Ezekiel 20:18-26 ~ a sign between us

Gate of Ishtar, during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar - now found in the Berlin Museum

Ezekiel 20:18-26 (New International Version)

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¹⁸ I said to their children in the desert, "Do not follow the statutes of your fathers or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols. ¹⁹ I am the LORD your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. ²⁰ Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God."

²¹ " 'But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws—although the man who obeys them will live by them—and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the desert. ²² But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³ Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the desert that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, ²⁴ because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their fathers' idols. ²⁵ I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and laws they could not live by; ²⁶ I let them become defiled through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn —that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the LORD.'

The book of Ezekiel - Ezekiel is a priest of Judah, in slave captivity in Babylon, during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel is raised from priest to prophet as he explains why God has turned aside from His promises to Israel.

As they traveled away from Jerusalem, they crossed a vast desert. Children of Israel knew about desert, the Judean desert is part of Israel. Not only was Israel a land of milk and honey, but areas of desert - these are used to depict how barren a relationship can become with God.

God has never asked the Children of Israel to provide Him with child sacrifice. The people speaking with Ezekiel are asking why God's promises to them have failed. These are the same people who have practiced child sacrifice on altars for Baal up on the hilltops, a sacrifice made for financial hopes.

When we think of what God asks of us:

The nature of the Lord Most High. He is for everyone. He is worthy to be praised.
He isn't about Black-eyed Peas, don't step on a crack, wear a little bracelet with knots tied in it so many days, pray in this exact fashion, eat this diet, or wear your hair like this.

He does not ask you to sit up straight. He does not ask you to refrain from alcohol. He does not ask you not to dance. He does not ask you not to chew gum. He is not partial to one skin type or one color. He is not partial to one class over another. He does not say cleanliness is next to Him. He does not say that if you pay attention to Him at least once a week, He is pleased. God seeks a relationship with you. And asks time of you on the Sabbath. He does not ask you to seek wealth. He is more fond of wisdom and kindness.

Father God seeks you. Father God does not expect you to save yourself. He doesn't just put you off until eternity, He is part of this life. He wants your love and trust. He is for you. He chose to create you. He is about love, wisdom, loyalty, forgiveness and eternity.

The remnant would return to God's promises. The Scriptures are unique, held by and preserved by a conquered people returning from slavery to freedom; they understand, as returning people, they have earned God's judgement. History is usually written by the conquerors to whitewash any wrong, the children of God admit error and love the Lord for providing the reconciliation.

1 John 4:19
We love because he first loved us

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2 Timothy 4 ~ in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction

2 Timothy 4 ~ (New International Version)

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¹ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ² Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵ But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

⁹ Do your best to come to me quickly, ¹⁰ for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. ¹² I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

¹⁴ Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. ¹⁵ You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

¹⁶ At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹ Greet Priscilla [Prisca] and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. ²¹ Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

In this analogy (spoken in English with Spanish subtitles), blessings of God are represented as a Coca-Cola. I shudder to realize how many times I act like this to the Lord.

How are you?

I'm fine, thank you; how are you?

Fine, thanks!

Another sunny day.

Paul isn't fine today.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ² Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Paul takes time to tell Timothy, it is wearing him down. Just as Jesus felt desertion, Paul feels it today, in this letter. Paul is his own example today of being God's Kingdom out of season. Notice the steps Paul takes to throw off his feelings of being downcast. He acknowledges his weariness to a brother in Christ. Someone he trusts. Paul asks for help, forgives the people who left him. Paul gives himself credit for his work and puts himself forward as a worker for the Lord. Most importantly, Paul puts his trust and faith in the Lord.


John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Let's end today with the words of the Holy Spirit breathed out by Paul:

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.





Jesus is my Rock, Reverend Gerald Thompson

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Luke 12:13-31 ~ Instead, seek His Kingdom, and these things will be added to you

Luke 12:13-31

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13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters ] 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [Consider the lilies; they neither spin nor weave] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his [God's] kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

Money, anxiety, prosperity, our fair share, all the things people spent vast resources to learn more about. It's all in God's hands.

The county I live in is sometimes called "The Bubble". We have great numbers in the census, monetarily. We are predominately one party at the voting polls. We have exceptional public schools where the kids graduate and go all over the United States to fine, fine universities. Low crime. The population is probably going to double in the next 5 years. We have large, two story houses, sometimes with 4 or more living areas. Our largest businesses are home improvement places. We have one of the highest suicide rates in Texas, some say it is high for all the United States.

One's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Primarily the suicide rate is high because the drug rate is about 50% of the High Schoolers. Sure it would be the milder drugs. This is probably echoed in adult substance abuse. Why do people misuse substances, use the mild or the addictive drugs? I wanted to know. The comedian, Robin Williams, says cocaine is God's way of telling us we have too much money. The information used by Alcoholic's Anonymous is a book called "Children Beyond the Yellow Brick Road." It says substances abuse is an immediate cure for feeling better. Drug use creates new friends, doing something 'cool', the high eases loneliness, makes people feel brave for doing something rebellious, lawbreaking, skating the edge. Nerds feel accepted. Cowardly feel brave. Lonely has new friends. Anxious feels soothed. Unfortunately, it is a false picture. False hope.

