The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-03-09
ELISHA RESTORES
A CHILD TO LIFE
Sunday School Lesson for Mar. IL, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper


GoLDnN TGXT-"The gift Of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our
1,ord."-Rom. 6:23.
TIME-Elisha began his career
prophet about 600 Il. c. But no exact
date can be given to the separate stories.
as IL is not certain that they are arranged
chronologically.
PLACES-The Jordan. Jericho. Bethel.
some part OF Mount Carmel where Elisha
sometimes retired.
The promise of Elijah that If Elisha
saw him ascend. then he might know |
that he was to be his successor had |
been fulfilled. This might be con-
firmed by the fact that Elijah's man
tie. his familiar prophet-dress, fell |
from him as he went up In the whirl-
wind and was a confirmatory legacy,
so that Elisha might appear to the
people to be a prophet like his mas
ter.
But, like Gideon with the fleece,
Elisha would like to make another
test before he entered upon his work.
He was standing by the River Jordan.
The sons Of the prophets from Jeri-
cho were looking on The river must
be crossed He held the mantle with
which Elijah smote the waters, when
way through them had been opened
by Elijah's God. Therefore If he was
really Eliiahs successor, with the
same mantle The ss ie spirit, the same
work to do, then God would open
similar pathway through the river for
Elisha. Folding UP the mantle, and
shifting the waters, as his master had
done. he exclaimed where Is the
Lord, the Cod OF Elijah?" and the way
was opened. and assurance was made
doubly sure.
Coming to Jericho. where there was
guild OF the Sons of the Prophets,
Elisha had an opportunity OF using
his power OF service as a prophet. The
citizens Of Jericho came to him for
help because the water supply was
very bad for both the people and the
land They brought Elisha new
bowl or dish, and put salt therein
both typical of purity and freshness
Taking these with him he went up
the stream 10 the fountain head
mile and half from the town, and cast
the salt INTO 1t, saying Thus saith
the Lord. have healed these waters. y
This clearly shows that the salt was
mot the means whereby the healing
was wrought. but only as an outward
sign to point to the work which was
supernaturally performed"
One of the sons of the prophets
died and left his widow and two sons
in poverty. She was so poor as to be
in danger of having her children sold
as slaves. Her husband may have
left her in debt, or she had run In
debt, perhaps through her husbands
sickness. Her creditors demanded
their money. and as she could not
pay It. they threatened to take her
two sons for slaves, to work out the
debt In her trouble she appealed 70
Elisha as the head OF the guild and
as one who had been helping others
She had nothing left put pot OF
olive oil.
Elisha bade the woman borrow
empty vessels from her neighbors
and bringing them into her house
with closed doors, 10 pour out from
her own jar of oil till every dish and
y jar was full. This oil she was to sci
and pay her debt.
The result was according to th'
prophets word Every vessel she hat
faith enough to borrow was filled Will
the miraculous oil Her debt wal
paid and her children saved from
slavery. According to her faith 1t wal
done unto her,
Mother Goes to Elisha for Help
Elisha at this time was at Noun
Carmel, 16 miles away. The mothe
knows the only thing to be done. Sh
calls for one Of the servants, has al
ass saddled, and presses forward wit
the utmost speed to the prophet
Elisha knew that only some matte
OF great Importance could bring
woman there. "She caught him b
the feet Gehazi came near to thrus
her away" Deeming her importunit
excessive, or such liberties beneat
his masters dignity.
Elisha went with the Shunammit
to her house, and found the child dea
upon the bed In his chamber. III
shut the door upon them twain, an
prayed"
And he went up, and lay upon tn
child" He used whatever mean
we're In his power. though the mean
alone could never have brought tn
child to life. SO James tells the elt
ers who pray with the sick, to ais
anoint him with oil, one of the con
moner remedies of the day. Ther
were faint signs of life.
Then came another season OF al
onizing prayer, while the proph'
walked to and fro. This was ne
experience OF what the Lord might d
through him, and he could not kno
the Lords will at once. "The chill
sneezed seven times, and
opened his eyes" These were tf
first acts Of restored respiration, an
they are described as suceessiN
steps.
Into every home come hours of bi
ter sorrow, strange providences whiC