The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-03-13
cEhAz, PUNISHED.


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CoLrES TEXT BE sars your ia viii md yon
out.-Sun 1-s1A
Ck>ynAL TErTa-The love u money l. roos
Of all evil
TINE Between 20 and - u. q. immediate
~ after the last lesson
PLACE Sn.nuria, the capital Of Israel
CfRcrxsIAScEs-Sa the commander
Of the Syrian army. came from Damascus 70
6amaria 10 b. cured ~ his Icprosy. Elisha
sent him 20 the Jordan. thirty miles away. 20
wash seven times lie went and VAS eleanscd
Of bis icprosy.
Helps own HARD PfAcEs.-ia 'Iic rr.
turned" from the Jordan 70 Szmaria And
came:- into Elisha's house. Behold. nov I
know because only God could work such :
miracle. Take blessing" present. which
expressed blessing. H. \ will receive none"
Whys Because he did not want Saauan 10
imagine that the gin o. God could be bought
lie wanted him 70 receive the free grace and love
81 God. lie would have him feeit the necessity u
showing his grafitudy 70 God. by serving Him.
Gratitude would also prevent further raids upon
the country u the Israelites. II. Two mules
burden Of earth" ~ . memorial 80 that ho
would be reminded o. Israei's God By the very
altar on which be worshipped- - II bow my
self in the house Of Rimmon': he thought he
could not help going through tho form Of worship
though he did not worship In heart All his
real worship vas OF Jehovah ''Rimmon" tho
national goc 81 the Syrians ~ 60 IN peace:''
on Naaman's conscience; or an indecislve ben
cdiction. as II he would not withhold permits
sion but not give IT, believing that further
light and experience would lead him Alright 20
'But Cehazi the servant Of Elisha" this last
Is mentioned 70 show how person may be bad
under the best influences ~ Prom Mount
Ephraim. two young mem" the hill country Of
Ephraim. Here were Gllgal and bethel two
schools OF the prophets. "A talent Of silver"
ei.6o0 10 si.soo % Laid them upon two serv-
ants" the weight 2oo pounds. was too much
for Gehazf 20 carry so far. "a TO the t0vcr:'
the hill near which Elisha lived. - Went not
mine heart with thees" Did not 80 with you
| In spirit and know every thing You said and
| did: rs II . time 70 receive money! when 70
| ceiving il would injure the cause o. religion.
misrcprcsent Elisha and hinder the good work
| IN Naamans q. The leprosy, etc \" his body
! should appear as diseased as his soul really
| was He broke the first third si2sh. eighth,
| ninth and tenth commandments The Cain
| mark was upon him. as q warning TO others
| and . means Of leading him ~ repent.
| LESSON COMMENTS.
Last week we had lesson that be-
gan sadly and ended gladly This week
we have one that begins gladly and
ends sadly. Grateful Naaman comes
back To the house of the prophet. desir-
Gus 70 testify 70 his gratitude in some
substantial way. lie urges the prophet
TO take Of him present. But Elisha
utterly refused to do this and with good
reason. for. If he had taken a reward,
the enemies Of Israel would have said
that he used the powers that God gave
him to enrich himself This would
never do. and so he declined 70 take
even 50 much as garment. In this con-
nection. call the attention Of the schol-
ars again To the fact that none of Gods
servants ever used their miraculous
powers for the sake Of personal gain.
They had freely received this power
and freely they gave its benefits "a
others. In this respect they were Like
the Master himself
So Naaman goes his way. But now
the spirit Of covetousness seizes Gehazi.
Elisha's servant. and he plans how he
may make something out Of this
Syrian" He darcs not ask for any
thing for his master, or even for him.
self. so lie invcnts story about tive
sons Of the prophets having come 4
elisha unexpectedly, and asks for 9
trifle for them. This and more toe
Naaman gratefully gives. and sends his
two servants to carry the present home
There Gehazi carefully hides the stuff
away. and then goes in to wait ON hi.
master as though nothing had hap
pcncd-
But Elisha had followed him with his
prophetic power, and knew all that hat
taken place. So when Gchazi comes
into his masters presence, he is ques
toned. and tries 70 hide his evil deeds
but IN vain. The prophet knows il all
and with severe rebuke exposes hi
hypocrisy and inflicts upon him q terri
bic punishment. for the lcprosy Of Naa
man appeared on Gehazi. and he wen
out from the presence Of Elisha as whit
as snow.
Gchazi's sin was very great. Ant
this for several reasons. In the frs
place he had been with Elisha now 70
some time. and had had abundant op
portunity 10 know what was right AM
what wrong lie was no heather
. brought up in spiritual darkness. Their
. was no better man living in the worl'
AZ that time than Elisha. In the mex
place he had Just learned that his mas
ter was not willing to take any rcwar'
for the miracle that he had wrought
And doubt not he knew well the tru
reason why he had refused to do this
/ Yet in the face Of all this, he concocte
: his lies, and backed them up wit
others. lie was in reality liar and
, thief.
Gehazi. going secretly through all tn
{ steps Of that guilty course, did moi re
|. alize that the eye Of the prophet wa
!. upon him every moment Of the time
. Yet so i. was. Elisha knew as wei
: what he was about rs though he wer
J al the mans side. What a picture
4 this Of the way in which God follows u
4 and knows all that we do. And no
= only does lie know all that we do, bu
!. all that we think and feel as well. Gu
!. hearts are as open 70 Him as thong
there were only piece Of plate glas
{ in front of them. Did you ever see
: glass beehive? Well, II you did 70
5 could look through it and see all I'll
4 bees at work, some coming, some *
d ing. some bringing honey, and som
D. wax. All was as open toyou as thong
g it was being done in the open air. :
e our lives are open to God. and howcvs
a much We are able to deceive our fc