Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-09-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR sept. 5
SECURED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE
BANNER FOR ITS MANY
READERS
ACCORDING TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text of the Lesson, / Kings XVIII,
30.39.-eMmory Verses, SO, 81
Golden Text, Prov. XIV, 29-Com-
mentary Prepared by Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.

! EHJan hhd been so safely hidden by
| the Lord during the three years that
| though Ahab had searched for him ev-
| found Verse l0D. How safe are those
whom the Lord hides. and all His re-
deemed are hid with Christ In God
! tCOl. Iii. 3; Ex. xxxiii. %; lisa. II. 10;
! Zeph. II. 81. AS 10y the word Of the
Lord he was sent into hiding at Cher
| it'll and Sarepta, so by the same word
he Is now commanded TO shew himself
to Ahab xvii. ,. g: xviii, II. He was
indeed q man of God, Gods represent
ative, acting only for God and in His
name, and, as in the resurrection OF
| the widows son he foreshadowed Him
who Is the resurrection and the life,
so the words ''shew myself" remind
us Of Him who after His resurrection
from the dead Showed Himself alive"
again and again during the forty days
John XXI, l. 4; Acts 1, -.
We are glad TO meet Obadiah, whose
name means servant of Jehovah"
and TO see him saving the life of and
caring for a hundred of the Lords
prophets xviii, 4, 49,. As we see him
the governor of Ahabs house we think
of Joseph in Egypt overseer Of Poti-
phars house Gen. xxx. 10 Good
men are often in difficult places for the
glory OF God AS Obadiah and Ahab
went each his way to search for grass
for the horses Elijah met Obadiah and
told him to tell Ahab that he was on
hand xviii, s, IL, 14. Obadiah was
at first afraid that Elijah might again
disappear. but on being assured that
be would surely shew himself 10 Ahab
he went to meet Ahab and told him,
and Ahab went 10 meet Elijah xviii,
IL, 16). Fearlessly Elijah accused Ahab
Of forsaking the Lord and serving Baal
and ordered him TO gather all Israel
and the prophets of Baal 10 Mount
Carmel, and this Ahab did, for the
word Of the Lord in the mouth Of Eli
jah was with power xviii, 1920.
Elijah boldly demanded OF the people
to decide whether they would follow
Jehovah or Baal and not continue halt
Ing between two opinions. But the
people were dumb. Then he said that.
though he was but one against 400. he
would suggest test and that they
should worship the God who answered
by fire, and 10 this they agreed (21-2b.
He gave the prophets of Baal the first
opportunity. and. following his instruc-
tons, they prepared their sacrifice and
Ill noon, 80 Baal. hear u.s." But there
was no answer Elijah Knocked them
and urged them TO cry louder. saying
that he must be busy or on journey
or perhaps asleep. So they cried aloud.
and leaped upon the altar. and cut
themselves till the blood gushed out.
and kept 1t up till the time Of the
evening sacrifice But 1t was all I'm
vain, for there was no answer of any
kind, and no unseen power regarded
their cries (25-29),
We may wonder why the devil miss
ed such an opportunity TO honor his
worshippers, for the time will come
when he will send fire from heaven
Rev. Kill, 49,, but he can do noughtwith-
surely restrained this time Now con
slider Elijah as he called the people to
him, repaired the altar of the Lord and,
taking twelve stones TO represent the
twelve tribes of Israel, built an altar In
the name Of the Lord, put the wood in
order, prepared the sacrifice and
drenched the whole with twelve bar
rels Of water until the water ran about
the altar and filed the trench C30-3J)
Listen now 10 Elijah talking to his
God not crying aloud nor with frenzy
or demonstration OF any kind, but
calmly. with quietness aud confidence.
Lord God Of Abraham. Of Isaac and
OF israel, let 1t be known this day that
thou art God IN Israel, and that am
thy servant. and that | have done all
these things at they word. Hear me, @
Lord, hear me, that this people may
know that Thou art the Lord God and
that Thou hast turned their heart back
again.
How the great multitude must have
listened to this simple prayer and how
intently they watched this lonely man
of God! We, too, have been watching
him and listening to him talking to his
God, the God Of Israel, the only living
and true God, and now behold the an
swer, "Then the fire of the Lord fell
and consumed the burned sacrifice and
the wood and the stones and the dust
and licked up the water that was In
the trench" How can we refrain from
shouting Jehovah, He is the God?"
Oversees 36-39) And we must add:
"Who is like unto Thee, o Lord. among
the gods? Who Is like Thee, glorious
in holiness. fearful In praises, doing
wondersT' eek. XIV, H. Quickly were
the prophets OF Baal slain, and Elijah |
said to Ahab. There Is a sound OF |
abundance Of rain" Then Elijah went |
to the top of Carmel to pray, and II |
was patient. earnest, .persevering pray
er, for the servant went seven times to
- l.. IL o