Shunammite Woman

Shunammite Woman

2 Kings 4:8-37

Hebrews 11:35

She was a prominent woman.

She was a persuasive woman.

She was a perceptive woman.

She was a practical woman.

Prominent in Hebrew is “gadowl” and literally means “great”

She was also known to be wealthy.

It is the same Hebrew word God used in Genesis 1:16, “God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.”

This was a woman who shined and stood out above others. In today’s world “standing out” means something different than how we are stand out as Christians.

Matthew 5:16 NASB “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

We are to shine and be prominent in such a way as to glorify God and present to them the gospel. It is not to make ourselves known or to bring attention to how “great” we are. We are to be a reflection of the true light of the world and make sure we are shining His light, not our own.

1 Peter 2:12 NASB “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

What do you personally think is a “notable” quality that makes someone great?

What is the world’s definition of a “great” woman? What is God’s definition of a “great” woman?

Persuaded in Hebrew “chazaq” and means “to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore” -it is a word that involves the idea of helping and aiding.

It is “a verb meaning to be strong, to strengthen, to be courageous, to overpower.”

Here we see her persuade and use her influence for good.

She was serving him and wanted to make a connection with him.

It is the same word God uses when He tells Moses in his persuasion of Joshua’s assignment.

Deuteronomy 3:28 NASB “But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across  at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.”

In what ways does God was us to “persuade” our husbands?

In what ways does God want us to “persuade” our children?

Who else can we “persuade”?

Perceive in Hebrew is “yada” and means “to know”

Her perception was smart. It was not mere feeling which is important when it comes to what we’re discerning. We need to learn to perceive things Biblically.

Philippians 1:9 NASB “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

We can lose our perception for the things of God. Pray for soft hearts and open ears. In the busyness of our lives and schedules we can miss out on the things of God.

Practical

We are called to run our homes (very practical)

We are not to serve based on the needs but serve in the leading of the Spirit.

We see her respond practically after her perception and after talking it over with her husband.

Take a moment to look up verses on serving and being a servant: