The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-04-05
Sunday School Column
Side Lights on Next Sundays Les.
son for Teachers and Pupils
Oacers of the Crawford County Sunda,
School Association,
By CHAS. K. MEYERS


Treasurer. e. Sears McHenry. Denisoh
Department Secretaries.
House Visitation ................
Mrs. W. B. Evans, Arion
Primary, Mrs. r. P. Plimpton. Denisoh
'l'''.o Mrs. ]. B. Glassburner, Arion
" ..... Prof. ". c. vanNess, Denison
Temperance, Rev. c. e. LaReau, Denison
~ Mrs. A. II. Harper. DOW City
Executive Committee. L. Hoffman,
Denison; +. l. VanSlyke' Manila; n: r:
Oak osikiso John f VeninicI, West Side; Frank
Woolston, Boyer.
April 9. Elisha's Heavenly Defend
ers-2 Kings 6, S-23.
The scene of our lesson this week is
in the northern kingdom of Israel,
and the date some 1000 years before
Jesus was born. 1t was a time when
nations warred upon nations, taking
captives and destroying cities. TO the
east of the river Jordan and with cap
ital at Damascus was the great fight
ing people of the Syrians. These, I'M
der their king, Benhadad, made con-
slant war on Lne kingdom of Israel.
OF late, however, the plans of the
king never came out right, for by
some means the Jews knew just what
he was about to do. He made up his
mind that there must be a traitor in
his camp. One of his servants told
him that the one who was directing
affairs on the side Of the king at Sa-
maria was Elisha the prophet. So
King Benhadad decided to capture
Elisha. Finding that his home was
at Dothan, the king secretly surround
ed that place one night, feeling sure
of taking the prophet alive.
There was one person, however,
who felt no fear, Elisha, the prophet
of the living God. His servant was
badly scared and cried out in alarm,
ALAS, my master, how shall we do?"
Elisha prayed that the servants eyes
be opened TO spiritual things, and
then he beheld the mountains about
Dothan filled with what seemed to him
horses and chariots OF fire. Elisha
said to him, Fear not, for they that
be with us are more than they that be
against u.s."
Not long after the Syrians came
close up to the city. Elisha prayed
that the soldiers be stricken with
blindness, and this came about. He
then went out and persuaded them to
follow him farther into the territory
of Israel, and in fact right to the cap
ital, and the presence of the king OF
Israel Then the blindness went
away. The king of Israel wanted to
take advantage of the situation, and
asked the right to kill the invading
soldiers. Elisha would not hear to
this, but directed that the men be Civ
en- food and drink, and the right to go
peacefully home. This was done, and
for time at least the Syrians came
no more.
This lesson has many things which
can be Of benefit. The first, of cou Sc,
is the impossibility of hiding things
from the sight of God. The Syrian
king did not understand that he was
setting out to outwit the mighty ruler
of the universe, but found this in the
end. The man or woman who, in our
day tries to defeat Gods plans, will
always go down in disappointment.
Another thing to be gained from the
lesson is the oft-repeated thought, If
God be for us, who can be against
u.s." The saying, Zone with God is
a majority" further throws light on
the case in hand. God is right be-
hind every work which looks to the
betterment of the world, and the adj
of His kingdom. Those
who strive for His religion and the
things growing out of it, must in time
succeed. The command of the great
apostle Paul, "Be not weary in well
doing, for we shall reap in due season
if We faint not" will ever stand out
as an encouragement to all be
levers.
The best made plans of men to
overthrow the good and enlarge the
for evil are bound to fail
Mark 1924 Jesus tells those about |
Him, when they call for an eXplana-
ton of something which to them
seemed impossible, rye do err because
We know not the scriptures, neither