Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1898-07-13
ELIJAH ON CARMEL.
sunday school Lesson IN the Inter
national series foe r-sz II.
1SoS-1 King. 1s,3o-s0.
BIASED upon Peloubet.s Select Note.

BIASED upon Peloubet's Select Notesl
GOLDEN TEXT.-And when all the peo-
pie saw IL. they fell ON their faces: and
they said. the Lord. He is the Cod the
Lord. He Is the Cod Kings 1879.
THE SECTION includes the story of the
sacrifice on Carmel and the results. a re-
pentant people. and the end of the famine
(chap. 1S).
TIME--B. c. $685.. revised chronology.
or So0-S. according TO the chronology in
our Bible margins. Three years after Eli
iah's first appearance to Ahab.
EXPLANATION.
1. Elijah and Ahab.-When the peo-
pie were ripe for il. Gods word came to
Elijah TO go TO King Ahab. and to COM
plsie the work for which the famine
was sent. Ahab's first words 10 him
we're: "Art thou he that troubleth
Israeli" He had no word TO say of his
own sin; he forgot the iniquiiy of the
people of the land, in which he had been
the leader; he took no note of the hand
II Jehovah in the calamity. aud spoke
Is 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
TIERS house" Sin was the cause of the
calamity, and the only way TO escape
the calamity was TO put away the sin.
Eijah'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
II the king TO assemble the people on
the top of Mount Carmel, that they
might make their choice. When they
we're assembled, early in the morning.
Elijah summoned the people TO a de-
cision. How long halt We between two
opipions?'
The question was between Jehovah
and Baal; true religion and false re-
| igion; 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 bull, 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 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-
tinued their eXertions till three o'clock.
ii. Elijah and His Sacrifce.-Vs. 30
IS. Then Elijah called all the people to
him. 80. 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, "as the
space of two seahs of seed" The seah
contained about three of our gallons.
\ trench as deep as the grain measure
containing two seahs.
80. Fiji four barrels:" Or water
! jars" such as the maidens used to carry
TN their heads. Elijah did this to avoid
! all possible. suspicion of fraud. This
| was repeated a second and third time.
, 80. al the time . of the evening
sacrifice:" About three o'clock u. m,
Elijah's wonder harmonized with the
regular worship of God. Lord God of
| Abraham" etc: Israers covenant G cd.
who claimed their obedience, and who
had done wonders for their nation in
the past, delivering them from Egyp-
tian 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 words: "
All was Gods doing. not any trick of
Elijah.
So. 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:" OF
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 l2 stones.
This fire and its work were Gods sig
nature 10 Elijah's work
III. The Decision.-Vs. 80, 40. 30.
when all the people saw it, they fell
on their faces" In reverent worship
and awe al the spectacle. "1'he Lord,
He is Cod" The test was convincing.
1t helped the people to stand up against
she power Of Jezebel and her terrible
prosecutions. For here. on Gods side.
was power greater than hers. 1t thus
enabled the 1000 sincere worshipers Of
God (i9i1s), who had been hiding from
the storm Of her wrath. to stand openly
for Jehpvah.
40. Take the prophets Of Baal," etc.
There were $50 Of them. and they were
forced by the people down the mountain
10 the brook kishon, and s.ain there.
". The Prayer Upon the Mountain
Top, While Ahab went to emi instead
Of fasting and praying for his sins.
Elijah went up % the top Of Carmel.
where the sea was spread ont before
him, and prayed for the promised rain.
as he had for the fire. Eiiiah's prayer
was answered. Immediately Elijah
summons Ahnb 10 hasten down the
mountain, for the blessed rain is com
ing. and 6. viii soon food the streams.
and render them imnassable.
-
RELIGIOUS NOTES.