II Kings ch4 vs 8 – 44, ch5 vs 1- 27. Please read these scriptures.
The prophet Elisha had a servant, his name was Gehazi. He first comes to prominence in verse 12 of chapter 4 where Elisha uses him as a messenger in the incident dealing with the Shunammite woman. It appears that Gehazi knew this affluent woman. He knew that she had no children and that her husband was elderly. The birth of her child which Elisha prophesied was a miracle.
For the following several years several years all seemed to be going well between Elisha and Gehazi. The Shunammite woman bore a son as Elisha prophesied she would. The Son grew up but one day when he went to reap with his father, he had some kind of brain haemorrhage and died. The Shunammite women saddled an ass and went for Elisha’s help. The woman who is beside herself comes and kneels before Elisha and catches his feet. Note the reaction from Gehazi is not sympathy for the woman’s plight but to thrust her away. (A servants INDEPENDENT DECISION? Why? Could it be that Gehazi RESENTED the Shunammite woman because no lodging provision had been made for him. After all, he journeyed with Elisha?. Or that she had not told him the truth about her son being dead?) Elisha rebukes Gehazi for pushing her away.
Upon learning of her son’s death Elisha gives Gehazi his staff (which represents God’s power) to go ahead of him and lay the staff upon the dead child. Gehazi does this but nothing happens to the dead child. The Spirit that was on Elisha was not upon Gehazi, (he was DEVOID OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD). Elisha arrives and raises the child from the dead. Elisha uses Gehazi as a messenger again to call the woman. She falls at Elisha’s feet and Gehazi does nothing. (Was Gehazi learning or was he brooding over Elisha’s rebuke.)I think there are some insights into Gehazi’s character here. In these two incidents there is a demonstration of a LACK OF FAITH toward the prophet of God even after witnessing the resurrection of the shunammite woman’s son .This is further seen in the miracle of the feeding of the prophets where a man from Ba’al-shalisha brought the man of God bread of the 1st fruits. When Elisha tells his servitor Gehazi to give unto the prophets Gehazi says ‘What, should I set this before a hundred men?’ Gehazi had just witnessed the miracle of the pottage and here he is doubting his master’s power with God. A lack of faith (UNBELIEF) lay festering in his heart. Note that in this instance Elisha calls him a servitor which means a menial. No doubt Elisha was disappointed with Gehazi at this time. We can see that Gehazi is the soulish man dominated by the flesh.
His godless character shows through again. In chapter 5 we read of Naaman the captain of the host of the king of Syria. Elisha heals Naaman of his leprosy. Naaman offers Elisha some gifts which Elisha refuses. Notice in vs 20 there is a ‘BUT’, showing us there is a solemn contrast between what had just happened and what followed.. Elisha will take no reward for Gods miracle. Not so with Gehazi. He takes the name of The Lord in vain and then deliberately lies to Naaman this Syrian (demeaning him) saying that Elisha had sent him to ask for gifts for 2 young men of the sons of the prophets. He has no concern for giving God the glory. Gehazi hides the gifts, and when Elisha confronts him he lie again. Gehazi’s eyes had been on the goods not on that new baby-like skin of Naaman. Greed is in Gehazi’s heart. It has been said that Avarice is eager in its pursuit, eager in its perjury and eager in its plausibility.
Elisha gave Gehazi opportunity to repent but no repentance came. He pleads innocence and suggests Elisha is accusing the wrong man. With his lack of repentance his sins remain scarlet not as white as snow; instead his skin was as white as snow with leprosy.
We can see then that Gehazi is the natural man. His spirit is dead. He is the soulish man that is dominated by the flesh. This is a terrible situation to be in. He has walked with a great man of God seen miracles performed, watched faith in action in one of the greatest saints that ever lived, yet is still unsaved, lost. How many Gehazi’s have passed through this world. Far too Many. May non of us be one like him.
God bless
– Michael Whitehouse