These words were spoken by the Prophet Elisha - a man who in a previous time would have been significantly known as a Seer
Prophets were men who could see things that other men could not see
They were not merely perceptive people who could "read the game" and had the natural ability to anticipate someone's next move
They were men who could infallibly foretell future events
Elisha (and other prophets) did so: 2:3/5/9-11
Even in this passage concerning the death of a child - it was Elisha who foretold the birth of the child (v14-16) - much to the total amazement/its mother (v16) - but it was so as the Prophet had said

In this sequel/this event, the child took unwell and died (v18-20)
The mother then very quickly sought out the man/God and when she came to him, she immediately flung herself at his feet, inducing Gehazi tried to thrust her away, but Elisha forbade him saying:  (text)
Elisha had not been told that this woman was coming nor the reason why she came - He was as much/dark as any other man

I thought about these words, because although true words, they did not prevent Elisha from doing what he could to help this woman
Recently we talked with some folk who had many questions to ask about the Christian faith
Good! Bible encourages people to ask questions - we are to be ready to give reason of our hope etc.,
But some questions were the big ones which we could not really answer
We had to fall back on that great stock answer - that God does what He does for the wisest reasons best known only to Himself and that the Judge/all earth always does what is right: Genesis 18:25

If we are not told everything, which we want to know…does it warrant a holding back of faith in the gospel?
Is the enquirer right to sit tight until his questions are answered to his satisfaction?
Our passage will help us answer these matters with 4 main points:

1) ALTHOUGH THE LORD HIMSELF KNOWS ALL THINGS, YET HE VERY WISELY WITHHOLDS SOME KNOWLEDGE FROM US:

A/ Elisha's words indicate that the Lord Himself knew, but had not passed on the information to others and certainly not to him
God was not in the dark about the death of this child

[i] The breath/child was in God's hands (Daniel 5:23)
[ii] The appointment men have with death (Hebrews 9:27) is of God's choosing - "This night thy soul shall be required of thee" (Luke 12:20)

B/ But the overall reason is that God is the all knowing God
Nothing hid from His eye and nowhere free from His presence
Psalm 139 is a good Psalm to muse upon in this context

C/ Seen again in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ
Samaritan woman: Come and see a man who told me all things that ever I did (John 4:29) Again: Revelation 2:23
D/ Knows all things because He Himself has ordained whatsoever comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11)
How can He not know all things?

E/ Evident (passage/own experience) that God does not share all this knowledge with us - not only as regards what happens but why
Common questions: Why do the innocent suffer/wicked prosper?
God knows why - but He has not ultimately told us
A number of good reasons why this is so

[i] It is the sole prerogative/God to know all things
This was the great error of Adam/Eve in Eden (Genesis 3:5)
[ii] We are not able to bear all the implications of full knowledge:
Mark 4:33/Hebrews 5
Some people would be crushed under the weight/knowledge and therefore it is better/more merciful to withhold some things
[iii] God has a time of revelation as to the why/wherefore of each event (John 13:8) - It is simply not here/now in this life

If any are determined to sit tight until all information is made available…then they should turn off their engine, for it will not be revealed unto you at the time of their choosing
Furthermore, such obstinacy only makes the matter worse
It is one thing to kept in ignorance…another to be judiciously blinded and that's where such hardness/heart leads
God threatens the wicked with sending delusions (2 Thessalonians 2)
That's not the road any of us want to go down  

2) SUCH IGNORANCE ON OUR PART DOES NOT PREVENT OUR NEED TO KNOW THE LORD'S HELP AND POWER:

A/ Men might be ignorant of much - but not of this
Our ignorance is relative, but not total and we all hold a great Book with a wealth of information/teaching and plain speaking application

B/ Elisha here could see that this woman was distressed/soul
But it was only when she ventured some information ("Did I not say, 'Do not deceive me'") that the missing pieces began to be filled in

C/ Instead of concentrating of what we do not know - and if we do not know then we do not need to know - let us concentrate on what we do know and are assured of

D/ Elisha had a Bible too (although much reduced in size cp. ours)
He read of others who had searching questions
Book of Job is a rich hunting ground in these things
But these men, no matter what they did not know - kept trusting the Lord as he had revealed Himself to them/us

E/ Elisha knew that the situation had hand needed Divine help
Forget about the whys/wherefores and accept the facts as revealed:

