The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-10-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
fCR OcrOS:R 23.
Subject: Elisha aud Saanar, II Kirgs,
v. liz -GolGen Tex. JeT. SNn., IL -
li.mory Verses, S-lu-Commentary on
the Days Lesson.

". LIS lex. IL
a,emory Verses, S-lO-Commentary on
the Days Lesson.
7. Naaman's SD cordi;ion e. ~. !.
"Naaman." Naaman means "beautliu.' or
peasant to look upon Captain, etc.
He was commander-in-chief OF the Syrian
army. He had great ability. power and in.
iluence. lie lad done much or his king,
and in some famous exploit had won q
memorable victory for the Syrians. Ac-
cording to tradition he was the man who
drew the bow at venture and killed
Ahab, King of Israel Il Kings 22:3D. The
Lord had given" The scriptural eXp.ana-
tion OF Naaman's greatness Is that the
Lord had given him the victory and made
him great. But" This was the flaw in
the crystal of his prosperity, the fly in the
ointment of his triumph, the shadow that
c,ouded his CORY, the hateful presence that
followed him everywhere, the i bitter bitter dreg lI
supposed to be inflicted for the punish.
ment of some particular sin, and to be,
more than other diseases, 4 mark OF Gods
displeasure.
Ii. The captive's story Tvs. pa. Q. "By
companies" In plundering parties who
made forays upon the neighboring Israel
ties. "a little maid" A young girl. She
was regarded by her captors as chattel
and vained for her service like beasts. II
one doubts the steady progress Of the
world in virtue and humanity it Is only
necessary to spend an hour with history,
sacred or profane. The horrors of antique
ably worse than the worse brutality OF
modern times. g. "She said" Like JOS
eph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon this
captive girl becomes the instrument OF
making Jehovah known among the heath
en-. Notice, l. Her forgiving spirit and
generosity toward those who had wronged
her. .. Her fidelity. 8. Her svmnathy, the
most Christlike of virtues. 4. Her simple
faith. Would God" \ better trans
lation would be, "Oh. that Recover
him." Literally. gather" him from his
leprosy. An illusion to the 1sraeiitish
custom OF shutting lepers out of the camp
and then gathering them in after the lep-
rosy was healed This child must have
been familiar with the miracles of heal
ing wrought by the prophet Elisha.
III. Naaman seeking health Tvs. 5-9).
s. "Go to, CO." That is, set out at once;
let no time be lost. "a letter" Benha-
dad very naturally supposes that the ser.
vices OF such a man would be at the COM
mand of the king. "Took with him." etc.
He took a present to Jehoram. We can.
not estimate the value accurately. The
money was probably. weighed. and "tal-
standards OF weight. \ silver talent was
worth 1894. in all Sl9.44O. A gold shekel
was worth 1915, in all s5S,500. According
to this Naaman took with him $77,940, q
princely present. "Raiment." Costly
6. Recover him." Doubtless Benha-
dad had magicians drawing rich salaries
at his court. and in their supernatural
power he had good deal OF superstitious
faith But they were not abe to heak
Naaman. His rival king, Jehoram, was
lucly enough to have a magician abe
to perform this cure, and as Benhadaf%
prophets did as he ordered them it WAS
supposable that Elisha would obey Ie-
horam's orders. 1t was courtesy TO Jeho-
ram not to mention EliSha's name; but
poor Jehoram had himself so little prac-
teal faith in Elisha that when he read
7. Rent his clothes" A sign here of
terror and a,arm. Rending the garments
was sometimes an expression OF grief.
Gam i God" AS much as to say. Who
but God can cure the leprosv? Who bit
the one who is able 10 Kill and make
alive? "a quarrel" Jchoram lived in
perpetual terror of his powerful and en-
croaching neighbor. He feared this was
pretext for again invading his country.
5. Elisha heard" No dou6t the com.
ing OF the Syrian general with his retinue.
and the fact that the king had rent his
clothes, caused sensation In Samaria,
and the news came speedily to Elisha,
who appears to have mad his home in the
capital city. Wherefore, etc. Have You
forgotten that there is God in Israe.
and that His prophet is near at hand?
''He shall know" 1t would be q great
injury 10 true. religion to have Naaman
return with false impressions OF the true
God: then, too. probably Jehoram needed
to be reminded OF his obligations to God
ard His prophet 9. "Stood at the door"
He came with great pomp. with horses
and "chariots" OR. W and with money
10 richly reward his beneiactor.
". Elisha's message and Naaman's
rage Tvs. l0-l2). 10. "Sent messenger"
Not that he was wanting in po.iteness.
or influenced by priestly pride. or feared
the lccrosy, or avoided intercourse with 4
lerer in obedience 10 the law; but Naa-
maa was to understand that he vas hea'ed
by the grace and power OF God. at the
PRAYER of the prophet. "W'ash il Jordan"
This would AumJ.c him and test his obe-
, Glance. 1t was 60 sirlo.e ard easy that
.EEsc Vas no cHcC~c lcr refusal. SSEIH
| ;imc3." The cacrcd number which rep
reaentl / C union cf the finite and infinite,
aad any tran-ac.i)1 or covenant il which
both Cod and man arc engaged"
II. "Was wroth." The pan was too
sin,p'c. 50 the very simplicity Of tifc gos-
"cl Is q stumbling blcck to the 0rosG.
low was he to tell that Elisha did not
icSisn % mock him by ccnGing him on 4
foop.; crrand, so that he would colDe rack
- laughing stock both to tic l5rae. ties
ana bis owl reo?'e? Sorle thi2l; Elisha
| was G;isrcsrcct:ul, but n Ene.. what was
brst for Ncarlar. Il thought" Pcc.
snrai price ard hcather ma=ic formed
this fanc.ful picture. 40 wonder it proved
:. |".uri"e dream.
j.. ''Abaaa and piarpar." The moder,
Eara1a and Avail Abana s:gni.ics zoo
| IL Arabic and "c.ca~" il Hebrew. Called
~ the Greeks, "Thc golden flowing
| "Cctter" Certainly rom his point OF
view the waters CT his own country were
| better than tle Jordan, for the Syrian
waters rero salujrious and iIvigoratiEg,
| and the Jordan was : deep, sluggish. dis.
colored stream. Dut Naaman judged &C.
| cord;nc 10 a~Dc1Tlncci and not according
to :qirh. MAY MT wash in tne'r and
~