Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-04-05

Ps- Sei. 11-Commentsry Prepared by
Rev. D. NJ. Stearns.
The beginning of this lesson chan
ter, the story of the iron that di,
swim Verse 81. carries me back full
fVty years to the days OF my school.
teaching in Halifax. n. s. when after
telling this story at the creniny sery.
ices 1 have seen boys stay in at rc.
cess to read 1t again for themselves
We cannot help thinking of Tim who
is able to restore lost people. or. rath.
err. 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 CEx. Nv. 25) 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 glorlfied 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. I am fascinated with the
title man Of God" so often used Of
Elisha and Of others. suggesting. ms
II does. one whom God owns for Him
self and whose one desire is to 1.-Two
for Him, tn please Him and to be Tls
faithful messenger. In chapter IL. O.
II is 'an holy man of God" and This
is more full Of significance. for not all
men of God are as willing TO he holy
as they should be- The world. the
flesh and the devil are too much for
any Of us. but victory is possible Oh
Cor. ii, IL; John V, I; Rev. XII. III.
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
a great many preachers do not seem
to know much about Him and still
less about n people called Israel, al
though God never wrought for any
other nation as He has done and viii
yet 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 he some traitor in the
camp who gave away his plans. |
When one Of his servants reminded |
him that there was n 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. he
sent thither horses and chariots. N
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 to
think that the case was hopeless. But
how grand the confidence Of the
prophet. Fear not. for they that be
with us are more than they that be
with them" Verse 1G). How like
Pauls "If God he for us who can be
against u.s." from. viii, 81 or Da-
vid's Though an host should encamp
against me. my heart shall not fear
ops. xvii, 81.
How blessed and comforting the
FEAR nots" are from Gen. XIV. 1,
all the way through this heavenly
book. How simple and confident the
prayer of Elisha. Lord. | pray thee,
open his eyes that he may seer How
swift the answer, and he beheld the
mountain full of horses and charfots
of fire round about Elisha (verse II.
The chariOts of God are 10000, many
thousands Of angels" Ps. xviii. II.
john saw more than n hundred mil
lions of angels all worshiping the
Lamb Dsev- V, II, 12). These are some
OF the unseen realities. MAY they be
real to us also.
As the soldiers came TO take him
he asked the Lord to smite them with
and He did so. Then he
led them to the man whom they really
wanted, the king OF Israel. and PRAYED
he Lord TO open their eyes, and they
found themselves In Samaria in his
power. The king Of Israel would fain
have smltten them. but Elisha for
babe him and told him TO feed them
md send them home Cverse 22. SO
ne bands OF Syria came no more into
he land of Israel verse %. |. CD.
Again we have fulflment of
Deut. XXI. 30. How should one
'hase thousand and two put ten
thousand to hight?" y study Of the
many different ways in which God
It different times has shown His DOW.
IT on behalf OF His people would be
most inspiring TO a believer and posi-
'iy helpful to one who does not ms
Tet know the LORD.
Take another instance from the next
napier, when the Lord made the
lost or the Syrians to hear q noise of
harfotS and a noise of horses, even
he noise Of great host, so that they
rose and fed, leaving their tents and
orses and asses and everything in
heir camp and fed for their lives
VII, 80. 1t is still true that "the an
el OF the Lord encampeth round