The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-23

CONTEXT.-The answer TO his prayer
and the testimony of the people, as
studied in last lesson, made Elijah very
brave and he followed up the advantage
gained. He ordered the prophets of Baal
to be taken, and they were brought down
to the river Kishon at the base of the
mountain and there slain. Returning
with his servant to the top of Carmel he
waited in prayer until a small cloud ap-
peared over the sea. Then. sending to
Ahab intelligence that the long drought
would soon be broken, that there were
clouds in the western horizon with sounds
of wind, indicating an abundance of rain,
he urged the king to hasten his return TO
his residence lest the storm might not
overtake him. Girding himself Elijah ran
before Ahab as a messenger bearing i'm
portant news. nor halted until he reached
the outer gate, that led to Jezreel. Il
Kings xviii 40-46.) Thus in a day this
man of God had triumphed over idola-
try, secured the endorsement of the pop
ulace, ushered in the time of plenty and
escorted the monarch to his palace.
THREAT-Ead as Ahab was there was
one in Israel worse than he, and that was
his wife of Jezebel. If he ruled the ma
ton she was the power behind the
throne 1t was natural indeed necessary
that he should relate to her all that had
transpired. Verse 1) For the sacrifice
and the slaughter had put the kingdom
on an entirely new basis, 1t had even
overthrown the new religion. But Jeze-
bel was the daughter of Ethbaal, the
king of the Zidonians. Il Kings xvi: 81
She not only came from an idolatrous
people, but she was herself an idolater
She 1t was who had turned the heart of
her husband after the gods of her ances-
tors (xvi, 32), who had appointed and
supported four hundred priests to Ashto-
roth. On hearing now that her priests
were put to death she was filled with
rage and sent unto Elijah, saying that
his life should be taken within the day
following Cverse p. This threat she
rendered the more emphatic by pledEing
her own life for it's fulhllment, (Ruth l.:
III using a form of speech common in
those days when one desired to confirm a
pledge QI Kings vi: 81.
FLIGHT-Who will stand in the pres
ence of an angry bad woman? 1t were
better to meet the lion in his den. Elijah
fled for his lite (verse -, Just as he fled
from the face of Ahab after delivering
his message three years before xvii, d..
1t may be that he was directed to do so
on this and on former occasion xvii, y.
For he was no coward and he was al
ways submissive to God, ready to stand
in any place, to suffer for the right. or
even to die. Elijah moved hastily south
tered into Judah, and pushed forward
until he came to Beersheba, a famous old
city, wnere Abraham bad made his home
Gen. xxi, 80, on the southern frontier
of Palestine, at least q hundred miles
distant from the wicked Jezebel. Dis
missing his servant (verse -, he went
into the wilderness and sat down in the
shade of a juniper tree. He was utterly
dishCartcned. The outcome of his effort
at Carmel was a sore disappointment. !.
He considered that any further attempt
to recover the nation from idolatry would
be vain, and he begged the Lord that he
nigh. die. In this he was not unlike
many another soul Numb. Xi, 15), whose
zeal was like consuming fire (Jonah
| iv, 81.
MINISTRY.-After his soliloquy and
prayer Elijah found temporary relief n
slumber, overcome doubtless with the
WEAKNESS of his long journey (verse 81.
What a spectacle was that, a commen-
tary on the degenerate times! The IN an
of God, escaping from idolatrous haze,
alone, exhausted, discouraged, asleep in
the open field! But God had other work