Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-01

h1IBR@kYN J.
5lRBER'lN'Aff
IM'' '.BlBLE. STUDIES
AND A HALF YEARS
WITHOUT RAIN.
Kinas t7:1. f6-February 5.

u
| They that seek fhe Lord shall not
\want any good thing."-Psa. $40.
Elijah the Prophet was Gods mes
senger for reproving King Ahab,
Jezebel his wife. and the ten tribes of
| Israel who supported them. As we
have seen wickedneSs and idolatry
| fiourished for time with national
prosperity. Then there came a
change. a drouth Tor three and half
years-a special dispensation OF Di-
vine providence retribution OF pun
ishment upon Israel. We do not wish
TO convey the thought that every
drouth. famine, pestilence. etc, should
be considered a judgment from the
Almighty. The whole world is under
Divine sentence or condemnation OF
DEATH and God permits cyclones.
earthquakes drouth. famine, pesti-
lenees, without sending them. except
that in general way they stand re-
lated to the present reign of sin and
death, as of the curse not yet lifted.
But in the case of Israel matters
were different At Mt. Sinai Israel
entered into Covenant relationship
with God and he with them. The
special terms of that Covenant were
that God should deal with their nation
differently than with others-that ne
would treat them as his people ana
protect them from the evils incidental
to the curse, il they would serve ana
obey him. Under that compact not
only We're they to receive blessings IL
faithful but equally they were sure to
receive stripes, puniShments. If they
were disobedient and forsook the LORD
and their share Of the Covenant. The
three and a half years famine des-
cribed in this study was, therefore, IN
Israel's case, specifically rebuke from
the Lord.
This is the Specification of the
Lords statement through the Prophet.
rs there evil in the city and the Lord
hath not done it," Some have mis-
| takenly interpreted this to mean that
God holds himself responsible for all
the moral evils of mankind. Quite to
the contrary, the Lord declares re-
specting his own government that
| His way is perfect.'> The word evil
| in this text is old style English. signi-
flying any disaster or trouble or Attic
ton With the Israelites God wished
it to be clearly understood that be was
reSDbnStDic. Dotfl LOT their b'cSSi'Ss
and for their fluctuations. all of which
were intended TO purity them.
Elijah the Prophet.
Under Divine guidance. Elijah, at
the appropriate time. presented him
| self to King Ahab, clothed according
to his custom. in exceedingly plain
garments. In the name of the Lord
he reprOved the king for the idolatries
practised in his Kingdom and an
nounced what the king doubtless con-
| sidered a vain boast: namely, that
| there would be neither rain nor dew in
the land of Israel until Elijah would
| command it. And the drouth came as
the Prophet of the Lord predicted.
AS months grew into years and the
droutli> continued. the king caused
search to be made for Elijah. with a
view to either entreating or threatens
| ing him, to the intent that the drouth
might be broken. But Elijah, under
the Lords direction. secreted himself
near the Brook Cherith. where the
ravens brought him food morning and
evening until the brook dried up and.
iinder the Lords direction, Elijah. went
:ffs ;s.ft
While this story that the ravens 20