It is well. And that is our subject together this evening. It is well. Now, in chapters 4 to 6 of 2 Kings, there is a constant record of miracles under the almighty power of God. It prefigures the time when the Lord Jesus Christ ministered in his power here upon this earth, there was a constant flow of miracles. So much so, actually, that John had to write, inspired of the Holy Spirit, and there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should be written, every one, I suppose, that even the world itself could not contain. the books that should be written. Amen. Now, here in these chapters, we see God's power is triumphant over debt in chapter 4, verses 1 to 7, over death in chapters 4, verses 8 to 7, the verses before us, in drought, chapter 4, verses 38 to 44, And then later in chapter 5 we see his power over disease, and then later his power in chapter 6 over difficulty. Now these miracles here recorded in the second book of Kings, in this particular section, have at their heart God's love, God's power, God's deliverance, God's compassion, God's kindness, and these miracles ultimately turn out for God's glory. Now in the miracle here, we have a record of God's power actually over life and over a death. We also see in this chapter the doctrine of God's permissive providence. This is something which is marvelous and true, only true in a personal way with the Lord's people in a way in which God and his providence is working and he's permitting things to happen, some things which bring us joy, some things which bring us sadness, and yet God is permitting them in our lives. because God has the big picture, his perfect plan in the lives of each one of his people, and he's working out his dealings according to his sovereign will. And there are a number of aspects, both practically and spiritually, that rest here in the haven of God's permissive providence. Now, before we come specifically to the text, it is helpful for us to set into the context these miracles over life and over death. So, if you would please follow with me in this chapter 4, and I will just give the verse numbers and speak as you read them in your Bibles. So, the first point in chapter 4, from verses 8 to 11, We read here of the Shunammite woman's care. The Shunammite woman's care. In verse 10 she says, let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall and let us set for him there a bed and a table and a stall and a candlestick. and it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither. Now Shunam was a place near to Mount Carmel, and it was on the road to Samaria, to Bethel, and to Jericho. And this is the places where Elisha was ministering in the so-called School of the Prophets. So he would often travel along this route. One day, as he entered this city, a great woman, we are told, constrained him to receive from her and her husband hospitality with a meal. Now, we are taught in Scripture that the Lord's people are to be given to hospitality. Christian care, hospitality, has great potential to do good, to bring honor to the Lord, as was the case here with Elisha. And the care of this great and notable woman developed actually into her asking her husband about preparing a room for God's servant, Elisha. And the room was eventually built on the side of the house. It would have independent access and provide privacy for Elisha. So it was that the husband and the wife, two God-fearing people, provide this haven for Elisha. They seek the well-being of God's servant. And the lesson we can learn from this evening, friends, is it is very good to consider innovative ways to support the Lord's work, to support the Lord's servants. This is something very biblical. It is something well-pleasing unto the Lord. The Shunammite woman's care. Secondly, we read of Elisha, the man of God's care. And this is in verses 12 to 17. And there, in that passage of scripture, we might consider the key element is, what is to be done for thee? What then is to be done for this Shunammite woman? It is helpful to note the similarity here with the previous event, the previous miracle, and Elisha's care for the poor widow woman. I think Elisha must have been a very approachable person because the previous widow woman went to Elisha, the man of God. This woman is given hospitality with her husband to Elisha, the man of God, caring. And here we have Elisha, the man of God, with a pastor's heart, having a concern for care. What would you like me to do for you? Now the attitude of Elisha here prefigures the perfect attitude of Christ in his ministry here on earth. Right at the very heart of Christ's ministry is this great question, what do you want me to do for you? Now some people, they come to the Lord and they say, I want a big house and a big car, I want to get this good job, I want to pass my exam, I want health and I want to be well thought of. It's all to do with providential practicalities. But you know, my friend, if in your heart this evening you can say to the Lord, Lord, grant me salvation. Grant me a closer union with thee. Grant that I might walk with thee and learn of thee and grow in thee. And the Lord Jesus will hear that repetition. What do you want me to do for you? A great question here. Remember how the blind man cried out unto the Lord Jesus and he said, what do you want me to do for you? Oh, he wanted to receive his sight. And you know, until we are saved, we are blind. And we need the Lord to open our eyes to who we are in our hearts, to who God is, and how much we need a Savior. So here Elisha is dealing with a notable woman here of great strength. She had respect in the city, but the issue was still care. Now this reminds us again of a very important issue in care in ministry. A person on the outside may have everything. A lady described in scripture here is a great and notable woman. She was respected. She was a pillar of society. She was wealthy, no doubt. But wealth and status cannot give you everything. Behind the status is a lady with sadness in her heart. She was undoubtedly here, happily married, it would seem. She was living an honorable life. She feared God. Nevertheless, she