Upon rereading loved stories of the Bible, the writer was recently impressed with the number of times that one who was demonstrating God's power cautioned those about him to keep their own counsel. Note the words Elisha used to the widow when he was about to make a significant demonstration of abundance (II Kings 4:4): "And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full." The neighbors in this instance may have felt that they had a right to know what was going on, inasmuch as they had lent not a few vessels. Nevertheless, the command stood, and a mighty demonstration was shielded from the prying eyes of unbelievers.
When her son died, the Shunammite woman had such sublime faith in God's ability to restore life that she "shut the door upon him, and went out" to visit the man of God. When her husband required the reason for this unseasonable visit, her only reply was, "It shall be well;" and even to Elisha she did not directly voice the calamity which seemed to face her. In dispatching his servant to bring the child aid, Elisha instructed him (II Kings 4:29), "If thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again." Likewise, when he came to the child, Elisha "shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord." In this way another great demonstration of the healing truth was protected.
When Jesus healed the ruler of the synagogue's daughter, he put forth all save Peter, James, John, and the father and mother of the maiden. "And he charged them straitly that no man should know it," we read (Mark 5:43). One is also reminded that it was necessary for Joseph and Mary to take the infant Jesus into Egypt for a season, that he might be nurtured and sheltered from the malice which was desirous of destroying the Christ-idea.
