The shunammite Woman and Elisha

2 Kings 4:8 (NIV)
One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. ⁹ She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. ¹⁰ Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”

This woman lived in Shunem and was a well-to-do woman. She had a husband but no child.




Her characteristics from the from the above verse

• She was rich
• She was Childless  
• She was a God fearing woman
• She was respectful of her husband  

 One thing we can learn from the shunammite woman is that she was thirsty for holiness and the presence of God. When she found it, she introduced this to her husband.
Every time the Bible speaks of a woman as mature Christians we must understand it is speaking about the Church of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:32
This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

The Shunammite woman respected the chain of command in her house as she introduced the servant of God to her husband.

 


What she found she did not want to let go, She decided to uplift what she received. She told her husband, let us build a small room on the roof put a bed,table,chair and a lamp on it.
I was shocked to understand this revelation that this woman received from God.How could she have decided to do such a thing for the servant of God?
This is a call to the Church of Christ to wake up and uplift God again in their lives.
We are going to understand why she did all these below.

1.Small room on the roof
A house or a room is a dwelling for one or more persons,it's a place of 
The Bible doesn't say a room on the ground floor but an upper room on the roof. Small upper room in everyone's life is the heart.
The Spirit of God dwells in our hearts, He lives in us (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, Acts 7:48)
Just like the Shunammite woman, the Church is being called today to build or prepare a place of shelter for the Holy one of Israel to dwell in through His Spirit.

2.Bed  
A bed is used for resting or sleeping and also a place of relationship.The woman made a bed for the servant of God.
Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
This is a promise that Jesus gave to us, Whoever opens the door and prepares a place for Him,He will come in and stay with Him.
(Psalms 63:1, Songs of Songs 3:1)
The Psalmist says, On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. This is a person in deep relationship with Christ.
The bed in the room symbolizes the relationship we have with our savior. Every relationship bears fruits, the fruits we produce as children of God is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.Galatians 5:22  
   
3.Table
A table is used for fellowship or where meals are shared together.
The Shunammite woman prepared a table for the house to be used by the servant of God Elisha.
Psalms 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows 
Because of the table, David says,"I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" 
Luke 22:21 
Jesus when meeting His disciples,He shared a table together with them.Before being crucified on the cross,He shared a table with His disciples. 
This is a call for the Church to embrace fellowship together as they partake the body and the blood of Jesus our savior.

4.Chair 
A chair is used as a seat. It is meant to enthrone a person.
Notice this in this scripture; There were not many chairs in this small room but just one chair. In every company there is an executive seat meant for the CEO or the Director.
Our God is seated on the chair of His throne in heaven.
When you give that seat in your house (heart) to God, you will have no authority of your own,but He will control your life.
This calls for the Church to enthrone God in their hearts.

5.Lamp
The work of the lamp is to illuminate light so that wherever there is darkness light overtakes it.After setting everything she decided to place a lamp in that room too. 
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever  follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Jesus is the Light, and the Light is salvation given to us.
David says 
Psalms 119:105 Your WORD is a lamp unto my feet
John 1:1- The Word is God

We are living in the end times fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.The encounter of the Shunammite woman and the servant of God Elisha was not written in the Bible in vain. This is a call for the Church to have a place in their hearts for Jesus, make a place of relationship,fellowship,enthrone God and have Jesus to light your path.When all these are done, you are guaranteed to enter the kingdom of God.

2 KINGS 4:8-37