The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-09

The Prophets of the Lord ...-...I Kings xviii 3046
Jacob builds altar. Gen. xxxv 1-9
Draw to God James iv Ito
Gods word to Jacob. Gen. xxi, 24-32
In the name of the Lord L Cor x ID 80
Prayer that the Lord may be known Psa- xxxiii 1l3
Inc Lord IS God -Psa. C, 10
l. The affairs of Baal and Ashtoreth were in
constant use, while the altar of the Lord had
been neglected and was broken down Every
year witnessed more worshipers and gifts at the
shrines of the idols, while the single altar of
Jehovah saw less and less of service. The ten
tribes had very generally fallen into idolatry and
neglect of tithes and offerings. The broken altar
illustrates the condition of religion among the
revolted tribes.
1t will be remembered that in the last lesson
a test had been approved by the people that
should settle for them the question as to who
was the true God, Baai or Jehovah; and that the
$50 priests of Baal had been assembled, had
reared an altar, and for six hours had engaged IN
prayer for the descent of fire from their god
All had been in van as Eli ah knew it would be.
Then came his turn and time The people who
had been around the altar of Baal were invited
to come near unto the prophet. He desires their
closest scrutiny. The servants OF Jehovah never
shrink from critical examination, for their belief
has always been that the more throuchly the
convincing they will be to the understanding
We do not know the date Of the original build
ing OF the altar, but it may have been among
those thrown down by Ahab Or JeZebel xix, 10Y.
But he boldly rebuilds it, using twelve stones,
after the original custom, and thus showing the
essential unity of the twelve tribes of Israel,
though now divided, and the unity Of the God
they worshiped. And with the stones he built
an altar in the name of the Lord. He then made
a trench about the altar, containing several gal
81 He mt hp n order
observing probably the order of service at burnt
offerings. Lev j. 39). He cut the bullock in
pieces and laid him on the wood All this may
have been done by the priests of Baal. But now
he orders strange thing as he commands them
to take four barrels of water and to pour it on
the sacrifice and wood These barrels are the
ordinary stone jars used to carry water on the
head. he has them again and again filled and
poured over the altar until everything is
drenched, and the trench itself is filed. The
spring found to this day doubtless furnished
the water for the occasion. The strange prepa-
ration was complete, and now follows:
III. 1t was bold. grand prayer on the part of
Elijah he pleads for the descending fire to fall
upon the sacrifice. But, like all great prevailing
prayer, it was inspired in his heart by the spirit
of God, and he asks with greatest confidence for
this revelation of the divine power. lie appeals
to the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Of Israel,
the God who had worked miracles for his people
in the past, that he would that day make it
known that he is still God in Israel, as III the
days of their past glory. This is the great mo-
tive, but he rightly pleads that the Lord will
honor the prophet as his servant, and will make
it manifest that he has done all these things at
Thy word. Again he asks that it be done for
Israels sake, and that the people may know that
Thou art the Lord God, and that their heart has
been turned back to the old faith and service by
the power of the Lord No man can thus pray
who is not led to it by the Holy Spirit, and he
asks with sublime confidence, because so con
trolled by the Lord. Otherwise such prayers
would be blasphemy. There are men who make
such prayers as lightly and easily as they are
vain and useless. They have no expectation of
any special answer.
III. The covering of the sacrifice and altar
with water clearly makes it improbable that the
wood could be lighted by any secret means. The
fire that fell was miraculous-it was the fire of
the Lord-and in its source and power proved
that it was divinely sent 1t not only consumed
the sacrifice and wood, but the stores and the
water about the altar and even the dust or earth
that was packed in between the stones and made
the altar solid. All were consumed, and the
argument was an overwhelming one, and we
next hear
". There is certain amount of pride that
Keeps people back from open experience of their
wanderings and faults. But this fire burned
through all the barriers of doubt, consumed their
Amsy excuses, and left them face to face with
God 1t was like the light that came to Saul of
Tarsus, and the people fell their faces, and
they said, The Lord, He is the God-the Lord
who answers his servants by fire, He is the true
and only God. Their words were the expression
OF conviction and faith. They accepted jehovah
and they rejected Baal and their old idolatrv
V. And now follows an act of severity toward
the teachers and priests of the false religion.
They are all taken down to the brook Kishon,
and there slain by the prophets command. 1t
was necessary to show the divine displeasure
against ldolatry, and the prophet strikes d.
rectly its representative and central power. He
probably did not himself Stay the whole $50 men,
but he slew them there, in the sense that he did
it through others who obeyed his command.
The people of that age did not feel that there
was any unusal cruelty in such a slaughter The
priests, better than the people, knew the empti-
ness and deception of the whole system. and thew
made to suffer. In this way a great lesson
is Taught the people of Israel and we find in the
last 500 years of their history before Christ and
especially after the Captivity remarkable
freedom from idolatry. 1t is not easy to explain
these terrible judgments of God but they were
according to HIS word. Elk. xxi, 90; Deut xiii.
lis, But we need to remember both the good
ness and severity of God"
VI For three years and half the people
have suffered from the lack of rain. With their
forsaking Baal comes speedy relief The prophet
is now the real king. To his ear there is already
sound of abundance of rain. He knows that
with the rain will come the swelling of the brooks
and mountain torrents. and he said unto Ahab
Get the up, eat and drink Be ready to leave
the mountain and hasten across the valley to
Jezreel, the place of your summer abode before
the streams rise so high that it will be limos
sible. The prophet though assured of the com
ing rain goes up to the top of Mount Carmel to
watch for it, and his humble attitude was fit
expression of his reverence before God He
sends his servant again and again to catch the
first visible sign of the coming rain. The word
translated seven may, and often does, mean
many times. With the little cloud risiny
out of the Mediterranean sea he
sees the fulfllment of the promise.
He sends word to Ahab to hasten
away. and he, filled with strength from on high.
runs before the chariot of the King for seventeen
miles across the plain. He girds up his loins-
that is, he gathers up his long flowing robe. and
holds it in place with a girdle around his loins
that he might run with freedom-and then. as
forerunner and attendant, accompanies his SOW
ereign, runs ahead of tho chariot according to
the custom of the times. He remains near the
King, and by bis presence declares the mercy
and love of God. He counts not his own life
dear if he may win Ahab. 1t is good lesson to