The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-07-07
ELIJAH THE PROPHET.
Sunday school Lesson IN the later
national Series for July 10,
lSOS-l Kings 17t1.10.

national Series for July III
isOs-i Kings 17s1.l0.
BIASED upon Peloubet's Select Notes.1
GOLDEN TEXT.-And the barrel Of meal
wasted not, neither did the cruise Of OIL
fail, according to the word Of the Lord
~ LESSON NOTES.
I. General View of the Course of the
History Of Israel from the Division to
Ahab. About 70 Years.-1. Jeroboam's
worldly policy brought forth bitter
fruits both for himself and his king
dom. His golden bulls used as symbols
Of Jehovah soon led the people to real
3dolatry and to the immoralities and
cruelties of heather worship. All this
weakened the kingdom. When Jero-
bosm died, after reign Of "a years. rev
olution followed revolution, in dark,
restless times. Then Omri came to the
throne. He was a strong ruler and i'm.
pressed himself on the surrounding ma
tions. as we learn from the inscriptions
on the Moabite stone and the black
obelisk. But as to idolatry, he followed
in the steps OF Jeroboam. The next
king was his son Ahab. He was great
warrior. His greatest ,mistake was his
marriage, for the sake of political al
lance. with the heather princess. Jeze-
bel of Tyre, who left terrible mark
on the annals of the nation.
II. Elijah's Message to Ahab.-v. /.
"And Elijah the Tishbite (his name
means my God is Jehovah), who was of
the inhabitants of Gilead." The Tish-
bite may mean "of Tishbe." The only
Thisbe mentioned in history is in GAL
ilee, in which case Elijah. though ma
tive Of Galilee. had become a citizen of
Gilead, east of the Jordan. said unto
Ahab:" With sudden abruptness. al
most like flash of lightning from a
clear sky. the prophet of God appears
before Ahab in his palace at Samaria
with a message from Jehovah. "As the
LORD (Jehovah. as Lord always means
when print in capitals in our Bible)
| God of Israel liveth. Before whom I
stand:" AS an officer. and ambassador
bearing His authority. "There shall
not be dew nor rain:" The fertility of
Palestine is entirely dependent upon
the regularity and copiousness of the
rains, and. during the long intervals
between them. upon the heavy dews.
"But according to my world" Not ac-
cording to his own caprice or judg-
ment, but till the Lord. when He saw
that the famine's work was done. should
make known His will through His serv-
ant Elijah, thus proving that he was
His servant.
III. Elijah's Experiences During
| a.
2-16. First. At Cherith. Elijah imme-
diately left Ahab's presence and hid
himself till Gods time came for His
message to be delivered.
3. Get thee hence, and return thee
eastward:"i i. e.. toward the Jordan and
Cilead, his own country. "And hide
thyself by (rather "in') the brook (the
torrent course. or wady) Cherith, that is
before Jordan:" Elijah would natu-
rally go to his own country, whose
wiids and Businesses would be perfect
ly familiar to him.
4. For drink he had "the brook" For
food. II have commanded the ravens to
feed thee:" Farrar and many critics
think this highly poetic expression,
metaphor, conveying the lesson that
the prophet was maintained by marked
interventions of that providence of God
which is itself in all its workings super
natural" But equally simple and more
natural is the literal statement.
Second. At Zarephath. Time, two OF
more years. When the brook dried up
Elijah could no longer remain at Che
rith. In some way. we know not how
God made known to him where he
should 60. Possibly. too. II he remained
too long in one place Ahab might dis.
cover his abode.
Q: "Arise, get thee to Zarephath. which
belongeth TO Zidon:" On the shore be-
tween Tyre and Sidon. Here the
prophet would be safe from Ahab. who
would scarcely think of looking for
Elijah in the territories of Jezebel's ia.
ther in the house of peasant. II have
commanded" Put 1t in her heart.
10. "The (or AZ widow woman:" The
widow lived by the oath. ''as Jehovah
thy God liveth." that she was wor.
shipper of the true God. Gathering OF
sticks:" For her fire. Fetch me
|. little water:" His first need
after his long walk through the famine.
stricken land would be water.
12. "And she said. AS the Lord thy
God liveth. have not cake. but a hand.
full of meal in barrel. and little oil
in cruise: and. behold. I am gathering
two sticks. that ! may go in and dress
it for me and my son. that we may eat il
and dies" The famine prevailed there
and she was in the last extremity.
13. "Fear not:" Do not be troubled
but take heart ard trust God. MAKE
me thereof a little cake frst:" This
must have seemed very strange and
hard to her at first. "amazingly cool.
but the favor was not asked from the
selfishness of'the prophet. 1t was test
of her faith in the promises of God
whether she were worthy of the help
Elijah 0ffared