The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-15

Sunday school Lesson In d intss-
national series for July ~,
IsDs-I kings Ist3O-sO.

alcrince on Carmel and the results. a re-
! pentant people. and the end or the famine
tchap Isl.
TIME.-B. C. sGs-l. revised chronology.
or 905-6. according 10 the chronology in
our Bible margins. Three years after ELI
Iah's first appearance to Ahab.
EXPLANATION.
]. Elijah and Ahab.-When the peo-
pie were ripe for it. Gods word came 10
Elijah 10 go 10 King Ahab, and 10 com
plste the work for which the famine
was sent. .ihab's first words 10 him
were: Art thou he that troubleth
Tsracl?" He had no word 10 say Of his
W sin; he forgot the iniquity of the
people Of the land, in which he had been
theleader; he took no note OF the hand
of Jehovah in the calamity. and spoke
as II the whole matter had been a mere
personal difference between him and
Elijah. Elijah replied: Il have not
troubled Israel; but thou and thy ia
Tiers house, Sin was the cause of 1.-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 10 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 a de-
cision. 'How long halt We between two
opinions
The question was between Jehovah
and Baal; true religion and false re-
ligion; morality, truth. blessing and
immortality and It's brood of evils. The
on 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 q
fair test. as 10 who was the true and liv-
ing God. Ii was the test of fire. The
priests OF Baal built an altar, placed the
sacrificial bullock upon il. and put no
fire under il. There were too many
eyes upon them for any trickery, and
not knowing what kind of a 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 on
tinued their exertions till three o'clock.
ii. Elijah and His Sacrifice.-Vs. 30.
3s. Then Elijah called all the people TO
him. 30. And he repaired the altar
of the Lord that was BROKEN down."
probably one of the affairs thrown down
by command of Ahab or Jesebel.
80. AS great as would contain two
measures of seed" Literally, las the
space of two seahs Of seed" The seah
contained about three If our gallons.
\ trench as deep as the grain measure
containing two seahs.
30. FIJI four barrels:" Or water
jars" such as the mlidens used to carry
on their heads. Elijah did this to avoid
all possible suspicion of fraud. This
was repeated a second and a third time.
Sc. al the time Of the evening
sacrifice" About three o'clock p. m.
Elijch's wonder harmonized with the
regular worship of God. Lord God of
Abraham" etc: ~lsracl's covenant God,
WAN tAdihht4 AAtAA ObNAAAh&Ns anu NAb
had done wonders for their nation in
the past. delivering them from Egyp-
thar bondage, dividing the Red sea,
bringing water from -h G rock, and man
ma from T.eaven. 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.
-. The fire Of the Lord fell:" Thus
they could plainly see for Themselves
chat there was no irickery, no hidden
fire. but that the answer could be only
from God Himself. And consumed
The wood, and the etones:" OF
which the altar was built. And the
dust" Cor earth). which. dug up to make
the trench. had been used TO fill IN the
altar built around with the IL stones.
This fire ard its work were Gods sig
nature TO Elijah's work.
III. The Decision.-Ns. 30, 40. 80.
'.When all the people saw IT., they fell
on their faces" In rcverent worship
and awe at the spectacle. THE Lord
He is God:" The test was convincing
1t helped the people 10 stand up against
the power Of Jezebel and her terrible
perst cu;ions. For here, on Gods side,
was a power greater than hers. 1t thus
enabled the 1000 sincere worshipers.of
God (1o: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 were
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 Carmel,
where the sea VA spread out before
him, and prayed for the promised rain,
as he had for the fire. Elijah's prayer
was answered. Immediately Elijah
Ahab TO hasten down the
mountain, for the blessed rain is com
ing. and II will soon flood the streams,
and render them impossible.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.