the people, for idolatry has brought leanness of soul. Ahab and Jezebel have dethroned Jehovah and foisted Baal upon the people. Elijah is true to God and lays the charge boldly to the king. "Thou and thy father's house." Ahab is a type of Satan, who is the cause of all our trouble. Eev. 12:9. The Test of Fire. " The God that an- swereth by fire." Elijah proposes a test that shall prove who is God. Baal was the fire god— the god of fire. His priests were to be gathered together with the king and queen and princes of Israel and all the people. Every advantage was to be given the followers of Baal to prove the value of their faith. Baal had failed to give rain, now let him senu fire. The 850 priests prayed and labored in vain. The gods of the heathen are like the gods of the philosophers; they have eyes but they see not, and ears but they hear not. I Cor. 8:4 and I Cor. 10:19, 20. All day they prayed, they cut themselves with stone, there was no answer. Elijah taunted them. It was a searching test. Elijah stood alone and called upon the God of Israel. Fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. God is a God of fire. Heb. 12:29; Deut. 4:24. Fire is a symbol of God's holiness. Ex. 11:2. God tests everything by fire. I Cor. 3:13-15; II Pet. 3:7-10. The Triumph of Elijah. " The Lord He is God." The people fell on their face; they were broken down before God. Then Elijah slew the false prophets. The claims of the true prophet are vindi- cated. God. is true. This is a picture of the first triumph of God over all His foes. Bev. 19:20. What are the lessons? There is one
of God the return of this soul. Heb. 11:19. He left an example which oth- ers followed. 2 Kings 4:32-35; Acts 9:40. The Lord heard his cry and gave him the desires of his heart. The Proof of Faith. ' ' See, thy son liv- e t h ." The prayer of faith is answered. Jas. 5:15-18. The son lives and is restored to his mother. The mother accepts it as a token that Elijah is indeed God's messenger. John 2:11; John 3:2. So the faith of Elijah strengthened the faith of the widow. Miracles are never wrought for display or to excite the wonder of people, but are intended to attest the Word of God and the worker. The widow might well trust the prom- ise that the oil and meal would not waste until the rain came, verse 14. We may well believe that the souls of be- lievers who sleep shall inhabit their bodies again. The three-fold prayer of Elijah corresponds to the three-fold prayer of our Lord. Matt. 26:44.
LESSON XVI. Sunday, October 16th, 1910. Elijah's Victory Over Baal. I Kings -18:17-41.
Three years and a half have passed. Elijah has remained in seclusion and security in the home of the widow. Ahab the king has sought in vain for him. AS suddenly as he appeared at first, Elijah again confronts the king. The Troubler of Israel. " A r t thou he that troubleth Israel?" There has been trouble enough in Israel. An awful drought has brought ruin and disaster upon the land, but something far worse has happened to
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