The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-04-06
sunday SCHOOL.
Lesson II.-Second Quarter, For
April 9, 1911.
THE international SERIES.

The INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, II Kings vi, 8-17.
Memory Verses, 15-17-Golden Text,
Pa. xei, 11-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. N. Stearns.
The beginning of this lesson chap
ter, the story of the iron that did
swim verse g., carries NE back full
forty years to the days of my school
teaching in Halifax, N. S., when after
telling this story at the opening serv-
ices l have seen boys stay in at re-
cess to read it again for themselves.
We cannot help thinking of Him who
is able to restore lost people, or, rath-
er, save them, however far down they
may be. The piece of tree which
made the iron swim reminds us Of the
tree which made bitter waters to be-
come sweet (Ex. XIV, 90 and Of Him
who is the tree of life to all who come
to Him, making us to be trees of
righteousness, the planting Of the Lord
that He may be glorified lisa. Xxi, 81.
The lesson Of today opens to us the
realities of the unseen and Elisha's
beautiful faith in God and communion
with Him. l am fascinated with the
title IMAM of Cod" so often used of
Elisha and of others, suggesting, as
it does, one whom God owns for Him
self and whose one desire is to live
for Him, to please Him and to be His
faithful messenger. In chapter tv, .,
it is IAN holy man of God.' and this
Is more full of significance, for not all
men Of God are as willing to be holy
as they should be. The world, the
flesh and the devil are too much for
any of us, but victory is possible lI
Cor. ii, ii; John V, 4; Rev. xii, ID.
The king Of Syria did not take into
account the God Of Israel when he
warred against Israel. Not many do
even in the twentieth century. Even
great many preachers do not seem
to know much about Him and still
less about people called Israel. al
though God never wrought for any
other nation as He has done and will
vet do for Israel III SAM Z. %; Ps.
cxlvii, 2O).
The king Of Syria was more than
once surprised to find the king of
Israel elude him and thought that
there must be some traitor in the
camp who gave away his plans.
When one Of his servants reminded
him that there was prophet in Israel
who could tell what he said even in
his bedchamber Verse 12) he foolish
ly thought that he could take him
captive, not considering that if the
| prophet could save the king of Israel
he could also save himself. Learning
| that the prophet was in Dothan, hi
sent thither horses and chariots. g
great host, and comprised the city
about. And now they had him sure
So they had some reason to think
leaving out the supernatural.
! The servant of Elisha seemed t.
think that the case was hopeless. But
how grand the confidence Of tllt
prophet, "Fear not. for they that b.
with us are more than they that he
with them" verse 1G). How li!st
Paurs "1f God be for us who can b.
against us?' from viii, 81 or Da
vid's Though an host should encar,'
against me, my heart shall not fea
ps. xvii, 3.
How blessed and comforting the
fear nots'' are from Gen. XIV, l
all the way through this heavcal,
book! How simple and confident th
prayer of Elisha. lord, pray thee
open his eyes that he may see!' How
swift the answer, and he behe!d tn
mountain full of horses and chariot
Of fire round about Elisha Verse II
1.-The chariots of God are 10000, man.
thousands Of angels Ps. xviii, II
John saw more than hundred mil
lions of angels all worshiping til
Lamb Rev. v, II, 12). These are som
Of the unseen realities. May they b
real to us also.
AS the soldiers came to take hir
he asked the Lord to smite them Wit
blindness, and He did so. Then Il
led them to the man whom they rcall
wanted, the king of Israel. and prave
the Lord to open their eyes. and the
found themselves in Samaria in hi
power The king of Israel would fai
have smitten them, but Elisha fol
| bo1o hin, opd fo1A him to food ~, n,
and send them home verse o2>. s
the bands Of Syria came no more int
the land Of Israel verse %. |. c.l.
Again we have a fulfllment Q
Deut. xxi, &c. '"How should on
, chase thousand and two put te
! thousand to flight?' A study of th
many different ways in which Go
at different times has shown His row
t er on behalf Of His people would !!
} most inspiring to believer and ross
bly, helpful to one who does not 4
vet know the Lord.
Take another instance from the ne,
chapter, when the Lord made til
host of the Syrians to hear noise {
chariots and noise of horses, eve
the noise of great host, so that the
arose and fed, leaving their tents an
horses and asses and everythin.
their camp and fled for their live
(vii, 81. 1t is still true that "the al
gel of the Lord encampeth rom
,, about them that fear Him and deli,
! ereth them" FPS. xxxiv. ..
S Sometimes it is more for His rlor
to let the enemy take US and IL trcs
l us, as in the case of Joseph, Nj oil
jeremiah, Daniel and his friends =
} ter and John, Paul and others. ~