The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST n.
subject: Elijah on Mount Carmel, ,
Kings xviii, 30-46-Golden Text, ]
Kings, xviii, 21-Menory Verses, 30
entary on the Days Lesson.

39-Com1nentary on the Days Lesson.
T. Elijah's sacrifice prepared Tvs. 30-35)
80. Come near" He will have them eye
witnesses of all he does, and witnesses to
what God will do. Jesus did nothing in
a corner, so neither the servants OF God
need do anything in secret. Repaired the
altar" Built in Israel's earlier and hap
pier days, but thrown down by Jezebel
This EnJah restored and consecrated anew,
! hint to builders OF sanotuari les. A type
of the certain restoration of the true and
the downfall of the false. 81. Twelve
stones" This was an act showing that
the twelve tribes were really one people
and had one God in common: Sc COOS
name" Israel signifies a prince wAo pre-,
walls with God. There are two records OF
the bestowal of this name on Jacob. See
Gen. 80: IS; 80: 2-l0.
80. I'm the name" etc. BY the author
ity and for the glory OF Jehovah. "A
trench" To catch the water poured over
the sacrifice, and intensity the effect OF
this solemn object lesson. Measures of
seed" The seah is estimated as contain
ing from one and a half to three gallons.
There is a difference Of opinion as to the
size of the trench. There would be no
necessity for a large trench, and it is
HaTuIy pToodOie tlldC IL "ds DIS ueeP as Vic
measure that held three gallons. as some
seem to think. Terry is probably nearer
correct in supposing the whole trench
held three gallons.
3S. Wood in order" He obeyed all the
iniunctions OF the law with respect to the
offering of a burnt sacrifice (Lev. !: 6-Sl.
He thus publicly taught that the ordi.
nances of the law were binding upon the
Kingdom OF Israel. Barrels" Common
jars still used in the East for carrying wa
ter, containing from three to five gallons
time" To prevent any kind of suspicion
that there was fire concealed under the
altar. Close by the place Of sacrifice,
shaded by a noble old tree, is a large, nat
ural cistern Of sweet water, which the
people say is never exhausted. Terry and
others think it more likely that the water
was brought from the brook kishon,
where Elijah slew the false prophets.
II. Fire from heaven Tvs. $685.. SO.
"At the time" About 9 o'clock p. m. The
prophet waited for the usual hour for the
evening sacrifice, thus directing the minds
of the people to the worship Of Jehovah.
1.-THE prophet" But here he performed
the duties Of the priest. While the priest
phet could, by virtue of his direct com-
mission and his higher function, act as a
priest. Game near" He expected an an
swer by fire, yet came near to the altar
with boldness, and feared not that fire.
abraham, Isaac" Words first used by
God at the burning bush. when He re-
vealed Himself in flaming fire (Exod. 8:
6, ICY. known" That thou art God.
The honor of God is his ruling passion, the
source and end of all his zeal. Thy SER
want" That he, Elijah, was not their en-.
envy, as Ahab had announced him to be,
but Jehovah's servant. AT thy word"
That his words and works were no. OF
himself. but OF God.
81. Turned their heart back again"
The end of a controversy is never the
mere establishment of truth, but the cons
version of the people. Stern and relent:
less as Elijah had been, his heart was full
of Gods yearning. tenderness, and he
longed for their salvation. We are some
times called to preach bitter things, but
the end of our ministry should be CONVEX.
sion. not condemnation. 38. Fire, fell"
1t did not burst out from the altar. This
might still. notwithstanding the water,
have offered some ground for suspicion
that fire had been concealed, after the
manner of the heather, under the altar.
Fire converted apostate Israel. The Holy
Ghost converted many in the apostles
udy. lHdL sdLIe HiC, INV L9ioie ~ i
eyes. works as remarkably to-day. Con
sumed." The process is remarkable. /.
The fire came down from heaven. ?. The
pieces CT sacrifice were first consumed. 3.
The wood next, to show that it was not
by the wood that the flesh was burnt. 4.
Twelve stones were consumed, to show It
was ne common fire, but enc whose agen-
cy nothing could resist. 5. The dust, the
tarth of which the altar was constructed,
was burnt. 6. TIE water in the trench was,
by the action Of the fire. entirely evapo-
rated. 7. The action Of this fire was IN
every case downward, contrary to the ma
ture Of all earthly and material fire.
Moses altar and Sol0mon's were conse-
Grated by the fire from heaven; this was
destroyed.
III. Tie decision of the people Tvs. 80,
t0).
80. "Fell on their faces" In reverent
worship and awe at the divine manifesto
ton. they fell on their faces and with one
voice declared. Jehovah, He is God The
test was convincing and would help the
people to stand against Jezebel and her
terrible prosecutions. 40. Prophets of
Baal." There were $50 of them. 1t APP
pears that the 400 prophets of Asherah
1.-THE grove) were not present. BROOK
K;shon." This brock flows along the very
Base of Carmel on the side towards the
sea. Here Sisera was overthrown by ba-
rak (Judg. :: y. Slew them" We can
hardly suppose that Elijah himself put
them to death. lie is only said to do that
which he caused the people TO do. The
priests Of Baal hardened their hearts. per-
sisted in their rebellion, refused subm!s-
sion and were destroyed.
". Eiijah's prayer and the answer (vs.
4l-46l.
Il. Eat and drink" During the ex-
citing scenes OF the day there had been no
time or inclination to partake or food.
abundance OF rain" Faith in God was
the foundation for this positive dcc!ara'
ton from the prophet. -. Both Ahao
and Elijah returned to the top OF Carmel,
tie one to cat and the other to pray. The
encc OF the King and cast himself down
upon the earth before the Lord. Sec
James 5: II. 43. Said to his servant"
Tradition tells lis that this servant was
the widows son whom he had raised from
the dead (chapter II: 23). Elijah tod his
servant to look towards the sea, for from
that direction the storm would come. Ihe
servant looked and said, There is. moth
ing" Then Elijah said, G again seven
tines" AZ. At last, at the seventh time,
he reported a cloud ike a mans hand: I'M
mcdiateiy the prophet sent 10 AHap 10
hasten home lest the rain stop him. %.
"Ahab 4 f went TO Jezreel." JeZ-
reel became one of the most fanoCs CT the
royal residences. 1t did not supersede
Samaria. buS here Ahab built a palace
(chapter 81: y. and it was his srlramer
home. &c. Ran before Ahab." The spirit
of the Lord was on Elijah and ne WAS sir
en- supernatural strength.
Eyes and Mouth, Yet No Head.
Lower Alloway Creek, n. j.. noted foi
its many curious freaks, has now produced