The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1915-10-15
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDNSOO0L
LESSON
LESSON FOR OCTOBER II.
ELISHA HEALS NAAMAN THE
SYRIAN.
BY e. o. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course. the Moody
Bible Institute. Chicago)

SYRIAN.
LESSON TEXT-II Kings 5l-lo a.
GOLDEN TEXT am Jehovah that
healeth thee.-Ex. 1926.
Read carefully the intervening
Scripture following last Sundays les
son to get the account of Elisha's &C
tivities. There is recorded the story
of the poisoned fountain (2:19-22)-
The 'hoodlum" gang wv. 90. 24)
which is story for boys. Note:
Elisha had nothing to do with the
bears, nor does the record say that
the bears killed the boys. Next the
story of the Widows oil (4:1-7). FL
nally, the suggestive stories OF the
Shunammite woman wv. SGD, and
the feeding of the prophets and the
people wv. 3S-44.
Now we come to Elisha's most ia.
nous experience, that with Naaman OF
Damascus. This city is reputed to be
the oldest in the world and is situated
about 100 miles (air line) northeast of
Samaria. This event probably oc-
Cured between 904 and 1874 B. C.
!. A Ministry In the Home, w. II.
Naaman had all that heart could wish,
seemingly Exalted, rich, great
man, honorable and successful in his
undertakings, but he was a leper
AS such he is a type of the sinner.
Leprosy begins practically in secret,
is transmissible, may be ameliorated.
but cannot be cured by man. In his
hr yl,o ba Ord
one who observed, who loved as well
as served. This maid was a true serv-
ant, for she showed her master how
to be rid of his malady. For all of his
wealth Naaman was not happy. He
knew and others would soon know his
condition. His wife could not help
him, and did not take the maids mes
sage to him. Perhaps she did not
rightly value it. But there was CO.
operation in that household evidently,
for "one went in and told his lord
". A.. There was also cooperation
between the home and the govern
ment, for the king of Syria sent let
ter to the king of Israel ". 81. The
strength of any nation is in proper
ton to the strength, unity and 10y
atty of it's homes. 1t is also in pro
portion to the care and interest which
that government takes in it's homes
II. A Ministering Prophet wv. $40.
The king of Syria thought he could
buy everything, including the desired
cure wv. 5, g.. His letter brought
great CONSERVATION to Israel's king,
probably Jehoram. The value of the
gifts presented, perhaps over 100000.
revealed the urgency of the case But
there was one in Israel who was not
disturbed, for he knew more fully the
power of Jehovah. Elisha is type
of Christ who offers not only to alb
lepers but to every unfortunate one
rest" Matt. 11:2S-30). Elisha re-
sponded to the need of the nation
". 81, as we'll as to the need OF
Naaman the leper, when he y. "
teered to become the onnLA are HJe
hovah ". y.
The prince came, however, filled
with a sense of his importance and
his pride stood in the way OF his re-
| lief hence the manner of Elisha's
treatment. Waiting thus before the
prophets door Naaman is a type OF
the great of this earth who shall yen
bow before Gods people lisa. 60: 1-3)
and before his Son (Phil. 2:19). By
| human arguments Naaman was right
| ". 12) and his rage was justified, bm
he must learn that as a suppliaT
he cannot dictate means nor methods.
| The rich and cultured sinner cannot
| select his own way of healing nor be
treated any differently than the poor
and the ignorant. The river Jordan
is a type of the judgment on sin. Sir
must be Judged by confession from
| 1879, 49,. Sin must be renowned
before we can be cleansed q Cor. IL:
| 81; I John 1:9). 1t was a slow, g
patient. a public process through
| which Naaman must pass, but such
had been the development OF Ieprosy
in his life. God had Judged sin OF
Calvary rom. SO; II Cor. 5:21; Gal
| 3:13) and as Naaman went down In
the Jordan he took, in figure, the sin
| ner's place, even as Jesus later took
that place for us, Matt. 3:13-15}-
Though inclined to act the fool, yet
Naaman wisely hardened to his serv
ant ". 13) and obeyed the command
/ of the prophet.
His cure came because he obeyet
Jehovah: ca He heard Of one whe
could cure w. 81; (b) he believed
". ~; (c) he forsook his own
thoughts ". ~; (d) he accepted
I Gods thoughts and methods wv. IL.
| 40: (e) he took the sinners place
| wv. 10, 40; ~ he became clean after
his obedience wv, IA, 15).
There is evidence of a great moral
effect in the life of Naaman following
this experience wv. 1910.
| He became an open reflector of the
heather gods and a protested follow
| er of Jehovah when he returned to