was childless. And she'd even given up hope of ever conceiving. Her husband was an aged man. But her sadness, this loss had not made her bitter against God. She was already showing care to Elisha despite her sadness. What should be done for the man of God? Now, while it is right to look out for the poor and the oppressed, as the previous event shows, it is also right, as Elisha demonstrated here, to have a concern for the well-being of the wealthy, the God-fearer here. It's so easy for us to get the impression, when people seem to have got it all together on the outside, that we come to an assumption that they don't need any help, that everything's under control, and they seem to be people of good, upstanding lives, and yet we don't know. But God knows. These people, they need care. And you know in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, he cared for the poor and the rich alike. And so it is that Elisha demonstrated here a concern for the well-being of the wealthy. What can I do for you? And we might say, well, what can be done for the person that seems to have everything? Her response was actually very wise. I'm not seeking a special favor from king or commander. I don't need to be honored. I don't need an MBE or an OBE, actually. Rather, I'm content to dwell among my people. She's not here, apparently, someone that's grasping for fame, but a God-fearing woman. Elisha does not give up at this point. and say, well, I've asked this lady, I've done my job, I've done my duty, but rather, again, what shall be done for her? What then shall be done for her? You see, Elisha had a concern for the honor of the Lord. He'd received so much from this lady and her husband, he felt that the honor of the Lord was at stake here. There needed to be some returning gift, some reward, as it were, of grace to this lady. What can be done then for the woman that apparently has everything? But Elisha believes that God can do something even beyond her expectation according to his sovereign will and purpose. So the information comes to him. This kind, this great notable woman, this Shunavite woman is childless. And now by faith, Elisha, trusted in the living God, calls a woman and promises her a miracle of birth. Now this man of God must have been inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak in such a manner to this lady. What mere man can say that by the time this year, next time, this time next year, you will have a child? But he said about this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. And the woman conceived. And bear a son at the season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. And her reaction at first was one of amazement, so much so that she realized that it would take a miracle for such an event to take place. It was beyond the expectation of nature as we know it. Now this woman I don't think was angrily or aggressively rebelling against God's word, but she was limited in her understanding of the power of God. She was evidently forgiven by God for her initial lack of faith because, as a God-fearing woman, she received this reward of grace. God's Word was fulfilled. She conceived, she bore a son according to God's Word, who cannot lie, for God has power over life. And now we are going to see how God has power over death, and that brings us to verses 18 through 21, and there we read this significant word, and then died. Death came to the house. Death came to the house of this Shunammite woman. Now, it is likely that this child is probably around about five or six at this time, able to run about in the field to go and see his father. But after a while, it seems that he runs to his father, and we're told in scripture he has a severe pain in his head. We're not told what that particular pain was, but nevertheless it was very severe. And later it is recorded that he died in his mother's arms at noon. And the experience that this woman feared most of all, being given a son and then having that son taken away from her, we know that was her great fear. because this is what she expressed to Elisha later. Now, in God's permissive will here, because we're talking about God's permissive providence here, the worst had happened. Her only beloved son was lying dead in our arms. Now, at this point, we need to remember that God's ways are higher than our ways, and God's thoughts are our thoughts. For here, at the lowest point of this great woman's, this Shunammite woman's life, her faith and works, God-given, become evident. Firstly, we notice in these verses, she does not bring attention to herself in her grief, but she acts very kindly and wisely, discreetly. Secondly, she places her dead child in the room of the man of God. Here, this little boy's body would not be disturbed, would not even be seen. This was Elisha's private abode, and the door was to be shut. Thirdly, she believed by faith the child's body and soul were in the Lord's hand. Fourthly, this was an action that signified she was casting her burden upon the Lord with hope of his intervention. And it would seem that this lady is numbered amongst the great worthies of faith in Hebrews 11, where we read in verse 35, women who received their dead raised to life again. Maybe this was her hope. and laying the little lad on the man of God's bed. And now we move on to see furthermore this woman's faith in action. And that is in verses 22 and verse 26. And the key words here in this passage of scripture is, it shall be well, it is well. She says to her husband, it shall be well, and she answers three questions. Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with the child? She answers, it is well. Now, as we read this account, we see she keeps her grief and her loss to herself at this time. She doesn't tell her husband immediately what is the problem. The death of the child, he was an old man by now. And she probably took this step out of kindness and care for him. But then we note also her respect for her husband. She sought his permission for her journey to Elisha. Her priority was to go to the man of God. She sought permission for this journey. Just like the widow woman previously, to go to Elisha. And his initial response to her was, why go to Elisha? It's not a set time of teaching. It's not a special Sabbath day. It's not a special occasion day when there would be special teaching given to the gathered congregation. Her answer to her husband is simply, it shall be well. You see her faith beginning to shine. This is far, far more than being cultural expression. This is an expression of faith. God is in control in the overall scheme of things. So she hastens with her servant. Without delay, Elisha recognizes her afar off. He sends Gehazi with three questions. Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child? And she answers Gehazi, it is well. Now, This is one of the fundamental points to remember in this miracle event. Now, our first reaction this evening in reading this may have been, this lady is not telling the truth. It certainly is not well. In fact, the situation here is one of death. But we need to see here, my friends, that the Shunammite woman's answer is actually an answer of faith. Despite the grief in her heart, it is well. I am going to the man of God. God is in control. He is the Lord's servant. I believe he will respond in a godly way to me, as he is led by God. It is well, because I believe that God is in control. Even though I do not understand this loss, it is well. It is well with me, because in my grief, my faith is now being exercised. I still have so much to be thankful for. I believe it is well with my soul. I have an almighty God to go to. Come into Elisha, the man of God, was her way of casting her care upon her God. It is well with my husband. He has been upheld in his old age. He continues as a God-fearer. It is well with my child. By faith she can say this, because the child she believes by faith is in God's care. It is well with his soul in God's care. And from this, my friends, we learn a fundamental lesson, even in times of grief. Remember the things that are well. Remember the things that are well. This is not mind over matter. It's an exercise of faith, helping you to remember that God is in control. Now, this experience is unique to a Christian, wherein they can say, it is well, even in times of utter grief. Only a Christian can say this in truth and in sincerity, because they trust in a God, who is a God that keeps his promises, a God who is in control, a God who is perfect in all his ways, a God of truth, a God of love and mercy and grace, a God who will not allow one of his sheep to be lost. It is well. It is well. This is the comfort of the Holy Spirit of God applying the truth of his word. God's word reminding us of God's unchanging character. The Lord is good. God brings comfort in trial, blessings even in times of trial, ultimately that his name may be glorified. Paul is in chain in Rome. And he says something most remarkable. This is turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. I don't want you to think about my chains. Yes, they cause me suffering and grief in my heart, but I don't want you to think of those chains. I want you to think of God's permissive providence that has so overruled this that I'm a witness in Rome to the gospel, and God is opening amazing doors for me to preach the gospel to people that come to visit me. And we read later in the letter to the Philippians how even people from Caesar's palace have been converted, Caesar's household, the den of iniquity. the darkest place on earth at that time. God sent his servant Paul there, a prisoner. And God brought victory out of what Satan thought was one of his victories. God had everything under control. And what about Mary? When she was informed that she would bear the child Jesus, conceived of the Holy Spirit, she was no doubt overwhelmed. How can this be? I know not a man. Then it was explained to her. And no doubt, Mary trembled. But we read that Mary said, my soul shall magnify the Lord. My spirit will rejoice in God, my savior. Now here is something really very profound for the experience of Mary, because at the end of the life of the Lord Jesus, when he was upon the cross, Mary was there at the foot of the cross. He said to the disciple that he loved, behold thy mother. And Simeon had said to her, a sword shall pierce thine own soul also. With that ahead of her, her soul kept magnifying the Lord. Then I want us to look just for a moment at the mother's grief, verses 27 to 28. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came 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. Then she said, did I desire a son of my Lord? Did not I say, do not deceive me? Here is her grief. She'd been delivered of a son, and she'd lost a son. And there was grief. Now here we can see that while faith helps us to remember, enables us to remember that God is in control, unchangeably so, faith does not remove the need of tears and grief over loss, even when we are trusting and obeying. You may sing sometimes that hymn, Trust and Obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. And the verse goes on, it mentions not a shadow can rise or a tear can abide if you trust and obey. That's just not right. That's not true. That's Victorian triumphalism when it was written. It's not the pathway of the Lord's people. There are tears when you are trusting and obeying. The Lord Jesus in Gethsemane, he wept in Gethsemane and that was the greatest example of trusting and obeying there ever will be. And going on through the judgment hall to Calvary. The point being is that there is room for grief. There is room for tears. But remember in your tears that God is faithful and that God is perfect in all His ways. And here we see Elisha the pastor. He discerns the reason has been withheld from him by the Lord. The woman was in deep distress, but Gehazi did not have the pastor's heart like Elisha, and he was all for pushing her away. But Elisha is a type of Christ inasmuch as Elisha says, do not push her away, let her alone, let her come, let her hold my feet. And that is the gospel. The law says, you cannot, you're guilty. It makes us tremble. But the one that's kept the law, the Lord Jesus Christ, he says, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, my friends. The Lord says, come. The Lord says, come. So she tells Elisha the truth about her greatest fear, this understandable cry. She's now at the feet of the man of God. This was her act of faith, but she's coming by faith, but she's grieving. So for us in trouble, my friend, this evening, remember to take that grief by faith to the Lord, and remember the Lord is not like Gehazi. He will not push you away. You are coming to a faithful high priest in heaven above who understands all that you are going through. In all points he was tempted like as you are, yet without sin. In all their affliction he was afflicted. He is an understanding high priest. He's touched with the feeling of your infirmities, like this woman. If there was no room for tears, why does God say, I'll put all your tears in my bottle? Remember that, my friend. Time and time again we see in the Psalms the man of God crying out unto God. But it is faith in God and in his word that gives us the comfort and the assurance in the tears of loss and suffering and death. But God says in his word, I will uphold thee with my righteous right hand. with the right hand of my righteousness. As we come to conclusion, we see in verses 29 to 31, Elisha, the man of God directing, he is putting dependence upon his staff. He thinks that power will come through his staff, and so he sends Gehazi off to the body of the child with his staff laid on his face. but there was neither voice nor hearing. We see the danger here of putting our trust in an object as though it had power within it. The point here this evening, my dear friends, is that the power is not in the staff, The power of God is in prayer, independent prayer. Elisha was a man of God, but he was not infallible, he was not perfect. Not all his instructions were right, however well-meaning. And so with us, we may take a course of action in sincerity and in all well-meaning, and we find there is nothing. And we have to live with the pain of the nothing, It seems all our labors are in vain. And yet the Lord is still in control. He's bringing you to the point that he intends to bring you. That's very interesting to note here that the lady is clinging to Elisha, the man of God. And you see her faith is beginning to shine brighter and brighter. And she says, as the Lord lives, my child is dead. That's the reality. But the Lord lives. Blessed be his holy name. It is well. So remember here, in the times of the grief and the pain and the struggle, the struggle with the unknown, The uncertainty. Cling by faith unto Christ. Cling by faith to the perfect man. You can't cling to any other man who is perfect. We rightly so have love for our husbands and our wives that is right and proper and biblical, but none of us are perfect. You can only cling by faith to one perfect man. and that is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He knows you, he understands you, and he will bring you through. Cling, my friend, cling to him, the way, the truth, and the life. And so Elisha, the man of God, submits to God's way in verses 32 to 35. We are brought to this situation and conclusion where there is total dependence here upon the Lord in prayer. And so with us, the Lord in his wisdom brings us to the place of nothing but prayer. But remember, Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. He doesn't tremble when we are independent of God. But when you are going down on your knees, and in your heart, your brain, totally dependent upon the God that we adore, Satan is deeply troubled about that. So here was a child lying dead on his bed, and Elisha goes in and shuts the door. There's privacy with this miracle as the previous one, and the turning point his prayer. He prayed to the Lord. And how often we find this by experience, the turning point is prayer and our experience with God. And this miracle came in two stages. First, the blood began to flow in the boy's heart, working again. And Elisha then removed himself from the room, probably out of awe and wonder, at the presence of the Almighty God. God was there. God was working. He was walking on holy ground. There was an awesome sense, no doubt, of God's presence. What am I? I'm a mortal man. How can I cope with this? So he walks out of the room and he paces up and down in the house, we read. He's overwhelmed with the sense of God's presence. And then he goes back in the room again, guided by the Spirit of God, and he stretches himself on the child again, and the child sneezes seven times, a sign of completion, and he opens his eyes. And so it is that Elisha, the man of God, now gives all the glory to God. And he called Gehaziah and said, call Ishunabit. So he called her, and when she was coming unto him, he said, take up thy son. Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground and took up her son and went out. See the humility here of Elisha. How can I bring honor to myself? How can I receive praise upon myself? and adoration when this is all of God. I tried my staff and that didn't work. I came to the place of nothing but prayer and now all the praise must be unto God. So when she's fallen at his feet, she's not worshipping Elisha, but she's worshipping the God of Elisha. And she picks up her son and walks out. There's no emotional excitement in terms of giving honor to man. There's no taking here the glory from God. And that, my friends, is how our worship services should be, how our walk with God should be. We walk that God might be honored in our lives. So here, this is just one of another in a series of miracles by the God who is infinite in power and in wisdom. This was an exceptional event for the family. but not an exceptional event for God. This is God simply being who he is, the Almighty God. And remember in your pathway as a believer, it is well, because God is God. He remains your Savior and Lord. And the question is this evening, can you say, it is well. When all is done and said, I have my challenges, my trials, my difficulties, things I do not understand, things that overwhelm me, but I have the one thing needful. The one thing needful, dearest Lord,