How does 2 Kings 4:20 demonstrate the importance of parental faith in crises? Introducing the scene 2 Kings 4 tells of the Shunammite woman whose once-barren womb was blessed with a son through Elisha’s promise. Verse 20 records the crisis: “When he had picked him up and brought him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then died”. A child dies in his mother’s arms—nothing feels more final or heartbreaking. Yet the chapter shows parental faith that refuses to surrender to despair. What the crisis reveals • Immediate tragedy: the child’s last breath occurs while resting on his mother’s knees—she is fully aware of the loss. • No recorded outburst of panic or accusation; the mother does not collapse inward but moves outward in deliberate faith-actions (vv. 21-24). • Her response pushes the narrative forward toward miraculous resurrection (vv. 32-37), underscoring that how parents react in the first moments of crisis sets a trajectory for what follows. Marks of parental faith in the Shunammite mother 1. Action over paralysis – She carries her son to “the bed of the man of God” and shuts the door (v. 21). – Symbolically places the dead boy where God’s word had been spoken, signaling expectation of God’s continued involvement. 2. Pursuit of godly counsel – Without delay she saddles a donkey and heads for Elisha (v. 24), mirroring Psalm 121:1-2—“My help comes from the LORD.” – She does not broadcast the crisis to neighbors; she seeks the source of divine promise. 3. Refusal to voice unbelief – To her husband she says, “Everything is all right” (v. 23), not denial but determination to guard her tongue (Proverbs 18:21). – Similar restraint is urged in Mark 5:36 where Jesus tells Jairus, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 4. Tenacious confidence in God’s word – She reminds Elisha, “Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” (v. 28), anchoring on the prophet’s original promise. – Hebrews 11:35 notes women who “received back their dead, raised to life again,” linking her faith to the great cloud of witnesses. Why her example matters for parents today • Children’s crises become proving grounds for our theology; what we truly believe surfaces under pressure (Psalm 112:7). • Faith-filled parents become conduits of grace for their household, imparting courage rather than fear (Proverbs 14:26). • Parental faith invites divine intervention—God honors trust that clings to His revealed promises (Philippians 4:6-7). • The narrative assures that even when circumstances look irreparable, God’s resurrecting power remains available (Romans 4:17). Key takeaways • 2 Kings 4:20 highlights not just a child’s death but a mother’s decision to trust instead of despair. • Parental faith in crisis actively seeks God, speaks hope, and stakes everything on His prior word. • Such faith becomes the hinge on which miraculous deliverance can swing, pointing families—and observers—to the living God who still raises the dead. |
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