Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-14
GOLDEN TEXT: 'This is the VIC
tory that OvercOmeth the world,
even Oil. faith - I ,Inn. I'D.

tory that OvercOmeth the world,
even our faith" / JnO. 54.
When God hides a man his enc
! mics can not find him. Ahab had
been looking for Elijah in every
country he could think of, and when
he had not been able to find him
there he had taken a pledge of the
king that he knew nothing Of his
whe1 abcuts. All the time Elijah
had been safely hidden and amply
provided for every -ay by God, at
the brook Cherith and then in the
widows home in Zarephath. Ahab
wanted him because he was laying
the blame for their present condi-
ton of fire famine on Elijah, not
realizing that he himself was the
trouble Of Israel. It is so natural
to blame other people, and has been
ever since Adam blamed Eve.
After three years, God told Elijah
to get out of his retirement and to
go and show himself to .Ahab. If
Elijah evt1 guessed the danger of
such proceeding, he did not hest
tate a moment, but started right
back to Samaria. On the way he
met Obadiah. Ahab and Obadiah
had gone out on a hunt for water
and grass to keep all of the royal
stock from starving to death. Oba-
diah was the governor of Ahab's
house, his prime minister. He was
man who feared the Lord greatly,
and had shown it by secretly hiding
and providing for 100 of the Lords
prophets when Jezebel had given
the order for all of them to be slain
In spite of this it is hard to see
how he himself had escaped Jezebels
sword if he had ste l out four
square for God in that heather
court. 1t is but another evidence
Of Ahab's strange duplicity-prob-
ably, the worst king of Israel in
leading Israel into idolatry and yet
naming all Of his children after Je-
hovah, and selecting as his prime
minister q man who feared Jeho-
yah greatly! Obadiah, however, was
out Of place, he would have been far
more true to- God if he had cut loose
from all of those heath n assoc;a-
lions. .
Elijah Meets Ahab
Ahab and Obadiah divided the
land between them, and on the
way, Elijah met Obadiah, and was
recognized by him. Obadiah was
panic-stricken when Elijah told him
to go tell his lord Ahab, Behold,
El:+~h" He knew how much Ahab
wanted Elijah; he knew how hard
he had searched for him; he knew
how ang"-r ''@"b would be if Elijah
slipped from his fingers and he
knew his own life would be taken if
he gave such a message and then
did not find Elijah when he came
and Obadiah was reasonably sure
the Spirit of God would carry Eli
jah out of Ahab's grasp. This in
dicates that impression about Eli
iah that was currer+ in court cir
cles. He was supposed to be living
a charmed life. AS a matter of fact
he was; but the same kind of charm
ed life that you may live today if
you are in close fellowship with
God. He will keep you, too; you
are invulnerable until your work is
done. E!'iah. however, treasured
him: GAS Jehovah Of hosts liveth,
before whom 1 stand, I will surely
show myself unto him today" Eli
jah was not afraid of Ahab, for he
was still standing in the presence
of Jehovah. When he appeared
first he had said, GAS Jehovah God
of Israel liveth, before whom l
stand" Il Kings 17:D; this time it
is GAS Jehovah Of hosts liveth be-
fore whom stand" 1t was his re-
lationship to God, standing in His
presence, that made Elijah the man
he was. 1t was Jehovah's different
relationships that made his mes
sages vibrant with power. Jehovah
God of Israel stops the rain because
Israel needs to know they have for
saken Him for other gods that are
not gods at all. Jehovah of hosts
gives courage to Elijah who fears
therefore nothing from all the hosts
of Ahab.
So Elijah meets Ahab, not only UNI
afraid but absolute master Of the
situation. He not only denies the
accusation of Ahab, but boldly &C.
Cuses the king himself of being the
cause of all Of Israel's present dis
tress. And then he orders Ahab to
gather all Israel and the prophets
of Boal and the prophets of the
groves to him-to Elijah, on Mt.
Carmel! And Ahab obeys! The OBJ
scure proDhc+ of God has the power
full and luxury loving king execut-
ing his orders like lackey!
The day has come; all Israel is
gathered together on Mount Carmel;
the people and the king are in SYM
pathy with the prophets of Boal. Eli
iah stands alone, yet in the majority
for God and one make a majority.
He addresses the people: How long
will you continue to sop from one
twig to another? If Jehovah be God
then follow Him; if Boal e "f /,
then follow him.
His question represented them as
wounded birds, hopping from one
twig to another. but unable to soar
into the blue as they would If they
were not wounded. God wanted Is
rael to rise to heights undreamed of,
to soar hig IS heaN er itself. In
d Israel was just opping from
one twig to anot, r. No wonder the
T pie W siI Mt, aid answered
not a wcrd. It was neither indiffer-
ence, ncr disgust on their p ,rt. but
a constituent and ignorance. They
had no conception of what God plan
T I'd for them. If that question Ell
asked you, could you answer a word?
hoppi.. from one tW!g to
another like bird, or are you soar
il into Gods heights as He intend
ed you should?
Tvs cr--r,I Elijah to issue a chal-