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T H E K I N G ’ S
B U S I N E S S
October 1924
3:4. The incident about Mesha is interesting from the point of view of Biblical criticism. This is the only time he is mentioned in Sacred Writ and his name does not appear in profane history. For this cause objectors to the Bible
ELEMENTARY Mrs. 8. W. Barrett
have demanded proof of his existence at the time named. Also, was Moab noted for its wood? Was it tributary to Israel at this period? Did this rebel lion occur? etc. It was impossible to answer these questions outside of the
Scripture: II Kings 4: 18-37. Memory Verses: John 14:19; John 11:25; II Corinth ians 5:15. Did you ever see anything dead come to life again? When you plant your garden, don’t you bury the little dead seeds and after a while you see that they have come to life and little green leaves are shooting up, because God has touched
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES V. V. Morgan
Bible until about forty years ago when the “ Moabite Stone” was discovered, on which an inscription by Mesha recorded all these facts.— Gray. 3:20. Far from the Israelitish camp, in the eastern mountains of Edom, a great fall of rain--a kind of cloud burst— took place, by which the wady was at once filled, without their either seeing the wind or the rain. The Divine interposition was shown by introducing the laws of nature to the determined end in the predetermined way. —-Keil. 3:23. The rancour between the kings of Israel and Judah was well known; hence the Moabites supposed they had slaughtered each other in some quarrel on their march. Thus, deluded by the sight of the water, reddened by the sun’s rays, or with the color of the earth into which they had dug (v. IF) the Moabites hastened, unprepared, into the hands of their foes.—Horn. Com. 4:1. In treating the miracle as symbolic of the inex haustibility of Divine Grace, the following thoughts are suggested: (1) That humanity is reduced by sin to a state of moral bankruptcy and ruin. The law of Moses provided (Lev. 25:39-41) that in case of inability to pay his debts, a man and his children might be sold and remain in bondage until the next year of jubilee. The laws we have outraged have handed us over to a bondage of the worst kind,— the bon dage of sin. (2) That every provision has been made by Divine grace to restore humanity to a state of moral sol vency. Great as is the havoc wrought by sin, the remedy is greater. (3) That individual effort is demanded in order to participate in the ample supplies of Divine grace. The widow in her extremity seeks for help, and readily obeys the directions given. (4) That the supply of Divine grace is limited only by the capacity of the receiver. (5) That the reception of Divine grace furnishes the loftiest motives to an upright and useful life. “ Go sell the oil and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.”—Horn. Com. : 4:10. She meant a room in the “ oleah,” the porch, or gateway (2 Sam. 18:33; 1 Kgs. 17:19), attached to the front of the house, leading into the court and inner apart ments. Not build, but prepare it. The front of the house, excepting the door, is a dead wall, and hence this room is called a chamber in the wall. It is usually appropriated to the use of strangers, or lodgers for a night and from its seclusion is convenient for study and retirement.— J. F. & B. 4:13. The interest and importance of such an intel ligence can only be estimated by considering that Oriental women, and Jewish in particular, connect ideas of disgrace with barrenness, and cherish a more ardent desire for chil dren than women in any other part of the world. (Gen. 18: 10-15).—J. F. & B. 4:23. She said, “ peace.”.’ With one single word she like wise answers Gehazi (ys. 26) the eastern Salaam! “ It is well!” for she desired silence till she could tell all the truth to the servant of Jehovah.—Horn. Com. 4:31. The act of Gehazi was allowed to fail, in order to free the Shunamitp, and the people of Israel at large, of the superstitious notion of supposing a miraculous virtue resided in any person, or in any rod, and that it was only through earnest prayer and faith in the power of God and for His glory, that this and every miracle was to be per formed.— J. F. & B. 4:35. These were the first acts of restored respiration, and they are described as successive steps. Miracles were for the most part performed instantaneously; but some times, also, they were advanced progressively towards com pletion. (1 Kgs. 18:44, 45; Mark 8:24, 25).—Sel.
sun and the rain. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross and God raised Him from the dead, He said, “ Because I live, ye shall live also.’’ (John 14: 19). Today, God tells us a wonderful story in the Bible, about { The Baby Who Died and Came to Life Again. In the little village of Shu- nem, near the foot of Mt. Car mel lived a very good woman who loved God and His pro phet, Elisha. Every time Elisha passed through the vil lage she invited him to her house for dinner, and she fixed up a little room for him so that he could stay all night when- the seeds through the soil, the
B e c h u s e X L i V E
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ever he pleased. One day this good woman’s little baby boy, who was playing around, saw his daddy reaping grain out in the field near the house, and when mother was not looking the baby ran out to watch daddy cut the yellow grain with the big, sharp, shining sickle. The sun, always very hot in harvest time, beat down upon baby’s tender little head and made it ache, oh, so badly! When he reached daddy he just fell down in the grain and sobbed. “ My head! My head!” Daddy picked him up but could not hush his crying, so he called a little lad who wasTielp- ing, and said to him, “ Carry baby back to his mother.” When the lad came to the house, the good woman took her baby boy in her arms and found he was very sick. She held him on her lap and did everything she could think of to stop the pain, but baby kept getting worse and just about noon time the dear little boy died. The mother could scarcely believe that her baby was gone. She thought of Elisha, God’s prophet. Surely God would bring back her baby’s life if Elisha prayed; but Elisha was staying at Mt. Carmel, nearly sixteen miles away. She carried baby up to Elisha’s room and laid him on the bed, then closing the door softly, hurried down stairs. She thought best not to tell her husband about the baby until she had seen Elisha. She called to him, “ Send one of the young men and one of the colts that I may go quickly to Mt. Carmel to Elisha.” When her husband protested, she replied simply, “ It is needful that I go.” It did not take long to make the journey. Elisha, look ing up from his study saw her coming afar off. He called Gehazi, his servant, and pointing said, “ Behold, yonder comes the good woman of Shunem. Run to meet her and ask, is it well with thee?” Gehazi obeyed, but the poor mother could not tell the servant her trouble. She came up the hill to Elisha and, falling at his feet, clasped her arms around his knees and sobbed. Gehazi tried to help her up, but Elisha understood his good friend and said, “ Let her alone, she is troubled, but the Lord hath not showed me
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