I've been privileged, recently, to have teenage friend in my life decide to turn her life around through an AA program. She credits her new faith in the Lord for her wholeness. She has stepped out at the age of 14 to pursue a life of wellness. She not only attends the youth programs, but she attends the adult programs. I've seen her so encouraged by much older women stopping, outside of meetings, to encourage her and praise her for making a choice to be well. God has blessed her, in each of her steps. The honesty of the teen conversations is amazingly truthful and supportive.

When I look at the passage, coming from a background of openly cynical Christians, I can see and remember in my childhood the scoffing over this passage. But it isn't false, it is real. I had two grandmothers. One was the widow's mite, giving her two pennies. People in my family have said this grandmother was cursed with bad luck. The other grandmother lived in an Antebellum house of her dreams. Both women were loving, loving, good Grandmothers. Only one grandmother was truly happy, the widow's mite grandmother. The paint stayed on her house only by the grace of God, but her house held up beyond her life. It might not have been a grand house, but it held a grateful, prayerful woman of God.

The most important word in this passage would be 'Instead' seek His Kingdom. These are that attitudes, beloved of God. It is the press of the physical straining against the soul to maintain the real truth of these two paragraphs. When you consider Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses it seems easier to grasp than rely upon God for our needs, rely upon God to worry for us. Yet the people who decide to trust the Lord, experience His peace.


Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.

Isaiah 41:10
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Samuel 1:17
Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

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Isaiah 2:1-5 ~ Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways

Isaiah 2:1-5 ~ (New International Version)

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¹ This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

² In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.

³ Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

⁴ He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

⁵ Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Oh, it is Beautiful.

Something is required. We must direct our path to the LORD. It our choice, each day.

What are the benefits of the LORD? Walking His paths, peace is pervasive. Disputes are settled before they become heart sores. We will plant and reap.

Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

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Luke 13:22-30 ~ Master of the House

Luke 13:22-30

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22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’

28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

There are days when the Scripture Reading - chosen from a list of places, prayed over and chosen before the passage is known - jumps up at me and there are so many gleeful ideas that it will be difficult to sort it and be coherent. Today! Today!

We'll begin with the reading with etwn.com and the quote for the day:

Concerning God, we cannot grasp what He is, but only what He is not, and how other beings stand in relation to Him. -- St. Thomas Aquinas

God alone is God. St. Thomas Aquinas was thought to be dumb as an ox at the beginning of his years as a Dominican monk. In 1245, Albertus Magnus said, "We call this young man a dumb ox, but his bellowing in doctrine will one day resound throughout the world." Thomas refused to be part of the Archbishop meetings the Pope requested, to continue his writing. After writing for years about how vast, perfect, complete God's nature is in the Trinity, he finally refused to write any more. Thomas was known to experience the ecstasy of God's communion and it was revealed to him God was so much more than Thomas had ever contemplated. On 6 December, 1273, he laid aside his pen and said: "I can do no more. Such secrets have been revealed to me that all I have written now appears to be of little value, my writings are almost like straw."

Don't we lack awe so much of the time in our generation? Surrounded by lights and images floating through the air and forming on our computer, our phones, don't we sometimes forget when we read a passage like Luke 13 how much God is the King?

I am not close to St. Thomas Acquinas in intellect, but live instead with gratitude to know even the great Theologian minds grapple with the grandeur of the Most Magnificent being so loving as to be part of my soul. To care for me, and I am but dust.

When we picture the LORD, don't we indeed have an image in our minds that would be familiar to us?

Look at the art. Thomas argued God was without form, but consider the diversity of Jesus' family. How will He recognize us? This passage, Luke 13 asks this exactly. If we teach in His name, take communion in His Church, how will He recognize us? What would it take to be part of Jesus' family, His Kingdom? Just as a small example of what we know of the Lord, Mitochondrial Eve DNA places the family of God to have origins in East Africa. Perhaps Adam & Eve were created in the image of a Black God. King David, God's anointed is ruddy - a redhead - 1 Samuel 17:41. Revelation 1:14 gives us Jesus having white hair.

Isaiah 53:2
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.


Daniel 7:9
“As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.

Abraham was from Turkey. Jacob is the birthright thief. Judah slept with his daughter-in-law, Tamar, thinking she was a prostitute. Judah admited the greater fault in his own righteousness, in not giving Tamar fulfillment of his word. Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Rahab, the prostitute mentioned generations after she lived, in the Book of Hebrews. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. Boaz, her son, was a wealthy old man, giving compassion to the foreigner, the poor and the elderly. Ruth is from Moab - today's Jordan, in the Bible a descendant of Lot, a child of incest. King David, King Hezekiah, King Josiah - mighty men who followed the Lord. Jesus descended from the slaves held by Nebuchadnezzar.

We worship God Almighty. Diverse. Magnificent. Who says, strive to enter through the narrow door. The Master of the House.

