The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOn
FEBRUARY Is.
Lesson Text: "ElUah Taken tc
Heaven" II Kings, H., Ill
Golden Text: Genesis, V,
24-Commentary.

wCulQ U6Ke up jan luto uedVeu uy Wilt
wind" We have low come to the record Of
Elijah's last day on earth in a mortal body.
Suddenly he appears before US in Kings,
xvii, ], and now as suddenly be is to be
taken from US Like Aaron and Moses, he
is to be taken away in perfect health (Num.
Xxx, g., Deut. xxIiv., u; and like Enoch, he
is to be taken without dying. In the will
derness under the juniper tree he had asked
to die Il Kings, xix, a, but that prayer vas
not answered, for God had something better
for him that he little dreamed Of. Gods
way is to do for US exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think (Eph. iii, 2Gj.
'tEiiah went with Elisha from Gilgal"
Since the amounting Elisha had been with
Elijah ministering unto him q Kings xix,
2l), but now he was to part with him and be-
come bis successor in Office. At Glgal Israel
made their first encampment in the pr omised
land; there they set up the twelve stones
from the bed of the jordan: there they were
circumcised and kept the passover, and there
God rolled away from them the reproaca
Of Egypt Josh. iv and VI.
9. EAnd Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry
here I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to
Bethel" By comparing Gen. Xii, 6and Deut
Ii, 80, it would seem that Abrams first altar
In the promised land was notsfrom Gilgal.
In Gen. xii, 8, we see his second altar at
Bethel. Here also Jacob saw the ladder set
u
= "As the Lord livetb, and as thy soul hveth
I VIII not leave thee. So they went down to
Bethel This is the steadfastness of pur-
pose which has something in view and gets
It. There is nothing like indifference here,
but on the contrary wholehe which
indicates intense desire.
8. 'sKnowest thou that the Lord will take
away thy master from thy head to-day?'
This was the question OF the sons of the
prophets Of Bethel We will find more. Of
thsm and similar question at Jericho. See
also verse IS, and chapters w., l, IS: II.
s.And he said, Yea, know 1t; hold ye
your peace.n Elisha was well aware that
Elijah was to leave him, and like Jacob with
the angel, he was in his heart clluging and
saying, II will not let thee 60 except thou
bless me- (Gen. xxi, 26.
4. "And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry
here, pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me
to Jericho" This ismet by the same refusal
as at Gilgel, and Is followed VS.. 81 BY the
same question from the sons Of the prophets
at Jericho as that asked at Bethel. He heeds
not Etijah's request, nor is he moved by the
repeated reminders that Elijah Is about to
leave him. One thing he desires and earn
estly seeks after Ps. xvii, A, and from
that one thing he cannot be turned aside.
Q. Sand Elijah said unto him, Tarry,
pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me
to Jordan" 1T redeemed soul will stay at
Gilgal treproach rolled away, salvation OBJ
tained) there they may stay ond be saved as
(1ouse Of God and revelations Of glory and
consent to tarry there, thinking and talking
of their future happiness, they may still,
though saved, be without much reward; If
they press on to the city Of palm trees
Deut. xxxiv, 81, p easant but barren Tvs
i9), they may rejoice in being blessed with
all spiritual blessings, and the good things
which He will not withhold from them that
walk uprightly, and yet live largely selfish
life and bear little fruit
"And they two went on" Never stop
ping as if satisfied with any attainment in
the divine life, but ever pressing onward,
forgetting the things which are behind-this.
is the only way for soul constrained by the
love Of Christ.
z. "And fifty men of the sors of the
prophets went and stood to view afar of;
and they two stood by Jordan" Fifty afar
of looking on, only two really in the busl-
ness on hand, one OF tlem about to be taken
and the other eager for one thing, desiring
it most earnestly; and yet all the flfty-two
are among the prophets. Look over the
companies of believers anywhere and ask
how many are ready and expecting to be
translated; how many have earnest desire
for the one thing needful for service here,
and how many are looking on and merely
wondering What nextY'
8. "And Elijah took his mantle and
wrapped it together, and smote
the waters, and they were divided
hither and thither, so that they
two went over On dry ground" The last
we heard Of this mantle it was covering
Eliiah's face as God talked with him at Ho-
reb in the still small voice, and a little later
it was thrown upon Elisha as he was plow-
ing u Kings xix, 13, 49,. Now, it is like
Moses's rod stretched out over the Red Sea,
or like the Ark Of the Covenant on the
shoulders OF the priests at this same Jordan
FIVE hundred years before lex. xiv, 16; Josh.
Ill. IL.
g. ASK what shall do for thee before
be taken away from thee" Jordan, the river
Of Judgment, has been crossed; Elisha would
not tarry at any delightful experience. but
on and on, and now in the power Of resur-
rection he stands with Elijah on the verge
of separation from him and hears this great
question. 1t is as if Elijah said, Why have
yoH clung to me? Why have you so per-
severingly followed on? Whati is it that you
SO earnestly desire! Ask it now that you
may receive it.
'And Elisha said, I pray thee let double
portion of thy spirit bs upon me-" Oh.
DleSSSl QeSlT6 lLuD!duUeI NY
Not wealth, nor influence, nor worldly favor,
but the spirit that finds all in God and fears
not the face of man; not the three years
which the disciples spent with Jesus could
qualify them to be witnesses unto Him, but
only the same Spirit Who dwelt in and
controlled and wrought in and
through Himself, and whom He said
BE would send to them after His return to
the Father, bidding them to tarry in Jeru-
81 Al. H. &h1A hxok
of the Holy Spirit without which they were
power!ess. To be filled with that Spirit is
our need to-day, but We need not expect to
be thus filled il we are content to tarry at
Gigal, Bsthal, Jericho or in any Christian
experience short of complete separation from
all earthly entanglements, and also from the
selfish enjoyments OF even the Christian life.
10. And He said, Thou hast asked hard
thing; nevertheless if Thou see ME when l
am taken from Thee, it shall be so unto
Thee; but i. not, it shall not be So" A hard
thing for Elisha, and perhaps he knew not
what he asked. Elijah knew what it had
cost him to obtain the measure of the Spirit
which he had: what separation, what lonell-
ness what death to the flesh, what trials.
what prosecutions, and il Elisha is to receive
q double portion of the Spirit will it not be
hard thing for him? Has ne counted the
cost?
II. Anu IL came 10 pass, as tneJ Stitt Weut
on, and talked that, behold, there appeared
q chariot OF fire, AMI horses OF fire, and
parted them both asun1ar.' Can you fancy
how intently Elisha WATCHED Elijah as they
still went on and talked, never for a moment
taking his eyes OFF him, least after all he
might miss his hearts desire. Can you i'm
agine the subject of their conversation, as
the one knew that any moment his compan-
ion might be gone, and the other knew that
any moment he might cease to be mortal
man? We are sure that nothing triaing
would be spoken, but only things concern
ing the awful realities Of time and eternity.