2 Kings

2 Kings 8: The LORD warns and keeps promises

Begin in prayer

Before we follow the Shunammite woman and the kings of Syria and Judah, let us come to the Lord together. Ask Him to keep His promises fresh in our hearts, and to show us Jesus, the Son of David.

Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation.”

Isaiah 12:2

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You keep every promise, even to David's family. Help us to trust Jesus, the King who reigns forever. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Elisha had raised the Shunammite's son, and now he warns her that the LORD has called for a famine of seven years. She obeys and lives in the land of the Philistines for seven years, then comes back to ask the king for her home. When she arrives, the king is talking with Gehazi about Elisha's great works, and the king orders that her house and land be restored. In Damascus, the sick king Ben-hadad sends Hazael with gifts to ask whether he will recover. Elisha says he will recover, but the LORD has shown him that the king will die, and Hazael becomes king. Jehoram of Judah does evil, yet the LORD will not destroy Judah for David's sake.

As you read 2 Kings 8, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD warned the Shunammite of famine, and He kept His promise to David's line.

Elisha told the Shunammite woman to leave her home, because the LORD had called for a seven-year famine (verse 1). She obeyed the man of God and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years (verse 2). On her return she begged the king for her house and land, and he ordered them restored (verses 3 to 6). In Damascus, the sick king Ben-hadad sent Hazael to ask whether he would recover (verses 7 to 9). Elisha said the king would recover, yet the LORD had shown him that he would die (verse 10). Elisha wept, because he knew the evil Hazael would do to Israel (verses 11 and 12). Ben-hadad died the next day, and Hazael reigned in his place (verse 15). Jehoram of Judah did evil, yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David's sake (verses 18 and 19). He had promised David a lamp for his children always, so the LORD keeps His word to David's line (verse 19).

How does 2 Kings 8 show us that the LORD warned the Shunammite of famine, and that He kept His promise to David's line?

The Shunammite listens to the LORD's word.

Elisha told the woman to go, because the LORD had called for a famine of seven years (verse 1). She obeyed the man of God and lived in the land of the Philistines (verse 2). When she came back, the king gave orders to restore her house and land (verses 5 and 6).

The LORD rules over the kings of the earth.

The sick king of Syria sent Hazael with gifts to ask whether he would recover (verses 8 and 9). Elisha said the king would recover, but the LORD had shown that he would die (verse 10). The LORD had shown Elisha that Hazael would be king over Syria (verse 13).

The LORD keeps His promise to David.

Jehoram did evil, but the LORD would not destroy Judah for David's sake (verses 18 and 19). The LORD had promised David a lamp for his children always (verse 19). Jesus is the Son of David, and the Lord God will give Him David's throne (Luke 1 verses 32 and 33). Paul says that every promise of God is yes in Christ (2 Corinthians 1 verse 20).

Memorise

Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.

2 Kings 8:19

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, will I trust the LORD's promises and come to Jesus?

The woman obeyed the word of the LORD's prophet, and the king gave her back her home. Elisha had said, “Arise, and go, you and your household.” Jesus is the Son of David, and He is the King who keeps every promise.

Sin sends every person away from God, and nothing a person owns can bring him back. Jesus died on the cross in His people's place, and that death was once for all. He rose again, and He sits as King at the right hand of God, where He reigns forever.

So come to Him, turn from your sin, and trust the King. His kingdom has no end (Luke 1 verse 33), and He forgives everyone who comes to Him.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD warned the Shunammite of famine, and that He keeps His promise to David's family. Parents, please explain verses 11 to 15 in your own words. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He warns His people and keeps His promises, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

“Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will perform that good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and concerning the house of Judah.

Jeremiah 33:14

Father, thank You that You warned the Shunammite and kept Your promise to David's family. Thank You for Jesus, the Son of David, who reigns forever. Help every child turn from sin and trust Him. Help us to trust Your promises this week. Amen.