The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1923-05-17
LESSON FOR MAY 20
ELIJAH. THE BRAVE REFoRMER

ELIJAH, THE BRAVE REFoRMER
LESSON TEXT Kings ls:17-4s
GOLDEN TExT-Choose you this day
whom We will serve.-Joshua A15.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Malachi 4:
{. 6; Matthew II IA: 1874: Luke 1:17; John
1:21-26; James 5:17, 18.
PRIMARY TOP1C-Eli1ah and the Poor
Woman.
JUNIOR roPIc-Eli3ah's Wonderful
Victory
INTERMEDIArE AND SENIOR TOPIC
How Elijah Defled Wickedness.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
What Modern Reformers Can Learn
from Elijah.
I. Elijah Meets Ahab. wv. II, 18).
At the Lords command Elijah
showed himself to Ahab. When Eli
jah last was seen by Ahab he an
nounced that rain would only be given
by his word (17:1). In connection
with the prophets appearance before
the king, rain was promised.
/. Ahab's Question. "Art thou ne
that troubleth Israeli" ". I'D. Ahab's
aim was to intimidate Elijah. to awe
him into submission.
2. Elijah's Answer. ". 49,. He
denied the charge and boldly de-
clared that the calamity which had
befallen the nation was caused by
the idolatry Of Ahab and his family.
II. Elljah's Challenge. wv. 1920.
/. The People Assembled. wv. -.
2O). The king convened the people
at the urgent request Of Elijah.
2. Elijah's Ringing Call to Decision
wv. 21-24). ~ The question asked,
"who is your God, Baal or the Lordr'
". Ply. Many Of the people had
not wholly forsaken God. They IT.
tempted to worship both God and
Baal. Many today are haltinE be-
tween two opinions. They are halt
ing between self and Savior, sin and
holiness. mammon and God. (2) The
silence of the people. ". Ply. This
may have been because of fear Of the
king or of ignorance, for many were
Of the opinion that to be religious
was the only thing necessary, ir-
respective of the being worshiped.
There is all the difference between
merely worshiping and really wor-
Shipping God that there Is between
hell and heaven. (3) The method
OF decision wv. 22-24). Two sacri-
fees 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 consented that
this was fair test. Accepted sasri-
fee is the grand and supreme test
by which God is calling upon men
everywhere to make the decision be-
tween Christ and the heather gods.
III. Tho Test Applied. wv. 25-29)
1. The Offering by the Prophets OF
Baal wv. 25-29). Elijah gave the
prophets Of Baal the first opportunity
to prove to the people as to whether
Baal was a real god. The real differ
ence in the issue Of prayer II the
person to whom prayer is made.
2. The Offering by Elijah wv. 80
So). (1) The people invited near
", SO). His object was for them to
zee the entire proceedings in order
TO fully grasp the genuineness Of the
test (2). The altar repairs wv. 30
82,. Elijah took twelve stones repre-
senting the united nation. (S). The
Offering on the altar (vv. S8Ss). A.
ter the bullock was In place he had
four barrels Of water three times
emptied upon the sacrifice and the
wood SO as to all the trench about
the altar. So sure was Elijah that
Gods power was sufficient that hs
heaped difficulty upon dificulty. (4.
Elijah's prayer wv. S6. 87). (a) II
was based upon covenants ". S6),
The foundation upon which all real
prayer rests II covenant relationship
fb) Its object wan Gods exaltation
Il. 88). Elijah was Jealous for Gods
slory. His supreme desire was 1
honor and magnify the Lord. (c) II
was for the salvation Of the people
q. 87). His heart yearned after
Iunel. He was most desirous that
they should come to God. 90 The re-
nit ". 88, SOY. Ia The flre Of the
Lard fell and consumed not only the
saeriAce but the wood. stones and
auat, even Kicking up the water %
~ trench. 3D. Ths peopls fsal on
their faces and confessed that tn
Lord was the God.
w. Ths Gxseutipn u oaai's Preph'
~ (v. 4O).
~ roason fsF this drastic actisn
~ that gIsiAel's government was .
theecracy. God was their king
Z. - ~ <..~,s.<e.. y a~~0na4 t4hn