true God, who was ministered to by the fowl of the air; who could shut or open the windows of heaven at will. 3. The brook failed, but the Lord did not fail. He could have brought w a t er f r om the rocks, Num. 20:11; b ut He had other resources and other plans, 1 Kgs. 17:8, 9. 4. He brings help from most unexpected sources, 1 Cor. 1:27- 29; (1) "water out of the flinty rock," Psa. 78:16. (2) Food from the ravens, unclean birds, yet used to feed a Nazarlte; thievish birds, yet sharing their plunder; carnivor- ous birds, yet bringing the flesh and grain with it. Or was it some miraculous, an- gelic food, like the manna, Ex. 16:15; the fish on the shore, Jno. 20:9; or the n u t r i- tious meal under the juniper tree? 1 Kgs. 19:5, 6. (3) Refuge and entertainment in Jezebel's own fatherland, 1 Kgs. 16:31; 17:9. (4) A table for many months spread by a poor widow who was on the verge of star- vation! "Who h a th known the mind of the Lord? Or who h a th been His counsellor?" Rom. ,11:34. " T r u st in H im at all times," H is opportunity is our extremity. We make our prayer and measure our expectation by the probability, or apparent possibilities. These have nothing to do with it. "All things are possible with God," Mark 10:27, and the most improbable is the most prob- able. If you have spurned favor from God you will be expected to exercise special faith In God. The Lord takes care of His own. "Thy bread shall be given thee, and thy water shall be sure," Isa. 33:16. "In the day of famine they shall be satisfied," Psa.' 37:19. "The righteous are ijever forsaken," Psa. 37:25. In the wilderness and in the widow's home God supplied all his need. The- oil of the Spirit and the meal of His Word are better t h an the food from - the king 's table. In daily dependence upon His Divine care we learn the lessons which fit us for further service. No - m a t t er through - w h at channels our needs are supplied, the claws of a bird or the hand of a widow, they all come by H is grace and from H is gracious hand. H e ' a l so serves who only stands and waits. Daily touch with the- throne encouraged Elijah to exercise- supernatural power in the rais- ing of the dead. A m an may be limited in his sphere of service, but there is no limit to his influence if he lives for God. I. BETWEEN THE LESSONS. See how it f a r es with them who t r u st the Lord, Psa. 84:11; in danger He hides {hem, 1 Kgs. 18:4; in famine He feeds them, Psa. 33:19; in exile He favors, Dan> 1:9; in blessing He ma k es t h em a blessing. Gen. 12:2. Better t h an fill the cruse and replenish the barrel, H e causes t h at they never go empty. Give us the cruse and the bin t h at never fail; others may have the mouldering surplus. Wealth takes wings, Pro. 23:5; God's daily morsel is self-perpetu- atlng. Israel had no famine in the Wilder- ness. God gave the portion of. a day in its day. It was a f t er silver was as stones JEHOVAH VERSUS BAAL. 1 Kgs. 18:1-40.
IX. COMPENSATION. Cups of cold water given to a disciple get their reward. .Note: . 1. The widow recognized Elijah as a prophet of Jehovah. 2. She believed God's word through the prophet, Gentile though she was. 3. She gave him the cup though the w a t er was scant. 4. She did more t h an share her last crust; she gave him all, 1 Kgs. 17:13-15. 5. At his word she went back to her empty "cruse" and "barrel" t o ma ke another. 6. She found a fresh supply. 7. She found it every day as did Israel in the Wilderness, as we have all our lives. Shall we please the Lord by the same charity and the same faith, in the same hope, with Elijah's loyalty and Elijah's courage? ' Let me tell you a story about one of God's ravens. A pious widow whose barrel w as empty, knelt with her children and prayed to the God of Elijah. There was a knock a t the door. The little son opened it and there stood an old gentleman dressed in a black suit. "Are you God's raven ?" cried the boy. "Wh at do you m e a n ?" said the old gentleman. "Wh y ," w as the reply, "we have no bread and mother prayed t h at God would send His ravens t h at we might be fed." "Yes," said the visitor, "I am God's raven." It is worth while to be an humble lay- m an like Eli • ha and bear a message f r om the King of Kings. Any man ought to be able to go fresh from the presence of God and look an earthly potentate in the face and say, " T h us saith the Lord." Faith makes a man fearless. Elijah was a man of like passions, yes, but also of unlike passions. For he had a passion for service. The t r u th is -not popular. No crowd cheers a pessimist, but truth is mighty and must prevail. God gives power for testimony and patience in testing. It was easier to tell an unpleasant tale' to Ah ab t h an it was to take food from a carrion bird: When Elijah shut up the heavens he. shut off his h uman source of supplies,, but he did not shut out God. The lonely life of the prophet by the brook is more remarkable t h an his meteoric message to Ahab. The Lord spoke as the sovereign of the universe through Elijah, but he be- came the shepherd to Elijah. He did not want. in the streets of Jerusalem t h at famine failed. "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked," Deut. 32:15. Geo. Mueller's board was never bare. H js multitudes of orphans fed there sixty years. They "lived from hand to mouth," because the hand was God's hand, and no "middle-man" between. F r om mouth to hand, because they asked and God gave. Hudson Taylor would have no fund but God's promise, and his a r my of mission- aries were supplied. II. ELIJAH AND THE DEAD. Jehovah can keep alive In famine, and bring alive from death. Baal could do neither. Wh at Israel rejects the Gentile? M i fe J f f i ^ meat," Mat. 15:27; Rom 11.11, 12. 1. The widow's son fell sick and
Pith and Pivot—T. C. H.
Lesson for February 12, 1911
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs