Please forgive me because I know this is long, but I don’t know how to condense this without removing important points. 2 Kings 4:29-35 He said to Gehazi, Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child. (30) Then the mother of the child said, As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So he arose and followed her. (31) Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, The child has not awakened. (32) When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. (33) So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. (34) Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. (35) Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. An amazing miracle here indeed but I want to point out two things. We see a wooden staff with no power, and a prophet who came and was able to give life to that which was dead. I am someone that believes that the message of the Gospel is spoken of continually in Scripture, and that God has woven the message of the Gospel into the Bible from Genesis 1 through the New Testament. Immediately in Genesis 1 we see that there was darkness, then there was separation, and then on the third day life sprung forth. In Genesis 2:21 we see the Gospel portrayed when Adam fell into a deep sleep, his side was opened, and life came forth. In Genesis 3:21 we see a picture of atonement and the “covering” by the death of the animal that God sacrificed. Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves with fig leaves (as mankind does yet today) but it did not cover their shame and their sin. The first recorded death in Scripture was a sacrifice meant to cover the sins of fallen man. So with this in mind you ought not find it a surprise that I believe that the story of Elisha and this little boy is more than just an amazing account of a prophet raising someone from the dead but it’s part of a much bigger story and account of God’s plan to restore a fallen world through the death of His son. The story is about Jesus and His ability to raise the dead to life. John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. Jesus is LIFE. For this little boy who died the prophet brought life and for every person here today the source of life for us is found in Jesus Christ, and its only found in Him. (33) So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. I want you to come with me and enter into that room where that lifeless body was laying….. but instead of seeing this precious little boy I want you to see yourself lying on that bed. And its not Elisha who comes in; its Jesus who enters the room. He shuts the door behind the two of you as it says in verse 33 signifying that He needs no help from anyone to bring you back to life. Its just you and Jesus in the room but remember that you are not totally alone. According to verse 31 what else is there in the room? (31) Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, Do you see it? There was a wooden staff between the dead and the living, and it says nothing of Elisha removing it before he laid down on the body. Every word in the Bible is there for a reason and in my opinion it was not a coincidence that this detail was recorded because it is such a beautiful picture of the spiritual life that comes to us through Christ. When the Giver of Life entered our room ( our “tomb”) there was something between us and Him, and to get to you He had to go through the wood. Sandwiched between us; the dead, and the One who is Life…… was the wood. Colossians 2:13-14 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, (14) by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Last observation from verse 34: (34) Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. If you could have a birds eye view of this scene, youd see the imagery of the Cross. When Elisha stretched himself out on the body of this child life returned to his body, and when Jesus stretched out his arms on a Cross He brought life to you, forgave your sins, cancelling your debt. My challenge for you is to walk through today as if that MEANS something to you. Live as one who understands and realizes the death you’ve been delivered from, and the life you’ve been rescued to through the merciful, loving outstretched Hands of Jesus Christ. You are loved! Shon
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 07:18:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015