Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-01-16
GODS CARE OF ELIJAH.
LESSON III, FIRST QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, JAN. te.

Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission II II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Phiadel-
phial
1. "And Elijah the Tishbite, who was Of
the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto
Ahab."
Sixty years have passed since the king
dom was divided Six kings have reigned
over the ten tribes (Jeroboam, Nadab,
Baasha, Elah, Zimri and OmrD each
seeming to excel his predecessor in wicked
ness xvi, 25, 30), and all walking in the
ways of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin
xiv, l6; XIV, 26, 80, "a; xvi, 10, 26), and now
we have Ahab, the seventh, the worst of
all, the perfection of wickedness xvi, 49,
Gas the Lord God of Israel liveth, before
whom stand, there shall not be dew nor
rain these years, but according to my
word"
2. "And the word of the Lord came I'M
to him, saying
There is nothing under the sun like "the
word of the Lord" It is pure, sure and
unchanging like the Lord Himself. For
ever, o Lord, thy word is settled in hea-
ven" "The word of our God shall stand
forever" His name is called the word Of
God CPs. cXiX, 50; lsa ri, s; Rev. xix, 13).
Let us be filled with His word and wholly
subject to it.
3. Glide thyself by the brook Cherith,
that is before Jordan"
Get thee hence" teaches us that one
who would live close to God must not
larry long with those who know Him not;
just long enough to testify for Him and
then be gone
4. Chou shalt drink of the brook; and |
have commanded the ravens to feed thee
there"
s. 80 he went and did according unto
the word of the Lord"
Here is one man who is obedient; he
questions not, but simply obeys. He is
subject to the word of the Lord.
g. And the ravens brought him bread
and flesh in the morning and bread and
flesh in the evening; and he drank of the
brook"
He could sing the song of Hab. iii, II,
IS, and say, Though vineyard, field and
flock all fail yet | will rejoice in the Lord
| will joy in the God of my salvationp'
Z. "And it came to pass, after awhile,
that the brook dried up, because there had
been no rain in the land"
The source of this brook was not unfail-
ing; it was dependent upon the clouds,
which empty their contents upon the
earth. Elijah. however, depended neither
upon the brook nor upon the clouds, but
upon Him who is far above all.
s. "And the word of the Lord came unto
him."
God does not forget those who trust in
Him, nor is He ever too late with His pro-
viding. Elijah saw the brook drying up
day by day, but so did his God whom he
served. Just enough of the necessares of
this life, and one days supply at a time,
keeps one very close to God, while an album
dance is apt to lead us to forget Him.
8. Arise, get thee to Zarephath,
behold have commanded IA widow woman
there to sustain thee"
Young says that Zarephath signifies
place of refinng:' and if Cherith signifies
cutting as the word would seem to indi-
cate, we can see the processes by which the
Lord was fitting His servant for the great
day on Carmel. Without the cutting and
refining of Cherith and Zarephath he never
would have been able to stand alone for
God as he afterward did on Carmel
10. when he came to the gate of the
city, behold the widow woman was there
gathering of sticks"
1t was quite a journey from Cherith to
Zarephath, but the journey is not noticed
Observe the silence of Scripture concern
ing such matters.
II. Bring me, l pray thee a morse OF
bread in thine hand''
AS he came near to the city and saw this
poor woman the Spirit must have wills
pered, This is she"
~. "As the Lord thy God liveth, | have
not cake, but an handful of meal in a
barrel, and little oil in Il cruise
Behold the larder that is to sustain the
prophet in this widows home. BY the
brook he had bread and flesh twice day
but now there Is no flesh, and only enough
meal to make one last cake for the woman
and her son, after which they expect to die
b. And Elijah said unto her. Fear not
go and do as thou hast said"
He wavers not he trembles not, he is no,
moved; 'his heart is fixed, trusting in the
Lord" che waits only upon God; his ex
pectation is from Him" Ops cxii, Z; lxii 5
g. God, who could direct ravens where tc
find bread and fesh can as easily supply
the need in this case. If ever woman had
cause to fear to give away her last morse
surely this woman had but the command
comes strong and clear: Fear not,
Make me a little cake first" If we would
grow strong in faith let us consider wei
the Fear nots'' of Scripture from the first
WIGS III och' Az, /, AAl ~, W lIc ldSJ IL
Revelation, and see how God even oul
own God, is above all circumstances o
time or place; and how abiding in His love
will cast out all fear q John iv, 49,.
IA. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel
the barrel of meal shall lot waste, neither
shall the cruise of oil fail until the day tn,
Lord sendeth rain upon he earth"
1t would seem from this that God haC
told Elijah how he would provide in thi.
case, viz, by Ia miraculous increase of tn,
meal and oil from day to day; and this il
told the widow for her encouragement, fo
she has not been living at Cherith, and
| has not learned the secret of peace wher
! cut off from seen resources. This mea
and oil would make unleavened bread
symbol of the putting away of all evi
! Il Cor. VI, g. for we cannot know the
power of God unless we walk with him il
sincerity and truth.
Is. And she went and did according t,
the saying of Elijah; and she, and he, anC
her house did eat many days margin; "a
full year'D."
Here again is obedience and consequent
blessing. 1t was poor time to take in
boarder, with not enough in the house fol-
. 70, . ha lig.;