El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-08-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON vi, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 7.

NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 7.
Text of the Lesson, H Kings ii, 6-15.
Memory Verses, lila - Golden Text,
Luke II. 13-Commentary by the Rev.
ID. M. stearns.
6. "And Elijah said unto him, larry,
pray thee, here, for the Lord hath sent me
to Jordan. And he said, AS the Lord liv-
eth and as thy soul liveth, will not leave
thee. And they two went on" The man
who had wanted to die was not going to
die, but was going to be taken by whirl-
wind up to heaven (verse H. He had said
to Elisha both at Gilgal and at Bethel,
"Tarry here, pray thee" but in each
case Elisha had with the Same words re-
fused to leave him. They make us think
of the words of Ruth to Naomi and of Ittai
to David, in Ruth i, is, II, and II Sam. XIV,
81, and of the advice of Barnabas to the
believers at Antioch, that with purpose of
heart they wonld cleave unto the Lord
(Acts XII, 23). Our eternal safety depends
upon the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus
and His cleaving unto us, as it Is written
in Gen. ii, 24-the man shall cleave unto
his wife-and in Eph. V, 81, 32, Paul says
he speaks concerning Christ and the
church. As to His faithfulness see such
passages as Cor. i, @; x, 10; 1 Thess. v,
SO, "a.
z. "And fifty men of the sons Of the
prophets went and stood to view afar OIL,
and they two stood by Jordan" G1lgal,
Bethel, Jericho and Jordan are suggestive
of stages in Christian experience, but there
is no place where we should ever be con-
tent to stop. We must ever be going and
growing Oh Sam. V, 10, margin). Gilgal
suggests salvation, the reproach rolled
away and the passover kept (Joshua v, y,
10); Bethel reminds us of visions of glory
(Gen. xviii, 19); Jericho had a pleasant
situation (verse 19), but in none of these
may we rest as a matter of attainment.
8. "And Elijah took his mantle and
wrapped it together and smote the waters,
and they were divided hither and thither,
so that they two went over. on dry
ground" Thus for these two men God did
what He had done before for millions
when He took the whole nation across this
river on dry land. Jordan cannot be sug-
gestive of literal death, nor Canaan OF
heaven, for when Israel crossed Jordan
into Canaan it was to encounter many
enemies and do much fighting. Jordan,
which means river of Judgment, seems
rather suggestive of that Judgment of self
which henceforth practices constant de-
NAL of self that the life of Jesus may be
made manifest In our mortal flesh.
9. "And it came to pass when they were
gone over that Elijah said unto Elisha,
Ask what I shall do for thee before 1 be
taken away from thee. And Elisha said,
pray thee let a double portion of thy
spirit be upon me-" The greatest thing
for a redeemed soul is to be filled with the
spirit of God for His service; dead with
Christ, risen with Christ, one with Him
for whatever He may please of service, ii
only we can be comfort to Him, a vessel
meet for His rse.
20. Ard he said, Thou hast asked
Wing. Nevertheless if thou see me
D taken from thee it shall be SO
but if not it shall not be SO"
ed with the Spirit means readi-
whatsoever God may appoint that
be glorified. According to the
be- Acts of the Apostles, it might
h service as was endured or rem
hry of the apostles or deacons; it
can serving tables or preaching
q, winning souls or enduring iI1-
ut, scourging or death: it might
q used in a great revival or sent
t place to reach one person. To
nth the Spirit means grace to
all circumstances, "My Jesus,
lit" or, "Yes, my Father, this
Xuse that Thou hast found it
tn. xi, 26).
I'd it came to pass they still
Rld talked that behold there APP
hariot of fire, and horses of fire,
them both asunder, and Elijah
by a whirlwind into heaven.
went on. This suggests the only
5he believer day by day that he
pn growing in grace and in the
/, of our Lord and Saviour Oh
b.
I'D Elisha saw it, and he cried,
my father The chariot of Israel
orsemen thereof! And he saw
are and he took hold of his own
1 rent them in two pieces" Not
emit did he take his eyes off him,
rewarded by seeing him taken.
reat difficulty with believers is
ow so many things to take our
ae Lord, yet we know that our
rs are to run with patience, look
esus and to consider Him lest
" Heb. xii, 2, 3). There is no
Of rest. Although Elisha saw
re- for the present, he knew bet
imagine that he was on any Of
aims round about (verses IT., ID
hat he was as really in heaven.
took up Also the mantle of Eli
/ from him and went back and
he bank of Jordan We are
to put on the Lord Jesus and
revision for the flesh to fulfill
ereof Rom. xiii, 14), to put on
an which after God is created
sness and true holiness (Eph
who receive the Lord Jesus
red by Him and delight to say
God is Jebovah) should take
in saying Elisha (my God is
Id in making it manifest that
us from ourselves and from
ing or self seeking. Not l,
in all our daily life.
no took the mantle of Elijah
I'm him and smote the waters
ere is the Lord God of Elijah;
@ also had smitten the waters,
a ,ither and thither, and Elisha
Thus the Lord did for one
He had done for two and
cd done for millions, even for
"a l. ct us learn to cry with Asa,
Is nothing with Thee to help,
with many with them that
pow ,rl Help us, O Lord, our
we rest on Thee, and in Thy
go N gainst this multitude" Oh
Nv, III
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