Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-08-17
NAAMAN HEALED.
sunday School Lesson in the Inter-
national Series for August II,
1852 Kings, Slid,


BIASED upon Peloubet's Select Notes.]
GOLDEN TEXT.-Ieal me, O Lord, and |
shall be healed; save me. and shall be |
saved.-Jer. 17:14.
THE SECTION includes the story of the |
healing of Naaman and the sin of Gehazj !
in connection with it e Kings, 5:1-7)
TIME.-B. c. S90-Ss4 Common chron.). or
s52-S4' <revisf TE shFSS> NOTES..
I. The Sad Case of the Damascus
Generally. /. Nov Naaman (beauti-
full or pleasant to look upon), captain
of the host:" The commandments |
of the Syrian army. "Of the king of !
Syria:" Benhadad H., "Was a great
man with his masters" He had great |
talents, strong personality; he had
done much for the king, and was there
fore very highly esteemed. by him
the Lord had given deliverance unto
SYRIA" Probably from Assyria, by
means of Israel, whose forces had
united with the Syrians against the
common enemy. Hence it is said that
Jehovah had given the deliverance.
But he was a leper:" For leprosy
there was no cure in Syria; but there
was prophet in Israel, and he could
do for this general all that was needed.
II. A Little Girl Shows the Way to
Healing.-Vs. "a. 2. 1.-The syrians had
gone out by companies" A part of
the misery inflicted by the Syrians on
Israel was caused by the forays in
which their l1ght-armed bands de-
scended upon the country and carried
off plumber and captives before they
could be pursued.
3. And she said unto her mistress,
Would God my lord were with the
prophet that is in Samaria:" This
young girl must have often heard of
the miracles of healing performed by
Elisha, and of his readiness to help
those in distress.
III. Naaman Seeks Help from the
Wrong Man.-Vs. 81. S. "And the
king of Syria said will send
letter unto the king of Israeli" Prob
ably Jehoram, the son of Ahab. He
thought this to be the easiest way to
reach Elisha. "And took with him."
To come before anyone without gift
when favor was to be asked would
have been inexcusable rudeness.
6. THAT thou mayest recover him of
his leprosy." Through the prophet at
his capital. He imagined that King Je-
horam would of course know all about
such man.
Z. The king rent his
clothes:" Jehoram lived in perpetual
terror of his powerful and encroach-
ing neighbor. HE seeketh a quarrel
against. me-" A pretext for again in
vading the country.
". Elisha Offers Salvation from God.
VS.. $40. s. ''When Elisha :.
had heard:" He probably had his
home in Samaria, in another part of
the city (Kings, $3.50. 'Let him come
now to me-" etc.: However sinful the
king had been, and however powerless
to help Naaman, yet true religion was
not dead; and God would graciously
show His power through His prophet.
10. "And Elisha sent messenger I'M
to him." Why did not the prophet
come forth himself? It was possibly
TO teach Naaman that the God of the
prophet was the superior of the king
of Syria. go and wash in Jordan
seven times" The Jordan was Is or
30 miles away by the route he must
travel. The reason for this prescrip-
ton is evidently in the moral effect
of the cure, that the healing of the
body might lead to the salvation of the
soul.
V. Gods Way of Salvation Rejected.
VS.. II, 12. II. "But Naaman was
wrotn:" His anger arose from the very
reasons, on account of which the
course of the prophet was best for
him. The plan was too simple. It was
absurd on the face of it. There was
nothing in the Jordan which could
help him. 1t was also contrary to his
pride and love of display. He wanted
something fitted to his station.
'strike his hand over the places" It
is very common superstition that
the hand of king waved over a sore
will cure it.
vi. Gods Way Accepted. Naaman
C1eansed from His Leprosy.-Vs. 10, IA.
13. "And his servants (officers) came
near" gently soothing Naaman's rage
and seeking to. restore him to reason.
Had bid thee do some great thing:''
Perhaps some deed of prowess, beft-
ting the mighty man of valor," or
some fatiguing journey by way of pill
grimage. "How much rather then"
ETC.: The ease and simplicity of the
| requirement was a reason not for OBJ
jecting, but for obeying. It removed
all excuses. Moreover, he had to cross
the Jordan on his way home.
II. "Then he went down." The long
days journey to the Jordan, full of
thoughts and perplexities. But this
day was good for his soul. Like unto
the flesh of little child" In striking
contrast to it's former foul and dis
eased condition, it now became fresher
and fairer than was natural in full
grown man.
VII. Naaman's Return.-When Naa-
man found himself cured he turned
back from the Jordan to Samaria in
order to express his thanks to the
prophet and to beseech him to take