The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 51

great a mother's love I The father is sought in the hour of play ; the mother's knee is the piece in sio~css. A~ noon the child dies. 3. The child dead, (1) It is not :m unexampled thing for children to be taken away as suddenly and pathetically ns this Shunamm1te's son was. Many a parent's bleediug heart can tell of similar wounds. The s1!1f~ring an~ death of little children is one of the " dark things" of Providence. Often 1t 1s the brightest and most promising that is taken, and the removal is sometimes as sharp, startling, and unloo½ed-for as in the case_ here described. Yesterday, nay, at morn, the mother had her child by her, happy, winsome, full of mirth and frolic; at noon he 1s snatched from her embrace for ever. (2) 'l'he special mystery in the case of this Shunammite's son is that he was a child of promise. Had not God given her this son-given him without her seeking-and how could he now, without manifest injustice, snatch him away from her again in this ruthless manner? Was there not, in this way of dealing, a breaking of promise with her, something arbitrary, capricious, unfair? So to her wild, whirling thoughts, it may have seemed. God's ways are, in truth, often very mysterious. Yet in the present instance may not the very fondness of these doting parents for their child help to explain something of the darkness of God's dealing with them ? God never binds himself to an unconditional continuance of our blessings. There was danger, just because this child was held so dear, of the parents' centring all in it-forgetting, in their feeling of the security of their possession, that the gift still hung on the will of the Giver. To recall them to a sense of their dependence, or, if this is rejected, then, as in Abraham's case, to perfect the faith of this Shunammite through trial, the gift is for the time withdrawn. (3) The child is dead, and with almost unnatural composure, the stricken mother rises from her seat, bears the child's body aloft to the prophet's chamber, lays it on the bed, and goes out, locking the door behind her. She tells neither servants, husband, nor any one else, of what has happened. Her husband was still in the field, and she must have put off any inquiries he made with evasive answers. A great mystery hung over this unlooked-fol' bereavement, and as only the prophet can solve that mystery, to the prophet she will go. II. 'l'HE JOURNEY TO CARMEL. 1. On the way. (1) The lady sends to her husband for an ass, and a young man to accompany her, that she may "run " to the prophet, and come a'.':ain. Sbe gives no explanation, for in her heart she no doubt cherished hope tLa• her mission would not be in vain. She clung to the promise of God (cf. Heb. :x.i. 17-19). In the hour of trouble, nothing lightens the gloom like a promise to hold by. (2) The husband's surprised question, " Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-<iay? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath," shows that it was Elisha's custom to hold religions assemblies on the sabbath days, to which the gPdly in Israel resorted. This is an interesting side light on the practice of the time. Weekly assemblies were not provided for in the Law, but where love to God is in the heart, it needs no law to bring believers together (Mai. iii. 16). (3) The journey was °;Jade in has_te. " S)acken not the riding." Such errands brooked no delay. When one 1s earnest m pressmg for a blessing, no obstacles will be allowed to stand in the way. Neither in service of God,in seeking blessing from God, nor in pursuit of holiness, should we be tempted to" slacken" our endeavours (PhiL iii 13, 14). 2. Meeting Gehazi. From afar, from his dwelling on Carmel, Elisha saw the hard riding of the lady whom he recognized as the Shunam- mite. With an instant presentiment that something was wrong-though nothing had been revealed to •him .(ver. 27}-he bade Gehazi hasten, and inquire concerning herself, her husband, and her child, if it were "peace." To him, however, she was in no wise minded to open up her heart. She but curtly replied, as she had before done to her husband (ver. 23), "It is peace." With all her deep affliction, she bad not surrendered faith. She felt that God was trying her, but though "faith nnd form " were sundered in the night of fear she had courage to believe that it would yet be "well." Her comfort was not in the well-being of her child with God, but in the hope that he would be restored to her. With the new light the gospel has given, Christians can say of their dear lost children," It is well," though they have no hope of beholding them again on earth (see sermons and pieces in Logan's 'Words of Comfort;• especially i.ermon by C. H. Spurgeon on this t.ext, 'Infant Salvation,' p. 117, 9th edit.). 8. At Elisha's ftet. (1) Arriv~ iD: the pro~het'e prese~ce, t_he bere~ved mo!h~r cast, herself in mute grief and supplicat10n at his feet. With singular mappreciat1on 0f ihe dclil:acy of the situation, Gehazi approached to thrust her away. But Eliuha  OR, IV, 1-44,] 'l'HE SECUND BOOK OF 'l'HE KINGS. 89