Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-08-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST IL
Subject: Obadiah and Elijah, I Kings,
xviii, 1-16-Golden Text, I Kings.
xviii, 12-Memory Verses, 3, Coon.
Inentary on the Days Lesson.

Subject: Obadiah and Elijah. I Kings.
xviii, 1-18-Golden Text, I Kings.
xviii, 12-Memory Verses, 8, Coon.
mentary on the Days Lesson.
l. Elijah goes to meet Ahab Tvs. |, p.
]. Many days" The waiting time must
have seemed long to Elijah. The third
year" 1t is supposed that he. dwet by
the Cherith about a year and at Zare-
phath two years and six months. 1t was
now in the third year since he went to
Zarephath. go" Elijah made no move
only as he had directions from God. The
time had come when the people were in
state of mind to receive the benefit God
intended them to receive through the ter.
| unto Ahab." The King had remained
obdurate and unreformed. Another OPP
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 marvellous proof
| of the natural intrepidity of this prophet,
| confidence in the protecting care of God,
| that he ventured to approach the presence
| of the raging lion. ''Sore famine" While
| it is clear. from chapter II: l2-l4, that the
| famine extended beyond the Kingdom of
Israel, it is still probabl. that it was es.
| pecially oppressive in Samaria and the
provinces immediately ,aGlacent. oorn
must nave oeeh ootaihed ior lne peop.e
from fgypt or me ADJOINING countries,
long.
III. Ahab and Obadiah searching Tor
! food Tvs. 36). 3. Obadiah. There are
| No lass than twplya men nv this name
| 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 ahaDs
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 md the country OF
Gods true followers. No doubt 1T was
| because Obadiah could be trusted lie
was a man of integrity and industry;-Just
the sort OF a man that Ahab would wish
to appoint over his household. 1t is not
uncommon to find wicked len ana matters
of Christianity employing Christians pre-
| ferably 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 it is referred to in this les
fed in establishing the worship OF Baal,
| this wicked woman undertook " 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 conceament, NO doubt the
| larger number whom Jezebel cut on were
sons of the prophets, those who belonged
to the schools OF the prophets, which we
] IA ,
! and largely irequented, 1t was 100 OF
these men whom Obadiah saved IN the
| time OF persecution. by nifty lhat IS,
| he hid them in two caves fifty in each.
These were they OF whom the world was
not worthy, mentioned IN Heb. ii: 81 as
noble exempiars OF ia'th. red them
This was done secretly, at his own eX'
pense. and at the risk OF losing his posi-
ton and his life, and would, therefore,
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.
III. Elijah meets Obadiah Tvs. 1-l6). I.
"AIct him" Dcemlng it imprudent to
J
presence OF Ahab, the prophet solicited
! Obadiah to announce his return to the
| klng hnew NM Inc prophet garu
wou.d make him easy to recognize, ana
he must have been seen more tnah Once
IN Namara' on ms lace. 10 Upa h
dian trJah was ',od true representative
! BY his actions onadlah showed ms pr"
found respect and !ove Tor ,ne proPne,di
| us 1t thou! lR. VI lis language ana
actions are iuli OF emonoh ana snlprisSe
Is 1t thon, to nun Wh"h every r"S"i ue,
wee mas been eNhanN'"n' 'hou' E'Jah, III
broad daylight, rleht mere near me ea.fS
' OF Samaria, ). len 'hy lofa, ~ ""uia
be news OF great interest TO the hlng' "
| .. Wherein have | slnned TX, "
| Obadtahs fear Is very natural lie IS
asked to carry message TO Ahap' whleh
another disappearance oi Ehlah may seem
to make untrue, IN when case the wr ram
OF the King would fall upon hum 10
STAY me. Thus we see now opadiah u Gls.
trusted Ahab. 10. NO nation, etG' VI
course, Obadiah ; words only apply TO
those countries immeolateF around lSra .a
into which Elpah could he supposed TO
have fled for refuge. But he employs the
language OF Oriental hyPerbole, SO ire
quently found in the Old Testament.
Took an oath. lie caused each nation
| to solemnIy and formally alarm ana swear
that the prophet was not IN their terri
tony. This shows the influence Ahab
must have had over the surrounding ma
tions
u, "The spirit shall carry
90" This LAW be an almsion TO the
sndds, d,san'enr,nce Of hiah after he
announced the drought to Ahab. Evident.