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THE KING’S BUSINESS
sons of Jacob, unto whom the Word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be thy name." Elijah here stands for the unity of God’s people against all man-made divisions. He took twelve stones, each stone represent ing one of the twelve tribes. It was pecu liarly appropriate to the present occasion to use the name “Israel,” for Israel means “Prince of God,” and hence this name is emphasized (cf. Gen. 32:24-28). vs. 32-35. “And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD." Many altars in churches in this day are professedly built to the glory of God, but in reality they are built to the glory of some man or con gregation or denomination. Elijah built his altar not merely in form but in reality “in the name of JEHOVAH.” "And he made a trench about the altar as great as would contain two measures of seed," etc. Elijah provided for things hon est in the sight of all men, as well as in the sight of God: he took away the possibility of all accusation of fraud or trickery. He poured four barrels of water on his burnt sacrifice, and upon the wood, and upon the altar a first, a second, and a third time, so that the people might clearly see that there was no possibility of bringing the fire and consuming the sacrifice by any trickery that he could devise. He sought to prove to a demonstration that the answer of fire really came from God. v. 36, 37. "And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and of Is rael. let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word,” etc. Five things about Elijah are to be noted: (1) He had but one desire for himself, to be Jehovah’s servant, and to act according to his Word. (2) He had also an all-absorbing desire for Jehovah’s glory. He said, “Hear me, O Lord, that this people may know that thou art the Lord Goa, and that thou hast turned their heart back again." (3) He had also an unwavering conviction that he was Jehovah’s servant.
It is a great thing when a man knows abso lutely that he is God’s representative, and has no doubt whatsoever as to the divine origin of his call. (4) He had an intense desire for the conversion of his people (v. 37). (5) He had faith in God: faith to risk all things , upon his Word. He made his remarkable proposal to put matters to the test (vs. 22-25) because Jehovah had bid den him to (v. 36). That is true faith, and the secret of achievement, finding out what God’s Word is, and risking all upon it. He gave himself up wholly to God’s plan and acted exactly according to God’s Word. We are told eight things about how Elijah prayed: (1) To the true and living God; to the covenant-keeping God; to Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel. Note that it does not say God of “Jacob,” but God of “Israel.” Much prayer fails because it is. not really to God. We take the name of God upon our lips, but the thought of God is not in-our hearts; we are thinking as we pray, not of God but of the audience, or of ourselves, or of our phraseology, and not of the great prayer-hearing God of the Bible bending low above us to hear arid answer (cf. Acts 12:5). (2) As an obedient ser vant of Jehovah. It is when we do what God bids us do (v. 36) that God does what he ask him to do. When we have a sharp ear for His commandments, then He has a sharp ear for our prayers (1 John 3:22); but if we turn a deaf ear to God’s com mandments to us, He will turn a deaf ear to our prayers to Him. (3) For the su preme purpose of God’s glory. He said, “Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God.” (4) For something God had prom ised, or stirred him up to ask for. The one who would pray prevailingly must study the premises of God, and be taught of the Spirit of God (1 John 5:14, 15; cf. Rom. 8:26, 27; Eph. 6:18). (5) He based his prayer upon shed blood, he laid his slain bullock upon the altar before he cried to God. There is no approach for the sinner to the holy God except on the ground of shed blood (Heb.
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