The Tupelo journal., 1904-10-21
THE SUNDAY BIBLE SCHOOL
Lesson In the International Series
for October 90, 1904-"Elisha
and Naaman."
prepared by the "Highway and By
way" preacher.)

lE6SON TEAL.
I'll. Kings 6:1-14; Memory verses, 10-14.)
A Now Naaman, captain Of the host OF the
king of Syria. was a great man with his
master, and honorable. because by him the
Lprd had given deliverance unto Syria; he
was also a mighty man In valor, but he was
a leper.
2. And. the Syrians had gone out by COM
panies. and had brought away captive out
Of the land of Israel a little maid; and she
waited on Naaman's wife.
3. And she said Unto her mistress: Would
God my lord were with the prophet that
Is in Samaria! for he would recover him OF
his leprosy.
4. And one went In and told his lord. say.
ing: Thus and thus said the maid that 10
Of the land of Israel.
s. And the king of Syria said: Go to, go.
and / will send a letter unto the king Of
Israel. And he departed and took with him
ten talents of silver, and six thousand
pieces of gold. and ten changes Of raj
ment.
6. And he brought the letter to the king
Of Israel, saying: Now. when this letter
Is come unto thee, behold ! have herewith
sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou
mayest recover him of his leprosy.
Z. And it came to pass, when the king OK
Israel had read the letter, that he rent his
clothes. and said: Am / God. to kill and
u AldnC d4lNS, tlat NhAo AAias
unto me to recover a man of his leprosy!
Wherefore consider, l pray you. and see
how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8. And 1t was so, when Elisha the man or
God had heard that the king OF Israel
rent his clothes, that he sent to the King.
saying: Wherefore hast thou rent thy
clothes? Let him come now to me. and ne
shall know that there is a prophet IN lsraei:
8. So Naaman came with his horses and
xptth htS nhnrinf and stood Ar tne OOOy OK
the house of Elisha.
10. And Elisha sent a messenger unto
him, saying: Go and wash in JORDAN seven
times, and thy flesh shall come again TO
thee, and thou shalt be clean.
IL. But Naaman was wroth, and went
away, and SAID: Behold. l thought, he
will surely come out to me, and stanu, ana
call on the name of the Lord his God, ana
strike his hand over the pace. and recover
the leper.
IL. are not b and Pharpar, rivers OK
Damascus, better thar all the waters or
Israel? May ] not wash in Them, ana De
c.ean? SO he turned and went away In a
rage.
l3. And his servants came near, and Spake
unto HIM and SAID: My father, II Tie
prophet had bid thee do some great thing,
wou.dest thou not have zone 1t! how
much rather then, when he saith unto thee:
Wash, and be c.ean?
"a. Then went he down, and dipped him.
self seven times in Jordan, according 10 the
saying Of the man of God; and his tesh
came again like unto the flesh OF a MITE
child, and he was c4ean.
SCRIPTURAL SkCrlON.-AI OF Chap'
ter s.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Heal me. o Lord. n
/ shall be hea.ed; save me. ana shai' DO
saved. der. H:14.
TlME-In ABOUT the eighth year OF Jc-
horam, king Of lsrae..
PLACE.-Damascus, Samaria, ard foros
of Joroan, about - mics from Samaria-
story of Salvation Illustrated.
A hopeless Case ". IA great gen.
eral-A kings tavorite-A distinguished
man-An honorable mana mar or
valor-BUT A LEPER.
All the power, all the distinction all
the honor, all the success when ire
world may give to man cannot cover
up that little word Of three letters-BUT.
Naaulan had everything the world could
give-but he was a leper. There is a
BUT that stands between every soul
and peace of mind and true happiness.
No matter what this world may say OF a
soul. God has to add, But he is a SIM
ner. The case is hopeless.
The Glad Tidings Vs. 2-D.-There
was another, BUT a bright one, which
had to be reckoned with in Naaman's
life. Naaman was a leper, BUT there
was a Hebrew maid in his household
that knew God and Gods power to "a
Man Is a sinner, Rom. 1923; John l:o;
BUT Jesus has come ready to cleanse
and mighty to save. l John 1:9; Heb.
1928.
An Humble Messenger-"Captive out
of Israel q little maid'-GOd
is pleased to use very humble means
sometimes. She was only a little He
brew slave, but she had a message. It
was "a A simple message. She knew
the true God. She knew of His servant
Elisha, and these two thoughts were
the theme of her message. ca A posi-
tive message. "He would recover him
of his ~leprosy." There were no ifs. ands
or butts about 1t. The simple. positive
Gospel message is the most powerful.
The Quest for Help Tvs. 5-G.-Naa-
man went with % Credentials from the
King, {2) Great treasure. But Naaman
had to learn that Gods favor could not
be bought. There is nothing the soul can
do to merit God s saving grace. lisa, 64:6.
Conditions of Deliverance (V. 1870
simple. Seven dips in Jordan and then
healing. The way of salvation is so
simple, SO easy. so sure. Repentance
for sin. Faith in Christ as Saviour. That
Naaman had arranged in his W mind
Just how he was to be healed is evident
from verse II. How common is this
mistake.
The Peril of Pride tVs. 11-12).-"Naa-
man was wroth and went away" All,
how many souls quarrel with God be-
cause pride bars their way to salvation.
God is no ~respecter of persons" We
must all come as needy, helpless sim
ners, or not at all.
The Deliverance (Vs. 13-1D.-Thank
God there were wise servants In Naa-
mans retinue to advise him. Thank
God Naaman had sense enough to listen
and courage enough to heed. Naaman
obeyed the prophets orders and was
cleansed. And when man is ready to
obey God, deliverance always comes.