Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-15
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
For May 20, 1928
BY DIR. MARION NIGH. HULL


ton of Elijah's faith-he staked his
life on his faith; if the water hadn't
been poured on there might have
been said there was some trick
about it; if the fire hadn't come, Eli
jah would have been slain. He stalk
ed his life on his God; if he hadn' t
would he have had any faith at all?
If you are not willing to put all
you have into it, do you really be-
lieve in it?
Then he prayed for rain. 1t dldn t
come at once; but he knew it would
come, so he prayed on. When lie
saw the cloud the size of a man
hand he stopped praying, and went
to warn Ahab, and then with super
human strength ran before him
down the hillside, across the valley
Of Esdraelon and up the mountain
side to the gates of Jezreel He
knew the rain was coming, and that
they would not be able to get across
the valley after it began to rain, and
sQ)he led the way. Ma gnificent DEM
onstration of faith.
His Detection and Return
Even such faith as Elijah's be-
comes clouded at times-he was a
Llldu, al IIidu OI HE ptlSSIO1Io as Olti
selves. We might have feared to
hope that we could exercise such
faith as his had he not had the fol-
lowing experience: The very day
after his Carmel experience he took
to his heels, running from Jezebel.
Four hundred prophets of Baal didn't
scare him, but one woman with a
painted face did!
&c In0 If
exhausted; the Carmel experience
and the long run to Jezreel tired him
out, and his hasty fight to the south
utterly exhausted him. A tired man
is not a normal man. He was dis
couraged; after his success at Car
mel, he thought Baal worship would
be wiped out at once and God be
given His rightful place. JezebePs
threat therefore shocked him, What S
the use? he asked himself. He was
lonely; he thought he was the only
one who feared God. You see he had
been shut off from everyone at
Chcrith and Zarephath. He didn't
know Of the 1900 who had not bowed
the kneeNo Baal. He was thorough
ly inconsiStent-he was running for
his life yet praying to die!
Yet see how gracious God was to
him. He gave him sleep; then food /;
then sent holy pilgrinlages-to Ho-
reb where the law had been given to
Moses; then gave him a vision Of
Himself. That theophany taught
Elijah that God has other ways of
accomplishing His purpose than one.
Elijah didn't know any other way
than force; it was in the still small
voice that God was heard on Horeb
Law cannot win; it is love that con
quers. God was showing Elijah, too,
+ that he was not necessary-God
alone is necessary. He is the only
workman.
When Elijah heard the still small
voice, he came to the door of the
cave 1t was the first time he had
| failed to obey the word of Jehovah
! Immediately. Now he has his next
order: Return. Go right back tC
the place from which you ran; and
do this-anoint Elisha, and Jehu, and
Hazael. God graciously sent him
back to his work, gave him work to
| do, and a friend to work with him
so that he might never be lonely
again.
His End
Elijah anointed Elisha and had his
companionship for ten years. There
are only two references to him in
! that time. Six years went by, and he
was ordered to go and pronounce
Ahab's doom because of his judicial
murder of Nabath. He obeyed at
once as of old. 1t was dangerous,
but he regarded not his life when
\ God gave orders.
After Ahab's death, his son Aha
ziah succeeded him, and proved e
weak and wicked son of a wicked
mother and a weak father. Elijah
Was sent to intercept messengers he
had sent to Baal,Ekaon, in the LAND
of the Philistines. The old fire was
! still with him; and two captains OF
fifty and their men were consumed
The third fifty were spared; but
Ahaziah learned from Elijah that
there was a God in Israel, and he
didn't have to send to an idol in
Phlistia.
Elijah's work on earth was near
ly finished. His heart turned to his
old home in Gilead. On his way he
visited the schools of the prophets
at Gi!gal and at Jericho. He want
cd to be alone, but Elisha wouldn't
lGdN6 IIIII1. OII lIlG OIllSI SlCS vi
Jordan he asked Elisha what he
wanted, and Elisha asked that he
might be given the eldest sons por.
tion-to be his successor.
While they were speaking char
lot of fire and horses Of fire ap
pearcd, and Elijah went up into
heaven by a whirlwind.
His end? He had no end. He
had been accustomed all of his life
to go when God said go. His last
journey was by Gods direction, and
he still lives. 1t was in the spirit
of the power of Elijah that Elisha
took up the unfinished task. It was
in the spirit and power Of Elijah
that John came to announce the
first coming Of the Christ. 1t was
on the mount of TRANSPORTATION that
he himself appeared with Moses tC
talk with Jesus about His exodus
that He was soon to accomplish
at Jerusalem.
A vacant chair is set for him in
every Jewish home when the rite