T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
57
JANUARY 15, 1921 ELIJAH’S CHALLENGE OF BAAL WORSHIP Golden Text: This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith. I John 5:4. * LESSON TEXT I Kings 18:1-46. (Read Josh. 24:14-28; Eph. 6:10-20).
(20) So Ahab sent unto all the children o f Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Car mel. (21) And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, H ow lon g halt ye between tw o opinions? if the bORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (22) Then said Elijah unto the peo ple, I, even I only, remain a proph et of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. (23) Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I w ill dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: (24) And call ye on the name o f your gods, and I w ill call on the name of the LORD: and the God that an- swereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is w ell spoken, (30) And E li- Outline (1) The Call to the People, vs. 20-24. (2) The Construction of the Altar, vs. 30-35. (3) The Challenge to Jehovah, vs. 36, 37. (4) The Consuming Fire, vs. 38, 39. Introduction Three years and six months have passed since Elijah's appearance to Ahab. During that time he had lived from “ hand to mouth" (God’s hand to his mouth). He had LESSON raised the dead son of EXPOSITION the widow of Zare- T. C. Horton phath. Now God sends him to meet Ahab. On his way he meets Obadiah, a governor of Ahab's house but a God-fearing man, whom Ahab had sent to find water and grass for the horses and cattle,— not for the people. Obadiah tells Ahab that Elijah is on his way, and Ahab goes to meet him and greets him with
jah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repair ed the altar o f the LORD that was broken down. (36) And it came to pass at the time of the offering o f the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God o f Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I nave done all these things at thy word. (37) Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. (38) Then the fire o f the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt- sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (39) And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. the question, “ Art thou he that trou- bleth Israel?" Note Elijah’s answer: «1 h ave not troubled Israel; but thou and th y fath er’s house, in th a t y e h ave forsaken the commandments o f the Lord and h ave follow ed Baalim . N ow therefore send, and ga th er to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of B aal fou r hundred and fifty, and the prophets o f the grove fou r hun dred w hich eat a t Jezebel’s table.” (1) THE CA.LL TO THE PEOPLE, vs. 20-24. Ahab accepted Elijah’s challenge and ordered the people to assemble at Mount Carmel, with the prophets of Baal and of the groves. The place was most fitting;-—Mount Carmel, 1600 feet above sea level, stretching for five or six miles along the coast, overlooking the plains of Esdraelon and the city of Jezreel with the palace of Ahab- and Jezebel’s tem ple, where, also, had perished the hosts of Sisera and Midian before Deborah and Barak,— a great place for a great test. Here was the very throne o£
Made with FlippingBook Annual report