The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-08-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST 7.
Subjects God Taking Care OF Elijah. J
Kings, xvii, 1-t6--GoIden Text, I Pet.
W. T-Memory Verses, 13, 14-Com.
mentary on tho DAYS Iessop.

hihgs' XVII, l-h0-Goiden Text. Pet.
", T-Memory Verses, 13, 14-Com.
mentary on tho Days Lesson.
|. Elijah and his message (v. ~. /.
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. |. His name
means My God is Jehovah" 2. He was
born at Thisbe, in the tribe of Naphtali,
and was therefore called the Tshbite. g.
tradition tells us that in appearance he
eountenance. "Of Gilead." The on.y
Ihisbe mentioned in history in Galee,
hence we conclude that although a native
OF the tribe of Naphtali in Galilee. he had
become a citizen of Gilead east of the Jor.
dan. Unto Ahab." Probably in the pal.
ace in Samaria. What courage and faith
liveth." As Jehovah lveth.
Elijah begins by giving the authority for
his message. As sure as God lives, so Ger.
tain 1t will be that the prediction / am
about to make will take place II stand.'
AS servant or ambassador. Elijah was
accountable directly to God Dew nor
ram, terrible threat for country an.
nu9lly parched by six months drought,
and only saved from utter barrenness by
the early rains of autumn. "These wears
From Luke 4: %, and James B. II. we
learn that the famine lasted three and a
half years. From | Kings Is: we learn
that the famine ended in the third year.
which means, perhaps, the third year of
Ei.hIahs stay in Zarephath." MY word"
That Is, as the Lord should proclaim His
will through Elijah. The famine was the
necessary preparation for Elijahs reform.
1t was direct attack upon Baal who wac
regarded as the god OF all natural forces.
no taat i, l.
H. Elijah fed by ravens Tvs. 2-O. ..
Lame. How. We know not. Gods OBJ.
Ject was to protect Elijah from the rage
OF Ahab and Jezebel 3. Leave Samaria
and Withdrew from the haunts of men"
Hide ,thyself' For the king that sent to
every, land to find him u Kings Is: lO)
would take every possible means to com.
pei him to speak the word of power that
world bring rain. When God intended tc
send rain He bade Elijah to show himself
to Ahab (chapter Is: u. Brook Cherith."
A torrent bed. deep ravine, down which
IN rainy times strong stream flowed. The
situation of Cherith has not been identi.
fed. 1t is probable that Cherth was east
o. the Jordan. Eusebius and Jerome
place 1t there. 4. Commanded the ra.
yens. This plain, positive statement de.
hes all attempts to explain the facts stat.
ed IN verse six on rational or natural prin.
cipes.
s.. Did according He took the word
of the Lord in the hand of faith as the
stan 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. I. after
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.
Ill. Elijah at Zarephath Tvs. S-l6). g.
'Zarephath." The Sarepta of Luke a. %
1t was city of Zdon in the dominions
of Ethbaa, Jezebel's father. 1t was very
much as If one flying from lion was dl.
rected to seek refuge in a lions den. "A
widow woman" The condition of the
widows in the East is helpless in the eS.
treme, so that to receive support from
such cource would be another trial to
Elijah's faith. 1t was like leaning his
weight on support as frail as spiders
web.
AVs iic dIOSt. Ills 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
have fallen from the trees outside the
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.
H. 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
was stranger, but left gathering sticks
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. Il. "Thy
God liveth." She recognized Elijah as a
worshiper Of Jehovah, and her words in.
fnowadse fSasfe o Fl. %s God and Re
smallest kind of bread. A fat, oval cake
OF unleavened dough about ten inches in
diameter. Meal" Wheat, ground in
hand mill. Barrel" An earthen jar.
"Oll. Olive oil. 10 eat with bread as
we do butter. "Cruse" A flask for Ii.
quids. Two sticks" As among the Ger.
mans at this day two was then equva-
lent to a few. Eat it, and die" The
famine prevailed there, and she was in the
last extremity.
l3. Fear not" Have no fears about
the future; trust God. First" This was
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 real
blessing. Here is faith manifested by
this poor heathen woman such as was not
found in Israel. Jesus found similar
faith in woman OF tlSs same land Matt.
10: 2S). IA. Barrel not waste,
ETC." A special miracle, but Gods com.
mon way OF providing for mans common
wants is wonder daily repeated. The
teeming earth is like one vast granary
which God keeps ever full. Until the
day" 1t is supposed that he was in Zare.
phath about two and half years. Is,
"Went and did" The increase of this
widows faith was as great miracle in
the kingdom of grace as the increase Of
her oil in the kingdom of providence.
10. WASTED not" Here was an exhibi-
ton OF that same divine power that in the
person of Jesus multiplied the loaves and
fishes.