prophets and kings-第37部分

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ons　as　the　prophet　of　the　Most　High。

Even　kindness　should　have　its　limits。　Authority　must　be　maintained　by　a　firm　severity；　or　it　will　be　received　by　many　with　mockery　and　contempt。　The　so…called　tenderness；　the　coaxing　and　indulgence；　used　toward　youth　by　parents　and　guardians；　is　one　of　the　worst　evils　which　can　come　upon　them。　In　every　family；　firmness；　decision；　positive　requirements；　are　essential。

Reverence；　in　which　the　youth　who　mocked　Elisha　were　so　lacking；　is　a　grace　that　should　be　carefully　cherished。　Every　child　should　be　taught　to　show　true　reverence　for　God。　Never　should　His　name　be　spoken　lightly　or　thoughtlessly。　Angels；　as　they　speak　it；　veil　their　faces。　With　what　reverence　should　we；　who　are　fallen　and　sinful；　take　it　upon　our　lips！

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Reverence　should　be　shown　for　God's　representatives　for　ministers；　teachers；　and　parents；　who　are　called　to　speak　and　act　in　His　stead。　In　the　respect　shown　them；　God　is　honored。

Courtesy；　also；　is　one　of　the　graces　of　the　Spirit　and　should　be　cultivated　by　all。　It　has　power　to　soften　natures　which　without　it　would　grow　hard　and　rough。　Those　who　profess　to　be　followers　of　Christ；　and　are　at　the　same　time　rough；　unkind；　and　uncourteous；　have　not　learned　of　Jesus。　Their　sincerity　may　not　be　doubted；　their　uprightness　may　not　be　questioned；　but　sincerity　and　uprightness　will　not　atone　for　a　lack　of　kindness　and　courtesy。

The　kindly　spirit　that　enabled　Elisha　to　exert　a　powerful　influence　over　the　lives　of　many　in　Israel；　is　revealed　in　the　story　of　his　friendly　relations　with　a　family　dwelling　at　Shunem。　In　his　journeyings　to　and　fro　throughout　the　kingdom　〃it　fell　on　a　day；　that　Elisha　passed　to　Shunem；　where　was　a　great　woman；　and　she　constrained　him　to　eat　bread。　And　so　it　was；　that　as　oft　as　he　passed　by；　he　turned　in　thither　to　eat　bread。〃　The　mistress　of　the　house　perceived　that　Elisha　was　〃an　holy　man　of　God；〃　and　she　said　to　her　husband：　〃Let　us　make　a　little　chamber；　I　pray　thee；　on　the　wall；　and　let　us　set　for　him　there　a　bed；　and　a　table；　and　a　stool；　and　a　candlestick：　and　it　shall　be；　when　he　cometh　to　us；　that　he　shall　turn　in　thither。〃　To　this　retreat　Elisha　often　came；　thankful　for　its　quiet　peace。　Nor　was　God　unmindful　of　the　woman's　kindness。　Her　home　had　been　childless；　and　now　the　Lord　rewarded　her　hospitality　by　the　gift　of　a　son。

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Years　passed。　The　child　was　old　enough　to　be　out　in　the　field　with　the　reapers。　One　day　he　was　stricken　down　by　the　heat；　〃and　he　said　unto　his　father；　My　head；　my　head。〃　The　father　bade　a　lad　carry　the　child　to　his　mother；　〃and　when　he　had　taken　him；　and　brought　him　to　his　mother；　he　sat　on　her　knees　till　noon；　and　then　died。　And　she　went　up；　and　laid　him　on　the　bed　of　the　man　of　God；　and　shut　the　door　upon　him；　and　went　out。〃

