Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-07-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ~, JULY 24-I. KINGS
I9: Lie.
Golden Text: Rest In the Lord and
Walt Patiently for Him-Pss. 37:7-
Elijah's Flight and Encouragement-
Suggestions to Teachers, etc.

Suggestions to Teachers, etc.
| |. And Ahab told Jezebel all that ELI
| JAN had done" But the story did not af-
feet her as the actual events would have
done One can be calm in the presence OF
| pictures of lightning, or descriptions of
battle.
2. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto
| Elijah" who had wisely stayed without
the city. 1t was no duty of his to put
| himself needlessly into the den of the
lions. Faith does not supersede ''sancti-
| fled common sense" 80 let the gods do
| to me. and more" common oath of
| that age. 1t breathes of profanity.
scorched by her rage. IF make not thy
life as the life Of one of them" The dead
| prophets Of Baal.
3. He arose, and went for his life."
The rapid movement of the original Is lost
| mere. The Hebrew runs, And he saw,
and he rose. and he went for his life
Canon Spence. He knew all the by-ways.
and FASTENED out of the kingdom Of Jeze-
bel to Beersheba on the farthest verge
OF the Kingdom of Judah a run Of ninety
nVe miles, that must have tried even his
nardy frame and trained endurance. And
| left his servant there" Tradition speaks
oI THIS boy as the son of the widow of
Zarephath. whose life Elijah saved, and
no less person than the prophet Jonah.
| Aic HlHnSelI went a DAY journey IN
| TO the wilderness" Elijah did not feel
himself safe till he was beyond the ter
rltory or Judah. for Jehoshaphat was
| closely allied to Ahab Il Kings q: a; and
his son Jehoram married the daughter of
Jezebel q Chron. 81: 6: Kings 8: 49,.
Ana sat down under juniper tree"
Rather the broom plant, Genista, retem
oush the most longedfor and most well
come bush of the desert. abundant in beds
| OF streams and valleys, where spots for
| camping are selected, and men sit down
and sleep in order to be protected against
wind and sun. Robinson, Pal, VOL l., p.
2O3. HE requested for himself that he
might die" The pent-up emotions of his
| spirit, which had gone through so ire
mendous strain, broke up as in one terri
Die sob. when the strong man. like a tired
child, requested for himself that he
must dle Il am not better than my IA.
Tiers. Who died without reforming the
world. His life seemed like a great fall
ure His work was done. Nothing great
er than --- could be possible.
5. He lay and slept under juniper
tree. Tired natures sweet restorer.
naimy sleep. Edward Young. "Oh. gen.
tie sleep. natures soft nurse."-Shakss-
peare He giveth his beloved sleep
Psa. III: p. See Mrs. Brownings poems.
sleep" Sleep that knits up the raveled
| sleeve OF acknowledgements. Then an
angel touched him." Gods angels are
still "ministering spirits sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs Of
salvation" CHeb. /: 1D. The unseen spir-
its are not all evil. but more and mightier
are the angels who have all through mans
| history been his helpers.
6. And, behold, cake (that
had BEEN baken on the Goals Cor embers)."
Simply the ordinary food of the desert
Arabs. And cruise Tor bottle) of wa
ter. For us, too, in our hours of dis
enlargement. God has provided living
waters and the mama from Heaven in his
Word. and in the presence of the Holy
spirit; though sometimes We do not re-
member the provisions, as Hopeful forgot
MS precious key when in the dungeon Of
| Giant Despair. And laid him down
AGAIN. Not because he did not appreciate
the gift. but from his complete exhaus-
ton. Sleep had not yet done it's work.
l. Game second time" Kindly rec
| ognizing the over-exertion of the prophet
s. Went in the strength of that meat
| forty days" Without obtaining anything
| further than what the wilderness might
anord. TO Horeb." The same as Mount
Sinai. THE mount of God" So called
because here God revealed the law to
Moses.
3. What doest thou here, Elijah? ?"
Ihere was doubtless some reproof in these
words, but 1T was reproof fragrant with
love. 1t was an awakening cry, to show
him that he was far away from his field
or work. The voice was repeated, perhaps
with different emphasis. What doest thou
with different emphasis What DOEST
thou here? What doest THOU here?
| What doest thou HERE?
10. Il have been very jealous" Unwil-
| ling that any other god should have the
honor and worship that belonged to Je.
hovah. For the children of Israel have
forsaken thy covenant" etc. The whole
outward worship of the kingdom had been
turned towards idols. And /, even on
ly, am left" Obadiah had preserved a
hundred prophets in cave. but as they
ala not come forth to stand with Elijah
ne did not count them as anything.
IL. 60 forth. and stand upon the
mount That is, just outside of the cave
| He went to the opening and looked out
And, behold. the Lord passed by" In
the symbols of his power "A great and
strong wind" hurricane. a tornado
Kent the mountains. and break in pieces
| the rocks. i write this almost within
| sight OF the effects of such a tornado, in
| the White Mountains. THE Lord was not
in the wind" This was not his marked
| and peculiar manifestation. And after
the wind an earthquake" One of the most
| terrible manifestations of earthly power
THE everlasting hills were scattered. the
| perpetual hills did bow" but the Lord
| the very slightest manifestation of his al
| mighty power.
r. Fire" Lightning, vivid, continual
| terrible. And after the fire a still small
| voice" Literally, "a sound Of soft still
ness."-Cook.
10. Return on the way back to Is
| rael. Ito the wilderness of Damascus.
| which Is situated on the borders of the
| desert. "Anoint Hazael to be king over
| Syria" He. the confidential officer of
| Benhadad. was to succeed him. He was
to be the means of furnishing Ahab and
| Israel, and thus compel them to repent
| ance and fitness for the better times"
10. "Jehu to be king over Is
rael." He was to destroy the house of
| Ahab. root and branch. and its idolatry.
and to restore the worship of Jehovah.
Elisha TO be prophet in thy
| room. To have some one to take up his
work. which thus would be carried on
| without ceasing. Gods workmen die