2 Kings 4:32-35 KJV [32] And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. [33] He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. [34] And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. [35] Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. …
What an interesting story we have here of the Lord using Elisha to raise a young child from the dead. Elisha was familiar with this child having prophesied his birth years prior to the child’s mother he seems to have had an affection for the family, having stayed in their home during his travels, and the mother trusted that this man of the Lord could help her son who had just died.
In verse 33 it tells us that he shut the door to the room so it was just him and the boy. This must’ve been hard for the mother. We are all too familiar with a mothers love for her child especially in times of sickness and tragedy. God has created mothers with such a nurturing and loving spirit. Mothers always seem to know what to do to comfort their child even if it is just to hold them close and reassure them. Elisha knew that this situation was beyond even a mother’s ability. It says that he prayed to the Lord. We know without a doubt that the Lord heard Elishas prayer, as he does ours.
Elisha then does what seems to be a strange thing. He lays upon the dead child in a rather intimate fashion with his mouth on the boys mouth and his eyes and hands locked in with the boys’ eyes and hands. We see other places in the Bible where a similar practice was used. First with Elijah, but Paul also embraced a young man who had fallen from a third story window to his death. Both cases resulted in the reviving of the decedent.
This intimate maneuver is not by chance. When we are dead in our sins and trespasses as Paul writes, and are quickened or made alive again with Christ, we are then raised up with Christ to sit in heavenly places. It is because we have a God who desires that we know Him. Not just to know OF him, but that word “know” means so much more. To have a relationship with him, and to lean wholly on him as we journey through this life.
When we see Elisha with his arms spread and his hands upon the boys hands, We see Christ on the cross with his hands spread Wanting us to grasp those nail pierced hands and to feel the warmth of his love. And he doesn’t give up on us. Even if we feel that love and yet don’t respond, he continues to come back. The story shows that Elisha didn’t leave, but rather was patient. God is patient with us and willing us to open our eyes and look solely on him who has reconciled us from the dead.
Hans
Submitted by Pastor Stan
Comentários