• Home
  • Studies
  • Study of the Book of Kings – 2Ki 4:8-16  “With the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again”

Study of the Book of Kings – 2Ki 4:8-16  “With the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

2Ki 4:8-16 With the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again

[Study Aired August 25, 2022]

2Ki 4:8  And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
2Ki 4:9  And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
2Ki 4:10  Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
2Ki 4:11  And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
2Ki 4:12  And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
2Ki 4:13  And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
2Ki 4:14  And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
2Ki 4:15  And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. 
2Ki 4:16  And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

The first seven verses of this fourth chapter of 2nd Kings set the tone for the rest of the parables about God’s provision that is supplied, in Christ or of Christ or through Christ (Eph 2:6-7,  Eph 4:13, Rom 3:24, Rom 8:2, Rom 8:39) who was symbolized by the man who died in 2 Kings 4:1 leaving his impoverished wife, who represents the church prior to Pentecost (Luk 24:49, Joh 16:13). Each of those phrases, ‘in Christ’, ‘of Christ’, and ‘through Christ’ are the same Greek word ChristosG5547 and mean the anointing or unction that God has placed upon the body of Christ. The word ‘unction’ found in 1 John 2:20 is related to this word and explains how God is able to accomplish all that He does through the church, through Christ’s body (Col 1:24).

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in ChristG5547 Jesus: 
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through ChristG5547 Jesus.

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of ChristG5547:

Rom 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in ChristG5547 Jesus: 

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in ChristG5547 Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

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 ChristG5547 Jesus our Lord.

Luk 24:48  And ye are witnesses [Rev 11:3] of these things. 
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.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 2:20  But ye have an unctionG5545 from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictionsG2347 of ChristG5547 in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the SpiritG4151 of GodG2316 : Every spiritG4151 that confesseth that Jesus ChristG5547 is come in the flesh is of God:

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the SpiritG4151, if so be that the SpiritG4151 of GodG2316 dwell in you [Col 1:27]. Now if any man have not the SpiritG4151 of ChristG5547, he is none of his [Mat 28:18, Joh 16:15].

Elisha’s coming into the life of this woman, whose circumstances are described as such, “Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil”, is a parable of how we need the Comforter to come into our life to lead us into all truth (Luk 6:38, Mal 3:10) represented by the oil that is going to be provided for her and her family after she obeys the direction of the prophet, an obedience that tells us she is a type of God’s elect who are led of the holy spirit into the liberty that is found in Christ (Gal 2:4, Gal 5:1, 2Co 3:17).

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.

Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, [Php 2:12] that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, [Php 2:13] and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The measure of oil that she has is not enough, and it will only multiply through her diligence which typifies that zealousness of Christ in our lives as a peculiar people (1Pe 2:9) who are zealous of good works, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”. “For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38 reminds us that if we are granted to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul”  and “love thy neighbor as thyself” we will be bringing “all the tithes into the storehouse”, meaning all our life will be focused on these commandments of which Christ tells us, “There is none other commandment greater than these” (Tit 2:14, Exo 19:5, 1Pe 2:9, Psa 135:4). Bringing all the tithe includes being part of the process of saving the world (Oba 1:21) and bringing that later harvest in the storehouse as well (Jas 5:7).

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works [2Co 7:11] .

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 

Psa 135:4  For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself [Rom 9:13], and Israel for his peculiar treasure [Gal 6:16].

The opening verses of this section of several parables speaks of “a great woman” who represents the church that forges a relationship with Elisha, who is a type of Christ and His elect, which leads to her being given a child by the Lord who, like the man in the earlier verses, dies (2Ki 4:1). In this case however the child is restored again as a type of the elect who are given life through God’s holy spirit (Mat 17:11-12). It took Elisha coming into her life to ultimately bring about the blessing of this son, which typifies how God’s holy spirit must come into our lives so a manchild can be brought forth and mature (Rev 12:5).

Mat 17:11  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mat 17:12  But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

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. 

2Ki 4:8  And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to ShunemH7766, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

This constraining Elisha to come in and eat bread (“and she constrained him to eat bread“) is typical of our desire to have Christ sit with us and teach us (Jdg 13:8, Job 37:19, Luk 19:5-6).

Jdg 13:8  Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born [Heb 10:25].

Job 37:19  Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.

Luk 19:5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 
Luk 19:6  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

This “great woman” is giving him what she can of her own and being blessed to have this relationship with Elisha (Act 20:35).

Act 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

This is all reminiscent of Abraham’s actions toward Christ (Gen 18:3-6, Luk 24:27-33).

Gen 18:6  And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth  [Php 2:12-13].

Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 
Luk 24:28  And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 
Luk 24:29  But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight [Jer 15:16].

God’s rest is symbolized by the city Elisha passed to [“passed to Shunem”H7766]  [Mat 24:45-50]. This woman’s desire to provide for Elisha typifies the zealous spirit we need in order to be overcomers as Christ was in this life, which is how we enter into that rest (Luk 2:49, Mat 24:46, Heb 4:11). Our Father’s business within us is called His workmanship (Eph 2:10, Eph 2:20), and through Christ we are providing for each other what we need both physically and spiritually in this life (Luk 2:49, 1Jn 4:17, Joh 21:17, 1Jn 3:17, Joh 15:10).

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 [Eph 2:10]?

Mat 24:45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing [Php 2:12-13]. 
Mat 24:47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
Mat 24:48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Mat 24:49  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

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

1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

2Ki 4:9  And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

This perception given to the “great woman” further confirms for us that she is a type of the bride of Christ who has been given spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears that hear (Mat 13:16). Christ is the “holy man of God, which passeth by us continually” and provides for us what we need on a daily basis so we can live abundant lives in Him (Joh 10:10-11).

