The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-01-28
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
FEBRUARY 1.
Lesson Text:"Flijah at Horeb, II Kings.
XIX, 1-18-Golden Text: Gen.
xvi, 24-Commentary.

waited eagerly to know the result. -,
2. Then Jezebel sent O messenger unto Z
Elijah" Whether she was in the least az.
fected by the record of the manifest power
Of the true God in sending fire and rain We
are not told, but the death Of her 450 proph-
cts did mighty move her, and she prom
ises Eli that by tomorrow he shall be as
one Of them. We find even in our day that
II q person has been touched In that which
they prize, whether property or friends, they
are very apt to have ears and eyes only for
that which concerns their pockets or their
own personal interests.
8. "And when we saw that he arose, and
went for his life, and came to Beersheba.n
It does not seem possible that this man fee
ing from Jezebel is the same who stood alone
and fearlessly for God on Carmel. But ii is
even he, with this difference; then he bad
come directly from the presencs Of God, aud
from intimate communion with Him, but
now he had been for little season IN con-
tact with the world. Jesus Himself felt the
need Of much communion with God, and
hence we find Him so often in prayer, and
sometimes spsnding the whole night In
PRAYER. We cannot stand fearlessly for
God unless we are constantly In communion
with Him. ~
4. ''It. Is enough. Now. o Lord, take
away my life. for am not better than my
fathers" Having left his servantat Beersheba
he himself. went days journey into the viii
derness, and sat down under a juniper tree
and made this request of God. The juniper
was the broom tree common in the deserts,
and the roots Of which, though bitter, were
Job Xxx, A.. 1t Is suggestive Of the pow.
erty and bitterness Of his soul Just at this
time. But consider his request and the
glorious translation that awaited him, and
see how foolish he was not to have conf
dence in God and wait patiently for Him.
5. IAN angel touched him and said unto
him, arise and eat" Refreshing sleep came
to him as he sat sorrowfully under the tree,
and even as he slept the unseen waters were
providing for him (Heb. t., xiv. God had
not forgotten His servant. ~ -,
g. behold cake baken on the Goals, and
cruise Of water at his head" Can God
xviii, 1877 Yes, He who fed millions for,
forty years can surely take care Of one poor
disconsolate. But was ever mortal man min
istered unto as this man? It Is miracle upon
miracle. See him at Cherith and Tarephath,
and now behold him waited upon by an
angel. Let us thank God TINT he Is our
God and that His angels minister unto Us.
T. "And the angel OF the Lord came again
the second time" After having eaten he
laid him down again. God knew his need,
and rested him with sufficient sleep. He also
knew his need in the way OF food, and would
have him eat again.
g. He went in the strength Of that meat
forty days and forty nights unto Horeb, the
mount Of God.n Obedient to the angels
touch he again arose, and again did eat and
drink, and went forty days andnights in the
strength of that food. We are reminded Of
one who, 500 years before, on tho same Ho-
reb, on two different occasions went forty
days and nights without eating and drinking
Oeut. tx, 9, 1S). And also OF our Lord
Jesus Christ, who tasted forty days and forty
nights Matt w., 9. &.
and there the word Of the Lord came unto
him with this question. A cave was apt to
be cold. dark place, and was suygesttveo OF
the state OF his mind. Although so wonder
fully cared for he does not seem to have been
walking In the light and sunshine Of Gods
face and favor. He was thinking Of the pre-
servation Of his life (verses 8, 10, a.; and
until we have given all such thoughts en-.
tirely to God we cannot walk In unhindred
fellowship. 7..-
10: "Aad ii,o.ls he said ~ I have have been cen
of Hosts" That was all right,
and what follows was too sadly true. but "
only am left, and they seek my life" let Us
into the mans heart. II Is as il he said am
the last witness You have got, and IL they
kill me what will You do? You will be left
without witness on earth.
II. "Go forth and stand upon the mount
before the Lord" 60 forth from the cold
ness and darkness Of doubt and despair, and
from considering the preciousness OF yoM'
own life, your zeal for God and the necessity
Of your continuance and be persuaded that
God lives, and that He, and BE only, Is the
necessity, and that it matters not WHISTLER
you live or die. ......-..;s .-.5 .,.,.s
u. "After the fro still small voice."
Judgment Is Bis strange work llsa. xviii,
2l). Ordinarily BE speaks and It Is done (Ps.
"iii., 8, o.. Jesus did not come as mighty
fire or tempest but as helpless babe. John
said he was the voice of one crying In the
wilderness. Paul was not O mighty man
physically. but in bodily presence weak, snd
and In speech contemptible I'll Cor. 4, 10.J
49, "N hat doest thou here, Eijahg" Again
the searching question comes as in the case
Of Peter John xxi, 1910. It would seem
forth as commanded (verse 11) until he heard
this voice; but now he stands at the entrance
to the cave with his face wrapped In his
mantle, and once more has to reply to this
question.
IA. 81 only am left, and they seek my life
to take it away" Just the same answer as
before ". 10Y. He is Gods only witness and
his life is very precious. !,
Is. And the Lori said unto him, Go, re-
turn on thy way to tns wilderness Of Da-
mascus." The Lord graciously has yet some
him to fee into the wilderness from Jezebel,
but He does now tell him to return. Like as
father pitieth his children, so the Lord pit
ieth them that fear Him, even though they
wander from Him, and He Is long suffering
and full OF compassion and ready to forgive.
16 Elisha, the son OF Shaphat Of Abel
Meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in
thy ROOM" He is to anoint king Of Syria
and king of Israel, All another man to bs
l prophet in his stead. While sought out
and forgiven he has evidently disqualified
himself for future services, aud be is told to
appoint another In his stead. live are fear
tul or careful of SELF and self comfort we
,lnnot be Of much use to Go1 Ju1g. vii,
so.
II. Him that escapeth from the sword Of
Jehu shall Elisha slay." The enemies OF the
Lord must be slain; it will never do to make
any league with them, nor even tolerate
them, as Israel so often did.
IS. "Yet I have left me seven thousand IN
israel" ana EIlJan CnOu2nG 10 was tue ony
one. How blind we are! How self import
anti How seemingly jealous for the Lord
God of Hosts, when really it is our own life
or honor or reputation which we are so an1.
ious to save. As long as We care only to e1-
alt Jesus, either by life or death, He will
praciously use US: but as soon as we think
ourselves indispensable to Him, and we are
the only ones who serve Him, then 1t is time
for us to step out ond let some one else Of the
1000 step in. My highest place is lying low
at my Redeemer's fest.-Lesson Helper.