The Stanford interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1911-1912, 1911-02-10

Lesson vll.--Flrst Quarter, For
Feb. IL, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, ! Kings xviii, rs.
3s-msmory Verses, 90, ss-ooldsr
Text, Josh. xiv, is--commsntsry
Prepared BY Rev. D. NJ. stesrns.

After EliJah's long soJourn at
Cherith and Zarephath the word Of
the Lord came again to him. Compare
verse l and chapter xvii. 2, s. The
majority Of believers are appointed
to glorify God In a very quiet, com.
monplace kind Of life, not often so
quiet and lonely ms Cherith nor so
lowly ms Zarephath and yet very or.
| binary. May the thirty years Of Jesus
at Nazareth be great encouragement
to all such.
Then. as 20 knowing when 20 move
from where we are. may the pillar
Of cloud and Gre be our guide. See
Mum. TX, 1923. Remember also that
when Joseph was sent to Egypt with
Mary and the child Jesus Il was said
to him. "Be thou there until bring
thee word" Matt II. 13). No will but
His and a prompt obedience to His
word will give us days OF heaven on
earth Deut. xi. 2D. As plainly as he
was told. Get thee hence and hide
thysclf' xvii, ~. so now he Is told,
Go shew myself unto Ahab." We
think Of Ezekiel who was told, "Arise:
go forth into the plain" and later,
Go shut thyself within thine house"
(Ezck. III. 22-2A. Perfect acquiescence
aud unquestioning obedience are the
| only way of rest and peace
We are now introduced 20 Obadiah.
the governor OF Ahabs house. good
man I'm n hard place. But Joseph and
Daniel were somewhat similarly sit
uated. though they did not choose
their situations. Whether this Oba-
dlah did or not we are not told We
are glad 20 learn that he was the
means Of preserving the lives Of
hundred prophets and that he was
man who feared the Lord from his
youth. His name means servant OF
Jehovah" and we trust that as "A good
servant his aim was TO please God
rather than man tEph. vi. %.
When Elijah would have Obadiah
tell Ahab that he had come he was al
first afraid. but aftcrward went, and
so Ahab and Elijah met. with the
greeting from the former. Art thou
he that troubleth Israeli 10 which
Elijah replied that the guilt was upon
him and his fathers house. And with.
out further talk he ordered him TO
gather To Mount Carmel the $50
prophets who ate at Jezcbel's table.
Ahab seems 20 have been promptly
obeiicnt. and soon Elijah Is face TO
face with the prophets Of Baal and
challenges them and the people with
the wards: "IIow long halt We between
two opinions? II Jehovah he God fol
low Hin. but II Baal then follow
him" tverse 2D.
II Is probable that many of the
people were in doubt about Baal. mas
much ms he did NOT deliver them from
their distress. The proposition that
they and Elijah should each prepare n
sacrifice and then decide upon the Cod
that should answer 10y fire commended
itself to the people and all the people
answered and said. 1t Is well spoken"
or, as I'm the margin. 1.-THE word Is
good" Elijah gave the prophets Of
Baal the first opportunity, and. having
prepared their sacrifice, we see them
from morning until noon and from
noon until the time of the evening sac
rice calling upon their gods Elijah
urging them on with his Cry aloud
for he is a god Either he is talkin.
or lie hath a pursuit, or he Is In
journey, or paradventure he sleepeth
and must be awaked" But. although
they cried aloud and cut themselves
till the blood gushed out. there was
no response whatever One would
think that the devil would have done
something to encourage his devoted
worshipers. but the hand of the Lord
must have restrained him.
When they had utterly failed then
Elijah said unto all the people. Come
near unto me-" With what Interest
or perhaps in sullen silence they must
have watched the repairing Of the
altar OF the Lord, the placing Of
twelve Stones "a. renresent the twelve
tribes. the digging OF a trench aud
then the placing OF the sacrifice ON the
wool IL they had been at all lndif
ferent up TO this time they would sure
ly he amazed al the threefold drench.
Ing OF everything with Twelve barrels
Of water until even the trench was
filled. Now, what could fire do even
IL It camey listen now to the prayer
verses 30. 80 which. uttered dlstiact-
" and slowly. does not occupy half
a minute. The fire Of the Lord fell.
consuming even the stones and the
dust aud the water In the trench.
When the people saw Il they fell Oii |
their faces aud said: Jehovah, lie Is |
the God! Jehovah. He Is the Godr
Then Elijah had all the prophets Of
Baal brought 60 the brook Klsbos and
slain there. Not one escaped. Ahab
went up 20 eat and drink, and Elijah
went up TO the top OF Carmel to pray.
Note In Biijsh's prayer for fre that
bis osiescry was that Jehovah would
show Himself ss God, and he asked
nothing for himself b0t 10 be known
as the Lords servant. Consider the
Lord answering by fire In Lev. TX. "a;