The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-07-14


isoe-i Kings lSsl-1e.
BIASED upon Peloubet's Select Notes.l
GOLDEN TExT.-And the barrel Of meal
wasted not, neither did the cruise OF oil
fail. according 70 the word Of the Lord
~ LESSON NOTES.
L 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 a. symbols
Of Jehovah soon led the people to real
idolatry and to the immoralities and
cruelties OF heather worship. All this
weakened the kingdom. When Jero-
boam died, after a reign of "a years. rev.
olution followed revolution, in dark.
restless times. Then Omri came to the
throne. He was strong ruler and i'm
pressed himself on the surrounding ma
tons, as we learn from the inscriptions
on the Moabite stone and the black
obelisk. But Us 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 a terrible mark
on the annals Of the nation.
II. Elijah's Message to Ahab.-V. /.
sand 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 a ma
tive Of Galilee, had become citizen OF
Gilead, east Of the Jordan. "Said unto
Ahab:" With a sudden abruptness, al
most like flash Of lightning from q
clear sky. the prophet Of God appears
before Ahab in his palace at Samaria
with message from Jehovah. "As the
LORD (Jehovah, as Lord always means
when printed in capitals in our Bible)
God of Israel liveth. Before whom
etand:" AS an officer. and ambassador
bearing His authority. There shall
not be dew nor rains" 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 word:" Not &C
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
Three Years and Their Meaning.-Vs
2-16. First. At Cherith. Elijah imme
diately left Ahab's presence and hit
himself till Gods time came for Hi
message to be delivered.
3. "Get thee hence, and return the
eastward:"i 1. e., toward the Jordan ant
Gilead, his own country. sand hid
thyself by (rather shy the brook 9TH
torrent course, or wady) Cherith, that Il
before Jordan:" Elijah would natu
rally 20 to his own country, who's
wiids and businesses would be perfect
ly familiar to him.
1. For drink he had "the brook" Fo
food, II have commanded the ravens t
feed thce:" Fnrrar and many critic
Thin His n hi"h!y poetic expression
u metaphor. "coHreying the le..o" tha
TIE prophet was maintained by uarke
iuterventions of that providence OF Go
which is itself in all its workings super
natural" But equally simple and NOR
natural is the literal statement.
Second. At Zarephath. Time, two
more years. When the brook dried u
Elijah could no longer remain at Chi
, rith. In some way. we know not hov
God made known to him where h
should go. Possibly. too, If he RENAME
too long in one place Ahab might di
cover his abode.
o. "Arise, get thee to Zarephath, ,whic
. belongeth 10 Zidon:" On the shore b.
tween Tyre and Sidon. Here II
. prophet would be safe from Ahab. WI
would scarcely think Of looking ft
:, Elijah in the territories OF Jezebel's Fl
t ther in the house OF peasant. II ha'
= commanded" Put II in her heart.
10. 1.-THE (or a) widow woman:" tt
widow lived by the oath. "as Jehov1
c thy God liveth," that she was a wo
shipper Of the true God. Gathering
= sticks:" For her fire. "Fetch n
o little water" His first nee
after his long walk through the famin
q stricken land would be water.
u ~. sand she said. AS the Lord II
God liveth, have not cake. but han
u ful Of meal In barrel, and little {
in q cruise; end. behold, am gatheril
X two sticks, that ] may 60 In and DIRE
Q II for me and my son. that we may eat
a and dies" The famine prevailed thel
X and she was in the last extremity.
13. "Fear not:" Do not be trouble
! but take heart and trust Cod. "Ma'
u me thereof little cake first:" tt
= must have seemed very strange al
y hard to her at first, Amazingly COO
II but the favor was not asked from t
IS sclfishness of the prophet twas te
: Of her faith in the promises of &c
whether she were worthy Of the he
Elijah offered.