The Yale expositor., 1904-10-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON II, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER.
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. 9.

pared by Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
copyright. 1904, by American Press Association
Chapter 3 Is a record of an alliance
OF Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, with
Jehoram, son Of Ahab, king of Israel,
and the king OF Ddom against the king
OF Moab, who in the days of Ahab
paid him heavy tribute, but at Ahabs
death rebelled. These three kings unite
to subdue him, but after seven days
journey they find themselves In trouble
because or lack OF water, from which
they are delivered by miracle
wrought by God through Elisha for the
sake OF Jehoshaphat. The many alli-
ances OF Jehoshaphat with the ungodly
suggest our proneness in the same di-
rection. The many dellverances
wrought by God for Jehoshaphat not
withstanding his failures, set forth the
great grace Of God. who works Won
ders for His people for His great
names sake In spite OF their unworthi-
ness.
The lesson today is the record of an
other great deliverance wrought through
Elisha, but this time it is for one of the
poorest of His people and not for a
king. We saw In recent lesson that
the same miracle. the dividing of the
Jordan, was wrought for two men and
afterward for one man, as well as for
the millions OF Israel. God Is no re-
specter OF persons or Of numbers. AS
A.n tod gysA 10 N
Thee TO help, whether with many or
with them that have no power" Oil
! Chron. xiv, ID.
We have before US a poor widow
with two sons, and because of debt the
creditor Is about TO take her two sons
for the debt. In her distress she calls
upon Elisha to deliver her and save her
! sons. Hers is case Of real need,
need that is felt, and her utter helpless
ness is also very real. When 1t Is so
! with us, and we In our conscious help
lessness call upon God, then He delights
! to work. We in our fancled wisdom and
strength try TO deliver ourselves, but
| IL is not until all our wisdom is swal-
! lowed up that God can work ops. evil,
! "a, 2S. margin). Whether in the matter
! OF salvation or working out that saliva
ton in our daily life. 1t is a real neces-
sity on our part that we see and realize
our utter helplessness. He came to
/ save sinners, to seek and save the lost;
! He does not help us to save ourselves,
! but He Himself saves us wholly and
! freely, and, having saved us, He also
must work all our works in us and
through us Il Tim. /, 10; Luke xix, 10;
Eph. ii. 10; Phil. il, 49,.
When God would work through us
He sometimes takes just what We have
and gTaciousy multiplies and uses II.
as with the lads five loaves and fishes
when lie multiplied them and fed the
| 5000. but all we have must be wholly
! handed over to Him that He only may
work and be glorhed. A pot of oil is
the sole possession of this poor widow.
She is to borrow not few empty YES
sells from her neighbors, shut the door
upon herself and her sons and pour
from her vessel into the empty vessels.
She did so, and the oil continued TO
flow till every vessel was filled, and
she said to her sons, Bring me yet
vessel" but there were no more vessels
to bring and the oil stayed. There is
never any limitation on the part of
God: He delights to bless and to fill
All the limitations come from our side
and because of our little faith. "Call
unto Me, and l will answer thee and
shew thee great and mighty things
which thou knowest not" eff We shall
ask anything in my name l will do it,
DER. XXxiii, 3; John xiv, IA.
II we would have God give increase
to what we have it must be in the pour
ing forth There cannot be increase
while kept only in our vessel, and only
God can give the increase that will
abide All other increase Is vain q Cor.
iii, g, y. AS to being willing to be
poured out, Except corn Of wheat
fall into the ground and die it abldeth
alone, but IL it die it bringeth forth
much fruit John xii. 2D. There is a
great deal in learning how to shut the
door compare Matt. vi, O.. We must
learn TO live in the secret of His pres
ence and have personal dealings with
Him and know The power Of Ps xii, >.
"My soul, walt thou only upon God.
for my expectation is from Him." Our
great difficulty is in allowing people
and circumstances to come between us
and Cod
The widows debt was paid, and
there was something over to live upon.
God always supplies abundantly. He
gives life and life more abundant. He |
saves us by His grace and makes grace
to abound toward us John X. 10; Eph. |
Ii, s, o; III Cor. tx, 81. We think of Paul |
in his letter to Philemon not only say |
ing concerning Onesimus, Receive him |
as myself" but also adding, "If he ow
eth thee aught, put that to mine ac-
count" (Phi. II, IL, 1S. Such is
the grace OF our Lord Jesus Christ |
toward us.
But all the redeemed are in debt 10 |
Him who is our great creditor Rom. i, |
~. and lie wants us and our sons and !
daughters to be His willing bond |