November 1924
T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
725
altar, where the heart worships, something else in place of the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ — a Damascus altar where, cheek by jowl, all differences are ignored, and where the unseen devil receives the homage. Beware! Take care! There is only one true altar, and only One Being worthy of your worship. TOPICS FOB STUDY (1) Was the cry of the king, “ O, my'father,’:’, a cry of sorrow because there was no successor to Elisha? (2) Was: Elisha’s heart moved by the king’s confession to make the wonderful prophecy? ■: (3) Should those whose hands are used in anointing or ordaining others be clean hands? (4) Is there some significance in the humble instruments which God uses— such as an arrow or a sparrow? - (5) Is there a suggestion, in the displeasure, of the prophet, of God’ s displeasure in our lack of faith?, ( 6 ) What do you suppose is God’s method of measuring our faith? (7) If you are laid away, will it be true of you that your life will have a voice for those living? 13:4. Not a supernatural saviour-angel or prophet—- but in both the kings Joash and Jeroboam He gave them a “ saviour,” from the Syrians, Jior the former recovered all the lost cities (v. 25) and the latter restored all the old boundaries of Israel (14;25).—Horn. COMMENTS Com. FROM THE 13:14. The prophet’s presence was COMMENTARIES felt by Joash to be a guarantee of the V. V. Morgan safety of his kingdom, and he dreaded to lose him, fearing that after the prophet’s death he must again confront the destructive Syrians.—Horn. Com. Stapleton says that he called Elisha “ the horseman” of Israel, because by his holy life and doc trine he led all Israel; and “ the chariot,” because by his virtue and prayers he preserved the people, that God destroyed them not for their sins. The death of such is very ominous, a forerunner of great calamities.:—Trapp. 13:15. The casting of a spear, or shooting of an arrow into an enemy’s country was a common signal for the beginning of hostilit-iesS-Whedon. 13:16. A symbolical act, designed to intimate more fully and significantly the victories promised to the king of Israel over the Syrians. His laying his hands upon the king’s hands was to represent the power imparted to the bow-shot as coming from the Lord through the medium of the prophet. His shooting the first arrow eastward (to that part of the kingdom which the Syrians had taken, and which was east of Samaria) was a declaration of war against them for the invasion. His shooting the other arrows into the ground was in token of the number of victories he was to gain. J.F. & B. 13:18. Joash’s shooting the other arrows into the ground was in token of the number of victories he was to gain; but his stopping at the third betrayed the weakness of his faith; for as the discharged arrow signified a victory over the Syr ians, it is evident that the more arrows he shot, the more vic tories he would gain; and as he stopped so soon, his conquest would be incomplete. Faith in God is the measure, and unbelief the limit, of His blessings.—Horn. Com. 13:19. The prophet here did well to be angry, even though at the hour of death. He loved the people, and wept to think that their king was standing in their light, and robbing them of precious privileges. How much Israel suf fers from the slack-handedness of the king! How easy the triumph that might have been achieved! Why, if this king had shot more arrows, Syria would have been quite overcome. How Jehovah’s name was dishonored! In Assyria’s streets they laughed at Jehovah; they said that their gods were greater than He. Oh, what a shame it is that you and I should ever put Christ to more shame than He endured for our sakés! Let us bethink ourselves whether we have not been shooting too few arrows.—C. H. Spurgeon. 13:20,21. The spring, the usual season of beginning campaigns in ancient times. Predatory bands from Moab
generally made incursions at that time on the lands of Israel. The bearers of a corpse, alarmed by the appearance of one of these bands, hastily deposited, as they passed that way, their load in Elisha’s sepulchre, which might be easily done by removing the stone at the mouth of the cave. According to the Jewish and Eastern custom, his body, as well as that of the man who was miraculously restored, was not laid in a coffin, but only swathed; so that the bodies could be brought into contact; and the object of the miracle was to stimulate the king’s and the people of Israel’s faith in the still unaccomplished predictions of Elisha respecting the war with the Syrians. Accordingly the historian forth with records the historical fulfillment of the prediction ;(v. 22J25), in the defeat of the enemy, in the recovery of the cities that had been taken, and their restoration to the kingdom of Israel.—4. F. &. B. In the extreme state of depression to which the Israelites were now reduced, a very signal miracle may have been needed to encourage and reassure them.- Speaker’s Com. It was not the déad body of Elisha, but the living God, that gave life again to the dead; and Omnipotence worked by contact with the dead Elisha to show, that the, Divine efficiency that was in the prophet had not disappeared from Israel with his death.—Horn. Com.
ELEMENTARY Mrs. S. W. Barrett
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28:1-15. Memory Verses: Matthew 7:12; Matt. 5:7; Ecclesiastes 3:12. ' ■ ■ m . ■H ■ M When you have a very hard task" to do, do you like to have some one say, “ I’ll help you?” That makes the work easier, doesn’t, it? Do you know the verse we call the Golden Rule? Let’s say it: “ Whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them.” Matt. 7:12. The Lord Jesus said those words and if we let Him come into our hearts He will help us to live up to that Golden Rule. In the Bible; God tells us how an old prophet tried to teach the peo ple to do good one to another. The Prisoners Who Were Taken Back Home Just on the border line be tween the two kingdoms— the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah- lay the city of Jericho, which was called the city of palms because
there were so many" tall, graceful palm trees there. One day happy boys and girls were playing around the bubbling fountains; white haired old grandmothers were drowsing in their chairs in the shade of the swaying palm trees, and mothers, busily sewing, were keeping an eye on their babies, creeping here and there— tiny bells tied about tiny ankles, tinkling so mother would know when baby strayed away. Into the midst of this happy, peaceful scene came the start ling noise of tramping feet of soldiers accompanied by the clink of spears and shields; and right into the city of Jericho marched a great army of the King of Israel, the enemy of all Judah. All mothers and babies, boys and girls, and even old grandmothers were taken prisoners and made to march with the soldiers while they went from town to town burning houses and stealing food, clothing, gold and silver, as they went. When the. army after many days returned to their own city of Samaria they had two hun dred thousand prisoners—-women, boys and girls— follow ing them. Weary, hungry, their clothes torn, some of them almost naked, their feet were aching and bleeding from walking so far. In Samaria there lived a good man, named Oded, who trjed to teach these wicked people about God. Oded heard that the soldiers were returning home with
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