Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-01-13
LESSON FOR JANUARY IS
ELiJAH's cHAErENeE~ or sAAL
WORSHIP.

LESSON TEXT Kings fs:ra@
GOLDEN TExT-This is the victory
that overcometh the world, even our
faith.-I John 6:4.
REFERENCE MATERIALr-Josh. "a:
H-28: Eph. s:10-0.
PRIMARY TOPIC-God Answers Eli
tah's prayer
JUNIOR ToPIC-one Man Against Four
Hundred and Fifty. ,4. u.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
--Jehovah's Victorious Champion.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Modern Evils; How to Fight Them.
I. Elijah Meets Ahsb fvv. 17-19).
At the Lords. command, Elijah
shows himself to Ahab. When Elijah
was last seen by Ahab, he announced
that rain would only be given BY his
word (17:1). In connection with the
Prophets appearing before the. king.
rain was promised.
4. Ahab's question-"Art thou he
that troubleth Israel?" ". ID. Ahab's
aim was to intimidate Elijah--to awe
him into submission.
2. Elijahs answer ". 1S). He de-
MED the charge and boldly declared
that the calamity which had befallen
| the nation was caused by the idolatry
Of Ahab and his family
| u. Eiijah's chaIisnae (Ev. 1924.
1. The people assembled (vv. 49,
20). The king convened the people At
the urgent request Of ElijaF. Is.
2. Elijah's ringing call 70 decision
(vv. 21-2N. e(1) The QUESTION. asked !,
Who is your God. Baa, or the Lord7
| ". 21).- Many Of the people had not
| wholly forsaken God, They attempted
to worship both Coz and Baal- Many
today are balting between two opin-
ions; they are talting between self
! and God-sin 4 "a holiness msInmon
and God. But ne question must be
settled sooner or iSter. In fact the
decision Is being :-.ade every day. (2)
The silence Of the people ". 21).
This may have been because Of fear
Of the king or ignorance, for many
were Of the opinion that to be re-
ligious was the only thing necessary.
Irrespective Of the being worshiped.
| (3) The method Of decision wv. 22-24).
| Two sacrifices were to be provided.
one to be offered to Baal, the other to
God. The god who answered by fire
was to be the God. The people con-
sented that this was a fair test.
| III. The Test Applied (vv. $500.
/. The offering by the prophets OF
Baal (vv. 25-29). Elijah gave fair
test. even placed the advantage on
the other side. He gave the prophets
Of Baal the first opportunity to prove
to the people as 10 whether Baal was
a real god. Elijah taunted them, and
they more earnestly cried to ,Baal,
| but no answer came. 49, Il. es.sa.4
| 2. The Offering by Elijah (vv, 3A-39).
| ID The people invited near ". 30).
His object was for them to see the
| entire proceedings in order to fully
grasp the genuineness Of the test. (2>
The altar repaired (vv. 30-32). Be
| fore there can be the power of God
manifested, the altar must be repaired.
Elijah took twelve stones, represent
| ing the united nation. God Is one,
and His people is one. (3) The offer
ing on the altar wv. 1880. After the
bullock was In place, he had four bar
rels of water three times emptied
upon the sacrifices and the wood so as
| to fill the trench about the altar. So
sure was Elijah that Gods power was
| sufficient. that he heaped difficulty
upon difficulty. (4) Elijah's prayer
| (vv. 36-3T). (a) It was based upon
| covenants " 36). The foundation upon
| which all real prayer rests is covenant
relationship. 10 Its object was
Gods exaltation w. S6). Elijah was
| jealous for Gods glory-his supreme
desire was to honor and magnify the
Lord. The only thing that he asked
for himself was to be known as Gods
servant. (c) 1t was for the salvation
Of the people ". 37). His heart
/ yearned after Israel. He was most
desirous that they should come to
know God. (5) The result (vv. 3S.
39). (a) The fire Of the Lord fell and
consumed not only the sacrifice, but
the wood, stones ana dust, even lick-
ing up the water In the trench. (b)
Tie people fell on their faces and con-
fessed that the Lord was the God.
~. The Execution Of BaaI'o
/ Prophets ". 40).
The reason for this drastic action
was that Israsl's government was .
theocracy-God was their King. Idola--
| try was treason against the King
These false prophets were traitors to
God and therefore should die.
v. Gods Prophets vtndIcatsd (vv.
41-46j.
4 The proof that Elijah was Gods
prophet was incomplete till rain came.
Israel under his ministry had nov
| turned back to God. and God mado
known 70 them His graciousness