The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-03-10
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson W.-First Quarter, For
March IL, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

| The power OF the Lord God Of Elijah
was first seen through Elisha in the
dividing of the Jordan, the Lord doing
| for one man what He had just done for
two, and long before for whole ma
ton under Joshua. 1t is nothing with
| the Lord to help with many or few.
The power Of the Lord is next seen in
the healing of the waters of Jericho.
then in the Christening Of the young
men who Knocked Elisha, telling him
to go up as Elisha had done; after
that in the bitches filed with water,
for the sake Of Jehoshaphat without
either wind or rain.
In the beginning of our lesson chap
ter we see the same power multiplying
the widows oil until every empty yes
sci was filed, all her need supplied and
something over.
Now we have in today's lesson the
filing of a childless home with glad
ness by the gift of a no doubt Ionged
for child and the restoration of
deeper joy by giving him back from
the dead.
A great woman Of Shunem felt con-
strained as she saw Elisha pass her
house from time to time to ask him in
to eat bread, and 1t became his habit
to do this. Later she suggested to her
husband that they provide him a room
with a bed, table, a stool and a can
6IngffnIw h. NaG
have accepted their kindness. Then
the question arose in his mind, How
can in any way recompense this low
ing kindness2 On inquiry he found
that she needed no favor from any
one, but at the reminder from Gehazi
that they had no children he asked the
Lord for this favor for her, and, receiv-
ing the assurance that 1t would be so,
he communicated to her the fact, which
she at first received very unbelievingly
(verse 49,, but as Elisha had assured
her so it came to pass.
We think Of Sarah and her unbeliev-
ing laughter, and yet in her case It
came to pass, for 'Is anything too hard
for the Lord?" Gen. xviii, 9-14) We
look onward to Elizabeth and Zacha-
rias and note the unbelief Of the lat
ter luke /. 1920, and yet in their
case 1t came to pass also. So we are
taught to "Be not afraid, only believe"
Mark v, 36), and rely on Jer. xxxiii, 3.
1t may have been that the child be.
came too much Of an idol-we do not
know-but one day In the field with the
reapers he complained of his head, was
carried home and died on his mothers
knees at noon. She laid the little body
on Elisha's bed, shut the door, and
without telling her husband why she
made all possible speed to the man of
God, who was then at Mount Carmel.
Seeing her afar off, he sent his servant
GehaZi to inquire of her If it was well
with her and her husband and the
child. Her reply was, "It is WELL" but
she hurried on till she came to Elisha,
and she held him by his feet, and with
the very words which Elisha himself
used to Elijah she chung to him until
he arose and went with her (verse 80.
with chapter ii, 2, A, g..
Gehazi preceded them and laid the
STAFF of Elisha upon the child, but
there was no effect upon the child, no
response, neither voice nor hearing.
When Elisha came he went in and
shut the door and prayed unto the
Lord and then stretched himself upon
the child, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes,
hands to hands, and the flesh of the
child -a1 -,
and fro in the house he again stretch
ed himself upon the child, and the
child sneezed seven times and opened
his eyes. The mother was called, and
with gratitude that cannot be described
she took up her son and went out.
The next verses describe a deliver
ance from death that might have taken
away many, and the chapter closes
with miraculous multiplication of
bread-life given, life restored, life
saved, life sustained, completing nine
Instances thus far of the power of God
seen through Elisha. Elisha was to
this woman a man of God, holy man
of God oversees 9, 16, 81, %, %, ~; not
so Gehazi. She saw something Of God
In Elisha He was to her in Gods stead
We are here in Christ's stead, and peo-
pie should see something Of Him in us
QI Cor. iv, IL; v, 2O). Let the woman's
pressing on to Elisha remind us that
we must come to God Himself through
Jesus Christ alone and not through any
mortal man.
Ordinances may be as useless as
Elisha's staff 1t Is life that is need
ed, though there may be life associated
with ordinances in the hands of some,
but not through such as Geha1
Compare the story of Elijah bringing
a boy to life in Kings, xvii, 1922, and
note the parallels of the prophet alone
with the child, the child in the proph-
cts bed. the prayer, stretching himself
upon the child. May we earnestly
covet such lives of nearness to God as
these men lived and be used of Him to
bring life to many dead souls. There
must be the "alone with God,' the be-
fieving prayer, the persistent waiting
upon God, the close personal touch of
life itself, not of rod or stan, even
though it be that Of prophet.
Sturgeon used to say that this
Of oneself to a child was
the hardest kind stretching down
ward to. make yourself as far as posi-
BILE one with the child; seeing. speak
Ing and handling things as tbs child