Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-09-01
TIE DEATH OF ELISHA.
saHGay school Lesson IN the inter
nst!onaiserics for sepecribc
E. ss9s-2 Kings, I3sI4-%5.


remaining incidents IN the life Of Elisha
both of them for lie good Of mis- country,
and both containing tests Of faith and
/ training In trust. First. Chaps 6.24-T p:
then glance at the religious progress of
the nation during the interver ng time,
| ana then the lesson verses I3.1- e.
TIME.-Elisha died early il the reign
Of Jsaoash. s42-S26 3. c. COR 7s7-761). This
I lesson IS IS years after our last.
EXPLANATORY
/. The Prophet and the Siege OF
Samaria.-A few years after our last
lesson. still in the reign of Jehoram,
tie sgrians beSieged SaUaria 50 closely
that there was the utmost distress. II
Is probable that Elisha had shown the
/ king that this misfortune was the
fruit of his sins.
Then came the word of the Lord TO
Elisha, and he announced to the king
that within "a hours plenty should
reign in the city.
AS promised, the relief came. Dur
ing the night the Syrians heard unac-
countable sounds eehoing among the
hills, as of horses and chaflots rush
ing toward them. They thought that
| the hosts Of the warlike Hittites from
| the north were coming, and they fed
! in a panic, leaving their supplies be-
hind them.
Thus was fulfilled the promise of
! Elisha. No sooner had the messengers
! delivered their glad tidings than the
peoI e of Samaria began to pour tu-
multuously out of tie gates, to fling
themselves on the food and on the
spoil
r. The Political Changes in Israel
were, the extinction Of the house Of
Ahab, the coming OF a new dynasty
into power through Jehu, as foretold
by Elijah. the destruction Of Baal wor-
ship and violent reforms. considered
prosperity. several serious invasions
from Syria and Assyria and at last
very low condition politically at the
time Of Eisha's death.
Ill The Dying Prophets Last Gift.
VS. 1928 After the death Of Jehu
the kingdom became greatly weak
ened. The Syrians were the chief enc
mics, and they had taken from Israel
their possessions east of the Jordan
e Kings 10:32-33). and had desolated
and devastated the kingdom, and so
reduced its resources that the king
had but 50 horsemen and ten chariots
in his army of 10000 footmen G Kings
1870 when his young grandson
Jehoash came TO the throne.
Elisha, now an old man, over so years
of age, is lying on his deathbed in
Samaria. IA. The king came down
from his palace to the lowly abode of
the prophet. and wept over his face"
20 my father" Expressing the kind
and loving interest the aged prophet
took in the young king. THE chariot of
Israel, and the horsemen thereof"
The prophet of God was of more value
for the defense of the kingdom than an
army with chariots and cavalry.
IS. Take bow and arrows:" VS.. IS
TO Il describe symbolical action as a
preparation for the test which was to
follow. II said TO the king: Shooting
the arrow means victory over your OPP
pressors. And the king understood the
symbol. For it was an ancient Gus
tom TO shoot an arrow or cast a spear
into the country which an army in
tended TO invade.
l6. Elisha put his hands upon the
,
power would work through the kings
hands.
Il. open the window, eastward"
Toward the scene of the recent defeats
OF Israel by Syria, and where Syrians
still held the country. The arrow of
the Lord's deliyerance:" This was said
TO explain to Joash the meaning Of the
symbolical action and the one 10 fol-
low. II meant deliverance from the
power Of Syria "Aphek:" 4 town
now called Fix, six miles east of the
Sea Of Galilee, on the road to Damas-
Gus.
IS. and he said Take the ar
rows" That is. those left In the culver.
"Smite upon he grounds" Shoot them
one after another TO the ground out
of TIE same eastward window HE
was rot merely to shoot, he was TO
/ hit" And he smote thrice. and stayed.
lie had 80 little faith, so little earnest
ness that instead of shooting till the
prophet told him TO stop, or till every
arrow was gone. he sped three arrows
! and basely stayed his hand.
| 10 And the man of God was wroth: .
! He was indignant that when such
| blessings were offered. when such de-
/ liverence for his native land was al
/ most thrust upon him. such a noble
/ and splendid career was opened before
! him, the young king should be so weak,
so blind, so wicked as to throw ava
! his opportunity. Thou shouldest
\ have smitten Ave or six times" You
should have shown zeal. and faith, and
earnestness by shooting more arrows.
Now thou shalt slnite Syria but
I thrice" Gain only three victories in
stead of entire delverance from the
foreign yoke.
The fulfllment OF the promise is
found III IS. 22-25 Il is expressly said
thar it was Gods gracious mercy that
preserved them. and His covenant
with Abraham" that God would make
HIS children an everlasting nation as
the stars Of heaven for multitude tSee
Gen. l7:4-s; 2e:l5-ls.)