Sermon Tone Analysis

*“A Room, A Chair, A Table, A Lamp, A Cot”*

 

*A Lamp*

* *

The story of the Shunammite woman

*2 Kings 4:8-17 (NKJV) * 

Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there /was/ a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food.

So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.

9And she said to her husband, "Look now, I know that this /is/ a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.

10Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there."

11And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.

12Then he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite woman."

When he had called her, she stood before him.

13And he said to him, "Say now to her, 'Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care.

What /can I/ do for you?

Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?' "She answered, "I have a home here among my own people."

14So he said, "What then /is/ to be done for her?"

And Gehazi answered, "Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old."

15So he said, "Call her."

When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.

16Then he said, "About this time next year you shall embrace a son."

And she said, "No, my lord.

Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!"

17But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.

In this series of sermons there are three things that will stand out in regards to this Shunammite woman.

Three things that are also applicable to us in regards to accommodating God’s move in our life.

They are: Perception; Reception: and Restoration.

She perceived that Elisha was a man of God.

For her day Elisha was the move of God and she decided to make preparation for that move.

What is your perception of what God is doing today?

So if we perceive that God is moving what preparations are you making in your life to receive and maintain it.

Shunem was nothing it was a very insignificant place, sort of like Kingman

She was not going to let this opportunity pass her by.

So we need to ask ourselves, are we making preparations of this move of God?

We need to recognize that it’s not just a one time move but on going – therefore adjustments must be made in our life to receive and maintain it.

The Shunammite woman perceived this move of God and made preparation to receive and maintain it.

She made a Room.

She furnished it with a Cot; a Table; a Chair; and a Lamp.

Each of these items are significant for us to keep what God wants to do.

The Cot is symbolic of our Rest in God for all that He has prepared for us.

The Table is the place of fellowship prepared for divine visitation.

The Chair represents the authority of God in your life.

And the Lamp signifies the illumination of God’s revelation of Himself to us.

Today we want to share about the Lamp.

*1.

*The lamp signifies the *ILLUMINATION* of God’s *REVELATION* of *HIMSELF* to us.

* *

*2 Kings 4:9-10 (NKJV) * 

And she said to her husband, "Look now, I know that this /is/ a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.

10Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there."

* *

*menowrah,* /men-o-raw'/; or */menorah/*, men-o-raw'; feminine of Hebrew 4500 (manowr) (in the original sense of Hebrew 5216 (niyr)); a /chandelier/ :- candlestick.

* *

The lamp, lampstand, menorah or candlestick in scripture has always stood for the illuminating presence of God.

 

*2.

*The  *MENORAH* is *SYMBOLIC* of the *PRESENCE* of the *HOLY* *SPIRIT*.

The menorah or seven branched candlestick symbolizes the eye of the Lord surveying the whole earth.

It is also symbolic of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church as revealed in the book of Revelation in regards to the seven churches.

*Revelation 1:20 (NKJV) * 

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

*Revelation 4:5 (NKJV) * 

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices.

Seven lamps of fire /were/ burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

So if we are anticipating the move or presence of God then we need light – we need fire – we need divine illumination – we need the Shekinah glory.

It is His presence which guides, directs, and leads – a pillar of cloud by the day and a pillar of fire by night.

*3.

*God’s  *PRESENCE* *GUIDES*, *DIRECTS*, and *LEADS* us.

*Exodus 13:21 (NKJV) * 

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.

Do you desire His presence?

- I have been in His presence and you don’t want to leave.

I pray let His glory fill this house, that a transfiguration might take place – as Moses face shined like the sun.

*Exodus 34:29-35 (NKJV) * 

Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony /were/ in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.

30So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

31Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them.

32Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

33And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.

34But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded.

35And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.

Or as the disciples witnessed Jesus as He communed with His Father on the Mount.

*Matthew 17:2 (NKJV) * 

and He was transfigured before them.

His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

*Mark 9:3 (NKJV) * 

His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

Light is a result of revival or the presence of God and revival or the presence of God results in light.

What is the purpose of Light?

What does light do?

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It removes or dispels darkness – the lamp – (Illustrate)

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Webster defines:  lamp – something that makes vision possible – (not just physical sight – the light of God gives people vision – “Where there is no vision the people perish.”

- but you cannot have vision without light.

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It brings illumination or revelation – greater truth, more liberty where the spirit of the Lord is – we simply “see” more – we see more of our darkness – we see more of God and as a moth is drawn to the light so we who hunger and thirst after righteousness are drawn to Hi flame!

 

*4.

*Light *DISPELS* darkness; makes *VISION* possible; and brings *REVELATION*.

What is the significance of the lamp provided by the Shunammite woman?

She wants light!

* *

*Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) * 

Your word /is/ a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

*Psalm 119:130 (NKJV) * 

The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

*Proverbs 6:23 (NKJV) * 

For the commandment /is/ a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction /are/ the way of life,

* *

*Proverbs 20:27 (NKJV) * 

The spirit of a man /is/ the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart.

Light is an essential part of our walk with God – the brighter the

light the more powerful is His presence – it reveals our darkness –

the greater the light the more we see the need for cleansing.

Illustration:  looking at a garment in a dimly lit room may appear to be clean but when taken into the bright sunlight reveals how dingy looking it really is.