2 Kings 4:35
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to skim over the repeated action of Elisha walking, but his careful pacing suggests he wasn't just randomly trying things. This deliberate, repeated posture highlights his persistent prayer and reliance on God's power, not just a magical incantation. The "seven times" sneeze, a number often signifying completeness or divine perfection in Scripture, points to the fullness of God's miraculous restoration being at work.
Elisha has just prayed for the Shunammite woman's son to be brought back to life after he died. After an initial attempt that seemed to fail, Elisha doubles down on his prayer and then performs the same action again. This deliberate repetition, following the divine prompting and the physical contact, leads to the miraculous revival of the child.
Elisha's first attempt to raise the child didn't work. Imagine the pressure! What do you do when your prayer doesn't get an immediate 'yes'?
When God's Power Needs a Second Push
Elisha the prophet was called to raise a Shunammite woman's son back to life. His initial prayer, stretching himself upon the child, didn't immediately bring the boy back. It would have been easy to give up, to think the miracle was impossible. But Elisha didn't.
A Prophet's Resolve
He got up, walked around, and then – crucially – he did it again. He stretched himself upon the child a second time. This wasn't a lack of faith; it was persistence. It was a determined effort to see God’s power at work, even when the first attempt seemed fruitless. Sometimes, our spiritual journey requires us to press on, to seek God again and again, believing He can and will act.
Seven sneezes? That's a strange sign of resurrection! Why would God work in such a peculiar way?
The Breath of Life Returns
The moment of revival wasn't a dramatic roar or a sudden sitting up. It was subtler: 'The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.' These weren't just random bodily functions; they were signs of life returning, a powerful confirmation of God's work.
Signs of Restoration
God's power doesn't always conform to our expectations. He brought this child back to life through a process that, while miraculous, had earthly signs. It reminds us that God can work through the ordinary and the unexpected to bring about His extraordinary purposes. The key is to recognize His power when it appears, even in its less dramatic forms.
This miracle occurs during a period of significant prophetic activity and shifting political landscapes in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, underscoring God's power amidst earthly turmoil.
c. 870 BC
Reign of King Ahab
The prophet Elijah, who performed a similar resurrection, was active during the tumultuous reign of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.
c. 860 BC
Prophet Elijah's Ministry
Elijah raises the widow of Zarephath's son, a powerful precedent for Elisha's miracle. This event likely occurred before Elisha's own ministry.
c. 848 BC
Elisha Becomes Prophet
Elisha, Elijah's successor, begins his prophetic ministry, characterized by many miracles, including this resurrection.
c. 845 BC— this verse
Elisha and the Shunammite Woman
Elisha stays with a hospitable Shunammite woman who later has a son. The prophet is alerted to the child's death and travels to revive him.
c. 844 BC
This passage shows Elijah performing a similar act of stretching himself upon a child who had died, demonstrating a pattern of God using His prophets to bring life back through physical contact and prayer.
John 11:43Jesus' powerful call to Lazarus, 'Lazarus, come out,' echoes the divine authority behind the miracle in 2 Kings, showing God's ultimate power over death, whether through prophetic intercession or His own Son.
Luke 7:14Jesus' touch and command to the widow's son, 'Young man, I say to you, arise,' mirrors the pattern of a divine messenger directly confronting death and restoring life, highlighting God's compassionate intervention.
Acts 20:9This passage describes Eutychus falling down from a window and being raised to life after Paul embraced him, illustrating another instance where a prophet's extended physical contact was part of God's restorative power.
It's easy to skim over the repeated action of Elisha walking, but his careful pacing suggests he wasn't just randomly trying things. This deliberate, repeated posture highlights his persistent prayer and reliance on God's power, not just a magical incantation. The "seven times" sneeze, a number often signifying completeness or divine perfection in Scripture, points to the fullness of God's miraculous restoration being at work.
Elisha has just prayed for the Shunammite woman's son to be brought back to life after he died. After an initial attempt that seemed to fail, Elisha doubles down on his prayer and then performs the same action again. This deliberate repetition, following the divine prompting and the physical contact, leads to the miraculous revival of the child.
Elisha has just prayed for the Shunammite woman's son to be brought back to life after he died. After an initial attempt that seemed to fail, Elisha doubles down on his prayer and then performs the same action again. This deliberate repetition, following the divine prompting and the physical contact, leads to the miraculous revival of the child.
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Syrian Raids Begin
Following Elisha's ministry, the region experienced increased conflict with Syria, impacting the lives of Israelites.
"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." — It's easy to skim over the repeated action of Elisha walking, but his careful pacing suggests he wasn't just randomly trying things. This deliberate, repeated posture highlights his persistent prayer…