[i] By one man sin entered in the world and we are all infected
[ii] Death has passed upon all men because all of us have sinned
[iii] We cannot save ourselves either in totality/part
[iv] No other human being or other group/people can save us
[v] If we are not saved - our hearts remain unregenerate and our sins remained unpardoned - then we will be lost in hell for evermore

These are awful facts, but they are true
Ought to detain our attention - not the things God has not revealed
It really is a matter of priority and the salvation/soul is paramount

F/ Importance/matter may again be shown from the passage
As the young boy died, a sense of great urgency came into play
The mother's declared intentions was to run to the man/God (v22)
Would not be deterred by the danger/such unseasonable travel (v23)
The mother's instructions denoted haste and so importance (v24)
The Prophet's instructions to Gehazi (v29) are likewise all revealing

[i] They denote the sense of urgency and so importance
[ii] They are significantly similar to the instructions which the Lord Jesus gave to His gospel preaching disciples in Luke 10:4
Saluting men took time - and while mannerly yet were hardly profitable - and they could be ditched in time/trouble or urgency

G/ One reason why people make such a fuss about the bigger questions is that it deals with the abstract rather than the personal
Seen in the desire of the Samaritan woman to deflect Christ's all searching eye upon her soul (John 4:18-20)
Here is another reason why we are not told everything - it would deflect even more from the things that we need to know first

3) WHAT WE DO KNOW IS SUFFICIENT TO ENCOURAGE US TO SEEK THE HELP OF GOD IN SALVATION:

A/ Already thought of our ignorance not preventing us from being aware of our need of a Saviour
[i] Our conscience has been instructed by God to enable us to recognise our guilt - all have a conscience and if we stands condemned by our own conscience, then we may assume that the Law/God will also condemn us, for it holier yet again
[ii] The Bible with its 66 books and 1139 chapters conveys this message right from its earliest pages

B/ However, it is one thing to know that we need a Saviour - that the eternal realities affect each one of us - another thing to know that there actually is a Saviour who is gracious/able enough to save
However the Bible assures us that it is so

Elisha hastened to the bedside/lad believing his life could be restored
He believed that God would be gracious and hear the cries of a broken mother and her son back to life

C/ What do we know about God who has hidden so much from us?
Even though His ways are often passed finding out (Romans 11:33) yet we do know this: He is a God of love, as evidenced by the sending to
 die of His own Son (Romans 8:32)
This woman did not chose for her son to die
She did all she could through the Prophet's use to see him restored
God used the Prophets to proclaim/fact He would send His Son to die for sinners and through His death bring them redemption/pardon
God reveals Himself as a God who delights in mercy, reserving it for thousands  - God who does nothing in half measures etc., and who has no delight in the death/wicked but rather that they would live etc.,

D/ Whatever we don't know - forget about those great unknowns that are away far above our hearts and unnecessary at this time - come to the Cross and gaze upon the battered/bleeding body of the Son/God as he dies for the sin/world
Behold the Saviour on the Cross - A spectacle of woe
See from His agonising wounds, the blood incessant flow  (Para 44)

E/ Faith/woman in the Prophet and Elisha's faith was not misplaced nor foolish - ultimately the lad by divine power was restored to life
If you venture your soul upon the Son/God and His work/Cross, and ask Him to save you, then that faith will not be misplaced
Cp the great salvation verses: John 3:15/Acts 16:31/Romans 10:13
What are you waiting for? What else do you need than this?

 
4) IT IS FOLLY TO BE LOST FOR THE SAKE OF IDLE CURIOSITY:

A/ Elisha did not hesitate to respond nor did he waste time seeking answers from God when he realised that events were happening outside his knowledge (text)
Information was not merely withheld, but specifically hidden by God and that was God's business
A model response: He knew that God would reveal to him what he needed to know, and he quickly acted upon what had been revealed

B/ If the sinner had access to such information as he craves - such information that he places above the salvation of his soul - what would he do with it?
If the present existing information/Bible does not bring him to his knees in surrender to the claims/gospel - why should we think that additional information will do so?
Nothing unrevealed that will contradict or minimise what is revealed

B/ There is a curiosity that is pure/wholesome 
Such was the curiosity/Zaccheus (Luke 19:3)
But it was kept within the grate of obedience to the will/God
If you would be curious, then be curious to learn more of God and Christ from the pages of God's word, remembering the all important  proviso: If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.  (John 7:17)
If you wish to know more for its own sake, remember that such knowledge only puffs up  - take Christ's yoke and learn/Him.