Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-10-06
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson ll.-Fourth Quarter, For
Oct. 10, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES

Text Of the Lesson, u Kings Ii, la.
Memory Verses, II, 12-Geldsn Text,
Pc xvi, f1-commsntary Prepared BY
Rev. D. N. stsarns.
The first book of Kings ends with a
brief record OF Ahab's successor. his
son Ahaziah. who walked In tie ways
OF his father and mother and Of Jero-
beam, the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin There is also the record
of the death OF Jehoshaphat, as well as
a brief record Of his good reign The
second book Of Kings opens with a
record OF the sickness and death Of
the son of Ahab, how he sent TO in
quire Of Baal-zebub instead of the true
God, and the Lord sent Elijah to meet
the messengers and tell them that be-
cause the king had turned from God
to idols he would surely die. Then
follows the record Of the two captains
and their fifties who were sent to take
Elijah. but were destroyed by fire
from heaven. Compare Rev. II, SO,
and note that one Of the two witnesses
Of those days viii probably be this
same Elijah
Turning to our lesson for the day,
we have one Of the most interesting and
fascinating records In the Bible, the
translation to heaven without dying of
the man who lay down under the juni-
per tree and wanted to die. There will
be a generation OF believers who will
not die. but be caught up, changed In
a moment, to meet the Lord In the air,
generation now living q Cor. Nv. 51-53;
I Thess. tv, 1918. The last walk to-
gether Of these two men. Elijah and
Elisha. Is thrillingly suggestive As
they went from place to place ElUah's
''Tarry here. pray thee" and Elisha's
reply, "As the Lord Hveth and as thy
soul uveth / viii not leave thee re-
mind rs OF the devotion Of Ruth and
of Ittai ruth + 1918; II Sam. Nv,
21) and also Of Paul when he said:
None of these things move me; nei-
Their count my life dear unto myself"
Il am ready not to be bound only, but
also to die at Jerusalem for the name
Of the Lord Jesus" Yea, doubtless,
ard count ali things but loss for the
excelIencv of the knowledge Of Christ
Jesus my Lord" (Acts XIX. "a: XXI ID;
Pill. iii. s..
Nothing less than this should be our
devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ The
words in verses 2. 4. 6, 8 and II are
continually with me. So they went
down. so they came, and they two
went On. and they two stood. they two
went over. they still went on. Thus.
no doubt, that other translated man,
Enoch. walked with God until he went
home. The only requisite for such q
walk is. first, redemption by His blood
and then to be fully agreed with Him
about everything Amos III. 81. How
wonderful that God Himself win dwell
In us and walk in Us, and how we do
fan to appreciate or realize II! on Cor.
VI 16) As they went on together ON
the east of Jordan, the waters Of the
river having parted for them. Elijah
said to his companion. ASK what I
shall do for thee before ! be taken
away from thee" (verse o.
Wicked men have oft said something
IKE this, at least the first part Of It,
a. the king to Esther and Herod to
Herodias. It = not long since we
heard the Lord say It to Solomon Gun
Lord Jesus said It to the blind man.
but what shah we say Of John XIV. Ii,
II, written for us and being said to
N continually, "Whatsoever ye shah
ask In my name that VII do. that the
Father may be glorihed in the Son
Elisha wanted something very definite
~, and he asked for 1t, and he full
filed the conditions, and he received It
The conditions seemed easy. but they
implied intense and unwearied stead
fastness.
If we would walk with the Lord and
look upon Him and unto Him as In
tently as Elisha looked upon Elijah
that day we would see some desires
granted We must ask expectantiy,
believingly. persistently, In His name
and for His glory. Well Elisha did
not fail In looking. He saw Elijah
taken and received what he sought,
and others saw that he had received
it. He rent his own clothes. suggest
ing the end Of self. took up the mantle
Of Elijah that fell from him, smote
the waters, and they parted hither and
thither. and Elisha went over. The
sons Of the prophets were watching.
and they said, '-The spirit Of Elijah
doth rest on Elisha" oversees IA, 15).
II we are redeemed we are here In
Christ's stead to manifest His life and
do His works BY His spirit dwelling
In us.
The request Of the young man to be
permitted to look for Elijah lest the
spirit of the Lord might have taken
him to some mountain or valley was
finally granted by Elisha. though be
knew how vain It would be. When
Enoch was taken he also was sought
<nr t,x,< -aa NOT fo,,ud IA wo learn