The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1911-04-20
ELISHA HEALS
NAAMAN
Sunday School Lesson for Apr. 2, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT-I Kings s. Memory
verses Is, H.
GOLDEN TEXT-'I.ook unto me. and
be We saved. all the ends OF the earth;
for 1 am God. and there Is none else" -
lisa. 45:22
TIME-Most scholars place this event
m the reign OF Jehoram. the son of Ahab.
King OF Israel who reigned B. C. 9o4-S94.
others argue that ii occurred in the reign
OF Jehoahaz. B. c. S64-S4s
PLACE-Damascus, the capital OF Sy-
ma the Oldest city in the world famed
| Tor It's swords, Damascus blades" and
Tor Its silks. "damaslS." Samaria, the
capital Of Israel, about Ito miles dis
The miracles of Elisha we're nearly
all miracles of kindly heIpfulness.
What were some of these? Those i'm
mediately preceding and following our
lesson: healing the unhealthful wa
tiers Of a spring; bringing water into a
dry valley for the aid of the three
kings; paying a poor widows debts
by increasing her oil supply; restoring
to life the son Of the Shunammite
woman; making heahhful some pot
tage into which a poisonous plant had
been put; feeding hundred men with
20 barley cakes and few ears OF
corn-this and the preceding being in
time of famine; healing Naaman;
making lost AK head return to the
surface of the water.
Who was Naaman? He was COM
mander-in-chief under the king of Sy-
ria, Benhadad H. Benhadad, who had
been wont in his youth and middle
age to lead his armies into the field In
person, seems now in his old age to
have found 1t necessary to entrust the
command to general. Naaman had
gained renown by freeing his country
from powerful foe, probably Assyria.
for the black obelisk mentions wars
Of the Assyrians under Shalmanezer
II. again Israel and Benhadad.
Honored and powerful, what was the
flaw in Naaman's fortune? He was a
leper. Leprosy is of slow develop
ment, and as Naaman retained his
military command his malady cannot
have reached a very advanced stage.
1t is not likely, in any case, that the
Syrians observed the same strict rules
regarding 1t as the Jews. Leprosy,
however, is a terrible disease, fifty
used throughout the Bible as the sym
boil of sin and death. The disease is
contagious. 1t is most loathsome. 1t
Is incurable, at least in the present
state Of our knowledge. Sin is cur
able, but not by man.
Naaman was great man, with a
great need; and God prepared a great
deliverance for him, as he has a great
deliverance for all the great needs
of his children. But it was brought
about by four very simple agencies,
Only inferior artists make q parade of
processes; the most skill
ful workers use few tools and unpre-
Lentious methods, and God is the most
skillful of all artists.
Why did Elisha bid Naaman to wash
seven times In the river Jordan? To
test and strengthen his faith. The
Journey would give him time for medi-
alton, for the nearest point Of the
Jordan was rs miles in a straight line,
lut much farther in distance to be
raveled, from the winding of the ra-
ines down which 1t must be reached.
Moreover, the simplicity of the act
would turn Naaman's thoughts away
rom outward forms to the true God
lie would be sure that the water itself
lid not accomplish the cure, else there
would be no lepers in Israel. And he
would not, at the distance of rs miles.
70 likely to ascribe the cure to the
rophet.
Why was Naaman angry at this
Message? How was he to tell that
his man of God did not design to
lock him by sending him on FOOLS
rrand, SO that he would come back as
laughing-stock both to the Israelites
nd to his own people? Naaman had
expected the prophet himself to come
birth respectfully and wave his hand
yer the place" and go through some
lystic ceremony. The sting lay In
he fact that the prophet himself took
o part in the cure; that, instead OF
cling proud to have so august a pa
ent, he had calmly handed him over
, one of his assistant physicians-to
he medical skill of the waters of Jor.
an.
AS Naaman went away in rage
ow was he put in more sensible
anne of mind? BY one of his serv-
nts: Naaman seems to have had
reat fortune In his servants. My ia
Ter. said the servant with respectful
lection, II the prophet had bid thee
D some great thing, wouldst thou not
ave done It? Yes! or course he
ould, and the greater the better.
What was the result of Naaman's
The result that always
,mes when men obey Gods com.
ands. he was instantly and com
etely cleansed from his leprosy.
It is a shame that this beautiful
DRY must close with recital Of Naa'
ans perfidy. We may be sure that
would never have been inserted II
q tale were not a true one. Gehazi
the Old Testament Judas, Gehazi
the true religion to
aaman and through him to the en-
re Syrian nation. His punishment
as not too great. Gehazi had taken
aaman's gift; he should take with IL
q malady. He would entail the one
ION his heirs; he should entail the
her.
The story Of Naaman has been said
be the best illustration In the Old
,stament of salvation from sin. How
this? 1t indicates the hideousness
sin. Sin is like leprosy, eating