Listen up, little ones
Listen for the words her and she and son.
Reading
2 Kings 4:8-37—Great Joy, Great Grief, Great Joy
Keys for kids
- Elisha was given food and a room to stay in.
- Elisha prayed and this woman was given a son.
- Elisha prayed and this woman’s son was raised back to life.
Questions
- Why did the woman and her husband build a room for Elisha?
- Did the woman ask for a son? Explain.
- How did the dead son get raised back to life?
Notes
As Elisha was traveling, a woman from Shunem began showing great hospitality to him. She provided food for him and encouraged her husband to build a room for him so that he could stay when traveling.
This idea of a prophet’s chamber continues to this day. As Morris notes, this sparsely furnished little room, built by a kindly woman and her elderly husband, was the prototype of all the so-called "prophet's chambers" that have been built for traveling teachers and evangelists ever since. Though I am neither a prophet nor a son of a prophet, I have stayed in various prophet’s chambers in my life.
In thanks for the woman’s kindness, Elisha seeks God’s favor for the woman to have a son. And she does—great joy! However, when still a boy working with his father, the boy falls severely sick and dies—great grief! She goes to Elisha in her grief, and he follows her to the house where the boy lies dead in Elisha’s bed. Elisha prays to Yahweh, the God who gives life. He then stretches out on the child and the boy is brought back to life—great joy!
Inrig comments that no explanation is given for some of these actions or why there were seven sneezes. But the miracle was not the result of Elisha’s technique; it happened because of God’s intervention. Our God can indeed do great things!
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 113a, 133a
Prayer
- Give thanks to God that he can do great things.
- Pray for the hearing of God’s word preached this Sunday.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.