The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-09-09
THE SUNDAY BIBLE SCHOOL
Lesson In the International Series
for September IL, 1eo4-"Elijah
Taken Up Into Heaven"
prepared by the Highway and By
way" Preacher)

Would take up EuJah into Heaven by a
whirlwind. that Elijah went with Elisha |
| from Gilgai |
2. And Elijah said unto Elisha. Tarry |
| 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.
| Will not leave thee. So they went down
to Bethel
| .. 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 away thy master from thy head to-
day? And he said. Yea. know it: hold ye
your peace.
l. And Elijah said unto him. Elisha.
tarry here. pray thee: for the Lord hath
| sent me to Jericho. And he said. AS the
Lord liveth. and as thy soul liveth. will
not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
s. And the sons of the prophets that were
| at Jericho came to Elisha. and said unto
him. Knowest thou that the Lord will take
away thy master from thy head to-day7
And he answered. Yea. know II; hold ye
your peace.
thee. here; for the Lord hath sent me TO Jor-
dan And he said. AS the Lord liveth.
and as thy soul iiveth, will not leave thee.
And they two went on.
Z. And fifty men of the sons OF the proph-
cts went. and stood TO view afar on: and
they two stood by Jordan.
8. And Elijah took his mantle, and
wrapped II together. and smote the waters.
and they were divided hither and thither. SO
that they two went over on dry ground
3. And It came to pass. when they were
gone over. that Elijah said unto Elisha.
Ask what 1 shall do for thee. before be
taken away from thee. And Elisha said.
pray thee. let double portion OF thy
spirit be upon me.
10. And he said. Thou hast asked a hard
thing: nevertheless. IL thou see me when /
am taken from thee IT shall be 30 unto
thee: but IL not. It shall not be so.
IL And II came TO pass. as they still went
on. and talked. that. behold. there appeared
q chariot of fire. and horses Of FIRE. and
lparted them both asunder; and Elijah went
up by a whiriwind into Heaven.
THE LESSON includes the first chapter
of Kings. which gives US the last public
? act OF Elijah.
!, GOLDEN TEXT.-"He was not: for God
took him."-Gen 5:A.
| TIME.-Something over ten years after
9 the events OF the last lesson.
b PLACE.-Elijah started at Gilgai and
. travelled with Elisha toward the southeast.
through Bethel and Jericho. and then
across the Jordan. perhaps to Mount Nebo
al Comparing Scripture with Scripture.
n 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 think
= we must say No" The angel of God
y did not want to get away from Jacob,
. and yet he said "let me 60" He wished
to test Jacob. and the testing completed
the blessings followed (Gen. 32:24-2s).
g Elijah. knowing Of his early departure.
{ would test Elisha and prove his fitness
as his successor. Testing is not for the
y purpose Of destroying but to prove fit-
: ness for service. Jacob held on and 60,
It the blessing. Elisha followed his mas
ter and obtained his request. The Syro-
4 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. I'D and the Chris
n tian 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
saw the glory of blessing ahead and ht
was determined to have 1t at all hazard
This is one of the indispensable quail
tiles in Gods servants. II they lack 1t
they prove unfit for the responsible
places in Christ's kingdom.
$ (2) watchful. No heavy eye ever saw
y Gods glory. No sluggish heart ever fell
Of the exquisite heart beat of the DIVINE
presence. That Elijah was to be taker
m up into Heaven had in some way beer
>. revealed to Elisha and the students a
the schools of the prophets at Gilgal
Bethel and Jericho. VS.. 3. s. Elisha wa
determined to behold that glorious sight
5. The eye of faith was in the watch tow er
I'd and the natural eye. obedient to the sou
80 Foff F,t1I L. q
y in view. Gilgal is left behind and Bethe
n is reached, but nothing can divert tn
- attention of Elisha. nothing can maxi
him tarry behind. Jericho is visited an,
y still Elisha hangs on. The Jordan
reached. IL Elijah goes down into IL
E. depths, Elisha will follow. All, hoy
r many Christians are back on the hill
ne top with the so sons of the prophets
ne when they ought to be following har
nd after the blessing.
"a (3) Ambitious. Let a double por
=, tion of thy spirit be upon me-" True am
bition finds its center and object in God
III Elisha was ambitious for God as a pos
session, that he might more effectuall
at serve God during the apostate state c
y. the kingdom The ambition that make
1
ia safe ambition. We are told to "covet tn
~ best gifts" / Cor. 1891. The grea
trouble with Christian people is ths
they ask and receive not because the
o. ask amiss, that they may consume
upon their lusts. Jas. 4:3. The assur
" ance of Rom. S:26-27 is blessed encouI
of agement.
20 (l Triumphant. Elisha saw 1t.
"a v. II. Elisha's intensity Of purpose oh
:. tained for him the promise. The Chris
tian may always win spiritual triumphi
2 Cor "a. The amount Of spiritual bless
ing God Is willing to give is depender
wholly upon our capacity to receive. w
of need to pray for larger capacity.
an THE GOLDEN TEXT.
Id He Was Not: for God Took Him.
MT DIR. @. Campbell Morgan tells Of a littl
IA child who gave a most exquisite explar
a. alton of walking with God. She wer
home from Sunday school. and th
a' mother said: Tell me what you learne
ON at school," And she said: Don't yo
'e- know, mother, we have been hsarin
IN about a man who used to 60 for walk
n with God. His name was Enoch. Ant
de- mother. one day they went for an extr
ha long walk, and they walked on and OIL
until God said to Enoch: You are
'' long way from home: you had bette
as come in and stay And he went"
Made a New Record.
=, st. Louis, Sept. 6.-The swimmin