The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-10-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR OCTOBER 80.
Subject; Elisha at Dotbnn, IL Kings, vi,
s-23 - Memory Verses, 15-17sGoiden
Text, Psalm xxxiv., 7-Comtn entary
on the Days Lesson,

s-a3 - Memory Verses, 15-17=Goiden
Text, Psalm xxxiv., 7-Comtnentary
on the Days Lesson.
Tvs. s-l2). 8. "King of SYRIA" Benhadad
H., who sent the letter about Naaman
e Kings $50. A powerful king, bring.
Ing thirty-two vassal kings with him to
the first siege of Samaria Il Kings 20:D d.
He was killed by Hazael e Kings S:7-l5).
'Warred." Not an open war but de.
sultory skirmsning. The plan Of the Syr;;
Tempt the king of Israel to his capture.
O.. MAN of God" Jehovah rescued Is.
rael not by kings, mighty armies. or great
generals, but by the man of God that it
might be seen that salvation was not a
work of human strength or wisdom but
due to the God of Israel Beware" Be
on the lookout Are come down" "Are
that the wicked are doing, and He will
employ this knowledge for the benefit of
the good. 10. "King of I-rael sent"
A party OF troops to pre-occupy the place;
and thus the Syrians found their designs
had been detected. 1t is probable that
whenever the Syrians arrived at a point
selected for attack they found superior
Israelitish forces already there, Saved
himself" Those who carefully follow
Gods directions will have no difficulty in
out-generaling the foe. "Not once nor
twice." This was done repeatedly.
IL. "Sore troubled" Nexed and cha.
grined that all his plans were made known
to Israel, and that they could thus treat
all his stratagems with derison. "Shew
me-" When his design was thus repeat
edly frustrated it was natural to think
of treachery among his own people. II.
zone of his servants" From some Israeli
ite this Syrian may have obtained his
knowledge. "Telleth." A confession of
the boundless knowledge. as, before, of the
boundless power, of IsraeHs God is ex-
torted from the Syrians. In thy bed
chamber" In the greatest possible Sc
:recy.
III. The Syrians seek Elisha Tvs. l3l5l
10. GO and spy" How blind to imagine
that He who could tell his secret counse,s
could not also Illustrate the movements of
ais spies. "In Dothan." Dothan means
two wells or "the double foun tain" 1t
was situated on the south side OF the plain
,f Jezreel.
IA. Horses and chariots." What un.
conscious tributes bad men pay to good
Influences. The king sent horses and
.hariots ard a great host" to take 4 man
whose sword was the word. of God, whose
helmet was the defense of the Most High,
whose breast-plate was righteousness!
Even had it | n possible to kill Elisha;
mother prophet "By night" To take
:he city by surprise and Elisha in it with
,ut any warning or opportunity for es-
.ape.
is. Servant. "Or minister" r. ",
margin. "a special lervant probably
chosen IRON one of the schools of the
prophets" He had only been with him
Iince Gehazi's dismissal, and had little eX-
2erience of his masters powers. HIS
,aith was easily shaken. Risen early
ne may have been aroused by the arrival
,f the Syri"1s. "Alas." Contrast the ter.
.or of the servant with the calmness of
The prophet. How shall we do The
worst of unbelief is, that it not only loses
courage for itself, but assumes that all
other Christians are in the same plight.
III. God delivers Elisha Tvs. 1919.
l6. "Fear not" Elisha speaks as a man
whose eyes are opened and who is sure OF
Gods protection whether he beholds the
angelic host about him or not. He quiets
the fears of his servant, ]. BY showing
his own faith in God. 2. By causing the
young man to catch a a, glimpse OF Their .h II
has God with him has more than all that
can possibly be against him. One with
God is a majority.
II. "Open his eyes" His natural eyes
are open and he sees the danger; now
open the eyes of his faith that he may
see the protection. The greatest kind
ness we can do for the fearful and faint
hearted is to pray for them, and so to
recommend them to the mighty grace ol
God. The opening of our eyes will silence
our fears; the clearer sight we have OF
the power of heaven, the less we shall
fear the calamities of earth. The Lord
opened" God opened his spiritual eyes
unveiled his inner sense. Mountain was
full" How thickly, crowded the spirit,
la .ln,, C,,nha hn=t
be spared for Elisha alone. Horses and
.hariots" Horses and chariots were there
TO match horses and chariots of the Syrian
invader. When Judas came to Gethse'
name with detachment of the Roman
guard, Christ said. "Thinliest thou that
cannot beseech My Father, and He shall
,ven now send Me more than twelve lie,
the same military order as the foe. Fire
Ezekiel, Isaiah and John, when they de-
scribe the divine equipage, represent It as
1 wheeled, harnessed conhagration. That
means purity, justice, chastisement, de-
iverance through burning escapes, Char
lot Of rescue? Yes, but chariot of fire.
IS. ''They." The Syrian army. Came
iown." From the surrounding hills on
which they were encamped. TO him,
Elisha, to capture him, which was Their
object in coming to Dothan, 1t was quite
in the character of Elisha to go forth from
the city with his now courageous servant
Elisha prayed" He had prayed for his
servant that he might see Gods army
He now prayed for his enemies that they
might be withheld from doing the evil
they designed to do. For the servant the
eyes of his understanding were enlght'
sned; but for the Syrians their faculties
tailed them. The were so confused as
not to know tne place to be DotLan or to
recognize Elisha. They groped as in dark
ness. 1hus protection came in answer to
prayer. God is rerciful to sinners when
He defeats their plans and saves. them
from crime. "Smote with blindness
Not the usual Hebrew word for blindness
but compound word meaning to blind
to shine. The resulting idea would be
that of dazzling. This would denote hal
lucinaton rather than total loss of sight
w. Elisha's treatment OF his enemies
Tvs. 1929. 10. He led them TO Samaria.' =
Elisha, which virtually treated the enemy
with derision.
20. "They saw" Elisha led them twelve
miles to Sainaria and then their sight was
restored and they found themselves cap
tives in the midst of their enemies. 81
When Jehoram, the king of Israel. saw
them he asked Elisha ii he should kill
them. %. Elisha strongly objected to
this and ordered them to be well fed and
sent back to Benhadad. %. The result
of Elisha's kindness was that the Syr
ians ceased this sort OF warfare against
Israel.
Pennsylvania Dog and Cow Story.
Ren Record owns row which ha