rose and traveled with the woman back to Shunem. There they met Gehazi who gave them the disappointing news that although he had followed Elisha’s directions to the letter, the boy was still dead.
Going upstairs, Elisha closed the door behind him and prayed to God. And following the Lord’s guiding, Elisha twice laid upon the boy, warming his cold flesh. After the second time, to the prophet’s great joy, the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha called for the woman. And seeing her child alive, she fell once more at the feet of Elisha, only this time in thankfulness. And after bowing before him, lovingly picked up her son and went out.
Elisha’s promise to the Shunammite woman was not his own. It was a promise that came straight from God. And whatever God promises, He is always faithful to deliver. Never is His Word broken, or untrue. And not because of our goodness, but His. We all have times of doubt, especially during the trials of life. But because God works in His perfect faithfulness and not our fallen faithlessness, the hope and trust we place in Him never comes back empty handed!