1 John 2:5
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him

Psalm 119:9 ~ King James Bible
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Revelation 3:20-22
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

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Psalm 13 ~ I have trusted

Psalm 13

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How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

A Psalm of David. David doesn't just record the history of the Scriptures or the music, the Psalms record the nature of God. Not just people observing the attributes of the Lord; people who pray and complain to the Most High. A record of hope placed in the hands of Abba.

Today I had the good fortune to go into the city with my Church group who work on the needlepoint kneelers - we are the ladies in the Church who like to work with our hands. We went to see art created by women for one of the larger city Churches.

Our time together today - it was the Good News:

Is there a website for a place to record the blessings of life? There are websites to complain.....

One of the ladies told about being invited to a wedding for a woman who has donated her time helping others put their longed-to-publish manuscripts in the proper format. The bride is 40, scholarly, a published writer, very Christian and has never worried much about romance. Last year, she met the love of her life. It was a first wedding for both bride and groom in their 40s. My friend wept with joy to see her friend wear a crown on her head, in her beautiful, white wedding gown. She is a child of the King. The groom was a one of the most joyful ever seen. If you've read the news, you know a woman over the age of 30 has a greater chance of being struck by lightning than married. Yet this won't be in the papers.

More good news, another life blessing - a minister's wife without life insurance was found to have a malignant, aggressive cancer. People rushed to find, & found, where she could be treated in the public system, for people without insurance. She received excellent care. The nurses who were Christian always went out of their way for her. She has 16 friends, she calls her "Sweet 16". Each day one of the group would bring her a card, or a Starbucks coffee & a visit, a Luby's card for her husband, food for him honoring his diabetic diet, but each day one of the friends filled a basket on her back porch for a good part of that year. She is in remission, waiting to hear she is completely healed. To hear her tell about her cancer, what she says instead is the outpouring of love and care.


Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

We all have times in our lives where we are shaken. Times when we are lonely. In the Lord, in His good time, we are healed.

Psalm 37:23-24
The steps of a man are established by the Lord,when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand

Psalm 34:18
Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.



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Psalm 68:1-6 ~ God shall arise

Psalm 68:1-6

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1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad;
they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy!

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Let God Arise

Semeion, a “sign”, i.e., an evidence of a divine commission; an attestation of a divine message; a token of the presence and working of God; the seal of a higher power.

Matthew 12:39
But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Signs of healing, redemption, faith, believers coming to Jesus. Men who walked away from God's call to pursue their own free will, turn to doing the will of God.

Terata, “wonders;” wonder-causing events; portents; producing astonishment in the beholder

Exodus 11:9
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt."

Exodus 15:11
"Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?Who is like you, majestic in holiness,awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Psalm 136:4
to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever

Acts 16:25-27
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened

Dunameis, “might works;” works of superhuman power

2 Kings 4:1-7

¹ Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves." ²And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil." ³Then he said, "Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. ⁴Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside." ⁵ So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. ⁶When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another." Then the oil stopped flowing. ⁷She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest."


Erga, “works;” the works of Him who is “wonderful in working”

2 Kings 4:8-44

⁸ One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. ⁹And she said to her husband, "Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. ¹⁰Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there."

¹¹One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and rested there. ¹²And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." When he had called her, she stood before him. ¹³And he said to him, "Say now to her, 'See, you have taken all this trouble for us; what is to be done for you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?'" She answered, "I dwell among my own people." ¹⁴And he said, "What then is to be done for her?" Gehazi answered, "Well, she has no son, and her husband is old." ¹⁵He said, "Call her." And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway. ¹⁶And he said, "At this season, about this time next year, you shall embrace a son." And she said, "No, my lord, O man of God; do not lie to your servant." ¹⁷But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time the following spring, as Elisha had said to her.

¹⁸When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. ¹⁹And he said to his father, "Oh,my head, my head!" The father said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother." ²⁰And when he had lifted him and brought him to his mother, the child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. ²¹And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door behind him and went out. ²²Then she called to her husband and said, "Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again." ²³And he said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath." She said, "All is well." ²⁴Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, "Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you." ²⁵So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, "Look, there is the Shunammite. ²⁶Run at once to meet her and say to her, 'Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?'" And she answered, "All is well." ²⁷And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, "Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me." ²⁸Then she said, "Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, 'Do not deceive me?'" ²⁹He said to Gehazi, "Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child." ³⁰Then the mother of the child said, "As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So he arose and followed her. ³¹Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, "The child has not awakened."

³²When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. ³³So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. ³⁴Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. ³⁵Then 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. ³⁶Then he summoned Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, "Pick up your son." ³⁷She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

³⁸And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, "Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets." ³⁹One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. ⁴⁰And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. ⁴¹He said, "Then bring flour." And he threw it into the pot and said, "Pour some out for the men, that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot.

⁴²A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat." ⁴³But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred men?" So he repeated, "Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and have some left.'" ⁴⁴So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

The 4th Chapter of Kings is one of parts of the Bible that cause the righteous to be glad and sing praises to His name.


Chris Tomlin sings Let God Arise, choreography by T1R9A6C3Y




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