T H E
K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
April-1924
220
I n t e r n a t i o n a l S e r i e s of S u n d a y Sc hoo l L e s s o n s rJY EXPOSITION O F TH E LESSON, - F re d e ric W . F arr J v JY l i m DEVOTIONAL COMM ENT . H - John A. H u b b a rd J U L jL /L f O W J O W J COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTAR IES, V. V. M organ ( J W J . ![ ^ ^ ELEMENTARY, - - - - - M a b el L. M errill ^ **
APRIL IS, 1924 ELIJAH AND THE STRUGGLE WITH BAAL Golden Text: “No man can sérve two masters*****Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” Matt. 6:24. Lesson Text: 1 Kings 16:29 to 19:21; 2 Kings 1:1 to 2 : 12 . Devotional Reading : Psalm 15. Mount Carmel has been called thé finest and most beau tiful mountain in Palestine. At its foot flows “that ancient river Kishon.” Eastward stretches the plain of Esdraelon ending in Tabor and the mountains of Jordan. Far to the northward rise the snowy peaks of Leb- LESSON anon. To the? westward the blue waters EXPOSITION of the Mediterranean meet the, sky. On P. W. Farr that historic plain have been fought some memorable battles. There Barak
they were from the famine and drought they dared not re ject Jehovah. In the presence of Ahab and his host of prophets, they dared not repudiate Baal. Elijah proposed that the matter should be settled by a sacrifice. The God that answered by fire should be the true God. Fire was the element over which Baal was believed by his followers to have especial power. It is supposed that Baal was another name for Apollo or the sun, and he had only to work in his own element. Elijah thus gave the prophets every advantage and the proposal seemed so rea sonable that the people gave it their hearty and unanimous approval. He chose the time of the evening sacrifice to testify his fellowship with the altar at Jerusalem. His prayers in volved first the honor and glory of God and secondly the deliverance of the people; from idolatry and error. Imme
and Deborah overthrew the mighty Sisera and Gideon smote the Midianites. There Saul fled before the Philistines until he fell at Gilboa. There waved the banners of the Cru saders and there gleamed the eagles of Napoleon. On the slope of Carmel in a great nat ural amphitheatre the issue between God and Baal was de cided. . Under the influence of Ahab and Jezebel, Baal-worship had become the legalized and es tablished religion of Israel. The worship of Jehovah was proscribed and his altars were overthrown. Impressive cere
diately the fire of the Lord fell from Heaven and consumed the sacrifice and the altar it self. Filled with awe and won der at this display of the super natural, the people fell upon their faces and acknowledged Jehovah as the God of Israel. Consternation filled the priests of Baal and they were led down to the river and slain with the sword. The conflict on Carmel is perpetually re-enacted in the human soul. Who is God, Baal or Jehovah, Mammon or Christ, self or the Saviour? Everyone has to settle this for himself. The issue cannot be
GOOD NEWS FOR USERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LESSONS ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ A “ Lesson Outline,” p repared by a specialist along this line, will be given in connection with each lesson, begin ning with the May issue. This is in response to numerous requests which have come to us for this particular form of lesson help.
monies were carried on in heathen temples and a systematic crusade under the priests of Baal swept the people into idolatry. Then came Elijah as the champion of Jehovah. He had closed the heavens by his prayers so that for three and a half years no rain had fallen. The natural drought was only the symbol of the spiritual dearth which rested on the land. He charged the king for being responsible for the national disaster and challenged the prophets of Baal to a decisive conflict. Four hundred and fifty priests responded to the challenge and all Israel gathered to see the final outcome. Elijah’s appeal to the people shows that they had been attempting to join the service of God with that of Baal. Some were serving God and others were serving Baal, while some were serving God and Baal alternately. This is de scribed by Elijah as halting between two opinions. It is feeble-minded caprice. One might as well attempt to bring East and West together as unite such services as these. The people were silent under this appeal. Suffering as
ignored nor evaded. It belongs to the realm of moral re sponsibility and every moral agent must meet and solve it. Some choose wealth and crucify Christ afresh upon a crbss of gold. Some choose fame and popularity, seeking for themselves a name. Some choose learning, exalting the speculations of science and philosophy above Divine reve lation. Some choose the pleasures of sin and the snare of worldliness. These are thé followers of Baal though they wear no priestly vestments and bow the knee before no shrine. Truth is always a challenge to error. Where is the God of Elijah who answereth by fire? Where is another Elijah to stand on another Carmel and show how utterly these false gods fail their followers in time of need?
I Kings 19:20-24; 36-39 V. 20. The place, the purpose, the actors in this scene make it among the grandest in history. A nation with, its king has come together at the bidding of one man to settle no less a question than whom they shall worship.—Mac-
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter