The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST 7.
Subject: God Taking Care of Elijah, !
Kings, xvii, 1-16-Golden Text, I Pet,
", 7-MeInory Verses, Is, 14-Com.
p,eDfarv nm fbe Davba Iesson.

mentary on the Days Lesson.
I. Elijah and his message ". ~. ].
Elijah" This prophet comes suddenly
upon the scene. The schools of the pro-
phets seem to have had their origin in,
Samueps day, and were founded in vari-
Gus parts of the land and in connection
with them Elijah appears: i. His name
means my God is Jehovah" 2. He was
born at Thisbe, in the tribe of Naphtali,
and was therefore called the Tishbite. 8.
Tradition tells us that in appearance he
was a man of short statue and rugged
countenance. "Of Gilead." The only
Thisbe mentioned in history in Galilee,
hence we conclude that although a native
become a citizen OF Gilead east of the Jor-
dan. Unto Ahab." Probably in the pal.
ace in Samaria. What courage and faith
this must have taken! "As the Lord
liveth." AS Jehovah liveth.
Elijah begins by giving the authority for
his message. As sure as God lives, so Ger.
tain it will be that the prediction I am
about to make will take place. u stand"
As a servant or ambassador. Elijah was
accountable directly to God. Dew nor
rain" A terrible threat FOR a country an
nually parched by six months drought,
and only saved from utter barrenness by
lLlC So1iy ldilIS VI duIuulu. IuSSS NCdlS.
From Luke 4: 25, and James S: II, we
learn that the famine lasted three and a
half years. From l Kings Is: ! we learn
that the famine ended in the third year,
(which means, perhaps, the third year Of
Eliiah's stay in ~Zarephath." My word"
That is, as the Lord should proclaim His
will through Elijah. The famine was the
necessary preparation for Elijah's reform.
1t was a direct attack upon Baal, who was
regarded as the god of all natural forces,
and the test would show his im%potency.
II. Elijah fed by ravens Tvs. ~. 2.
Game" How, We know not. Gods OBJ.
ject was to protect Elijah from the rage
of Ahab and Jezebel. 3. Leave Sanaria
Hide myself" For the king that sent to
every land to find him Il Kings Is: lO)
would take every possible means to COM
pei him to speak the word of power that
would bring rain. When God intended to
send rain He babe Elijah to show himself
to Ahab Chapter IS: y. Brook Cherith."
A torrent bed, a deep %ravine, down which
in rainy times a strong stream flowed. The
situation of Cherith has not been identi.
fed. 1t is probable that Cherith was east
OF the Jordan. Eusebius and Jerome
place it there. 4. Commanded the ra-
vens." This plain, positive statement de.
uSS oil attempts u explain Iue ldCCS SCdC.
ed in verse six on rational or natural prin-
ciples.
5. did according" He took the word
Of the Lord IN the hand Of faith, as the
staff of his pilgrimage, and journeyed for
ward; and, whenever he grew weary, he
leaned upon his staff, and his strength
revived; and when danger threatened him
by the way, in view of this staff he was
not afraid, 6. Ravens brought him" The
bringing to Elijah of suitable food was
evidently miraculous. Bread and flesh"
Ravens feed on insects and carrion them
selves, yet they brought the prophet
mans meat and wholesome food. AS this
was the food appointed by the Lord for
the prophet, we may conjecture that it
was the food Of the people. 7. "After a
while" Probably about a year. Brook
dried up If this stream had not dried
brought thither for water, and thus his
retreat would have been discovered.
III. Elijah at Zarephath Tvs. 8-l6). 9.
"Zarephath." The 'Sarepta of Luke 4: &c.
1t was a city of Zidon in the dominions
of Ethbaal, Jezebel's father. It was very
much as if one flying from a lion was d.
rected to seek refuge in a lions den. "a
widow woman" The condition of the
widows in the East is helpless in the ex-
IRENE, so that to receive support from
such a rource would be another trial to
Elijah's faith. 1t was like leaning his
weight on q support as frail as q spiders
web.
10. HE arose." His course was not to
reason and to speculate, but to hear and
obey. Gate" The abject poverty Of the
widow is seen from her coming forth to
pick up chance bits of wood which might
ho.-a fo11o~ fro-a %ha %,oo, a,&o,lo +lA
city walls. 'The widow" A widow.-R.
V. 1t was "the" widow whom God had
commanded, but Elijah at first saw only
"a" widow, not then knowing this was the
one God had designated. "A little wa
ter" His first need after his long jour-
ney through famine stricken Israel would
be water. The gift of water to the thirsty
is always regarded as a sacred duty in the
East. Then, too, as Guthrie says, this
test would let Elijah know whether he had
found the one to whom he had been sent.
II. AS she was going" She readily
went at the first word. She objected not
at the present scarcity, nor asked what he
would give for a draught, nor limited he
for herself to fetch water for him. Nor
sci of bread" No doubt the prophet was
sadly in need Of it; doubtless, too, he was
listening for divine directions. y. "Thy
God liveth." She recognized Elijah as a
worshiper of Jehovah, and her words in
dicated a reverence for God and some
knowledge of His ways. Cake" The
smallest kind of bread. A fiat, oval cake
of unleavened dough about ten inches in
diameter. Meal" Wheat, ground in .
hand mill: Barrel" An earthen jar.
"Ol." Olive oil. To eat with bread as
we do butter. Cruise" A flask for IL
s,:1, ..1',ro .L,o1-oy A, tho Hor-
mans at this day 1.-TWO was then equiya-
lent to a few. EAT it, and die" The
famine prevailed there, and Size was in the
last extremity.
the e'i fut rrs; trust rOst eo dn@E SFi n0 "ea This sO Was
a test of her faith in God, and would show
whether she was worthy of the help Eli
jah offered. 1t was necessary in order to
make the provision for her wants a real
blessing. Here is a faith manifested by
this poor heather woman such as was not
found in Israel. Jesus found a similar
faith in a woman of this same land Matt.
Is: 80. IA. Barrel d" y = not waste,
etc" A special miracle, but Gods COM
mon way of providing for mans common
wants is a wonder daily repeated. The
teeming earth is like one vast granary
which God keeps ever full. Until the
DAY. IL Is upposeu tnaC ne was III Adte-
phath about two and a hat years. ID.
''Went ard did, The increase Of this
widows faith was as great a miracle in
the kingdom of grace as the increase of
her oil in the kingdom of providence.
l6. Wasted not" Here was an exhibit
ton Of that same divine power that IN the
person Of Jesus multiplied the ioares and
fishes.
Butter Kept Torty-two Years.
A robust butter aaccdc:e comes IRON
Rurt EnnnlN Nnh Ii &c S.nteG n fa.n,ar,.