Chapter 4 Don't you just love miracles?! The widow woman had been left a large amount of debt from her dying husband. The law was that if you had debt, then the people you owed money to could legally come and take property and children in order to make up for the debt. But in walks Elisha. He couldn't change the law but he could help the woman out. She was to ask neighbors for some empty jars and Elisha performs a miracle, liking to those even of Jesus, by giving her an abundant amount of oil. Elisha told her to sell the oil to have enough money to pay off her debt.
The second miracle in this chapter is the Shunammite's son who was restored to life.She was surprised to hear that this time next year she would be holding a boy in her arms. As he grew he became sick and he died in his mother's arms and she laid him on the bed of Elisha, who she was being very hospitable to without expecting anything in return. Elisha's servant, Gehazi, is sent to greet her and eventually laid the staff on the boy's face, but it didn't "awaken" him and they went to get Elisha. Mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands and Elisha warmed up the boy and he comes back to life after sneezing 7 times and he opened his eyes.
Chapter 5 So here's Naaman, the boss the military army of the Arameans. Naaman has a terrible skin disease and this carries a social stigma with it and is even associated with death. Elisha gives Naaman a task to do (like on the Amazing Race?!) and he is angry and wasn't going to do the dipping in the river that Naaman suggested. The servants convinced him to go and do it and he had to leave his own country to go down to the waters of Israel!! His greatness and pride about got in the way of his healing and health. He is healed and God gets the victory!!
Give God the victory for YOUR healing and good health!!! Give God the victory. Period. :)
Tomorrow : chapters 6-8
From my Bible--Life Application Topic...Speaking for God. So many strong words, so many miraculous acts leave one dizzy with wonder. Elisha demonstrates the connection between what he knows and what he can do. Would that our words could lead to such wonders also. We probably have more confidence in our thoughts that in any kind of wondrous deeds. Yet, to fail to trust what God can do in even the most mundane places through the most ordinary people is to deny possibility. We may not be Elisha, but we are agents through whom God's truth and power can be revealed or impeded.
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