The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1891-03-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 8
"Naaman Healed" q Kings, ", 1-15--
Golden Text; Psalm Will, g.
Commentary.

tne King OF Syria, was a great man with bis
master and honorable, because by him the
Loru had given deliverance unto Syriap The
Bible Is full Of contrasts The great contrast
Is between the Son Of God and the devil: thon
between those who believe God stand before
Him and serve Him, and such as are only
men OF this world, serving OF sin and Satan.
And the Syrians had gone out by
companies and had brought away captive
out OF the land OF Israel a little mnid. and
she waited on Naaman's wife, Lot anv
little girl consider we'll tho situation OF this
little maid, stolen from home, which was as
much to her as home is To any child, and now
little slave In far Off land. with little n
any prospect OF seeing father and mother
again; and yet she seems to be faithful In her
new home under these hard circumstances.
Let the boys consider Joseph, stolen from
home by his own brethren and serving as a
slave in Egypt; and yet we read four times in
one chapter that the Lord was with him
Gen. xxx, =, 3, 81, 23).
o. would God my lord were with the
prophet that is In Samaria. for He would re-
cover him OF his lcprosy.n Not only faith.
ful as servant but faithful I'm testimony,
and that Tor the benefit of her enemy, re-
mlnding us of Rom. ", S-lO Matt. ", a:
Rom. Kit, 20, 81, She knew OF the mighty
works done by Elisha, seven of which are
recorded In the last three chapters, and she
believed that such n mighty man OF God
could heal even leper. II Christians had
In Elisha they would be pointing every sim
sick and heavy laden soul TO Him.
4. And one went In and told his lord, say
ing, Thus and thus said tho maid that il Of
the land OF Israel" The little girls saving
Is being spread abroad. IL has now reached
his ears for whom IL was intended Wa
have only TO speak OF Jesus az we have op-
portunity, and We may be sure that the
message will In due time bs owned of God
D. And the king of Syria said, Go 70: co.
and will send letter unto the king of is
rael." The little girl spoke of the prophet in
Israel, not OF the king OF Israel, but kings
and such prophets as Elijah and Elisha were
not often in sympathy Il Kings xviii, Il;
xii, IS; III Chron. xvi, 10; xviii IS 2D,
and the king of Syria may have thought
that " there was any power in Israel 10 heal
leprosy the king OF Israel would surely know
H.. But neither OF these kings knew tho
God Of Elisha nor tho power that could heal
| the leper
q. Behold have sent Naamun, my SER
want, 20 thee, that thou mnyest recover him
OF his leprosy." Thus wrote the king OF
| Syria 10 the king OF Israel. Tho Lord who
gave deliverance 10 Syriais not recognized.
We cannot wonder ut this II wo consider
| the church OF Christ to-day and see her re-
| lance upon money and influence and the ia
vor Of this world while He whose name she
bears is comparatively unknown and un-
| sought and unhonorcd.
z. "Am | God 70 kill and 10 make alive
| that this man doth send unto mo TO recover
| a man of his leprosyY' Thus spake the king
| Of Israel, when having read the letter he
| rent his clothes and fancied that Syria's
king sought quarrel with him. "Am
| GodT reminds us OF Jacobs angry words to
his wife Rachel Gen. XXI, y, and killing
| and making alive reminds us of Beut
xxi. 80, / Sam. H., q. The king ot Israel
was in the place OF Gods representative,
and instead of getting angry he should have
felt honored. aud been able 10 point 20 Him
| who alone can kill and malEO alive.
=. Let him come nov To me and he shall
| know that there Is n T. ophet In Israel" Thus
| spake the man of God when he heard that
| the king hid rent his clothes. Here is the
one TO whom Naaman sho,ld have come; no
fears not man, nor does he seek honor IRON
man, but he loves 20 honor God.
9. 80 Naaman came with his horses and
| with his chariot, and stood at the door OF the
| house OF Elisha" great and honorable
| and mighty man of this world stands at the
door Of this poor and dependent servant OF
! God. He is now in the right place. but not
| In the right spirit. He knows that he Is
leper, that he has a deadly disease, and he
has come a long journey seeking for health,
| but then be Is no poor man he does not come
as beggar; he Is not like the leper OF Matt.
| viii, nor the ten Of Luke xvii. He is able 10
| pay for his healing and no wants il done as
10 great and mighty man. He IL dealing
with men and wants his position before men
to be recognized. He does not know Luke
| xvi, Is.
| 10. "And Elisha sent messenger unto
| him saying, Go and wash IN Jordan seven
times and thy flesh shall come again to
thee and thou shalt be clean.n What mag
| nifcent Indifference u earth's potentates
| and earth's favors. What an opportunity
| 10 make friend with great influence and
| obtain great SUN of money But, like
| Abram before the king of Sodom, he is
.l...a -
| earth is his friend, and he can afford 10 say
concerning the king of Syria's gold and
| silver, IL will receive nonen Tvs. l6. But
| what IA gracious message he sends % Naa-
man, and what n simple requirement and
| glorious result.
II. "But Nnaman was wroth, and went
away and said, Behold, | thought
| lie wanted health, but he wanted it given in
u style betitting his high position. and he had
his own thoughts as 10 how II ought TO be
done. He fnncied just how Elisha would
come out and cry IN Jehovah, and with great
demonstration make him well man. But
| nll his thoughts are swept away. Elisha
does not even come out 10 him, and there IL
no demonstration, but only kind message
telling him what TO do and promising health.
! Many are to-day out OF Christ and unsaved
Just because they have their own thoughts
| as to how they ought To be converted and
they won't come any other way.
l2. care not ALBANIA and Pharpar, rivers
Of Damascus, better than all the waters Of
| IsraelY' Here are some more OF his thoughts;
Syria Is better than Israel, Damascus than
Jerusalem, ALBANIA and Pharpar than Jordan.
1t Is great humiliation for him, Syrian,
10 come TO Israel seeking any favor, and he
does not want favors; he can pay for all he
gets. But 10 be treated thus and then 20 be
sent TO Jordan, Is too much for his Syrian
pride, and he went away In a rage.
49, my father. IL the prophet had bid
thee do some great thing woudst thou not
have done itT' Thus reason his servants
with him, showing more wisdom than their
master, for 'Great men are not always wise"
Job xxxii., 81; and they had him, too, as we
say, for that was just the thought OF his
heart.
"a. "Then went he down. That is good,
for every proud person must come down, and
IL they come willingly IL will save God the
trouble OF bringing them down.
'And dipped himself seven times In
Jordan, according TO the saying OF the man
OF God.n He Is now obedient and in the
way of blessing. and blessed he shall be.
i - Ii. -.