Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-04-03
SAVED FROM FAMINE.
LESSON |, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATIOkLAL SERIES, APRIL s.

| Commit Nerpes, y, V-Golueh ieAt, %
evil, documentary by the Rev. ID. NJ
Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission of II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Philadei-
phia
After the Syrian army had been smitten
with blindness at the word of Elisha he
led them into the midst Of Samaria, then
prayed that they might see. Their eyes
being opened, they found themselves in the
presence of the man whom they sought,
the king of Israeli who would have slain
them; but at the command of Elisha he
fed them, treated them well, and let them
go, thus conquering them with kindness.
Today's lesson brings before us Samaria
so besieged by the Syrians that there is
a terrible famine, and mothers are so
crazed by hunger that they eat their own
children, and all because of their rebellion
against God.
l. "Tben Elisha said, Hear We the word
Of the Lord"
The king of Israel professed to be so filed
with horror at the dongs of the people that
he swore to kill Elisha, and proceeded
forthwith to put his threat in execution.
2. Behold If the Lord would make win
dows in heaven might this thing be-"
Thus spake a companion of the king of
Israel, in reply to the word of the Lord by
Elisha, that tomorrow there would be
food in abundance; and thus speaks many
a professed Christian today, in reference
to the great promises of the Lord of Hosts.
1t is a fearful sin, but so common, to make
light of the word of God or reject it alto
gether because it seems impossible or I'M
reasonable.
4 t'\IhU sit we here until we 1ip9D
We are now introduced to four outcasts,
without the city because of their leprosy,
who are in a most pitiable condition. They
are dying slowly of disease; hunger is now
fastening their death-there is no relief
from the city; the Syrians can only kill
them, and thus shorten their misery, but
possibly may take pity on them and save
them. 1t is their only hope, and their
minds are made up. The condition of these
men was sad indeed, but what about those
in all Christendom who are on the way to
the second death and are Indifferent to iii
8. and they rose up in the twilight to
go unto the camp of the Syrians, and, be
hold there was no man there"
Tremblingly and stealthly, under cover
of the twilight, they moved toward the
camp of the enemy, but enemy there was
none, no one to be seen. Their fears vanish
their hearts leap within them; they ex
pected death, but they find life, food and
riches in abundance. The change il
their circumstances is an illustration Of
. the difference between an unsaved person
i seeking satisfaction from this world and {
z saved soul rejoicing in the fullness of the
I redemption and life eternal.
: 6. The Lord had made the host of the
/. Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and {
o noise of horses, even the noise of a grea
i host"
n He did not open their eyes to see tn,
$ hosts of the Lord as He did the eyes o
i Elsha's servant wi, ~, but He caused
ii their ears to hear, and their hearts to i'm
q agine great host pursuing them. 1t wa
$ not host of Hittites and Egyptians, a
= they thought, but the unseen hosts of tn
Lord. What rest there is in the soul tina
= can say, Though an host should encam]
against me my heart shall not fear"
Z. Wherefore they arose and fled TO
their life"
How many ways the Lord has of over
throwing His enemies and sending deliver
ance to such as lie desires to bless. The Lor,
knoweth how. 1t is not for us either t.
make suggestions or have any anxiety, bu
Just abide in Him who is our sufliciency il
all things.
o. I'VE do not WE'LL this day is day o
good tidngs, and we hold our peace"
Thus spake the lepers as they perhap
paused in their overwhelming joy to cor
slider the famine stricken city so near by
What IL word this is for all who have hear
and received the glad tidings of salvation
''lf we tarry till the morning light som
mischief will come upon Us"
Who can tell what the loss will be in tn
resurrection morning to all believers VIII
haN al IN ha ri nd
ings when at the judgment seat of Chris
their iniquty has found them out Ok. V
margin)
10. $50 they came and called unto tn
porter of the city"
They did not stop at good resolution,
but Immediately put the same into eifec
Let all believers who are thinking of tel
ing or sending the good tidings to others, d
once do something about it and the wor
will move on.
II. And he called the porters; and the
told it to the kings house within"
Thus the good tidings are passed on froi
one to another, no one thinking of himsel
but only of the message of JOY which h
bears.
- And the king arose in the night an
said unto his servants will now show 20
what the Syrians have done to u.s."
Neither does the king wait till the morI
ing 1t is a time of sore trouble, and pc
haps sleep had forsaken him. But he doe
not believe the good tidings; he imagin,
mischief. Had he believed the word
the Lord by Elisha he might now hay
said humbly and gratefully, This is IL
Lords doing and marvellous in our eyes. y
10. LET us send and see."
This was so unlikely; how could it
true' We tell people of the forgivene
of all their sins and the possession of etc
nal life by just receiving Jesus Christ
their Saviour John /, II; " "a; Rom. iv,
Acts xiii, IS, 39), but they will not look u
the passages in their Bibles to see if it
really so.
IA. 1.-THE king sent after the host of Il
Syrians, saying, Go and see"
A willingness to investigate is so muC
better than imagining or believing an ey
report. God asks us to search the Scrip
; ures, to read, to hear, to believe, to pro
Him.
10. "And they went after them unto Jo
a., dan; and the messengers returned and to
IN, the king"
III II -, -,