In　her　distress；　the　Shunammite　determined　to　go　to　Elisha　for　help。　The　prophet　was　then　at　Mount　Carmel；　and　the　woman；　accompanied　by　her　servant；　set　forth　immediately。　〃And　it　came　to　pass；　when　the　man　of　God　saw　her　afar　off；　that　he　said　to　Gehazi　his　servant；　Behold；　yonder　is　that　Shunammite：　run　now；　I　pray　thee；　to　meet　her；　and　say　unto　her；　Is　it　well　with　thee？　is　it　well　with　thy　husband？　is　it　well　with　the　child？〃　The　servant　did　as　he　was　bidden；　but　not　till　she　had　reached　Elisha　did　the　stricken　mother　reveal　the　cause　of　her　sorrow。　Upon　hearing　of　her　loss；　Elisha　bade　Gehazi：　〃Gird　up　thy　loins；　and　take　my　staff　in　thine　hand；　and　go　thy　way：　if　thou　meet　any　man；　salute　him　not；　and　if　any　salute　thee；　answer　him　not　again：　and　lay　my　staff　upon　the　face　of　the　child。〃

But　the　mother　would　not　be　satisfied　till　Elisha　himself　came　with　her。　〃As　the　Lord　liveth；　and　as　thy　soul　liveth；　I　will　not　leave　thee；〃　she　declared。　〃And　he　arose；　and　followed　her。　And　Gehazi　passed　on　before　them；　and　laid　the　staff　upon　the　face　of　the　child；　but　there　was　neither　voice；　nor　hearing。　Wherefore　he　went　again　to　meet　him；　and　told　him；　saying；　The　child　is　not　awaked。〃

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When　they　reached　the　house；　Elisha　went　into　the　room　where　the　dead　child　lay；　〃and　shut　the　door　upon　them　twain；　and　prayed　unto　the　Lord。　And　he　went　up；　and　lay　upon　the　child；　and　put　his　mouth　upon　his　mouth；　and　his　eyes　upon　his　eyes；　and　his　hands　upon　his　hands：　and　he　stretched　himself　upon　the　child；　and　the　flesh　of　the　child　waxed　warm。　Then　he　returned；　and　walked　in　the　house　to　and　fro；　and　went　up；　and　stretched　himself　upon　him：　and　the　child　sneezed　seven　times；　and　the　child　opened　his　eyes。〃

Calling　Gehazi；　Elisha　bade　him　send　the　mother　to　him。　〃And　when　she　was　come　in　unto　him；　he　said；　Take　up　thy　son。　Then　he　went　in；　and　fell　at　his　feet；　and　bowed　herself　to　the　ground；　and　took　up　her　son；　and　went　out。〃

So　was　the　faith　of　this　woman　rewarded。　Christ；　the　great　Life…giver；　restored　her　son　to　her。　In　like　manner　will　His　faithful　ones　be　rewarded；　when；　at　His　coming；　death　loses　its　sting　and　the　grave　is　robbed　of　the　victory　it　has　claimed。　Then　will　He　restore　to　His　servants　the　children　that　have　been　taken　from　them　by　death。　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord；　A　voice　was　heard　in　Ramah；　lamentation；　and　bitter　weeping；　Rachel　weeping　for　her　children　refused　to　be　comforted　for　her　children；　because　they　were　not。　Thus　saith　the　Lord；　Refrain　thy　voice　from　weeping；　and　thine　eyes　from　tears：　for　thy　work　shall　be　rewarded；　。　。　。　and　they　shall　come　again　from　the　land　of　the　enemy。　And　there　is　hope　in　thine　end；　saith　the　Lord；　that　thy　children　shall　come　again　to　their　own　border。〃　Jeremiah　31：15…17。

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Jesus　comforts　our　sorrow　for　the　dead　with　a　message　of　infinite　hope：　〃I　will　ransom　them　from　the　power　of　the　grave；　I　will　redeem　them　from　death：　O　death；　I　will　be　thy　plagues；　O　grave；　I　will　be　thy　destruction。〃　Hosea　13：14。　〃I　am　He　that　liveth；　and　was　dead；　and；　behold；　I　am　alive　for　evermore；　。　。　。　and　have　the　keys　of　hell　and　of　death。〃　Revelation　1：18。　〃The　Lord　Himself　shall　descend　from　heaven　with　a　shout；　with　the　voice　of　the　Archangel；　and　with　the　trump　of　God：　and　the　dead　in　Christ　shall　rise　first：　then　we　which　are　alive　and　remain　shall　be　caught　up　together　with　them　in　the　clouds；　to　meet　the　Lord　in　the　air：　and　so　shall　we　ever　be　with　the　Lord。〃　1　Thessalonians　4：16；　17。

