What role does faith play in Elisha's miracle in 2 Kings 4:35? Setting the scene • 2 Kings 4 recounts the Shunammite woman’s child, miraculously promised and born (vv. 16-17), now lying dead (v. 32). • Elisha enters the upper room; he has already prayed and stretched himself over the boy once (v. 34). • Verse 35: “Elisha turned away and paced back and forth across the room. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy once more. And the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.” Observing faith in the narrative • No hint of doubt: Elisha acts as though resurrection is certain. • The Shunammite refuses any resignation; she declares, “It is well” (v. 23), displaying confidence in God’s power before she sees it. • Both prophet and mother treat God’s promise as fact (cf. Romans 4:20-21). Elisha’s faith in action • Persistent intercession: pacing the room signals continued communion with God, not agitation. • Prophetic obedience: he repeats exactly what the Spirit prompts, mirroring Elijah’s precedent (1 Kings 17:21-22). • Physical symbolism: lying on the boy identifies with the need, trusting God to transmit life (cf. Acts 20:10). • Expectant patience: the seven sneezes mark completeness; Elisha waits until full restoration, not partial. The mother’s faith • She saddles a donkey immediately, pursuing the prophet despite her husband’s questions (vv. 22-24). • Her words “It is well” (Hebrew shalom) reveal settled trust, not denial. • She clings to Elisha’s feet (v. 27), refusing to leave until God acts—echo of Jacob’s “I will not let You go unless You bless me” (Genesis 32:26). God’s response to faith • Hebrews 11:35 alludes: “Women received back their dead, raised to life again.” • James 5:15: “the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick.” • Mark 9:23 affirms the principle: “Everything is possible for one who believes.” • The miracle validates God’s word through His prophet and strengthens covenant faith. Lessons for believers today • Faith perseveres—keep praying, pacing, believing even when nothing changes immediately (Luke 18:1). • Faith acts—take concrete steps that align with God’s promises (James 2:17). • Faith speaks—declare God’s sufficiency before evidence arrives (“It is well”). • Faith partners—God invites human participation; He supplies power, we supply trust. Elisha’s miracle in 2 Kings 4:35 showcases faith as the conduit through which divine life flows: unwavering confidence in God’s word, expressed through persistent prayer, obedient action, and steadfast expectation. |
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