The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-08-10
TIE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST Ia.
Subject; Obadiah and Elijah, I King-,
xviii, 1-16-Golden Text, Kings.
xviii, 12--Menorv Verses, ), 6-Con.
mentary on the Days Lesson,

xviii, 12-Menorv Verses, ), G-Coln.
mentary on the Days Lesson.
l. Elijah goes to meet Ahab Tvs. l. ~
|. Many days The waiting time mas;
have seemed long to Elijah. "The thirj
year. 1t is supposed that he dwelt by
the Cherith about a year and at Iare
phath two years and six months. 1t was
now IN the third year since he went to
Zarephath. Co Elijah made no move
only as he had directions from God. The
time had come when the peop,e were in
state OF mind to receive the benefit 6 cd
intended them to receive through the ter.
ribe calamity that had come upon them
Into Ahab' The King had remained
obdurate and unreformed Another op.
portunity was to be given him OF repent.
ance, and Elijah was sent in order to de.
clare TO him the cause of the national
Judgment and to promise him. on condi.
ton OF his removing it, the immediate
blessing of rain.
2, Elijah went" A marvellous proof
OF the natural intrepidity OF this prophet
or his moral courage and his unialterlng
confidence IN the protecting care OF God,
that he ventured to approach the presence
OF the raging lion. sore famine" While
1t Is clear, from chapter II: l2-l4. that the
famine extended beyond the Kingdom OF
Israel; 1t is still probab.. that it was es
peclally oppressive III Samaria and the
provinces Immediately adjacent. Corn
must have been obtained for the peop.o
IRON Egypt or the adjoining countries,
else life could not have been sustained so
! long
IL. Ahab and Obadiah searching for
food Tvs. 3-6). 8. obadiah" There are
no less than twelve men by this name re.
ferred to in the Old Testament. The most
conspicuous among them was Obadiah. the
prophet. Governor He was an Officer
OF high rank and great influence in Ahab's
court. Feared the Lord" 1t is indeed,
very remarkable that Obadiah, devout
worshiper of Jehovah, was allowed to re.
tain his position when Jezebel was putting
forth every effort to rid the country OF
! Gods true followers. No doubt it was
because Obadiah could be trusted He
was man OF integrity and industry-jGst
the sort of a man that Ahab would wish
to appoint over his household. 1t is not
uncommon to find wicked len and haters
OF Christianity employing Christians pre-
ferab,y to others, Simply because 1t is to
their interest to do so
4. Cut off the prophets" The story OF
JezebePs slaughter OF the prophets is not
given us, but 1t is referred to in this les
son and in chapter ID: l0.l4. Not salts
hed in establishing the worship of Baal,
this wicked woman undertook to exter
inmate the prophets OF the Lord. This
persecution she had probably ordered in
vengeance because Elijah could not be
found, and on suspicion that they were
privy to his concealment. No doubt the
larger number whom Jezebel cut off were
sons OF the prophets, those VINO belonged
to the schools OF the prophets, which we
learn from Kings were both numerous
and largely frequented. 1t was 100 of
these men whom Obadiah saved in the
time of persecution. "By fifty" That is,
he hid them in two caves. fifty in each
These were they OF whom the world was
not worthy, mentioned in Heb. II: 3S as
noble eXemplars of faith Fed them"
This was done secretly, at his own ex.
pense, and at the risk of losing his posi-.
tion and his life and would, therefore,
be a strong proof that ne was true wor.
shipper of Jehovah. ). Go through the
land Or. W 1t is said to be custom
in the East, when public calamity
reaches its highest point, for the King
himself and his Chief minister to go forth
and seek relief. This shows further how
high was the position of Obadiah in the
service and confidence of the King.
Ill. Elijah meets Obadiah Tvs. 7-l6). I.
'Met him." Deeming it imprudent to
rush without previous ntmation into the
presence OF Ahab, the prophet solicited
Obadiah to announce his return to the
King. knew him." The prophets garb
would make him easy to recognize, and
he must have been seen more than once
in Samaria. "On his face" To Oba.
diah Ehjah was Gods true representative.
BY his actions Obadiah showed his pro-
found respect and love for the prophet.
SIS it thou" (R. W His language and
actions are full of emotion and surprise.
Is it thou, to find whom every royal de.
vice has been exhausted; thou, Elijah, in
broad daylight, right here near the gates
of Samaria! 8. "Tell thy lord" 1t would
be news of great interest to the King.
g. Wherein have l sinned'' (R., w.
Obadiahs fear is very natural. He is
asked to carry a message to Ahab, which
another disappearance Of Elijah may seem
to make untrue, in which case the wrath
of the King would fall upon him. ITO
slay me-" Thus we see how Obadiah dis.
trusted Ahab 10. mo nation" etc, OF
course, Obadiah's words only apply to
those countries Immediately around Israel
have fed for refuge. But he employs the
language OF Oriental hyperboie, so fire.
quently found in the Old Testament.
"Took an OATH" He caused each nation
to solemnly and formally affirm and swear
that the prophet was not in their terri
tory. This shows the influence Ahab
must have had over the surrounding ma
tions.
II. "The spirit shall carry
tee" This hay be an alusion to the
sudden disappearance of lijah after he
announced the drought to Ahab. Evident.
ly Obadiah regarded Ehjah's concealment
as only possible through divine assistance.
II fear the Lord" This and the
following verse was not spoken in a boast
ing spirit, but merely to disclose to the
prophet his true character and thus move
Elijah to spare him from what seemed to
him to be almost certain death. The true
worshipers had not all perished; there
were some who still held to the pure re-
hgion of Jehovah. l3. WAS it not told"
Obadiah's thought seems to be that Elijah
could believe nothing but evil of one who
was in the household of Ahab. l5, 10.
After Elijah had disDelled all the appre-
tensions Of Obadiah and had positively as.
serted that he would show himself to
Ahab that day, Obadiah conveyed the
prophets message to the King.
". Elijah meets Ahab Tvs. l7-l9). When
Elijah and Ahab met. the King said "Are
thou he that troubleth Israeli" In this
question he really charged Elijah with
bringing the famine upon the nation. Ahab
thought to awe him into submission, but
the pronhet boldly told the King that the
cause of the national calamity was trace
able to his own ungodly doings in forsak.
ing the Lord and establishing Baal wor-
ship in the land. He then demanded of
Ahab that he gather ell Israel and the $50
prophets Of Baal and Asherah upon Mount
Carmel. This Ahab proceeded TO do.