Like　the　Saviour　of　mankind；　of　whom　he　was　a　type；　Elisha　in　his　ministry　among　men　combined　the　work　of　healing　with　that　of　teaching。　Faithfully；　untiringly；　throughout　his　long　and　effective　labors；　Elisha　endeavored　to　foster　and　advance　the　important　educational　work　carried　on　by　the　schools　of　the　prophets。　In　the　providence　of　God　his　words　of　instruction　to　the　earnest　groups　of　young　men　assembled　were　confirmed　by　the　deep　movings　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　and　at　times　by　other　unmistakable　evidences　of　his　authority　as　a　servant　of　Jehovah。

It　was　on　the　occasion　of　one　of　his　visits　to　the　school　established　at　Gilgal　that　he　healed　the　poisoned　pottage。　〃There　was　a　dearth　in　the　land；　and　the　sons　of　the　prophets　were　sitting　before　him：　and　he　said　unto　his　servant；　Set　on　the　great　pot；　and　seethe　pottage　for　the　sons　of　the　prophets。　And　one　went　out　into　the　field　to　gather　herbs；　and　found　a　wild　vine；　and　gathered　thereof　wild　gourds

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his　lap　full；　and　came　and　shred　them　into　the　pot　of　pottage：　for　they　knew　them　not。　So　they　poured　out　for　the　men　to　eat。　And　it　came　to　pass；　as　they　were　eating　of　the　pottage；　that　they　cried　out；　and　said；　O　thou　man　of　God；　there　is　death　in　the　pot。　And　they　could　not　eat　thereof。　But　he　said；　Then　bring　meal。　And　he　cast　it　into　the　pot；　and　he　said；　Pour　out　for　the　people；　that　they　may　eat。　And　there　was　no　harm　in　the　pot。〃

At　Gilgal；　also；　while　the　dearth　was　still　in　the　land；　Elisha　fed　one　hundred　men　with　the　present　brought　to　him　by　〃a　man　from　Baalshalisha；〃　〃bread　of　the　first　fruits；　twenty　loaves　of　barley；　and　full　ears　of　corn　in　the　husk　thereof。〃　There　were　those　with　him　who　were　sorely　in　need　of　food。　When　the　offering　came；　he　said　to　his　servant；　〃Give　unto　the　people；　that　they　may　eat。　And　his　servitor　said；　What；　should　I　set　this　before　an　hundred　men？　He　said　again；　Give　the　people；　that　they　may　eat：　for　thus　saith　the　Lord；　They　shall　eat；　and　shall　leave　thereof。　So　he　set　it　before　them；　and　they　did　eat；　and　left　thereof；　according　to　the　word　of　the　Lord。〃

What　condescension　it　was　on　the　part　of　Christ；　through　His　messenger；　to　work　this　miracle　to　satisfy　hunger！　Again　and　again　since　that　time；　though　not　always　in　so　marked　and　perceptible　a　manner；　has　the　Lord　Jesus　worked　to　supply　human　need。　If　we　had　clearer　spiritual　discernment　we　would　recognize　more　readily　than　we　do　God's　compassionate　dealing　with　the　children　of　men。

It　is　the　grace　of　God　on　the　small　portion　that　makes　it　all…sufficient。　God's　hand　can　multiply　it　a　hundredfold。

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From　His　resources　He　can　spread　a　table　in　the　wilderness。　By　the　touch　of　His　hand　He　can　increase　the　scanty　provision　and　make　it　sufficient　for　all。　It　was　His