651
T H E K I N G ’ S
B U S I N E S S
October 1924
1:9. Any appearance of cruelty that there is in'the fate of the two captains and their men will be removed, on a full consideration of the circumstances. God being the King of Israel, Ahaziah was bound to govern the kingdom accord ing to the Divine law; to apprehend the Lord’s prophet, for discharging a commanded duty, was the act of an impious and notorious rebel. The captains abetted the king in his rebellion; and they exceeded their military duty by con temptuous insults, “man of God.” “ Fire shall come down,” -—not to avenge a personal insult to Elijah, but an insult upon God in the person of His prophet; and the punishment was inflicted, not by the prophet, but by the direct hand of God.—J. F. & B. Had Elijah been apprehended of them it would have meant his death and a victory of the kingdom of darkness over the kingdom of light. How the fire came down and consumed the soldiers is not stated.—Gray. 2:1. The localities in the first five verses—Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho,H-were doubtless places where schools of the prophets had been established, as far back as Samuel’s time. (1 Sam. 7:15-17). These schools were for the train ing of godly youth in the lgw of God and the experience of a holy life. Elisha seems to have been among them while Elijah was their head at this period (v. 3).— Sel. 2:8. The power of wonder-working rested not with the prophet individually, but was attached to his office, of which this rough garment was the badge.*-^—Edersheim. As Moses “ smote” the river Nile (Exod. 7:20), Aaron the dust (Exod. 8:17), and Moses the rock (Exod. 1 7 :6 ),-3 strongly, as one smites an enemy.—Cook. 2:9. This was the final test. What Elisha asked would prove what he was, and what he was fitted for. What Solomon asked showed what was in ’Solomon’s heart. What Herodias bade her daughter ask of Herod proved what Herodias was. And whenever any of us stand in the pres ence of life’s choices, at the parting of the ways, the answer we give is the test of our souls.—Feloubet. 2:11. These were creations of the spiritual world. This heavenly scene was no hallucination, but the chariot and horses of fire were a part of that vast host, the sound of whose movements David once heard over the mulberry trees (2 Sam. 5:24), and which at a later time filled the mountains round about Elisha (2 Kgs. 6:17).—Whedon. “Whirlwind,” (cf. Ezek. 1:4; Job 38:1 and Nah. 1 :3).— Peloubet. 2:12. Elijah had been a father to him, in his care and training, in love, and in legacy. These words, too may fairly be construed as suggesting an aspect of Elijah’s char acter which is generally overlooked. Those who are most terrible in their denunciations of sin are often the fullest of tenderness and love.— Sel. 2:23, 24. “ Little children,” i. e. the idolatrous, or infi del young men of the place, who, affecting to disbelieve the report of his master’s translation, sarcastically urged him to follow in the glorious career. “ Bald-head,”— an epithet of contempt in the East, applied to a person even with a bushy head of hair. The appalling judgment that befell them was God’s interference to uphold his newly-invested prophet.—J, F. & B. It was not so much scorn of Elisha as of Jehovah Himself, (cf. Ex. 16:8; Acts 5 :4).—Gray. Note that it is not said that Elisha had anything to do with the coming 'of the bears, and it is not said that the bears killed these young men; neither the Hebrew nor the Greek necessarily implies that, and yet many have so mis stated it.—Peloubet. ELEMENTARY Mrs. S. W. Barrett Scripture: I Kings 19:19-21; II Kings 2:1-15. Memory Verses: Colossians 3:20; Philippians 2:8; I Sam uel 15:22; Jeremiah 7:23. Do you always obey Mother? God says: “ Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the
tentative, and in the power and spirit of that life of faith which had been Elijah’s, he takes up his ministry.— Jordan is crossed; miracles are wrought. God’s servants differ. Elisha followed Elijah, yet how different! Men are not to seek to be like other men but like Christ. It is this purpose of heart, this devotion to Christ, this determination to go all. the way, this heart desire for the best, this craving for the enduement of the Spirit, and this willingness to pay the price, that qualifies the children of God for spiritual service. The double portion of the glorified Christ is the heritage of the Church. “And I -will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.M All power is given unto Christ (Matt. 28:18), and the double portion is for us if we will receive it and if we are willing to use it for His glory. (6) THE POWER OF FAITH EXEMPLIFIED, vs. 14-22 “ the waters *** parted hither and thither” v. 14. The proof of Elisha’s call to succeed Elijah is found in the miracle at the Jordan, the miracle at the spring, and the curse upon the mockers. The bitter waters were sweetened. A sermon could be preached upon the text, but our space Ts limited. Salt is a symbol. It saves and savors. (Lev. 2:13; Col. 4 :6). It saves from corruption. It seasoned all of the offerings. It sets a seal to the sanctity of the covenant relation. Salt is a type of purity and righteousness. God’s grace will yet heal the waters of the world. Death shall be no more. He will one day say, “ Behold, I make all things new.” The destruction of the youth for their irreverence is sug gestive, and a lesson never more needed than it is today. What a toll must be taken. Here is a message of warning to parents and teachers. Topics for Study (1) It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master. (2) The manner of a man’s departure is with his Maker. (3) No man will be refused the blessing who puts “ I must have it” into his petition. (4) Men will profit much from association with God’s prophet. ^5) The poor prophet had nothing to leave but a man’s mantle, but he left it to a hungry man. (6) The disciples who saw Christ go, were the ones who saw the Spirit come. (7) There are no limitations with God, “ Ask what ye will.” (8) “ If thou see me.” Power is in proportion to the . vision. 1:1. The story of Ahaziah’s reign in the last chapter of First Kings and the first verse of this lesson, is a close link between the two books. It indicates that the death of Ahab and the accession of his son gave occasion to the Moabites for this uprising, the first since their COMMENTS conquest by David (2 Sam. 8:2).y|jk FROM THE Gray. COMMENTARIES “ Baalzebub” “ the lord of th€ V. V. Morgan fly” was the name under which the sun- god Baal was worshipped at Ekron. The name is not to be confounded with “ Beelzebub” of Matthew 10, although there may be a relation between the two.—Gray.
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