The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-03-30
ELISHA HEALS
NAAMAN
Sunday School Lesson for Apr. 2, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper

GOLDEN TEXT-"Look unto me. and
be We saved all the ends of the earth; |
for I am God, and there is none else
Isa 45:22
TIME-Most scholars place this event |
in the reign of Jehoram. the son of Ahab. |
king OF Israel, who reigned Il. c. 9Oi -S9i. |
Others argue that II occurred In the reign |
OF Jehoahaz b. G. S6i-Ns.
PLACE-Damascus the capital OF Sy- |
ria. the oldest city I'm the world. famed |
for Its swords. Damascus blades" and |
for its silks "damask." Samaria, the |
capital OF Israel. about ilO miles dis
tant.
The miracles OF Elisha were nearly
all miracles of kindly helpfulness.
What were some OF these? Those inn
mediately preceding and following our
lesson: healing the unhealthful wa
ters 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 Q
woman; making healthful some pot
tage into which poisonous plant had
been put feeding a hundred men with
90 barley cakes and a few ears OF
corn-this and the preceding being I'm
time Of famine; healing Naaman:
making a 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 IA
person, seems now in his old age 10
20 n
command to a general. Naaman had
gained renown by freeing his country
from powerful foe, probably Assyra,
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.
II is not likely. in any case, that the
Syrians observed the same strict rules
regarding II as the Jews. Leprosy,
however Is a terrible disease, ftly
used throughout the Bible as the SYM
Dol of sin and death. The disease Is
contagious. II is most loathsome. IL
is incurable, at least in the present
state OF our knowledge. Sin is cur.
able, but not by man.
Naaman was a 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 II was brought
about by four very simple agencies.
Only inferior artists make a parade Of
complicated processes; the most skill
ful workers use few tools and unpre-
tentious 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 medl.
tation, for the nearest point OF the
Jordan was 25 miles In a straight line.
but much farther in distance TO be
travelled, from the winding OF the ra-
vines down which 1t must be reache d..
Moreover, the simplicity of the act
'Twould turn Naaman's thoughts away
from outward forms to the true God.
He would be sure that the water itself
did not accomplish the cure, else there
would be no lepers in Israel. And ne
would not, at the distance of 25 miles.
be likely to ascribe the cure TO the
prophet,
Why was Naaman angry at this
message? How was he to tell that
this man OF God did not design 10
mock him by sending him on fools
errand, so that he would come back as
a laughingstock both to the Israelites
and to his own people? Naaman had
expected the prophet himself to come
forth respectfully and wave his hand
over the place" and go through somo
mystic ceremony. The sting lay In
the fact that the prophet himself took
no part in the cure; that, instead of
being proud to have so august pa
tient, he had calmly handed him over
to one of his assistant physicians-to
the medical skill of the waters of Jor-
dan.
AS Naaman went away in a rage
how was he put in a more sensible
frame of mind? by one of his serv-
ants; Naaman seems to have had
great fortune in his servants. My fa-
ther, said the servant with respectful
affection, II the prophet had bid thee
do some great thing, wouldst thou not
have done It? Yes! OF course he
would, and the greater the better.
What was the result OF Naaman's
obedience? The result that always
comes when men obey Gods COM
mands, he was instantly and COM
pletely cleansed from his leprosy
II is a shame that this beautiful
story must close with a recital of Naa'
mans perfidy. We may be sure that
It would never have been inserted II
the tale were not true one. Gehazi
is the Old Testament Judas. Gehazi
misrepresented the true religion to
Naaman and the Syrian nation
The story of Naaman has been said
to be the best illustration in the Old
rroataunant NJ salvation from sin Hnw