The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1915-10-15
INTERNATIONAL.
.S[)NDNIS[D)M
LESSON
by =. o. 6ELLERs, Acting Dirsctor Of
the Sunday School Course, the Voody
Bible Institute, Chicago.)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER II.

LESSON FOR OCTOBER II.
ELISHA HEALS MAAMAN THE
SYRIAN.
LESSON TExT-II Kings s:i-lo, a
GOLDEN TEXT am Jehovah that
healeth thee.-Ex. B:e6.
Read carefully the Intervening
Scripture following last Sundays les
son to get the account OF Elisha's &C.
tivities. There 10 recorded the story
Of the poisoned fountain (s:1s-22).
The "hoodlum" gang wv. -. 24)
which 10 q 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. $50, and
the feeding Of the prophets and the
people wv. 3s-4D.
Now we come to Elisha's most ia.
nous experience, that with Naaman OF
Damascus. This city il reputed to be
the oldest in the world and 10 situated
about 100 miles lair line) northeast of
Samaria. This event probably oc-
CURED between s04 and 1874 B. C.
.. A Ministry In the Home, w. ~.
Naaman had all that heart could wish,
seemingly. Exalted, rich, q great
man, honorable and successful In his
undertakings, but he was . leper."
As such he il type Of the sinner.
Leprosy begins practically in secret,
is transmissible, may be ameliorated,
but cannot be cured by man. In his
home was one who knew the Lord,
one who observed, who loved as well
as served. This maid was q 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 1t. But there was CO
operation in that household evidently,
for 'one went in and told his lord"
". -. There was also cooperation
between the home and the govern
ment, for the king of Syria sent Yet
ter to the king of Israel ". 81. The
strength of any nation Ii in proper.
ton to the strength. unity and 10y
atty Of its homes. 1t is also in pro
portion to the care and interest which
that government takes in its homes.
u. A kinistsrine Prophet wv. e-1A).
The king of Syria thought he could
buy everything. including the desired
cure wv. s, 81. 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 q type
of Christ who offers not only to all
lepers but to every unfortunate one
rest" Matt. 11:2S-3O). Elisha re-
sponded to the need of the nation
". 81, as well As to the need Of
Naaman the leper, when he volun-
teered to become the champion of Je-
hovah ". y.
The prince came, however, filled
with Q 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 q type Of
the great of this earth who shall yet
bow before Gods people Elsa. 60:1-3)
and before his Son (Phil. 2:19). By
human arguments Naaman was right
". 12) and his rage was justified, but
he must learn that as a suppliant
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. Sin
must be judged by confession Rom.
1859, 18). Sin must be renowned
before we can be cleansed Il Cor. IL:
81; John 1:9. It was a slow, a
patient, a public process through
which Naaman must pass, but such
had been the development of leprosy
in his life. God had judged sin on
Calvary (Rom. S:3: II Cor. sci; 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 obeyed
Jehovah: (a) He heard of one who
could cure ". 81; (b) he believed
". ~; (c) he forsook his own
thoughts ". ~; (d) he accepted
Gods thoughts and methods wv. Is,