Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-08-10
9nternatinnal ge5solls.
THE SUNDAY, SCHOOL.
LESSON VIII, THIRD QUARTER. INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. Fl.

| 1exC OI tuo LcboohJ - ~ &-~'
Memory Verses, 13, Ia Golden Text,
Jer. xviii, IA Commentary by the Rev.
D. NJ. stearns.
/. "Now Naaman, captain Of the host
of the king of Syria, was great man with
his master and honorable" The verse
goes on to tell why, but closes with the
sad statement that M was leper. The
Word of God from beginning to end reveals
God to us working in and through and for
His people and for all who are willing to
receive His mercy. Even by those who do
not know Him He sometimes works as In
this case, delivering Syria by Naaman.
All the great and honorable men of Scrip
turo, such as Boaz, the mighty man Of
wealth ruth ii, y; Mordecai, who was
great among the Jews (Est. K, 81, and
others lead the believer to say with heart
felt gratitude, II know greater and
more honorable than all others, and He
can heal even lepers."
Q. Brought away captive out Of the
land of Israel little maid, and she wait
ed on Naaman's wife" Thus did the
Syrians with Gods permission, but what
about the little maids father and mother,
and what about her own poor little hearth
1t is very evident that God does not al
ways seek the comfort Of His people, but
He does always seek the highest good, and
the greatest eternal glory Of each one.
Consider Joseph and Daniel, etc.
8. "Would God my lord were with the
prophet that Is in Samaria For he would
recover him Of his leprosy." But for the
love Of God manifested through the little
maid we might never have had the story
of Naaman. The faithfulness of the little
boy Samuel and of this little girl are great
lessons for all boys and girls. Jesus at
the age of 10 was about His Fathers busi
ness, and it is the business of all who know
Him to make Him known to others.
4. "Thus and thus said the maid that Is
Of the land of Israel" So said one to the
king, and thus the message Of the little
maid is passed on to headquarters, even
the words Of little boy or girl are worth
being passed on and will accomplish God 8
pleasure II they concern Him or His serv-
ants who live unto Him. He will use any
vessel that is willing to be used by Him
that He may be Rlorifed.
S. "And the king of Syria said, Go to,
go and will send letter unto the king
Of Israel" So Naaman departed taking
as a present 10 talents of silver, 5000
pieces of gold and ten changes Of raiment.
God gave His Son freely and with Him
freely all things (Rom. Ill, "a; viii, 32).
Those do not know Him who think to buy
His gifts, neither do those know Him as
they should who bring Him no thank
Offering.
6. "Now, when this letter Is come unto
thee, behold l have Herewith sent Naa-
man, my servant, to thee, that thou may
est recover him of his leprosy." Our mes
sages for God often get twisted and per-
yerted by those who hear them, but God
will somehow accomplish His pleasure.
| It is not for US to worry II we have acted
according to Jer. 0xiii %. The little girl
had said that the prophet, not the king,
would do.it. =.
2. cam I God, to kiH and to make
alive, that this man doth send unto me to
recover q man Of his leprosyp" Thus said
the king of Israel when he had read the
letter and imagined that the king of Syria
sought to quarrel with him. True, he
was not able either to kill or maxi alive,
but he should have known the God OF
Israel and His servants, the prophets, and
| nave U6tu dulo pOiue POOP1o " o1o SHS
only living and true God.
| g. Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothest
Let him now come to me, and he shall
know that there is a prophet In Israel.
Thus sent Elisha to the king whom he
heard that the king had rent his clothes.
Here is a man conscious of the fact that
he is on earth for God and that God Is
with him. He has seen the power OF God
In the dividing of the waters, the healing OF
the waters and in the miraculous supply
of water, in the increase Of the oil, the
raising of the Summarizes son and the
healing of the pottage. He knows God
and feels free to expect whatever will
glorify Him.
| 8. $50 Naaman came with his horses and
with his chariot and stood at the door Of
the house of Elisha" A wonderful sight
truly to be seen at poor mans door! 1T
makes US think of the time when all kings
shall fall down before Him.whom Elisha
served, when every high thing shall be
brought down and the Lord alone shall be
exalted in that day FPS. kYii, IL; lisa. Ii,
11).
10. "Go and wash in Jordan seven
times, and thy flesh shall come again to
thee, and thou shalt be clean" Thus said
the messenger whom Elisha sent to the
door, for Elisha thought It not necessary
to 90 himself He stood like Elijah before
God and considered no greatness that was
not Of God.
II. But Naaman was wroth and went
away and said, Behold, thought he will
surely come out to me-" Naaman had it
all planned in his own, mind just how i5
ought to be done, for was not he a great
and honorable man and did he not deserve
30 be honored before his soldiers and by
this Israelite? Was he not prepared to pay
we'll for all he got and was this any kind
Of q way to treat such as he? His pride
would not stand 1t, and he went away In
a rage.
-. "Are not Abana and Pharpar, riv-
ers Of Damascus, better than all the wa
tsrs Of Israel?' The water might be as
good or possibly better for some purposes,
but they wene hot Gods way for bis
cleansing. Gains fruits were probably
much more attractive than Abel's bloody
lamb, but they were not Gods way. Good
works and a good moral character are very
beautiful and all right in their place, but
they are not Gods way of cleansing the
leprosy Of sin, and therefore OF no avail.
IS. Glow much rather then when he
| Gath m thae Wash and be cleanP' His