Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-04

vain to send forth the arrow of challenge
if there be not some power higher than
human power to direct control and gulde
the issues Of the invited contest. The
hands Of the mighty God are necessary
to give strength and assurance of VIC
tory.
The enemies of ancient Israel represent
the enemies Of Gods people in all ages.
In the church's contest against her sur
rounding foes, the challenge to battle
must be under the direction and guidance
of prophetic hands.
The Christian life is a warfare. War
| includes attack as well as defense. The
| Christian must dare to let fly his arrow
| Of defiance in the face Of the enemies OF
| his soul, but must never forget that the
| arms Of hands can only be made strong
| by the hands Of the mighty God of
/ Israel" Mere human effort is futile IN
! less divine power asserts itself in the ar
| rows flight.
To change the figure but not the
| thought, let us ever remember that "Ex-
| cept the Lord build the house, they labor
in vain that built it,
I The only hope for Joash in rebuilding
the waste places of Israel was through
| the helping hand Of the Almighty. This Is
| the symbolic teaching Of the bow and
| arrow in the hands Of the young king.
Joash doubtless knew more about using
the bow and arrow than Elisha did, but
| all the significance of the story centers
on the words: "And Elisha put his hands
| on the kings hands,
| Elisha as the prophet of God, although
| physically weak and dying, gave all the
! significance to the act and made it THE
| arrow Of Gods deliverance."
/ The thought impressed is that the
divine controls the an there cab
be no hope of achievement and victory.
Another lesson of the narrative is that
| the past has its influence upon the pres
| ent and the future. 1t is the long godly
| life of Elisha stretching out in the past
that gives the rich coloring Of the scene.
The good deeds Of the past have in them
blessing and benediction. We have just
| passed over the threshold Of a new year.
| but we are by no means done with the
old. Its influence rests upon US. The
| yesterdays have their lessons for the
tomorrows.
The aged and dying Elisha speaks of
| the past as well as points to the future.
| As the trembling hands of the old
prophet directed the hands Of the young
king, SO we all feel the touch and power
Of the old hands of sainted father or
mother or friend-hands now wrinkled by
age or perhaps long buried from our
sight that are still guiding and influence
ing our lives.
We have here. too. the teaching that
reverence and respect for the aged is a
source of reward and blessing.
There is truth in the ancient proverb:
"Go for wisdom to the old"
The kings visit of sympathy and re-
spect for the old and solitary prophet
| made known to him the coming deliver
ance of his people from the thraldom of
the oppressor. The humblest man. no
less than king, may find blessing
through reverence and courtesy to the
aged servants of God.
The great and last lesson we will men
ton Is the necessary union of the d.
vine and human. Joash, representing the
human effort. drew the bow: Elisha. as
prophet, representing the divine, gave
Edircction and power TO the human effort.
God does not and will not do it all. Where