The Tupelo journal., 1911-02-17
FLIGHT OF
ELIJAH
School Lesson for Feb. -, ~
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON Kings 1S:4l-l9:2L
Memory Verses 11-13.
GOLDEN TExT-"They hi wait up
on the Lord hall renew their strength
lisa. 40:31.
TIME-The day after the scene on
Mount Carmel, B. C. 800 Cor $3.50. in this
wilderness, and 40 yeards later on Horeb.
PLACE.. Jezreel, one of the royal
residences, 20 miles northeast of Sa-
maria. Z. The wilderness beyond Beer
sheba, 40 miles southwest Of Jerusalem.
100 miles from Jezreel. 8. Horeb, one of
the mountains of Sinai.
In our last lesson we left Elijah
running before Ahab's chariot from
Carmel to Jezreel. n of the royal
residences, while the blessed rain was
refreshing the whole country, an en-
blem Of what God would do spiritual
ly for the nation. Elijah was too wise
to enter the lair of the tigress. But
Ahab told Jezebel. We can imagine
the bitter objurgations which she
poured upon her covering husband
for having stood quietly by while her
prophets and Baal's prophets were be-
ing massacred by a rebellious people.
Then Jezebel, scornfully ignoring
her husband. and indicated, what
rel may have happened to her proph-
cts, in the intesity of her rage, bound
herself by an oath like that of the
forty Jews who bound themselves
that they would not eat or drink till
they had slain Paul and sent a mes
senger unto Elijah. She felt that
Elijah was in her power. He fled
and his servant went with him.
Elijah was a brave man If ever
there was one, but he was not a Drag
gadocio. He was brave enough to let
the ignorant think he was a coward.
His going was not a sign of cowar-
dice, bu of wisdom and common
sense. Christ himself babe his dis
ciples, when We are prosecuted ih
M city flee We to another" kindFe
the divine fires elsewhere, and there
shall be two flames instead of one.
Elijah flies only when he has done
the mighty work Of God, and only
when the life is in deadly peril which
he would fain save for future emer-
genc1eS OF service.
He went a days journey into the
wilderness. He would be alone. with
out even his servant, in this Gethsem-
ane, as Christ when he went in his
agony to pray alone. He requested for
himself that he might die. He had
hoped to accomplish the d%eliverance
of the people, but he was terribly dis
appointed. Jezebel still had power.
Heathenism would still flourish. All
his efforts had been but trying to dam
Niagara with bulrushes. "All thy bill
lows have gone over me-" He lay
down and slept, utterly worn out, and
God gave his beloved sleep, and
who knows what dreams and visions
shone in the darkness. Rest for mind
and body. God sent him a friend.
Behold, then an angel touched him.
Gods messenger. human or angelic.
More probably the latter, one of the
"ministering spirits. sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs
Of salvation" Elijah's loneliness
was broken. He was not forgotten.
The outward. visible manifestations
of power, whether in the natural or
spiritual world. while necessary in
their time and place, are but the
smaller results of the power that
produced them. For instance, in the
natural world, the storms however
great, express but the slightest effects
of the air, which gives life to all liv-
ing beings. men. beasts, trees. This
world without air would be as dead
the moon.
How feeble the lightning compared
with the silent invisible work of cleo
lighting u cities and homes,
driving our machinery, carrying our
oyer the wires. 1t used to
be thought that the upheaval of the
continents and the rearing of the
great mountains was due to cata-
and CONGREGATIONS and vast ex-
blossoms of volcanic force. 1t has
long been known that they are due
only in part to these, but chiefly to
the ~inconceivably slow notifications
produced by water. and air and heat.
So long as all real progress in re-
1igion, in reform, in the coming of
the kingdom of God, lies always in a
change of will, of character, SO long
the change must be made by motives.
and moral influences, not by force.
"The lion shall lie down with the
but only when the lions ma
ture is SO changed that 1t loves to
eat grass like the OK, and does not
want to eat the lamb.
Elijah was to return, not yet to
Israel, but around it to the wilder
ness of Damascus. Damascus was on
the borders of the desert. Here he
would be beyond the dominions of
Ahab. He was not for the present to
enter into the scene Of danger, but
to do his work from without. Gradu-
ally better times came; and we find
him in the kingdom, arc the schools
of the prophets f1o%urishing. Anoint.
It was customary to set apart, by
amounting kings and prophets. 1t Oft
en- means merely to set apart for
some special service Of God.
Hazael was known as the conf
Dental officer OF Benhadad, king
Of Syria at that time. He was set
apart to be the instrument of punish
Israel for their sins. He vas
etorm and the fire that went be-