The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-08-02
Sunday, August 5.
IT Kings At, 42-44.

II Kings Al, 42-44.
Golden Text-Inasmuch as we
have done it unto one of the
least of these my brethren, we
have done it unto me.-MattheW
I25:40.
Ten miracles are connected
with the name of Elisha the
prophet: The parting of the Jor-
dan after the translation Of Eli
iah; the healing of the water at
Jericho; the supply of water for
the army in Moab; the increase
of the widows oil; the restora-
ton of the Shunammite's son to
life; the feeding of a hundred
men; the sure of Naaman's lep-
rosy; the shifting of Gehazi with
leprosy; the shifting of the in
vading Syrians with blindness at
Dothan; and the revival of the
dead man by touching Elisha
bones.
Two of these miracles we study
today and both present the
prophet as helper of the needy,
The increase of the widows oil
reminds of the unwasting meal
of the widow of Zarephath while
Elijah refugeed in her home. The
multiplication of the loaves and
grain anticipates our Lords feed
| ing of the 1000 with seven loaves
and of the 5000 with five barley
cakes and two small fishes.
THE POVERTY OF A WIDOW
The oil was increased to relieve
the poverty of a widow. Note
five things: Cd Need. The needy
person was woman. She was
widow. She was the widow of
prophet. She had two children.
She was destitute having among
her household utensils but sim
gle pot containing a little oil. She
was in debt. She was about to
lose her children by sale into
slavery for under Jewish law
(Leviticus $500 an insolvent
debtor and his family could be
sold into slavery till the year of
jubilee. (2) Prayer. In her need
the woman cried out her an
guish. She came to the prophet
for who can help like one under
high religious impulse? She felt
sure of his sympathy and was not
disappointed. She gave the brief
and simple statement of her dis
tress. She received instant an
swer in his look and in his words.
Let her tell him quickly what he
could do for her. What were her
resources? The depth of her
need is shown in her reply that
she had onlysa pot of cruise of
oil in the house. 60 Command.
The prophet gave the good wo-
man four very definite things to
do: Go and borrow MANY empty
vessels from all the neighbors;
then go in her own house with
her sons and shut the door; then
pour out from her cruise Of oil
into all the vessels she had as
sembled whether large or. small
and finally set to one side every
vessel that she had filled with
oil. (4) Obedience. Was the
prophets command singular and
mysterious? Did it seem foolish
for her to obey it literally and in
detail? On the contrary she be-
lieved implicitly the prophets
word. She had faith in God and
! in the man of God. Her obed-
fence was therefore exact and
immediate. She delayed not nor
left undone the minutest detail
(5) Sufficiency. Faith and obed,
fence had their reward. Every
vessel that could be borrowed was
| full to the brim before the OF,
stayed. The window had obeyeo
instructions so far and was now
ready for further command. She
reported to Elisha and he tolc
her what now to do. Let her &c
and sell the oil in a market that
was at hand and ready to pay g
good price. Then let her pay the
entire debt she owed. After thai
she and her sons could live or
the remainder until better days.
THE HUNGER OF A
HUNDRED MEN
" The meal was multiplied to, re,
llieve the hunger of a hundred
men. Note five things: % Thu
Famine. There was at this timt
a derth in the land (verse 3S)
this being one of the Is famineE
mentioned in the Bible. As al
evidence of the scarcity of foot
there appeared at the prophets
quarters a hundred hungry men
1.-THE number probably being eXac
or possibly a round figure. ".