The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1915-10-16

healeth thee.-Ex. Is %.
Read carefully the intervening
Scripture following last Sundays les.
son to get the account of Elisha's ac.
tivities. There is recorded the story
of the poisoned fountain (2:19.22).
The hoodlum" gang wv. %, 2D
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 tbs Widows oil 4l-0. III.
nally, the suggestive stories OF the
Shunemmite woman wv. $50. and
the feeding OF the prophets and the
people wv. 3S-4i).
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 S94 Il. c.
I. A Ministry in the Home, w. ~.
| 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 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 true ssrv.
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 maid mes
/ sage to him. Perhaps she did not
! rightly value II. 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 a let
ter to the king Of Israel ". 81. The
strength of any nation 10 in proper
| tion to the strength, unity and 10y
! atty OF its homes. IL is also In pro-
| portion to the care and interest which
that government takes in its homes.
II. A Ministering Prophet wv. S-t4).
Tho king of Syria thought he could
buy everything, including the desired
cure (vv. 5, CD. HIS letter brought
great CONSERVATION to lsrael's king.
probably Jchoram. The value OF the
gifts presented, perhaps over Sl00, 600,
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 a type
OF Christ who offers not only to all
lcpers but to every unfortunate ono
post" Matt ll:2S.3Ol. Elisha re-
sponded to the need OF the nation
". 81. as well as TO the need OF
Naaman the lcper. wAcn he volun.
tccrcd to become the champion of Je-
hovah ". -.
The prince came, however, filed
with a sense Of his importance and
his pride stood in the way of hts 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 yet
bow before Gods people lisa 60 :l-3)
and before his son lPhil. 2'l9l. By
human arguments Naaman was right
". l2l and his rage was justified. but
he must learn that as a supplant
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.
1853. l9, Sin must be ronounced
before we can he clCauscd Il Cor. II:
81; John l:9l. II was a slow, a
patient public process through
which Naaman must pass, but such
had been the development OF leprosy
I'm his life. God had judged sin on
Calvary (Rom. SO; II Cor. SCI; Gal.
3;l8 and as Nnuman 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:l3l5).
Though inclined to act the fool. yet
Naaman wisely harkened to his serv-
ant ". l3) and obeyed the command
OF the prophet.
His cure came because he obeyed
Jehovah: (a) lie heard OF one who
could cure ". 81. (b) he believed
". ~: (c) he forsook his own
thoughts ". IL; td) hs accepted
Gods thoughts and methods wv. 13.
IA; (e) he took the sinners place
wv. 10, 14); On he became clean after
HIS obedience wv H. l5).
There is evidence Of great moral
effect I'm the life OF Naaman following
this experience wv. 1870.
He became an open reflector OF the
heather gods and a professed follow
er OF Jehovah when he returned to
Damascus.
As such he became the ministering
prince.
III. The Minlstering Prince. Q) by
public profession (see Rom. 1893, 10;
Matt. l0;32) (2) BY peculiar request