2 Kings 4:18-37
One morning a little boy of Israel went to the harvest field, where his father and the helpers were cutting and binding the grain. to watch them at the work, as all children like to do. But suddenly he began to cry with pain, and said to his father, “My head, my head!” Hot sunshine on the head sometimes quickly causes a most serious illness, for either children or grown people, and perhaps was the cause of this child’s sudden pain.
The father at once called a helper to carry the child to his mother. She must have done all she could for him, and held him tenderly; but the little boy grew worse, and at noon time, died. We are not told the name of this boy, but his mother was the kind lady who had furnished the room for Elisha. Now she carried her child to that room, and gently laid him on the bed. At that time Elisha was at Mt. Carmel, several miles away.
The lady called to her husband to have a servant make ready for her to ride quickly to Elisha; she seems to have had such trust that the child should live again, that she did not tell the father the sorrow, but said, “it shall he well”.
Elisha saw the lady riding up the hill toward him, and he felt that it was because of some trouble, so kindly sent his helper to meet her and ask if all were well. When she came to Elisha and he learned that her child had died, he gave his staff to his helper and told him to go quickly and place it on the child to waken him. The servant went quickly, but the lady would not return except Elisha went also.
The staff of Elisha did not waken the child from his sleep of death. But when Elisha came to the room, he prayed alone to God; Ins prayer was answered; life came again to the child; his body became warm; he sneezed and opened his eyes.
Then Elisha called for the mother; she came and bowed down in thanks for this great mercy; then carried her boy outside, and we know he lived many years after this, and we read of him again. How well the mother was rewarded for her trust in the Lord!
If death is in our home, we cannot go to Elisha, yet if we believe the promises of God, we can say, “It is peace”. For, “God hath both raised up the Lord (Jesus), and will also raise us up by His own power.” 1 Cor. 6:14.
But not to live for awhile again on earth as the little boy, lint to live forever in heaven. And we are told to comfort one another in sorrow by God’s promise that at the call of the Lord Jesus from the clouds, all the bodies of those who have believed in Him shall be raised from the sleep of death (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
ML 05/28/1939