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

2Ki 4:10  Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

A bed, a table, a stool, and a candlestick, symbolize what we need in Christ, or through Christ, in order to live Godly lives of contentment which is great gain (1Ti 6:6-8). God is the one who provides the undefiled bed in our life where our relationship of love thrives with Christ (Heb 13:4, Eph 5:25-26). He also provides a table which represents where we eat at an altar at which the world cannot eat at this time (Heb 13:10). There is also a stool where we can rest because we have been blessed to be risen with Christ and seated in heavenly places where we find rest and peace that passes all understanding through Christ (Eph 2:6, Rev 4:10, Rev 4:2). The candlestick is symbolic of the light of Christ and the spirit of the church that is in the hand of God, telling us that our salvation is completely [7] secure in Him (Rev 1:20, Joh 10:28). It is a “little chamber” for us today as the Lord teaches us to live Godly lives that are content and not despise the day of small things (Zec 4:10, Luk 12:15). All of these spiritual items are “on the wall” and are required for that wall to become “great and high” within the body of Christ (Rev 21:12).

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Zec 4:10  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Rev 21:12  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

2Ki 4:11  And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. 
2Ki 4:12  And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
2Ki 4:13  And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

Christ comes into our life at an appointed time that was written in our book, and so we see these words, “And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there“, which remind us that when that day comes we will find rest as a result of God’s spirit abiding within us, symbolized by Elisha who “turned  into the chamber, and lay there“. This is where he lay as Christ lay and rested in the hull of the ship, always wakeful over His disciples and ready to bring the peace that passes all understanding after the storms are raised and calmed by His hand (Mat 8:24-26, Php 4:7).

Mat 8:24  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
Mat 8:25  And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 
Mat 8:26  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

This “great woman“, who represents the elect church, is called and stands before Elisha to receive a blessing of him for her works done unto him, which typifies the blessing we are called unto in this life both now and in the first resurrection for the works God has done through the true bride of Christ to Christ in each other and to our fellow man (1Pe 3:9, Mat 25:40, Mat 19:27-30). “Gehazi his servant” represents how the holy spirit leads us into all truth that gives us the vision of who Christ is through the church, “GehaziH1522 his servant“. The reward today and the eternal reward of God to the elect comes as a result of God mercifully giving us the vision we need through the church, which is Christ’s body (Joh 17:3, Pro 29:18).

This “great woman” is a “Shunammite”H7767 and tells Gehazi “I dwell among mine own people” telling Gehazi that her blessing is to be among “her own people” [Rth 1:16], and being a female inhabitant of Shunem, which means ‘rest’, is more symbolic language telling Gehazi that she already is resting [Shunem] in the Lord, so ‘yes’ would be the answer to “Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?” In type and shadow she already has audience with the king or “to the captain of the host”, both referencing Christ. As a type of the bride of Christ, we learn this of her: “Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care“, with emphasis on the point that she had been careful, and caring toward Christ and as such was blessed (Mat 25:40-45).

Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 
Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

2Ki 4:14  And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. 
2Ki 4:15  And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. 
2Ki 4:16  And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. 

Like Abraham, who was old and well stricken in age (Gen 18:11-14), the Shunammite’s husband was also old (and her husband is old), telling us that the birth which is going to take place is symbolic of the supernatural birth we have in Christ that is not dependent on our strength (Joh 3:3).

Gen 18:11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 
Gen 18:12  Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 
Gen 18:13  And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 
Gen 18:14  Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. [“And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.” (2Ki 4:16)]

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.

We are called of God (Mat 22:14), typified through “the great woman” being called of Elisha through Gehazi: “And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.” When we are called of God we begin to realize our powerlessness over sin that lies at the door (Gen 4:7), but because we are given the power to stand through Christ [Mal 3:2, Psa 24:3, Psa 130:3], we can give an accounting of our life and confess our faults and overcome through Him who is the door upon whom we stand: “she stood in the door” (Mat 16:18, Joh 10:7). Lord willing, we continue to abide in Christ so that this calling becomes one that purifies us and strengthens us through our trials so we endure unto the end (Num 14:9, Mat 24:12-13).

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 

Psa 24:3  Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

Psa 130:3  If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Joh 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Even with the promise given to us by the servant of the Lord, “And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son“, like Sarah who doubted she and Abraham being old could have a child, (“Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”) so the Shunammite woman also doubted. So also “the great woman” who represents the elect will only be convinced over a period of time that all these exceedingly great and precious promises apply to us (2Pe 1:4), including the promise that nothing is too hard for the Lord, including His giving us the faith to be persuaded and convinced that nothing is going to separate us from His love: “Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Rom 8:38, Gen 18:14)

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.

Gen 18:14  Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 

These words (“with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again”) should have a great impact on us when we consider that God is the one who is measuring the temple which we are so that we grow in our ability to believe, so we can do the work of God in this age (Joh 6:28-29, Rev 11:1). He is the one who is measuring us with the measuring line in the hand of Zerubbabel, who represents Christ who is giving us the increase that comes by way of His judgments, His measurements in our earth (Zec 2:1-2, Zec 4:9-11, Isa 26:9).

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 

Zec 2:1  I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. 
Zec 2:2  Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof [Eph 3:18, Eph 4:13].

Zec 4:9  The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
Zec 4:10  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. 
Zec 4:11  Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? [Rev 11:3-4]

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early [1Pe 4:17]: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Other related posts