The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-03
2 Kings XIII: l4-25.

ture and result of that war. This he
does by the use of the same smybol
Verse ~ The window of the sick
room toward the east. toward Syria,
was thrown open and Joash was COM
named to shoot. That was the an
cient mode of declaring war. Justin
says that when Alexander the Great
had arrived on the coast of Iona, he
threw a dart into the country of the
Persians. Servius shows that II was
customary for heralds to go to the con-
fines of an enemy's country and to
throw a spear, thus proclaiming hos
tilities. And so when, at the prophets s
biding, Joash shot the arrows toward
Syria, he virtually declared II wage
war with you" Elisha so understood
it, for he exclaimed: THE arrow of the
Lords deliverance," and then added:
''Thous shall smite the Syrians in
Aphek," town six miles to the east
of the sea of Galilee in which Ben-ha-
dad took refuge. In that encounter a
complete victory was promised. the Sy-
rian army should be consumed, and
Israel should be delivered from its
great enemy in the very place where
sixty years before God had wrought
for his people. q kings Xxx, 26)
DISPLEASED.-Hav delivered in
this impressive manner his instruc-
ton concerning the war the prophet
proceeded to test the king. He desired
to know how far Joash entered with
spirit into this plan to subdue Syria.
For this purpose the symbolic method
was continued. Joash was ordered to
smite on the ground with the arrows,
signifying the chastisement which
ought to be administered to an enemy
(verse 1S). He smote three times and
ceased. That was taken by Elisha as
evidence that the king was not fully
aroused to the duty before him, or to
a sense of the difficulty involved. 1t
indicated that he expected an easy
victory, or else that he lacked resolu-
tion. In either case he did not mani
fest the high purpose of one who by
direction of the Almighty, had been
appointed to defeat the foes of his
country And Elisha was displeased.
The aged prophet, just ready to close
his earthly career, felt that the head
of the nation lacked nerve for the
emergency of the hour. ImbeCility
and hesitation were offensive. And
Joash was made to know that his VIC
tory would be limited, measured pre-
csely by his disposition (Matt. vii,
7-6).
INFLUENCE.-The worth of a man
never fully appears in his lifetime.
After his death his character and con-
duct may be judged in clearer light.
Besides, there are consequences of his
departure that tend to put him in the
just estimate of others. Elisha died
and was buried. Then came two events
of special significance. At the opening
of the new year, when the pasture was
favorable for the cattle, maraudinG
bands of the Moabites invaded the
land (verse 20). The great prophet
who had been the defender being nc
! more, the enemies came with impun-
ity, unrestrained by an irresolute king
This invasion, while chiefly interest
ing In it's political aspirations, was a
cause of much personal anxiety and
domestic discomfort. In proof of this
a company bearing a dead man out OF
the city to burial was panic stricken
when they saw a Moabite band, and
cast the dead body into the sepulchre
! Of Elisha for safety (verse 2D. Then
| came a marvellous exhibition of post
mortem power. AS soon as the dead
man touched Elisha he revived. This
| miracle was not by any power in the
prophet. 1t was rather by the power
of God operating through the prophet
God chose thus to honor His servant
This remarkable occurrence attests
the influence of Elisha, and gives him
| a unique place in history. If possible