The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-08-25
THE SUNDAY BIBLE SCHOOL
Lesson in the International Series
for August 20, 19O4-"Elijah
Discouraged"
prepared by the Highway and BY
way" Preacher.)

way" Preacher.)
Copyright, 1904 by J. NJ Edson)
LESSON TEXT.
q Kings 19I-S; Memory Verses. 3,D
1. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah
had done, and withal how he had slain
all the prophets with the sword
2 Then Jezebel sent O messenger unto
Elijah, saying, SO let the gods do to me.
and more also If | make not thy life as
the life OF one of them by tomorrow about
this time
g. And when he saw that, he arose. and
went for his life and came to Beer -sheba,
which belongeth to Judah, and left his
servant there
T. But he himself went a days journey
in to the wilderness, and came and sat down
under a juniper tree: and he requested
for himself that he might die; and said,
1t is enough now 0 Lord. take away my
life; for l am not better than my fathers.
g. And as he lay and slept under juniper
tree, behold, then an angel touched him,
and said unto him. Arise and eat
g. And he looked, and behold, there was
cake baken on the Goals, and a cruise OF
water at his head And he did eat and
drink, and laid him down again
And the angel Of the Lord came again
the second time, and touched him, and
said, Arise and eat. because the journey Is
too great for thee.
). And he rose, and did eat and drink,
and went In the strength of that meat 40
days and 40 nights unto Horeb the mount
of God
THE LESSON includes only the lesson
GOLDEN TEXT.-"In my distress cried
unto the Lord, and lie heard me."-Ps
1901.
TIME.-The day after the contest on
Mount Carmel.
PLACE.-Jezreel. and the wilderness to
the south
Comparing Scripture with Scripture.
From Faiths Mountaintop to Unbe-
liefs Wilderness.-Jam 5:17 tells US
that Elijah was a man Of like passions
with u.s." and 1t is only as we remember
this that we can realize that the fleeing
prophet Is the same prophet who "a
hours before had, stood upon Mount
Carmel calling down the fire of God.
God forbid that we should sit in judg-
ment upon this heroic. brave, faithful
servant of God. Rom. 2:1. But in
humility and faith we may learn some
lessons from his failure and thereby
strengthen ourselves against like de-
feat. Cor 1O:11-12. The causes Of
Elijah fight were:
"a Physical reaction. The journey
| from Zarephath and the events on
Mount Carmel caused ply ysical and nerv-
| Gus exhaustion, which was followed by
great weakness and depression. The
place for Elijah was not at Jezreel but
alone somewhere with God where he
could receive spiritual and physical re-
viving. The place for the servant Of
God always, after a service has been
splendidly rendered. is apart from the
busy throng and alone with Jesus. Eli
! jahs first msstep was that run to
Jezreel Having done all he eshould have
stood and left results with God.
(2) Elijah overestimated the effect Of
Mount Carmels revival. He went a step
farther than God led him and figured on
results, and when expectations failed,
discouragement came. Elijah went to
Jezreel in great elation Of spirit expect
ing that the mighty manifestation Of
God on Mount Carmel, and the food of
waters, would turn the most hardened
sinner to God; perhaps he even looked
for the conversion of Jezebel herself.
The servant of God who figures on re-
suits, who estimates the probable fruit
age, Is inviting just such failure as came
to Elijah. God gives the increase" 1t
Is our business to SOW the seed, preach
the word. and leave results with God.
i Cor 15:5
(3) Elijah took his eyes off God. He
saw JeZebel and her vain threat v. 2;
he saw himself as the only one left who
knew and served God, and he saw the
glaring faults of others, VS.. 10, IA. And
so he had no eyes to see God. The man
who takes his eyes off God is defeated
and ready for fight. Prov. 1925. The
ten spies saw the giants and not God
Mum. 1888, but Joshua and Caleb looked
beyond the difficulties to God. Mum. IA: 8.
(4) The Ego instead of God. Elijah
had much to say about MY zeal, MY de-
votion, MY life and the failings and sins
of others When self becomes the CEN
ter of thought, when self is lauded and
others condemned; when self appears
indispensable to God, then comes the
flight of encouragement, the juniper
tree, and the desire to forsake the task,
even by death.
Elijah's Foolish Prayer.-He wanted
| %
Heaven were preparing to translate him
It was the prayer of petuancy, of dis
couraeement. of unbelief. Contrast the
prayer uttered in the Spirit on Mount
Carmel with its answering fire and
abundance Of rain, and this prayer un-
der the juniper tree. Rom. 1926. God
did not hear this prayer of Eli jah. John
5:14-15 And how many of our prayers
fall short of the Divine ear for the same
reason.
Gods Tender Care.-He gave His
weary, frightened, discouraged, run
away prophet sleep. VS.. Ps. 1872. He
sent His angel to minister to him. Heb.
1.14. He watched over him and sent
His angel a second time. Ps. 1887.
No word of rebuke. No sign of displeas-
ure. No threat or condemnation; but
patient waiting, loving, tender watchful
care. All how the Fathers love is mani
tested. God loved and cared for disobedi-
ent, unbelieving, runaway Elijah, and so
He cares for and loves you and me when
we fall into SHIPS, 1918; S6:15.
THE GOLDEN TEXT.
"In my distress | cried unto the Lord
and He heard me-" A listening God.
He hears the sinners cry for mercy
He hears the cry of distress of His
children. He hears the song as II
bursts from the cleansed heart of the
sinner and the delivered soul of the
saint. But, oh, how often God listens