many years. At last the time came when God told David that Solomon, David’s son, was soon to become the king. David gathered the rulers of the Jews together and told them the news. He told them that he had wanted to build a beautiful temple in which the people might worship God, but God had told him that Solomon was to build the temple when he became king. To Solomon David said: "Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind . . . the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary [place of worship]: be strong, and do it.” David gave to his son the pattern of all that he was to build in the temple. Have you lived near a house or store that was in the process of be* ing built? How noisy the workmen were as they hammered, sawed, threw planks, and moved their ma terials! Your family often wished that the building was finished so that the noise would cease. Can you imagine how surprised you would have been if the building had gone up without any sound at all? God’s Word tells us about a beautiful stone temple which David’s son, King Solomon, had built with out the sound of a single hammer, ax, or any other iron tool! The stones were cut and prepared to be fitted together before they were brought to the place where the tem ple was to be built. As the temple was being built, God spoke to Sol omon and promised to bless him and the children of Israel greatly if they would obey Him and serve Him faithfully. For seven years the workmen built the temple. What a beautiful place of worship it was! God has work for you to do for Him. Will you, too, serve Him will ingly and faithfully?
MAY 11 1947 BEING LOYAL TO TRUE RELIGION 1 Ki. 18:20,21, 30-39
Outline and Exposition T he C hallenge by E lijah (1 Ki. 18:20,21) When told to assemble his proph ets, Ahab may have thought Elijah was about to admit that he was mis taken, and so he called his prophets together. If Elijah would admit he was wrong, it would show that Ahab was right, and also please Jezebel, who had brought idolatry to IsraeL But Elijah soon revealed that he spoke for God to whom alone loyalty was demanded. A clear-cut decision was necessary if the people were to have God’s blessing. They had to make a definite choice between Baal and the true God; they could not have part of both. God despises in decision. "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Ki. 18:21). "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:16). Loyalty to God demands being altogether on the right side of the fence; there is no place on the fence that pleases God; he would rather have out-and-out rejection than a divided loyalty. T he R ecognition of G od (18:30-37) Elijah recognized God’s purpose in Israel by building the altar of twelve stones, indicating the twelve tribes (w. 30-32). Even in the face of the division among them, the twelve tribes remained one nation in the sight of God (Acts 26:7). He recognized God's power (w. 32-35). A trench was made around the altar and quantities of water poured over the entire offering until even the trench was filled. Elijah was manifesting faith in God’s power. Such faith is needed today— faith that proves God rather than faith that waits for proof of God. He recognized God as the living God (w. 36, 37). Elijah’s purpose was to reveal this God as the true God, then to secure witness to himself as the opposer of Baal, and finally to move the people to return to this true God. T he E ffect U pon the P eople O 8:38,39) They had treated his exhortation with silence (v. 21 ) but now they "saw” and acknowledged that “the Lord, he is the God.” But real faith was absent; it was simply that they could not deny what they "saw." There was no confession of their sin, and shortly they were ready to tum back to their Baal worship. This was at last their undoing and brought about the final captivity.
Points and Problems “Mount Carmel" (1 Ki. 18:20). The story and the site agree perfectly. No scene in the land of Israel could have been more suitable than this for what took place on the occasion described in this lesson. The name Carmel means “Garden of God”; the beauty of the place justifies this name. The way in which today al most everything about the moun tain refers to Elijah's experience there furnishes added evidence of the accuracy of the story. The whole mountain is now called Mar Elias from the prophet’s name. The visible remains of an old and massive square structure are named El Muhrakkah, "the burning," quite likely the site of Elijah’s altar. A perennial well of water is still there. Elijah’s grotto is pointed out to the traveler. The "garden of Elijah” is shown and certain stones and fossils on the mountain are called “Elijah’s fruits.” Then, at the foot of the mountain is the river Kishon, the scene of the slaying of the prophets of Baal. Truly, as Farrar says, the whole mountain murmurs with Eli jah’s name. The record and the geo graphical region are in full agree ment. "How long halt ye between two opinions t ” (18:21). The American Revised Version contains a more graphic translation: “How long go ye limping between the two sides?" In matters of religious faith, one can not be on two sides; one is either a Christian, or he is not a Christian. As in Elijah’s day, men must choose between two masters, two deaths, two resurrections, two judgments, two destinies, etc. Duty is clearly marked. There can be no appeal from this responsibility. “Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord Cod“ (18:36). Note the simplicity of Elijah’s prayer to God in contrast with the pleadings and contortions of the prophets of Baal. In order to gain the ear of God the Father, His children do not have to work themselves into an emotional state, lacerate their bodies, or shout unceasingly into the heavens. Prayer, as illustrated by the prophet, is sim ply asking God for what is needed and trusting Him for the answer. “Then the fire of the Lord fell" (18:38), The word then needs to be emphasized. When certain conditions p r e v a i l e d , God manifested His power. When there was a desire to see God magnified, when there was a longing to see false gods over thrown, when a man who loved God prayed, then the fire fell. It still falls when these conditions are met by God’s people. T H E K I N G 'S B U S I N E S S
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