The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1922-01-19

LESSON TEXT Kings 1914.
GOLDEN TEXT waited patiently for
eAae lord; and he inclined unto me, and
AaArd my cry.-Ps 40:1.
REFERENCE MATERIAL Rzek. 2:l-7
Acts H:6-1O: 1s:I-i1
PRIMARY TOPIC-Cod Sends an Angel
20 Help Elijah
JUNIOR ToPiC-God Strengthens Ell.
San
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Jehovah's Champion Encouraged
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
FINDING and Finishing Our Task
This lesson story proves Elijah to
have been man of like passions as
we are (Jas. $40.
!. Elijah's Flight wv. LID. Upon
Ahab's return from the excitement on
Mount Carmel, he told his wife all
that Elijah. had dOne-that even all
Aer prophets had been hewn TO pieces
by the sword. This SO enraged her
Sfaat she sent a message of death to
Asiijah, who seems to have been wait
Sag at the gate wv. i, ~ This was
1aearly a blum on Jezebel's part.
EhOugh Elijah had courageously
stood before the king and the priests
81 Baal, he now covered before this
woman and fed for his life. He seems
10 have failed at his strongest point.
j. Elijah under the juniper tree
9vv. 80. The juniper tree was a
shrub of the desert WHICH afforded
shelter and protection to travellers
from the burning sun by day and the
cold wind by night. "a His request
". -. This was that he might die.
This was, no doubt, foolish thing for
him to say, but let us be as cOnsid-
crate toward him as was God. The
encouragement, and even despOnden-
~, OF Elijah was due TO the nervous
strain of about four years of unusual
service for God, which eliminated
@n Mount Carmel. Such nervous re-
aetaen Is to be expected. (2) Gods
ARaltieT treatment (vv. SD. (a) He
BaRe him sleep ". 81. "He giveth
&Als beloved sleep" (Psa. 1877 ~. (b)
He sent an angel to cook Elijahs
SAeal ivy. 9, y. The angel Of the Lord
- usually understood to be the sec
wRd member of the Holy Trinity. II
ehis be correct, then we see Jehovah
4esus preparing food for His servant
Eiijah, as He afterward did for His
discouraged disciples by GaliIee John
1:19D. God again gave him sleep,
and Mt the proper time again gave him
seed. Though Elijah wanted to die,
BOD had something better for him,
Ger In later day He met him with
1Ae chariot of the Lord" and took
.Aisn TO heaven untouched by death.
q Elijah at Horeb wv. 8-1z).
up Gods interview with Elijah in
she Gave wv. 9, 10Y. (a) Gods Ques-
alien ". 81. what dOest thou here,
AeiijahT' This was a stInglng rebuke,
aAOugh most kindly given. 1t implied
1llat His appointed messenger was
@ow far away from the field of duty
Aeiijah was not where God wanted him,
but God sought him where he was
dow blessed to know that "a God
&0rsakIDg saint is not a God-forsaken
saint J" (b) Elijah's answer ". 1O).
Elijah tried to vindicate himself by
asserting his Jealous loyalty to Cod
that In spite of all this the people
had not only rejected his message
and dishOnored God but had sought
to destroy him. (2) Gods interview
with Elijah on the Mount (vv 11-14}.
While standing before the Lord on
tAe mount, God caused mighty
demonstration of wind, earthquake
sad fire to pass before him to show
MntO him the nature of the work which
he had been doing for God, and to
show him what was lacking in his
work for the fullest attainment OF
sMcoess. Elijah had about him much
Of the whirlwind earthquake and fire.
His work had been terrifying and
alarming, but it lacked in gentieness
md love.
~. EIijah's Return wv. 1919.
Though Elijah had erred, God
brought him again into His service
How comforting to know that God
does not reject His servants because
of their failures in times of despon-
dencyl He deals with them after the
motive Of their hearts. Elijah was
n0urished and instructed by the Lord
and then sent on a high mission. God
is fine psychologist. He took Elijah
out of himself by giving him new
commission. The most healing min
istry is that of work. Many bereaved
ones have been lifted out of them
selves by active ministry to others.
Before God would come in His chariot
to take Elijah home, He set him upon
q threefold ministry:
i. To anoint Hazael king over Syria
w. 15). 'ts
2 To anoint Jehu king over Israel
". 76).
3. To anoint Elisha as his own sue
eessor (vv. 1920.
"