I want to share three stories with you this morning. The first one has to do with following orders.
2Kings 4:1 ¶ Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
2Kings 4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
This seems to be a law, you have to start with something. We can transmute or multiply, but we can’t do it from scratch. We can call for what is not yet manifest but we must do it from the circumstance in which we find ourself. Water to wine, feed 5000 loaves and fishes, oil that burned a week, we see examples all over scripture
2Kings 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
Can you imagine what her neighbors would have been saying? They knew the situation she was in, borrow vessels?
2Kings 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
Now this sounds like crazy talk. Would you have had the faith to do as she did? Would you have gone out and borrowed vessel and started pouring the oil out of the one opt you had into them? Or would you ahem thrown your hands up in despair?
2Kings 4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
2Kings 4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
2Kings 4:7 Then she
2Kings 4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
2Kings 4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
We all know how important this was in that culture - the elderly depended on their children for care at the ends of their lives.
2Kings 4:15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
2Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.
Notice the similarity here to our opening in the parsha this morning
Gen. 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
I am not sure why the translators miss this - at this Holy Day (appointed time - moed) in the spring (time of life - or when life revives) - Isaac would appear to have been born on the Passover or the First Day of Unleavened Bread and it would appear that the son of the Shunamite woman was as well.
And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
2Kings 4:17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
2Kings 4:18 ¶ And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
2Kings 4:19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
2Kings 4:20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
2Kings 4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
2Kings 4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
2Kings 4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
Imagine that - your son has just died in your arms and you don’t tell your husband, instead you say - it shall be well. This is a statement of faith and belief. This woman is exercising a powerful measure of faith. She understands that her words have power and she is using them to call for life again.
2Kings 4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
2Kings 4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
2Kings 4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
Second witness, it is well.
2Kings 4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
2Kings 4:28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
Now Elisha knew what had happened.
2Kings 4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
His staff is a point of contact - like the laying on of hands
2Kings 4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
2Kings 4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
2Kings 4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
2Kings 4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
2Kings 4:34 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.
Actually the Hebrew reads Elisha warmed him.
2Kings 4:35 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.
Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
2Kings 4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
2Kings 4:37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
We see here that the Shunamite woman did not negate her faith by her speaking. She did not report “the facts” she proclaimed what she wanted “All is well”
***
Jairus (Matthew 9:18-25, Luke 8:41-56)
Mark 5:21 ¶ And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
Mark 5:22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
2383. ∆Ia¿eiroß Iaeiros, ee-ah´-i-ros; of Hebrew origin (H2971); Jairus (i.e. Jair), an Israelite: — Jairus.
2971. ryIaÎy Ya}iyr, yaw-ere´; from 215; enlightener; Jair, the name of four Israelites:—Jair.
Mark 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Mark 5:24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
***** inset here the cure of the Woman with the issue of blood *****
Mark 5:25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
Probably a vaginal hemorrhage, thus rendering her unclean. She was taking a great risk being out in public and being in the proximity of the Nasi of the Synogogue, he could have her stoned.
Old-time manners about a woman extending her hand in social settings.
Mark 5:26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
Mark 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
Mark 5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
They went through the crowds - the woman with the issue of blood grabs the tzitzit of His garment and she is healed - she had already made her faith statement, and laid on her hands.
Mark 5:29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
Mark 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
Through her touch of faith - the virtue flowed out of Him. That’s the power in the Laying on of Hands! (Talk about the virtue feeling during healings)
Mark 5:31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Mark 5:32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
Mark 5:33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Her faith made her whole - His virtue (power of God) flowed out to her
There was Testimony service thereafter
Why did this happen to Jairus? What was he thinking? What was his lesson? (stop and talked a long time, Runner brings bad news and Yeshua tells him to have faith and believe . . . they continue on
Mark 5:35 ¶ While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
Mark 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
Yeshua speaks a warning to Jairus before he can make a statement of unbelief. Yeshua knows that he could speak himself into doubt and then Jesus would not be able to heal her.
Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
Mark 5:37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
Mark 5:38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
Mark 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
(The wife had already employed professional mourners [flute players, those wailing] as was the custom)
Mark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
(the greek implies that He threw them out by force)
Mark 5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
Mark 5:42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Luke 8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
Commonality of these three stories: The recipient (or parent) spoke the word of faith (what they wanted to happen); they had a point of contact (staff, tzitziot, touch), they did not allow fear to come out of their mouths (which would have negated their belief)
Moral of these three stories: Don’t let your saying negate your praying.