The National tribune., 1891-01-22

contest on Mt Carmel. She must have awaited
iidng5 with anxiety. Ahab, in his very soul
might have seen 4 way for himself TO escape
idolatry and return to the pure worship Of Je-
hOvah. The proof WAS convincing. He saw
at once, however that Jezebel was unyielding
more mad than ever, ready TO make havoc Of
the lsTaeitish religion. AEab seemed to have
no possession Of himself. lie was poweres5 to
resist an evil, stToHgwiled reyengeful wife.
2l:25) We remember how, in her wrath al
Elijah, she sought 20 extefminate the IsFae-
litish ministry. 1854, 49, The very name
JeZebel is to-day synonym for the most infa-
nous women. So Webster defines Jezebel az
" An impuaent, daring, vicious woman" 10 is
not wonder that Ahab's wife met a violent
death. q Iii, 9: 10. 33-37.) She is called a
cursed woman" u HI, o: 81 ST. John
speaks Of her, rs y representative character,
most contemptuously, and of every one like
her. REV, 2 2OJ
6. EIijqh
He was Gods prophet. We frst meet him
IN XII, II : /, threatening drought and famine
At Cherith he remained about six months led
by ravens. At Zarephath he resided with q
poor widow-she, her son, and the prophet liv-
ing for three years little oil in q cruise and
q handful Of flour in barrel oil and meal
being daily miTacul0usly replerised. AftsF
three years and six months he reappeared to
Ahab and arranged for the grand trial as TO
whether God or Baal be the true Divinity
Baal IS yanquished aud 40 of his prophets
slain by command Of Elijah. The Prophet Of
God is victor. We would think he must have
become confident, bold, self possessed. Ga the
other hand he utterly breaks down, guakiug
with fear, is unnamed, seemingly forgeis
Gods help in former emergencies and runs
away.
z Critical Notes
/. So let the gods do to me-" VIZ A form
Of oath. The woman swore. The idea of
m0nOtbe.sm - lost. There were many gods
aud sac sWOre by them all. She must have
been very anGry-peopIe generally are when
they are proiane. Sometimes we hear the ex-
preston, - hope | may die if / do not do So"
this OF that. Whatever it may be.
2. Make thy life Is the life OF one Of them"
~. 2. See Is :40.) Perhaps there IS an intima-
ton of death by similar means, to wit, the
sword. (Y.I.J
3. That" (Y. 81 1t is in italics, and hence
not in the original (Hebrewl. Yet it is sig
niicant. What did Elijah ae2 He saw the
messenger sent by Jezebel. lie heard the
threat. He saw his condition, and believed il
very perilOus lie ought to have seen God by
faith. He ought TO have seen Gods help
promises, comfort, protection. But, seemingly,
all he saw was dreadful and dangerous
4. Servant" ". 81 A servant is spoken of
person. The superstition that he was the son of
the widow OF Zarephath is not tenable. He
was too Young. The servant was probably in
sympathy with Elijah. Elisha had a servant
Gehazi. We may suppose Elijah's servant was
some young man, not given up to idolatry, and
willing to aid Elijah.
g. Queries.
l. Why did not Elijah flee to jerusalem and
put himself under the protection of the King
of judah. Jehoshaphat? We find from XII,
8 26, that the mother of Ahaziah, the King of
Judah, was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri,
King of Israel. Omri became KING Of Israel
il. G. 800. Jerusalem was no place Of escape
for Elijah, for even the residents of Judah
were not clear from alliances with the people of
the northern kingdom. Then, one feeling as
Elijah did does not care for a crowd. This
would be- specially true OF a man accustomed
to deserts, hard living, and coarse clothing.
Then, Judah was supplied with a legitimate
priesthood aud We're not in need of prophet.
2. Did Elijah go from .Iezreel by direction of
Jehovah We find no command as in I7:2 8
. /. He was swayed by fear. He was not
in the line Of duty. He started as once by
night. without rest from day Of most severe
physical struggle and mental strain. He knew
how utterly implacable JeZebel was He also
felt that. If lie were to be slain by Jezebe all
his work OF that day on Mt. Carmel would be-
practically ncutTaliZed. If Elijah had trusted
aud waited God would have arranged matters.
8. Why not send exccutiOucrs at once to slay
Elijah? Why give him notice OF her iuten-
ton? Some think JeZebel regarded Elijah as
too brave q man 10 shiver, run away and hide
Then, some hold Jezebel hesitated at taking the
life of a man who had effected so much She
did not know what powers he might possess.
She was eager To brighten him Off if possible.
4. How can We account for the sudden change
in ElUah's courage? lie med Ahab bTayely,
denounced him, and fOretOld the drought He
made no objection to facing Ahab again. He
carried through the contest as TO which, Je-
hOyah or Baal, is God-CaFFied 10 through
grandly, even venturing to mock $50 excited
prophets of Baal. lie halted not for a mo-
meut in the work OF Staying the $50 heather
roligiOnists. But u sudden change came over
him. All at once lie Wiuces and walls The
hero turns a fugitive. Not afraid of Ahab he
qnails at the threats of JoZsbeI. Rev. J. r.
kendriek, ID. d., says: Natural reaction from
tile high tension 10 which all his faculties had
recently been subjected, disappointment, very
probably, in the practical results of his work,
and an undue sense Of his own importance
which had been uneonsciOusly growing, may
serve to account for the prophets temporary
collapse Of faith"
5. Why did he leave the servant at Beer
shebaP a. To save him from the straits TO
which he would be subjected il he kept i'm the
company OF the prophet. b. To protect the
youth from death if caught in the company of
the slayer of BaaPs prophets. C. Because the
servant could not aid him in the flight d. Eli
jah wanted 10 be alone and so be less likely 70
be suspected and arrested. c. He wanted Sc
elusion. lie would have gladly escaped even
from himself. Every person feels at times that
he wants to DO absolutely alone. d. Perhaps
the servant wished 10 return.
8. SaggestiOHA
l. Husbands should be communicative with
wives, telling them occurrences that may in
terest. AS a rule, women are quite retired and
will appreciate news. III husbands were care
full in this matter, wives would be more con-
tent with home life. But it is not we'll to in