turnipg07

                Even though this woman "knew" that Elisha was a "holy man of God", she had trouble believing that what he said to her would really come to pass. Her reaction and later testimony shows that she did not want to raise her hopes, only to have them fall (I would venture the word "again" here).

                It is probable that this woman yearned for years to have a son, only to be disappointed again and again. She may even have prayed, or honestly believed, and yet, over the years, nothing manifested. Finally, when Elisha tells her that she will have a son, she cannot allow herself to believe it. Her reaction shows that she still carried some sense of pain or grief associated with the disappointment at not having a son. This grief hindered or even prevented her from believing what Elisha said, even though she was convinced that he was a "holy man of God". Soon, however, she did have a son.

                In our next reference, we turn to the gospels where we find that Jesus continually told the disciples that He would be betrayed, crucified, and later that He would rise from the dead on the third day.

                One would expect that if someone were told this and then it happened, that on the third day they would be up and going to look expectantly for the Lord to have risen. Even the Pharisees and chief priests anticipated some form of ruse on the third day, simply because Jesus had said that He would rise on the third day. (See Matthew 27:62-66)

                It is interesting then to find that all Jesus' followers were totally unaware of His rising on the third day until the angels, or He, Himself actually appeared to them. Even when others came back to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead (like He promised to do), the bible says that the disciples "did not believe" them. (Luke 24:11)

                Before He was crucified, Jesus told the disciples in John 16:20-22 that they would "grieve" while the world rejoiced, but later promised that their grief would turn to joy. After Jesus had died, the disciples were certainly grief-stricken. All that they had hoped for, all that they believed in, all that they had trusted in was suddenly gone. Not to mention the fact that Jesus was probably the only one who had ever shown them the genuine love of God before.

                We can see that this grief and the associated feelings of fear, hopelessness, and/or bewilderment, prevented the disciples from being able to believe what Jesus Himself had promised them. Even when others came to confirm the Word to them, they could still not believe, until they saw it with their own eyes.

                Our final reference is found in Genesis in the account of Jacob and his son Joseph. The entire story is good to know, but is too lengthy for this manual. Be it enough to say that Jacob had two wives, one of which he was very much in love with.

                Jacob had a number of children, but by Rachel, the woman he loved, he only had two sons: Joseph and Benjamin. While Rachel was giving birth to Benjamin, she died and Jacob buried her.(Genesis 35:16-20)

                In the course of time, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and the brothers led their father to believe that Joseph had died. Joseph ended up in Egypt and grew up there.

                After many years, Joseph becomes "second" in command over all Egypt. His brothers, unaware of his fate, come to Egypt, looking to buy grain and end up having to consult Joseph for the grain. They do not recognize him, and Joseph requires that they bring their youngest brother (Benjamin) with them the next time they return to buy grain.