Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-03-22
ELISHA'S DEFENDERS.
LESSON XII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH %.

Text of the Lesson, III Kings vi, S-l8.
Commit Verses, I5-I7-Golden Text, II
Kings vi, I6-Commentary by Rev. ID.
NJ. Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission Of II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Philade
phia
g. "Then the king Of Syria warred
against Israel, and took counsel with his
servants, saying, In such and such place
shall be my camp"
Between the story of Naaman and &c
hazi and this lesson the Holy Spirit has
written the record of house building near
Jordan by the sons of the prophets, and
the miraculous recovery of lost AK, from
which we see the need, humanity speaking,
of the money which Naaman offered Elisha;
but the prophet prefers to rely wholly and
only upon the God of Israel.
0. And the man Of God sent unto the
king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou
pass not such "A place, for thither the
Syrians are come down"
How often we are reminded that IAN
things are naked and opened unto the eyes
of Him with whom we have TO do, and that
1.-THE eyes of the Lord are in every place
ID; Prov. XIV, b! But here is wondrous
grace aud continued grace TO wicked
man The king of Israel was Jehoran,
son of Ahab, and he wrought evil in the
sight of the Lord, cleaving unto the sins Of
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat Chap. iii, 80,
and yet this is not the first time that God
has shown him kindness through Elisha.
TO- and the king of Israel sent to the
place which the man Of God told him and
warned him Of, and saved himself there,
not once nor twice"
God hath spoken once, twice have
heard this, that power belongeth unto
God, and this power is continually being
put forth on behalf Of sinful man to bring
back his soul from the pit, but though God
speaketh once-yca, twice-yet man per.
ceiveth il not tPs Xii, II; Job XXxiii, IA,
20,
II. Therefore the heart OF the king Of
Syria was sore troubled for this thing"
1t was not his sins that troubled him,
but the fact that he could not catch his
prey, and that his enemy so successfully
eluded him.
T.. 'Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel
telleth the king Of Israel the words that
thou spcakesJ in thy bedchambcr"
Like the servants Of Naaman, these serv
ants seem wiser than their master, for
Great men are not always wise" dob
xxi, 81
ID. and he said, GO and spy where he
is, that | may send and fetch him"
The Lord so ciTcctualiy hid Elijah that
Auab and all his scarchcrs could not find
him anywhere in all the land q Kings
xviii 3d. He also bid Baruch and Jcre
miah so that their enemies could not find
| them ljcr. XXxyi, 2jJ Yet this unbelieycr
thinks to capture one who could say Of
God Thou art my hiding place; Thou
shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou
shalt compass me about with songs Of de.
liyerance" Ops. xxi, .. The wicked
watcheth the righteous and seckcth 10
slay him, but tho Lord will not leave him
in his hand" ops. XxSvii, 32-33l.
And it was told him saying, Behold, he
is in DOthan."
IA. Therefore sent he thither horses and
I chariots and great host and they came
/ by night and compassed the city about"
| Surely they had their man now, and es
cape was impossible. Thus it seemed to
/ human eyes
/ 10 And when the servant of the man
/ Of God WIS risen early, and gone forth, be
/ hold, an host compassed the city both with
/ horses aud chariots'
While Elisha slept the enemy encom.
/ passed him about, bar Llisha's God neither
SAUNDERS nor sleeps, and Elisha rested in
/ Him, aui feared 10 evil His servant,
/ however had not the faith OF his master,
aud We may imagine his fears AS this sight
. met his eyes The host Of Syrians was real
and formidable, and there was evidently
/ no way Of oc'Ecrance.
And his servant said unto him, Alas,
my mas,er' how shall we dOf"
lie probably felt something like Israe!
/ when they saw the hosts Of Pharaoh pur
/ suing them, the mountains on either side
/ Of them and the sea before them lex. xiv
/ 10 And he answered, Fear not"
/ From Gen. XIV, /, to Rev. /, II how often
THAI precious word Fear not" has stilled
the troubled soull But before it can give
peace it must be spoken by one who has
some ground ana authority for saying it..
"Thcy that he with ms are more than
they that be with Them
What is il that Elisha sees that his serv
ant cannot seer l. he giving uttcrance to
a hope orto the assurance OF "A realityi We
shall see that lac means just what he Say
and is fully persuaded of every word Of IT,
=. Il And Elisha prayed and said Lord
pray thee, open his eyes that he may see.
What a simple prayer, how short, how
comprehcnsiycl No prcliminarios and nc
conclusion, not even an amen, just "A single
petition, asking ~ from "A familiar friend
for just what he wanted. My soul says
Lord Jesus, ask the Father for me that
my eyes may by the Holy Spirit be opened
to behold wOldrous things out Of Thy
word" And expect lie will. Thanking
Him for what we have seen, let us expect
more light every time we open His Word
And the Lord opened the eyes Of the
young man, and he saw; and behold, the
mountain was full Of horses and charots
of fire round about Elisha"
Now we know why Elisha said, Fear
not, and why he said 10 his servant that
their helpers were more numerous than
the enemy Let NO one dare 70 explain
away these unseen realities of Gods loyt
and care and power
- And when they came down 20 him
Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said
Snite this people, pray thee, with blind
ness"
A hui. ef,frt. o.,