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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I NE S S
they speak by inspiration of God. Com pare Nathan in 2 Sam. 7. In his de sire to hasten matters, hoping the child was not quite dead, he hurries his ser vant hence, but he was to learn that he cannot delegate God’s grace and power according to his own will.— C. W. Com. Salute him not. These east ern salutations were ceremonial and would take considerable time.— Comp. Bible. v. 31. But. A miracle miscarried. This is strange and embarrassing. It is not without a parallel in our day. Purposed miracles are broken sudden ly in failure. We need to find out where the blame is. Were we merely experimenting with God? Were we running ahead of God? Were we us ing thé wrong means? Was there a lack of faith? Were we depending upon someone else to do what we should do ourselves? Who was this Gehazi? He turns out to be an undeveloped hypocrite. No bad man can convey the power of God. A man may preach elo quently, learnedly and effectively, but he cannot preach well in God’s sense and definition of the term.— Parker. Child is not awaked. We cannot dele gate the work of God and no sending of others will do instead of going our selves.—Maclaren. Why did the staff fail? Perhaps because of its bearer. Gehazi always appears unfavorably. An unworthy minister can make the Gospel itself impotent.— Sel. v. 35. Sneezed seven times. These were the first acts of restored respira tion and they are described as success ive steps.—Brown. Opened his eyes. Note the peculiarities of the miracle— the effort required, the slowness of the process. Jesus raised the dead by His bare word. Elisha made prolonged ef forts, at first with no effect, and he finds it necessary to leave the chamber and gather himself together for a re newal of the efforts. Jesus is the Lord of life. Elisha is a channel of power and the slowness of the flow may be due to the narrowness of the channel. —Kaylby. v. 36. Take up thy son. This was Elisha’s seventh miracle. While Eli jah wrought eight miracles, Elisha wrought sixteen, all of which are para bles In action.— Comp. Bible.
Pictorial- Questions.
Who was Elisha? Who was the Shunammite Woman? An inhabitant of Shunam. 1 Kings 1: 3, 15. Was she an ordina- LESSON ry character. QUESTIONS What did she ask W. H. Pike the prophet when he came to Shunam? What did she say to her husband? What did her husband put on the wall? What did the woman perceive? Who was Gehazi? What did Elisha tell Gehazi to do? What did Elisha tell Gehazi to tell the woman? Did the Shunammite wish any favor in return for her kindness to the proph et? Why did Gehazi call her the second time? What did the prophet promise her? What was the woman’s reply to Eli sha? Did Elisha’s promise come true? What happened to this woman’s son? Where was this son? Who was with him? What did the son say to his father? What did the father do? What did the mother do? Where did the son die? Where did she take the son? What did she say to her husband? Where did the woman go? How did she go? What did Elisha say to Gehazi when he saw the woman? What did the woman do when she met Elisha? What did Gehazi do? What did Elisha say to Gehazi? What did the woman say to Elisha? What did Elisha command Gehazi to do? Where was the son while the woman was going to the prophet? -
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