The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-01-23


January rs. 1901.
Especially Arranged from $ $ QUARTERLY
Lissos TEXT Kings is:c539
coi.nrS TrxT-ilow iorg halt 20 betwecn
fHo orinicrn, II the Lord be Cod. follow Him,
- Iki-.'s i3:@i
ckS1itAL TRUra-Thc most important de-
cision OF our lives y whom we Viii serve and
love snprcmcly.
TINE About u {. so. Three years ana :
hair after Eliiah's rrst appearance 70 Ahah
f..ACE- Mount Carmel ridge about twelve
miles long and seventeen hundred feet high.
The sacrifice was about four miles from -
eastern cad. where j. a level place. perennial
fountain. and near which flows the Kisnon.
RrtKns-AhabD King OF Israel thirteenth
year, Jezetci. his Queen jenoshaphat. king q
judah lninth year.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-e5. Prophets
OF lsaai: \" priests who conducted his worship.
ana who uttered sometimes wild and frantic
cries supposed 70 come from the inspiration OF
the idol Hence they were called prophets. 4
e.. those who speak under special Divine infin-
ence For We are many" four hundred and
lny. They would be able 20 Get ready first.
And he gave them the longest time But put
no fire undcr:H the test was fire from Heaven.
A miracle that only God could perform would
be 4 test as 10 whether Baal was God. Baal
was the sun. and II was midday. 50 thu. II any
idol can bring fire. he could q. Elijah
mocked:" 10 show the people how absurd II
.sas 10 trust ia IDOLS rs knives" swords
"Lanccfs:" lances, spears 20 "Prophcsied:"
referring TO their prayers. etc. described In y
es 81 Twelve stones" one for each tribe.
70 be buided into one altar. 70 show that all tho
tribes should be one in serving the Lord. 50
"A trench as great as would contain two
measures OF seed" the measure here Is the
seah. containing about three gallons. The
trench was as wide and deep as vessel that
would hold two measures. l. e. probably be.
tween one and two feet each way s. Fih
four barrels water jarsl with water" 20
prove 10 the people that there was no trick or
deceit. The water could come from an unfail-
Ing spring now on Mount Carmel near this
place. % Time Of the evening sacrnce:'
three o'clock. So The arc OF the Lord fell:'
from Heaven, openly. before The eyes Of the
people consumed the stones:" 70 show that
twas no ordinary are. but Divine. The dust -
the earth which filled the inciosed place be-
tween the stones 30. They fell on their faces
IN wonder fear and worship.
LESSON COMMENTS.
Look at the prophet: his plans are all
carefully laid. and he makes haste 70
present them 10 tho King. lie proposes
a grand public test as TO the divinity OF
Jehovah and Baal. The drought and
famine ought to have been enough 70
convince any ordinary mind, but Elijah
wants TO make assurance doubly sure,
lest any should be led astray by the lies
OF Baal,s priests. lie chose Mount Car
mel as fitting place for the test be-
cause Of its exalted position. seventeen
hundred feet above the plain Of Esdrae-
lon. So reasonable was Elijahs demand,
and SO great was Ahab's fear OF his
stern prophet, that the King did not
dare to refuse. To secure the attend
ance OF representatives from ''aE Is
raclr (verse 2o) would take some days.
Where Elijah spent those days We do
not know. but very possibly he spent
them in the mountain in prayerful prep
aration for the great scene that was soon
to follow.
Look at the people: there they are.
between Elijah and the four hundred
and fifty priests Of Baal, silent Tho
prophet Of Jehovah appeals TO them,
asking them why they shalt" THAT is,
vacillate) between two opinions. He
begs them to como to some final decis-
ion, and not think one thing to-day and
another tomorrow. They had been
eblowing hot and cold" and we're never
firm one way or the other Yet, In re-
Spouse to ms manly appeal. they simply
held their peace. Probably they wero
influenced in this by the fear Of Ahab
and Jezebcl. They had not faith enough
in God to be sure OF the issue Of the
impending trial OF strength between
Gods servant and the servants Of Baal,
and they thought III we come out for
Jehovah. and the priests OF Baal win
the victory. it will 60 hard with us"
SO they said nothing. Nor did they ex-
actly dare to side openly with Baal.
lest in some way evil should come upon
them from Jehovah.
Look at the priests Of Baal: four hum
dred and fifty OF them They build
their altar: they prepare the sacrifice;
they cry aloud, pray. dance wildly. cut
themselves with knives. They keep
this up from morning until noon. Tho
people. the King. the prophet stand by
watching. Nothing happens; thoy re-
double their efforts. The afternoon
wears away; still no sign OF answer.
The heavens are as brass above them,
and the sacrifice as cold as ever.
Angrier and angrier they grow. but all
Is in vain. Baal will not hear, Baal can
not hear for what is he but an idol?
Look again at the prophet: Baal's
priests have had their turn, and now 1t
is his turn. Call for what he did. He
repairs Gods altar. which had long ago
been abandoned. lie digs small trench
around the altar in the dry soil. Wood
and sacrifices are quietly put in orier.
Twelve jars Of water are poured upon tho
altar, wctting the wood and filling tho
trench. The King. the priests Of Baal
and the people look on in silence. When
all is ready. Elijah approaches the altar
and lifts up his voice in prayer TO his
God. Then. in an instant. binding fire.
likc.chain lightning, falls from Heaven,
and wood. sacrifice, altar. water, all dis
appear.
Look again at the people: while Elijah
builds again the ruined altar and makes
all his preparations, they stand by
Is.t 49,