Sermon Tone Analysis

Elijah and Elisha 19.

There is a precious verse that you probably all know well: [P] [Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.]

It is true, it is God’s Word; and it is a great faith sustainer, especially in the tough times – not that any of you experience those!

For many years I taught Sunday School, and we would teach children memory verses.

A good thing too!

The funny thing is that we think that it is good for the kiddies to learn verses; but we have outgrown such things.

No way!

So, today we are going to learn a memory verse: (this time from the NASB) [P] [Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.]

Then we would get someone to rub out the words and say it again [P].

Memory comes through repetition; so, we would get those who had toast for breakfast [P].

Then those who had cereal for breakfast [P].

Then the super-holy who fasted and had no breakfast, or, were up too late for breakfast [P].

Well, that is not really the message of the passage we are looking at today; [P] but I can’t help feeling that it would have helped – because the woman in the story today faced a crisis!

Her world was shaken!

You may recall last time we looked at the story of the Shunamite woman who welcomed Elisha, the man of God, into her home.

Elisha wanted to do something for her; and in her barrenness, she gave birth to a son.

A miracle of God!

It was God’s doing!

Praise the LORD!

Let’s pick up the story in [2 Kings 4:18–37 When the child was grown, [P] the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers.

He said to his father, [P] “My head, my head.”

And he said to his servant, [P] “Carry him to his mother.”

When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, [P] he sat on her lap until noon, and then died.

[P] She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out.

Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.”

He said, “Why will you go to him today?

It is neither new moon nor sabbath.”

And she said, “It will be well.”

[P] Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.”

So, she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel.

[P] When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite.

“Please run now to meet her and say to her, [P] ‘Is it well with you? (we all do it: “How are you?”)

Is it well with your husband?

Is it well with the child?’”

And she answered, “It is well.”

When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet.

(that is worship) [P] And Gehazi came near to push her away; [P] but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and יהוה has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

Then she said, [P] “Did I ask for a son from my lord?

Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (in v.16 she said: “do not lie to your maidservant”) Then he said to Gehazi, [P] “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand and go your way; [P] if you meet any man, do not salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the lad’s face.”

The mother of the lad said, [P] “As יהוה lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

And he arose and followed her.

Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound or response.

So, he returned to meet him and told him, [P] “The lad has not awakened.”

When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed.

So, he entered and shut the door behind them both and prayed to יהוה.

[P] And he went up and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; [P] and the flesh of the child became warm.

Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth and went up and stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes.

[P] He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.”

So, he called her.

And when she came in to him, he said, [P] “Take up your son.”

Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, (again she worshipped) [P] and she took up her son and went out.]

There is the story: God miraculously gave a woman a son.

It was from God, was it not?

Then the boy dies!

Now, I am not in the least minimizing the tragedy that this was.

This was undoubtedly a great crisis.

But, if God gave the son, as He most patently did; will His work just come to nothing, be for nothing?! Did יהוה start something that He was unable to finish, was He unable to maintain the boy’s life?! Unthinkable!

He who started a work will bring it to completion!

Yet, as soon as things start to turn belly-up we cry out in despair, give up, blame God, get discouraged.

We are all familiar with the story of the Israelites coming out of Egypt and journeying through the wilderness to the Promised Land.

And they had their share of crises: they ran out of food, they ran out of water, the Egyptians pursued them, had them trapped by the sea; enemies attacked them, the land was full of giants.

Every time there was a crisis they would blame Moses, blame God, say, “Why did יהוה bring us to die in the desert?

Let us go back to Egypt where life was good – the leeks, the onions!”

Perhaps there were some Welsh amongst them!

Remember how good life was in Egypt!

They FORGOT!

Forgot the slavery, the oppression, the misery; they forgot that יהוה had delivered them with a series of unprecedented miracles, had almighty power, had never let them down.

Yes, there had been crises, but He always brought them through.

Did He bring them out of Israel with a mighty hand just to let them die in the desert?! Was יהוה incapable of finishing what He started?!

This thought was a blot on His Name; and it was the basis of Moses intercession on their behalf when they rebelled and יהוה was going to destroy them: [Numbers 14:15–16 “Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say, ‘Because יהוה could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’]

It would be a slight on יהוה’s Name and reputation and honour.

יהוה would finish what He began.

I have told you about my sister and her sewing projects – she was all fired up with enthusiasm but soon lost interest and had all these half-finished dresses in the bottom of the sewing box.

God finishes what He starts.

Jesus is the Author and Finisher!

[Hebrews 12:1–2 Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.]

In stark contrast is Abraham.

Like this woman, his wife gave birth to a miracle son.

Then יהוה told Abraham to sacrifice him!

But God said that his offspring would be through Isaac; and Abraham believed that what יהוה said He would do.

He would finish the work He set out on.

Thus, Abraham believed that if he sacrificed Isaac, then יהוה would raise him from the dead!

Such was Abraham’s faith: [Hebrews 11:17–19 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, and the one who received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, with reference to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants will be named,” having reasoned that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol.]

Abraham believed that He who began a good work would be faithful to complete it.

This: depending upon God to finish what He started, preserves faith when things look like they are going irretrievably wrong.

It keeps our eyes on God, not the crisis of our situation.

So, let’s have a look at the response to this crisis that struck.

It is a long passage, but let’s just pick out a few points, verse by verse.

Here was this happy family, with a miracle son, a special gift from God; undoubtedly, he was extremely precious to his parents.

Then tragedy struck – he got ill.

His parents were concerned, the dad sent him to his mum, his mum nursed him – but it did no good!

He died! [P] Human care was not enough.

Human care and compassion are wonderful and good; and I am sure they were very great with these parents.

But there are times when it is not enough.

You can receive the dreaded news that your spouse has a terminal disease – no matter how much you love them, it cannot change the condition.

I am not belittling human care but there are times when it just isn’t enough.

What could the Shunamite do? [P] There was nothing more to be done, the boy was dead!

It was the end.

But was it?

You notice that she didn’t lie him on his own bed (v.21) but on the man of God’s bed – Elisha represented God.