The Tupelo journal., 1904-09-09
THE SUNDAY BIBLE SCHOOL
Lesson in the international Series
for September IL, 19~o4-"Elijah
Taken UP Into Heaven"
prepared by the Highway and BY
way Preacher.l
Copyright, 1904, by J. NJ. Edson.l
LESSON TEXT.

would take up Elijah into Heaven by u
whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha
from Gilgal.
2. And Elijah said unto Elisha, larry
here, ] pray thee; for the Lord hath sent
me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him.
AS the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth.
l will not leave thee. So they went down
to Bethel.
3. And the sons of the prophets that were
at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said
unto him, knoweSt thou that the Lord will
take ava thy master from thy head to-
day? And he said, Yea, | know it; hold We
your peace.
4. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha,
tarry here. l pray thee; for the Lord hath
sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the
Lord liveth. and as thy soul liveth, l will
not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5. And the sons of the prophets that were
at Jericho came to Elisha. and said unto
him. Knowest thou that the Lord will lake
away thy master from thy head to-day!
And he answered, Yea. i know 1t; hold ye
your peace.
6. And Elijah said unto him, larry, l pray
thee. here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jor-
dan. And he said, AS the Lord llVeth,
and as thy soul liveth, l will not leave thee.
Ard they two went on.
z. And fifty men of the sons OF the proph-
cts went, and stood to view afar OFT: and
tney TWO StOOQ by JOrudn.
s. 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.
.. And it came to pass, when they We're
gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha,
ASK what l shall DO for thee, before l be
taken away from thee. And Elisha salo,
l pray thee, let a double portion of thy
spirit be upon me.
10. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard
thing: nevertheless, il thou see me when l
am taken from thee. 1t shall be so unto
thee; but if not. it shall not be so.
IL. And it came to pass, as they still went
on, and talked. that. behold, there appeared
IL chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and
parted them both %asunder; and Elijah went
up by a whirlwind into Heaven.
THE LESSON includes the first chapter
of l Kings, which gives us the last public
act of Elijah.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"He was not; for God
took him."-Gen. 5:2l.
Understanding over ten years after
the events of the last lesson.
PLACE.-Elijah started at Gilgal and
traveled with Elisha toward the southeast,
through Bethel and Jericho, and then
across the Jordan, perhaps to Mount Nebo.
Comparing Scripture with Scripture.
Testing of Elisha.-As one reads this
lesson the question is forced upon us,
Did Elijah wish to get away from
Elisha? In the light of verse 8 l think
we must say No" The angel of God
did not want to get away from Jacob,
and vet he said let me 60" He wished
to test Jacob, and the testing completed
the blessings followed (Gen. 32:24-29).
Elijah, knowing of his early departure,
would test Elisha and prove his fitness
as his successor. Testing is not for the
purpose of destroying but to prove fit
ness for service. Jacob held on and got
the blessing. Elisha followed his mas
ter and obtained his request. The Syro-
Phoenician woman is a striking exam-
pie of persistency obtaining the bless
ing. Matt. 15:22-2S. God tests His chill
dren (Heb. 1876, Z, ~ and he Chris
tan is admonished to rejoice in the
testing.-Jas. 1:2-4.
Elisha was persistent. He had the
qualities of a Paul. Phil. 3:13. He
was determined to have it at all hazard.
This is one of the indispensable quail
tiles in Gods servants. If they lack it,
they prove unfit for the responsible
places in Christ's kingdom.
CD Watchful. No heavy eye ever saw
Gods glory. No sluggish heart ever felt
the exquisite heart beat of the Divine
presence. That Elijah was to be taken
up into Heaven had in some way been
revealed to Elisha and the students at
the schools of the prophets at Gilgal,
Bethel and Jericho, VS.. 8, 5. Elisha was
determined to behold that glorious sight.
The eye of faith was in the watch tower,
and the natural eye, obedient to the soul
warming. was faithfully keeping Elijah
in view. Gilgal is left behind and Bethel
is reached, but nothing can divert the
attention of Elisha, nothing can make
him tarry behind. Jericho is visited and
| still Elisha hangs on. The Jordan is
reached. If Elijah goes down into its
depths. Elisha will follow. All. how
many Christians are back on the hill
top with the so sons of the prophets,
when they ought to be following hard
after the blessing.
go Ambitious. Let a double por-
ton of thy spirit be upon me-" True am
bition finds its center and object in God.
Elisha was ambitious for God as a pos
session. that he might more effectually
serve God during the apostate state OF
the kingdom. The ambition that makes
God it's end and aim and purpose is the
| safe ambition. We are told to ''covet the
best gifts" / Cor. 1921. The great
trouble with Christian people is that
they ask and receive not because they
ask amiss, that they may consume it
upon their lusts. Jas. 4:3. The assur-
ance of Rom. 8:26-27 is blessed encour-
agement.
ca Triumphant. Elisha saw it."
v. IL. Elisha's intensity Of purpose OBJ
tanned for him the promise. The Chris
| tan may always win spiritual triumphs.
2 Cor. "a. The amount of spiritual bless
ing God is willing to give is dependent
wholly upon our capacity to receive. We
need to pray for larger capacity.
THE GOLDEN TEXT.
He Was Not; for God Took Him"
DR.. G. Campbell Morgan tells OF a little
| child who gave a most exquisite explain
alton of walking with God. She went
home from Sunday school. and the
| mother said: Tell me what you learned
| at school, And she sai6: Don't you
| know, mother, we have been hearing
| about a man who used to go for walks
with God. His name was Enoch. And,
| mother, one day they went for ar extra