The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16

Elijah at Horeb. Kings xix, lis.
Mosess Request for Death Mum. xi, 1922
Moses Feast .Exod xxxiv % 80.
The Fasting of Christ. Matt. iv Ill.
r DIE JIG 81 10: I -ndtl. ~ %
Forsaken by His People. Pisa. Xix Is
l. The great heroes of the Bible were but men,
and we are deeply interested in those experiences
when they show that they of like
passions with ourselves. Elijah was one of the
boldest, strongest, truest men of the Old Tesla
ment. God called him to work that required
GOODNESS, nerve, and unfnching courage. He
did his work grandly and well. There are few
sublimer scenes in history than his triumph
over the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel. All
the bgotry of these infatuated men, all the hate
of the king, all the ignorant prejudice of the
backsdden people, were aimed against Elijah;
but he faced it, he defed it, and he conquered
But now follows the strange picture of this
strong man become weak as child frightened
by a woman's threat, and flying for his life Can
it be the same mani When Ahab told his wife
Jezebel all that Elijah had done she was terribly
angry, and, with an oath, sent message to the
prophet that she would slay him within the next
twenty four hours as he had slain the prophet is
of Baal. And when he saw the message he
AROSE. anu lieu lOr Lbs lIlo away GOWN TO DeorSne-
ba, in Judah. Leaving his servant there, he goes
on days journey into the lonely wilderness.
and then he sat down under juniper tree and
prayed to God that he might die. He was dis
heartened and hopeless He had thought that
he was stronger than Others but now he feels
that he is no better than his fathers, that he is
only weak man 1t is touching, instructive
picture.
II. We are greatly interested to know how
God will deal with such weakness. Had he been
a soldier in army he would have been slain
for cowardice. But God sees the heart and soul,
and knows these sound and true. The man
had been, under such strain for so long time
he had carried his life in his hand for three
years-and when the people returned to their
allegiance to Jehovah, and rain was sent, then
the strain relaxed. and his physical nature
gave way. There are frequent crises in life,
and we need to watch ourselves, we are spe-
| cially open then to low forms of temptation.
After long or severe mental tension men 60
back to their cross or give way to some passion.
The threat of Jezebel came to an overtaxed,
weakened body, and the Datural physical cour-
age of the man gave way.
The angel of God is there by his side in the
wilderness and he wakens the sleeping,
hausted man. There are no words Of reproof,
but, like wise, gentle nurse he bids him arise
and eat His body needed food. The angel had
prepared it, and the baked cake and the water
refreshed him there in the wilderness. And then
he slept again, until the angel again awakens
him; and with what kindly words There is no
reference to his c0wardice, only the journey has
been too great. He once more eats, and now,
refreshed, he goes over the long wilderness way
for forty days and nights to Horeb, or Sinai. the
| Mount of God. AS Moses had been fitted by his
| communion with Jehovah in this same mountain
| for his great work. the Lord had lessons for
Elijah that he could better teach him there than
| anywhere else, and SO he permits him to 60 to
| that lonely, far off mount.
III. The traveller is shown to-day among the
| peaks of Sinai, little cave that is in bOwlike
| hollow of the summit, where Elijah is said to
| have heard the call of God. Now. that the man
| has been refreshed in body. his mind has gained
| it's natural Tone and the Lord asks him why he
is there, far from his place of duty What doest
| thou here, Elijah9 His answer is story of his
| labors and sufferings-Of neglected affairs and
covenants, and how he felt that he left alone
| on the side of God, and how they were seeking
| his life. So he fled
| And now God having waited for the mind to
| regain control of the body. and being about to
send Elijah to still more difficult work, he would
| give him another proof OF the Divine presence
| that should inspire him with courage and quail
| ify him for duty
And now what shall be the methodl 1t is a
very instructive one, and shows. when men need
proof the point to which we should aim. The
prophet stands in the midst of great throes of
nature produced by the power of God. There
was wind that rent the rocks and mountains:
there was fearful earthquake a consuming
fire. but God not in these. At least, he
not in them in the same deep that he
in the still small voice that follows This gentle
voice az pressed the thought of God-it God
himself speaking to the prophet The mind of
the spirit it is revealed to man in the soul is
| far more to him than all the mighty works of
God And now that voice searches him through
and through as it asks again, what doest thou
here, Elijah? He not alone in Israel, for he
knew OF the hundred young men Obadiah had
cared for He feels that he has run away from
duty, and that he deserves censure.
~ The gentle, quiet voice bids him go and
return the wilderness to Damascus He is
not discharged from the service, but is sent to
higher post So the Lord treated Peter. The
fall in both cases was not through lack of love to
God not that they not spiritually minded.
The lesson of the fall they both took to heart
and they were stronger after than before. The
similar crises thathappen in the early experience
of young converts need gentle dealing They do
not understand their own fall. and either Satan
confuses, or harsh criticism angers, and these
souls are lost through lack Of sympathy and wise
instruction.
Elijah is given the delicate duty Of displacing
the kings of Syria and Israel and putting
Hazael and Jehu in their.places He was to use his
position as the acknowledged prophet of the
Lord to call and to anoint these men for their
high office, and thus to insure that the govern
ment of all northern Palestine should be the
side of Jehovah. These kings were to seek ont
and destroy all forms of idolatry; they were to
annihilate it; and if a priest escapes from Syria
he will be destroyed in Israel Elijah is also to
anOlnt q new chief prophet to take his own place.
and Elisha is selected-a grand man for the
times The Lord comforts the heart of his serv-
ant by the assurance that there are 1000 men in
Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal-
men who have kept their integrity of soul during
these times of fierce temptation
APPLICATION.
l. Sins Against the Body.-The prophet had
not sufficiently cared for his body, and lack of
food and sleep had unnerved the man. and he
became weak in mind and purpose. He had not
willfully sinned, and so God was gentle with him.
In our age we have more light and so greater
responsibility. We all know of many young
many business men of splendid ability obliged
to give up work for the same reasons. Their
punishment is in the loss of their best and hap
piest years But more than this they are
depressed in spirit, troubled with doubt having
no JOY in work, and their religious life burden.