2Ki 4:17-37 “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”

[Study Aired September 1, 2022]

2Ki 4:17  And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
2Ki 4:18  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 
2Ki 4:19  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 
2Ki 4:20  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
2Ki 4:21  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
2Ki 4:22  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 
2Ki 4:23  And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
2Ki 4:25  So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 
2Ki 4:26  Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 
2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 
2Ki 4:29  Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. 
2Ki 4:30  And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. 
2Ki 4:31  And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. 
2Ki 4:32  And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 
2Ki 4:33  He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. 
2Ki 4:34  And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 
2Ki 4:35  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 
2Ki 4:36  And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 
2Ki 4:37  Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. 

In keeping with the theme of provision, we come to this section of the story where the “great woman” of 2Kings 4:8, who represents the church, gives birth to a son. The “great woman” can typify both the church of Jerusalem above and also of the church in the wilderness from where the manchild of Revelation 12:5 comes. 

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

The “great woman”, who starts in the wilderness and represents Babylon the great out of which we all come, can also represent the other later stage of that woman as a new creation (2Co 5:17), or new woman, who is represented by Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, and both women are represented in this one verse: “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” (2Co 6:17) 

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

There is a lifelong process involved in being born again, and this story in Kings helps identify that process of which Christ declared, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The natural birth of a child is nine months, 3×3, which speaks to that process and the need to die daily so we can “see the kingdom of God” within as we endure all things through Christ (Php 4:13) Who makes a way for the called and chosen to remain faithful being brought to full term in the blessed and holy first resurrection (Mat 24:13).

2Ki 4:17  And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

The church is also typified by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and this great woman of  2 Kings 4:8 is an earlier type and shadow of Mary (Luk 1:30, Luk 12:32).

Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

The favor that Mary had with God represents the blessing God’s election brings upon those who are called and chosen and faithful to the end of their physical lives having the Lord complete this work of faith within God’s workmanship (Eph 2:10) that will bring forth the manchild in a moment and a twinkling of an eye (1Co 15:52-53). Christ’s maturation in the womb of Mary is typical of that which is happening to the manchild who has been raised to Jerusalem above, the mother of us all (Gal 4:26).

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

“The woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life” reminds us in typical language that our “time of life” in God’s eyes is not when we are physically born, but rather when we are born again and able to see the kingdom of God within. That is when true life begins (Psa 139:16, Joh 3:3, Joh 6:54). 

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them. [ASV] 

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

All our days are written in God’s book (Psa 139:16), and the life of those who have the mind of Christ can say, “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.” Because of God’s love that is shed abroad in our hearts, it is possible for us to fulfill God’s purpose to which we have been called (Rom 8:28, Luk 13:32, 1Co 3:6, Rom 5:5). That thought of all things includes the good and the evil, the light and the dark (Isa 45:7) and the way in which God leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4) so we can grow in the mind of Christ and remain zealous in His service.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Rom 5:5  and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.

2Ki 4:18  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 

Christ had to mature to a certain stage according to the will of God and that stage was predestinated and prophesied of throughout God’s word (Heb 9:27-28, Heb 10:7), and is typified by this verse, “And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.” 

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

Heb 10:7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Going “out to his father to the reapers” is symbolic language that tells us Christ went where His father went to do the work or will of God that He was called to do in this life, a work which obediently led him to His death as the first of the kind of first fruits who was reaped of God. God could not have sown more abundantly and shown us more clearly how he would now give us all things freely through the sacrifice of Christ (Luk 2:49, Php 2:8, 2Co 9:6, Eph 3:20, Rom 5:10, Joh 3:16, Joh 5:17).

Joh 5:17  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Luk 2:49  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

2Co 9:6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully [1Co 15:22].

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2Ki 4:19  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 
2Ki 4:20  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

Saying “my head, my head” is symbolic language that is repeated by Christ to His spiritual head and Father, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, (“my head, my head“) [1Co 11:3] why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mat 27:46)

It was the spiritually adolescent “a lad” who carried the son to his mother, and this is a shadow of our helping Christ bear His cross like Simon of Cyrene prior to conversion (Mat 27:32). 

Mat 27:32  And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

He is brought “to his mother” so she can behold his state, “Woman, behold thy son!” “And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died” (Joh 19:25-27). Again we learn of God’s provision in times of sorrow and death and agony, He never leaves us, and as a high priest who suffered under the most severe circumstances, He is able to comfort us in our times of need (Heb 4:15-16, Rom 5:10).

Joh 19:25  Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 
Joh 19:26  When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 
Joh 19:27  Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

“He sat on her knees till noon, and then died” is symbolic of how Lazarus was in the bosom of Abraham, who is a type of Christ whose body is represented by this woman (Luk 16:23). We die daily until our last breath “and then died” as a result of bringing Christ to the church, as shown in this story where the son was brought to the mother. That good work God does through us is connected to the bosom of Christ where we rest as we labor to enter into that rest (Luk 6:38, Joh 13:23).

Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Joh 13:23  Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

Laying her dead son on “the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out” is symbolic of being buried into Christ’s death, Who now gives us the strength to be dead to sin and alive in him, as we rest in the Lord (Rom 6:3). 

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

She “went up” to where Elisha’s room was, reminding us that this death and resurrection of the child typifies the passover that was also held in an upper room (Act 1:12-14). That symbolism of the passover is further confirmed with the words “and shut the door upon him, and went out” (Exo 12:22-23). She went out because she has not yet found this man of God who, when he does come, will be able to resurrect her son. That is her hope (Joh 11:32). 

Exo 12:22  And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 
Exo 12:23  For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Joh 11:32  Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

2Ki 4:22  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 
2Ki 4:23  And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. 
2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 

Her calling unto her husband demonstrates her submission to her head, and regardless of what he says and does (Eph 5:22), God knows her heart and will make provision for her to take this journey today to find Elisha. She asks for “one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again“. Both request “one of the young men”^H5288 which means a young servant and “one of the asses”^H860 (Luk 21:19) which are both also symbols of how God blesses us to search for the Lord as we possess our souls patiently and with the heart of a servant (Php 2:6-7). These things are required and accompany those who are called in this age to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Tit 2:12-14) “that I may run to the man of God, and come again“, which is a statement that typifies this verse (Php 3:14).

H5288  na‛ar  nah’-ar the young men

From H5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication a servant; also (by interchange of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age): – babe, boy, child, damsel [from the margin], lad, servant, young (man).

H860  ‘âthôn  aw-thone’ one of the asses

Probably from the same as H386 (in the sense of patience); a female ass (from its docility): – (she) ass.

Her flesh is also represented by her husband who does not have the same sense of urgency that she has to go find this man of God. His life represents one bound by the law, and so he asks “And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.” Shouldn’t you go and see him on a particular holy day in order to receive what you’re looking for? This was the question he was asking her, and what the world’s religions do to this very day, assigning new moons and sabbath and holidays, as being important in our relationship with God (Gal 4:10-11).

Her faith is increasing as demonstrated by the words that she uttered and works accomplished: “Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.” “Except I bid thee” is a significant phrase as she represents a Christian moving with fear and only going where the spirit leads (Rom 8:14) as she moves in haste as opposed to her husband whose actions are being regulated by days, months, times and years (Rom 8:14, Heb 11:7).

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

2Ki 4:25  So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 
2Ki 4:26  Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.

The servant Gehazi runs to the Shunammite woman telling us that when we cleave to Christ and resist the devil, or search for Him with all our hearts He will be found of us, and the devil will flee from us (Jas 4:7, Jer 29:13). God makes provision for those who seek Him diligently as she was granted for her diligent search (Heb 11:6). 

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

The spirit of God makes diligent search, which actions are symbolized by Elisha’s servant Gehazi, who is asked this of Elisha, “Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.” All of this struggle and seeking and using of her resources is for the purpose of bringing forth fruit in her life, as she seeks to save her son. The destination mount Carmel is symbolic of this desire within the woman, “So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel”^H3760. The “man of God saw her afar off” symbolizes the fact that nothing is hidden from God (Heb 4:13).

H3760  karmel  kar-mel’

The same as H3759; Karmel, the name of a hill and of a town in Palestine: – Carmel, fruitful (plentiful) field, (place).

Total KJV occurrences: 25

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 
2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

This is the moment in her sojourn that typifies our coming “boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” when we are at our wits’ end and our souls are vexed (Heb 4:16). The implication is that there are forces that will try to impede us from doing this as Gehazi did in this instance with the woman (Rom 8:37-39), but if God is for us nothing will separate us from His love as demonstrated with these words, “And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.” 

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now the stage is set for her to cast all her care upon this man of God, which is what God causes us to do in our appointed time. “Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?” She needs faith now and sounds like one of the Israelites in the wilderness saying, “Why did you take us out here just to have us die in the wilderness?” In fact that is the present seemingly impossible situation she has been brought to (Exo 14:11, Jer 32:27, Mar 9:24).

Exo 14:11  And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 

Jer 32:27  Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? 

Mar 9:24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 

2Ki 4:29  “Gehazi, get ready and go to her house,” Elisha said. “Take along my walking stick, and when you get there, lay it on the boy’s face. Don’t stop to talk to anyone, even if they try to talk to you.”
2Ki 4:30  But the boy’s mother said to Elisha, “I swear by the living LORD and by your own life that I won’t leave without you.” So Elisha got up and went with them. 
2Ki 4:31  Gehazi ran on ahead and laid Elisha’s walking stick on the boy’s face, but the boy didn’t move or make a sound. Gehazi ran back to Elisha and said, “The boy didn’t wake up.” [CEV]

The mother knows that Elisha has the power to do miracles, but she does not have the confidence to believe that Gehazi can do this miraculous act of healing without Elisha being present and instrumental in the healing. Gehazi’s role is somewhat like that of John the Baptist in this story where he is told this from Elisha, “Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.“

John came preaching the gospel and taking all the right outward actions as Gehazi did, but his baptism did not bring forth the spiritual fruit of life in Christ which will happen in type and shadow when Elisha steps in as a type of Christ who can bring healing and raise this young boy from death. The rod laying on the face of the dead child is a symbol of how God’s word set before us can bring healing and raise us up into heavenly places (Psa 23:4, Psa 107:20). 

