The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-10-07
THE SUNDAY BIBLE SCHOOL
Lesson in the International Series
for October 9, leo4-"Ths Wild
ow's Oil Increased"
prepared by the Highway and BY
way" Preacher.)
Copyright, isoi. by J. NJ. Edson)

NCopyrlgnt, ls0i. bt y. NJ EosonJ
LESSON TEXT.
Oil. Kings All: Memory verses, 8. CD
L Now there cried a certain woman OF
the wives OF the sons Of the prophets unto
Elisha. saying: Thy servant my husband
is dead; and thou knowest that thy ssrv-
ant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is
come to take unto him my two sons TO be
| bondmen. Ha.rr+a ars- Frar
2 And Elisha said unto hsr: What shall
do for thee? Tell me- what has thou In
the house7 And she said: Thine handmaid
hath not anything In the house. save pot
| OF oil.
,. Then he said: Go. borrow thee ves-
sells abroad of all thy neishbors. even
| empty vessels: borrow not a few
4. And when thou art come in, thou shalt
| shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons.
and shalt pour out into all those vessels.
and thou shalt set aside that which Is full.
| 8 So she went from him. and shut the
door upon her and upon her sons. who
brought the vessels TO her: and she poured
out. ftl aHl- Ft ft'%f
C. And 1t came to pass. when the vessels
were full. that she said unto her son: Bring
| me yet a vessel. And he said unto her:
There is not a vessel more. And the oil
| stayed.
| Z. Then she came and told the man of God.
i And he said: Go, sell the oil. and pay thy
debt. and live thou and thy children OF the
| rest.
4 OOl-DtN 4Tuct Az Nsic 4<st
| and do good: so shalt thou dwell in the land.
| and verify thou shalt be fed T:3
TIME.-Uncertain: but within a short
time after last lesson.
| PLACE-Uncertain: but perhaps one of
the places where was a school of the
prophets. either Gilgal. Bethel or Jericho.
Human Need and Divine Resources.
The Widow and Her Need, (V. IL
What we know of the widow: ~ She
was a Cody woman. I. Tim. SIS gives
us a picture OF the Cody widow. God
holds such in special regard. U Tim.
5:3) And one test of true religion is
ministering to such in their need. (Jas.
1:27.) (2) Was known to Elisha The
faithful, God-fearing lives OF both her
husband and herself proved excellent
capital on which to do business. Godli-
ness does pay. Il Tim. 4:S). (9 Was
in the clutches OF the oppressive credi-
tor. Afiiction and misfortune are not
always a sign OF sin or folly (John
s:1-3.) (4) Had two sons who in ac-
cordance with the custom Of those days
were to be taken to satisfy the debt
(Lev. 25:3s Matt 1929 t5 Hel
need was urgent. The creditor ]:
, come" The day of trouble is the day
I to pray. psalm 50:15.)
The Prophet and His Help (Vs. 2-D.-
Two questions were asked by the pro
phet, What shall do for thee?'
What hast thou in the house?" ID Coz
always wants US to tell Him our desires
To tell God what We want. clarifies ouI
I vision, and strengthens our faith. e.
God always uses what we have. be !
| .,.- - ft,tta .- tha y,,adft,r, nf htaeaiu N o
Strange Izstructions.-Q) Borrow
empty vessels. (2) Shut herself AM
I her sons in the house. t3) Pour out he
: little pot of oil and perhaps waste II
2 Surely. here was test Of faith. II tn
a widow had been like most people seek
. ing help, she would have had her owl
!. ideas as to methods. ~ May not tn
borrowing of empty vessels suggest tn
need of greater capacity. We need to b
enlarged for more of Gods fullness. e
May not the shut door and the seclusior
{ teach us the need cf getting alone wit
n God where His blessing may descen
upon us. 90 An6 may not the pour
\ ing out Of the oil and its miraculous in
crease typify the multiplying of spiritus
gifts and power as we pour out our heart
and our lives in behalf Of needy souls a.
o about us.
r The Obedience and Its Reward (V'
5-7).-Unwavering faith and implici
obedience mark the conduct Of tn
widow. The empty vessels were boz
rowed in the face. probably. OF curiou
looks. and prying questions and sneer
of ridicule The door was closed. shut
ting herself and her sons away from a
other earthly help and every momeT
% the knock Of the creditor was expecte'
= And what faith, Only the little pot {
!, oil in hand. and the empty vessels o
= every hand. How seemingly impossibl
to fill them. But the pot of oil and th
empty dishes was not all the widow ha'
4 She had the word OF the prophet An
n we have the word Of God on which
fs depend. Letus lay hold OF II as the wido'
d did of the prophets word. which wa
" really the word OF God spoken throug
His servant That little pot of oil nevt
ceased its outpouring stream of oil unit
every vessel was filled TO the brim. Thi
is the way God gives OF His riches
Is Christ Jesus. Begin to pour out you
J. self in Christly ministry to others an
ID while there is an empty vessel about yo
al to fill. need soul to help. the flow wi
If not cease.
"A But what is she to do with the Of
The prophet did not tell her. She mu'
70 back and tell him of what had con
'e to pass and ask him for further dire
10 ton. Without question she has obeye
his instructions. She has gone as far {
she can. Now for the next step. Here
a lesson for every Christian. True fait
does not ask to see all the way. Trr
faith goes straight ahead as far as II
u instructions will carry and then is tin
r to go to God for the next step. The @
ID sold. the creditors paid, the future pr
r vided for was the reward of obediel
" faith and faithful obedience. How &C
N always hears the cry of His children, ar
how certainly will He honor faith al
obedience. The Psalmists declaratio
in Ps. 37:25 finds illustration in this lie
son.