Lesson 19 – God Restores Life
Read 2 Kings 4:18-37 https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2KI.4.ESV
2 Kings 4:37 – She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

The miracle baby grew to be a young boy. One day he went out to his father who was working in the field with the harvest hands, crying, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant to carry their son to his mother. He lay in her lap until noon, then he died. She took him upstairs to Elisha’s small room, laid him on Elisha’s bed, and closed the door.

The woman asked her husband for a servant and a donkey to go to Elisha. Her husband asked her, “Why are you going today? It is not a holy day.”

“Everything is okay,” she replied. She saddled her donkey and told the servant to ride ahead of her, as fast as he could, and she would keep up with him. Soon they arrived at Elisha’s home.

Elisha recognized her as she was riding toward them. He asked his servant to find out if she, her husband and her son were all right.

She answered, “Everything is fine.” But when she reached Elisha, she threw herself down at his feet and held tightly to him.

Elisha’s servant tried to pull her away, but Elisha said, “Leave her alone; you can see she is in great distress. But God has not told me what happened.”

Then the woman asked, “Did I not ask you for a son, master? Remember I asked you not to give me false hopes?”

Elisha realized her son must be very sick or dead, and told his servant, “Grab my staff, and run as fast as you can to the woman’s house. Do not take time to greet anyone or answer a greeting on your way. Just keep running.”


The boy’s mother said, “You are not leaving me behind.” So all of them set out quickly for her home, but Elisha’s servant arrived first. He lay Elisha’s staff on the child’s face, but there was no sign of life. The servant ran down and told Elisha.

Elisha found the boy dead on the bed. He locked the door with just the two of them in the room, and prayed. God gave Elisha wisdom to lay on top of the child: his face over the child’s face, Elisha’s hands on his hands. The boy’s body became warm. Elisha got up and paced, continuing to pray. Then he stretched himself on the boy again, and this time the young boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes! He called to his servant, “Get his mother in here, quickly!”

Elisha said to the mother, “Embrace your son; God brought him back to life!”

But the mother fell at Elisha’s feet first, her face to the ground in awe and reverence for the Lord. Then she gave her son a big, tearful hug and joyfully took him downstairs.

*When have you trusted someone else to give you what only God can give you? How is God teaching you to come to Him when you need something only He can give you?