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psa 107:20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 

Elisha’s directive to Gehazi is what Christ requires of us and reminds us of the directive which Christ gave His disciples for them to tarry in Jerusalem until the holy spirit comes (Luk 24:49). These words speak to the singleness or simplicity (2Co 11:3) of mind God requires of us as we remain focused on what He has called us to do: “Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.“

Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2Ki 4:32  Elisha arrived at the woman’s house and went straight to his room, where he saw the boy’s body on his bed. 
2Ki 4:33  He walked in, shut the door, and prayed to the LORD. 
2Ki 4:34  Then he got on the bed and stretched out over the dead body, with his mouth on the boy’s mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hand on his hands. As he lay there, the boy’s body became warm. [CEV]

When we recognize death within ourselves, we shut the door and pray to the LORD (Mat 6:6). It is only through Christ that we can be healed of the wages of sin which is death (Rom 6:23), and we can no more be freed from sin than this dead child can live again unless the LORD intervenes as He does (Joh 8:36) and will in this physical instance through Elisha. How we are delivered from death is symbolized by the actions that Elisha takes to bring this child back to his mother.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Elisha brings life back to this lifeless child by stretching forth over him, and this symbolic act is also seen in Genesis where God’s spirit “moved upon the face of the waters” over the marred creation that was “without form^H8414, and void”^H922 and made that way to the glory of God (Joh 11:4) who would bring complete physical healing to His creation over a period of seven days, which seven days represent the process we must go through to go on to perfection (Gen 1:2-3).

Joh 11:4  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 
Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

God’s spirit that moves upon us quickens us and brings life to us, but our mouth must be next to his mouth, speaking the same thing and breathing the same breath of life that comes from God which is His word. Our “eyes on his eyes” as we look to the Lord (Mic 7:7) whose eyes are like fire that pierce our souls and bring us to see who we are and our need to repent (Rev 2:18, Rom 2:4). The end result of this closeness to Elisha is resurrection, and so it is with the body of Christ. Our closeness to Christ is what will bring us to see Him one day “face to face” (1Co 13:12). Elisha’s hands on the child’s hands symbolizes that we recognize that Christ is the one who is doing the work within us as we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:12-13). God’s provision comes to us through Christ is what we are learning in this parable of the child being healed and warmed by the flesh of Elisha. Otherwise we are just the dead burying the dead (Luk 9:60). We are Christ’s flesh and bones and warm each other up through our communion we have together in Christ (Eph 5:30, 1Co 10:16).

Rev 2:18  And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

2Ki 4:35  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
2Ki 4:36  And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 
2Ki 4:37  Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

This event of having her son given back to her alive and healed is typical of salvation that comes to God’s elect first as a kind of first fruits. Those saviors who come up on mount Zion will indeed eventually be seen for who we are face to face through a process of judgment, typified by Joseph who eventually saw his brothers who were brought into a typical judgment explained for us in Genesis (Gen 45:7).  The great white throne judgment, or the last great day as it is called (Joh 7:27), is when all humanity will be saved by this close relationship that will be forged through judgment that began at the house of God and ends in the lake of fire (1Pe 4:17). It is a time of great mercy and spiritual healing just as this time with the mother and child, and it will take time which is indicated by this statement, “Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up.“

Joh 7:27  Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. 

We experience judgment first which is akin to having Christ stretched out over our land where we learn of His righteousness first via the seven last plagues (Exo 6:6-7, Psa 136:6). 

Exo 6:6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Exo 6:7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 

Psa 136:6  To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

After a specific amount of time is required in the lake of fire, where the body of Christ has “stretched himself upon him” we will help exorcize all these evil spirits out of the entirety of mankind, typified by what Elisha had done to this child. The world will have sneezed seven times which is a symbol of bad spirits coming out of us as a result of the seven last plagues having been poured out upon them as they are upon the elect today (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17). This exercise is what is required for all mankind to see with spiritual eyes symbolized by the words, “and the child opened his eyes” which happens after the seven sneezes (Rev 15:8). After those spirits are exorcized, the world will be able to “take up thy son” which represents receiving correct doctrine (Luk 11:28). 

Luk 11:26  Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Luk 11:27  And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
Luk 11:28  But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it [Rev 1:3].

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

There is an acknowledgment of what God has done through His bride symbolized by these words, “Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground” (Rev 3:9). Elisha throughout this story you will notice is giving direction to Gehazi, as Elisha represents Christ, and Gehazi represents our flesh that is against the spirit and must be brought into subjection by the commandments of the Lord typified by the direction that Elisha gives him throughout his walk. Gehazi is us, and his leprous condition will be revealed in later chapters that tells us how God sees all flesh (Act 2:17, Luk 3:6). 

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 
Act 2:18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

Luk 3:6  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.