The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-07-14
ELIJAH ON CARMEL.
sunday school Lesson in the Inter-
national Series for July ~.
1S0S.-1 Kings 1S,3O-4O.


Lo. q, lie is the God.-l Kings 1899.
THE SECTION includes the story of the
sacrifice on Carmel ara the results, a re-
pentant people. and tie end of the famine
(chap. 1S.
TIME.-B. c. Sci revised chronology,
or a05-6. according 10 the chronology in
our Bible margins hree years after Eli
jah's first appearance 10 Ahab
EXPLANATION
I. Elijah and Ahab.-When the peo-
pie were ripe for it, Gods word came to
Elijah to go TO King Ahab. and to COM
plste the work for which the famine
was sent. Ahab's first words 10 him
were: "Art thou he that troubleth
Israeli" He had no word TO say of his
own sin; he forgot the iniquity of the
people of the land, in which he had been
the leader; he took no note of the hand
of Jehovah in the calamity, and spoke
as If the whole matter had been a mere
personal difference between him and
Elijah. Elijah replied: II have not
troubled Israel; but thou and thy ia
ther's house." Sin was the cause of the
calamity, and the only way to escape
the calamity was to put away the sin.
Elijah's purpose now was to bring the
people to the choice Of the true God, and
to accomplish the religious reformation
for which the famine had been prepar-
ing their minds. Hence he demanded
of the king to assemble the people on
the top of Mount Carmel that they
might make their choice. When they
were assembled, early in the morning,
Elijah summoned the people to de-
cision. "How long halt ye between two
opipions?"
The question was between Jehovah
and Baal; true religion and false re-
ligion; morality, truth, blessing and
| immortality and its brood of evils. The
one party was represented by one man
alone-Elijah; the other by $50 prophets
| of Baal, sustained by the whole power
| of government.
Elijah challenged the other side to a
fair test, as to who was the true and liv-
ing God. 1t was the test of fire. The
priests of Baal built an altar, placed the
! sacrificial bullock upon it, and put no
fire under it. There were too many
eyes upon them for any trickery, and
not knowing wha, kind of test was to
be expected, they had no opportunity
to prepare for any deceit. They grew
frenzied in their excitement, and cut
themselves with their weapons. But
there was no answer. though they con-
tinled their exertions til three o'clock.
II. Elijah and His Sacrifice.-Vs. 80
3S. Then Elijah called all the people to
him. 30. sand he repaired the altar
of the Lord that was broken down."
probably one of the affairs thrown down
by command of Ahab or Jesebel.
SO. LAS great as would contain two
measures of seed:" Literally, "as the
space of two seahs of seed" The seah
contained about three of our gallons.
A trench as deep as the grain measure
containing two seahs.
80. Fiji four barrels:" Or ''water
Jars such as the maidens used to carry
on their heads. Elijah did this to avoid
all possible suspicion of fraud. This
was repeated a second and third time.
SO. AT the time of the evening
sacrifice:" About three o'clock p. m.
E.iioh's wonder harmouized with the
regular worship of God. Lord God OF
Abraham" etc.: Israel's cove nant God,
who claimed their obedience, and who
had done wonders for their nation in
the past. delivering them from Egyp.
tiap bondage, dividing the Red sea-
bringing water from THE rock, and man,
ma from Heaven. known that
thou art God in Israeli" Art still their
rightful God, and canst deliver them as
of old. "All these things at thy word: .
All was Gods doing, not any trick OF
Elijah.
3s. "The fire of the Lord fell" Thus
they could plainly see for themselves
that there was no trickery, no hidden
fire. but that the answer could be only
from God Himself. And consumed
the wood, and THE stones:" o.
which the altar was built. And the
dust" (or earth). which, dug up to make
the trench, had been used to fill in the
altar built around with the ~ stones
This fire and its work were Gods sig
nature to Elijah's work.
III. The Decision.-Vs. 80, 40. 80
"When all the people saw it, they fel
on their faces:" In reverent WORSHIP
and awe at the spectacle. "The Lord
He is Gods" The test was convincing
IL nelpeu tne Peoi)Ie' W stsinu u y aS ains
the power of Jezebel and her terrible
prosecutions. For here, on Gods side
was power greater than hers. 1t thu!
enabled the 1000 sincere orshipers o.
God (19:1S), who had been hiding from
the storm of her wrath. TO stand openly
for Jehovah.
40. "Take the prophets of Baal," etc
There were 450 of them, and they wer,
forced by the people down the mountain
to the brook Kishon, and Slain there.
~. The Prayer Upon the Mountain
Top.-While Ahab went to eat instead
of fasting and praying for his sins
Elijah went up to the top of Carme!
where the sea was spread out before
him, and prayed for the promised rain
as he had for the fire. Elijah's prayer
was answered. Immediately Elijal