574
September 1927
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
fire from heaven or transmit the Holy Spirit (v. 29). The prayer that carries fire into heaven will bring down fire from heaven (v..36).- If God does not send down fire, it is of no use for Christians to try to light a fire. —o— S uggestive Q uestions Are the true messengers of God quite apt to be called “troublers” ? (V. 17; cf. Acts 16:20; 17:6; 24:5.) Does God ever tolerate compromise? (V. 21; cf. Josh. 24:15; Matt. 12:30.) To whom were the prophets of Baal in reality sacrificing? (V. 25; cf. 1 Cor. 10: 20 .) If we would experience the power of the true God, what must we do? (V. 30; cf. Jas. 4:8; Heb. 10:22.) Is it necessary to go through all kinds of antics to attract the attention of the true God? (V. 36; see Psa. 145:18.) Of what is'fire the Scriptural emblem here? (Gen. 3:24; Ex. 3:2; 19:18; Heb. 12:29.) What similar . effect did fire from heaven have on another occasion? (V. 39; cf. Acts 2:37.) —o— G olden T ext I llustration . Choose you this day whom ye will serve (Josh, 24:15). A wealthy man residing in London, on one of his birthdays invited his servants into the house to receive gifts, “What will you have,” he asked, addressing the hostler, “this Bible or a five-pound note?” “I would take the Bible,” he replied, “but I can’t read, so I think the money will do me more good.” “And you?”?fie asked the gardener. “My wife is ill, so I sadly need the money,” responded the gardener. “Mary, you can read,” said the man turn- ing to his cook. “Will you have this Bible?” “I can read,” she said, “but I never get time to look into a book, and the money will buy me a fine dress.” Next was the chambermaid; but she had one Bible and did not want another. Last came the errand boy. “My lad,” said the benefactor, “will you take the five pounds and replace your shabby clothes by a new suit?” “Thank you,” said the lad, “but mother used to read to me that the law of the'Lord was better than thousands of gold and silver. I will have the Bible.”. “God bless you,: my boy, and may your choice prove riches. and honor and long life to you!” As the lad received the Bible and unclasped its ‘covers, a bright gold piece rolled to the floor. Quickly turning its pages, he found them thickly interleaved with ’ bank notes. The four servants, discovering their mistake, hasti ly departed. He who makes choice of God and His Word wins not only a life of heart satisfaction in this world, but life abundant and eternal. pORMA CLUB Get five subscribers for the K. B. in y o u r Sunday School and get the Club rate of $1.00 a year in U. S. or $1.25 foreign. ,
\ 7 30. Elijah means “Jehovah is God.” ' All Hebrew names are significant (cf. Nathan, which means “He gave”).
“Cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it upon the wood." This offering seems to have been a whole burnt offering to God. The whole burnt offerings symbolized and typified Christ’s complete surrender to do the will of God. He calls upon all of His people to make the full and com plete sacrifice (Rom. 12:1, 2), which re quest is for our spiritual service. Full surrender again is seen in Heb. 12:1, 2 in the laying aside of every weight. V. 34. “And he said, Do it the second time -, . . the third time," False wor ship has- throughout the ages been bol stered up by deception and fraud in va rious ways. Water was freely poured upon the sacrifice to prove conclusively that there was no fire concealed. The re ligion of God has never used false or deceptive methods to gain the credence of the people. Christianity, as well as Judaism, is based upon cold, hard, his torical facts which over and over again have been proved to the thorough satis faction of honest, intelligent inquirers in accordance with thè canons of historical criticism. Water was poured thrice to remove every possibility of the claim that decep tion was practised. God has given over whelming proof concerning the truths of His Word and Christianity. “I f any man wills to do the will of God, he shall know of the teaching.” V. 36. “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening obla tion." Elijah conformed his worship to the written will of God. God had ex pressed Himself in His Word, which is exalted above His name (Psa. 138:2) ; hence Elijah respected same (cf. 1 Sam. 15:23). While obedience is required, one is not to become a slave to ritualism (cf. Ho- sea 6 :6). “O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob ,”—a Hebrew expres sion current at the time, -because God re vealed Himself first to these men. “Let it be known” :, (1) "That Thou art God in Israel.” God usually hides Himself (Isa. 45:15), but in time of crises He lays bare His holy arm (Isa. 26:1; Hab. 1:5; Acts 13: 41; Isa. 5:19, 20). Though'He in bodily* visible: form tis;^.absent from us, He is everywhere (Psa. 139; Eph. 4:5 f.). -In the future He will manifest Himself in glory in the person of the Hebrew Mes siah (Zeph. 3:14-16; Zech. 2:14-17). ! (2) “I am Thy servant." Elijah’s de sire to be recognized as God’s servant was not that special honor might be bestowed upon him, but that they might give heed to the message of God which he was speaking, receiving “the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as if is in truth, the word of God" (1 Thess. 2:13). It is a great blessing to be in close touch with a real, true, out-and- out servant of God to whom one may go for counsel and advice, praise and prayer. Since Satan transforms himself into an angel of light one must be cautious to whom he goes. The earmarks of a true servant of God are seen in Isa. 8:20; 2 Tim. 4:1 f. ; Gal; 5 :22, their conception of Christ and the Holy Scriptures, together with their attitude toward them, being the final test (Jno. 8:24; 3:16). (3) “I have done all these things at Thy word.” God loves obedience—implicit obedience. Service rendered in disobe-
me." This invitation to come near, to rea son together (Isa. 1: 18), is similar to the great prophet’s invi tation to his idola trous brethren (Isa. 43:9; 45:20). ' “He repaired th e altar.” The w o r d translated “repaired” literally m e a n s to
“Come near unto
“heal.” Satan, the prince of this world, working through the sons of disobedience (Eph. 1:2), was the cause of the tearing down of God’s altar. >The altar was the means of approach to God prior to Christ’s coming, hence Satan’s destruc tion of the same. Christ is now) our Altar (Rom. 3:25;1 Jno. 2:2), as well as our Sacrifice (Heb. 8:1-5). No man can approach God in any other way (Acts 4: 12;. Jno. 14:6). Satan tore down our altar—entered Judas Iscariot and others who occas ioned- His death—but God “repaired” the same, raising Him from the dead. V. 31. Elijah took twelve stones” and' erected an altar. The twelve: stones re presented the twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Num. 13:1-6), where twelve spies.;were selected to investigate the Promised Land). After crossing the Jordan, Josh- •ua set up twelve stones as a memorial al tar for the twelve tribes (Josh. 4:1-7). These twelve stones were builded into ONE altar, which fact may be considered as a beautiful spiritual lesson . teaching that the different nationalities of the earth may be built, when they accept Christ, into one spiritual building. This unity, of the believers of all nations is seen under a different figure in John 10: 16 (cf. Jno.! 17:20, 21). In the “age to come," millennium (Eph. 1 :10, 21), there will be unity of the twelve tribes (Ezek. 37) and of the entire world, religiously speaking (Isa. 2:1-4; Zech. 14: 16-21). “The word of Jehovahi ll-not the word of man (cf. Zech. 7:12; Matt. 10:19, “how or what ye shall speak ” ; 1 Cor. 2: 13; 2 Pet. 1:21). Men’s thoughts and words differ from God’s (Isa. 55:8, 9). Jacob means “supplanter"; I s r a e l , “prince of God.” V.- 32. “He built an altar in the name of Jehovah.” God’s work is to be done according to His instructions (cf. Gen. 6:22; Heb. 8:5). “In the name of Jehovah.” This ex pression varies in different connections with such expressions as “upon the name,” “unto the name” of Jehovah or Lord. The name of the Lord is a sign or symbol of His very being, existence and charac teristics (see Ex. 23:21; 34:5, 6) ;• hence to do a thing in the name of the Lord is to do it by His authority as His repre sentative. God raised up our altar (Acts 2:24 f.). “He made a trench about the altar” to retain the water which was poured upon the sacrifice. V. 33. “He put the wood in order.” God is a God of order, and He wants all of His work done decently and in order (1 Cor. 14:40). This characteristic of God is seen in Deut. 32:4, which affirms that God’s works are' perfect. The world was created a cosmos and not a chaos (Isa. 45:18).
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker