T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S in the trench. Fire is a .sign of God’s presence (Ex. 3: 2): “ And the angel o f the Lord appeared unto him in a flame q f fire out o f the midst o f the bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned w ith fire, and the bush was not consumed.” At Mount Sinai the Lord descended in fire (Ex. 19:18). “ And Mount Sinai was altogether on smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke o f a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.” The Lord Jesus is to be revealed in a flame of fire (2 Thess. 1 :8). “ In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel o f the Lord Jesus Christ.” David built an altar on the threshing floor of Oman and offered a burnt of fering and the Lord answered him from heaven by fire. God answered Solomon by 'fire (2 Chron. 7:1-3): “ Now when Solomon had made an end o f praying the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the g lo ry o f the Lord filled the house.” How could Israel doubt God? They were compelled to fall on their faces and acknowledge Him to be God. What a rebuke to unbelief! What humilia tion for Ahab! What retribution for the false prophets! The devil plays with fire (Rev. 13: 13) but God will put him in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10). What can your gods do for you? Can they heal your heart? Quiet your fear? Give you peace, strength, victory? PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Destinies are determined by de cision. (2) Blessed is the man who.has defi nite convictions, determined courage and who denies all compromise. (3) Christ’s challenge to the church is “ I am the Son of God, follow thou Me.” (4) The deep desire of every de voted believer is the glory of God. (5) Man-made efforts fail to com mand the fire to fall.
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(6) Fire cannot fall unless there be first the altar and sacrifice. (7) Fire is our friend or foe,accord ing to our attitude. (8) The death warrant of every rebel against God is already signed. (9) What a pitiful picture of the in fatuation of idolatry. (10) True prayer proves the person ality and power of Jehovah— God. v. 2. Elijah went. A marvelous proof of his moral courage and unfal tering confidence in the protecting care of God, that he ventured to approach the presence of COMMENTS FROM this raging lion, MANY SOURCES A h a b.— Jamie- Keith L. Brooks son. v. 4. Jezebel cut off the prophets. The first record of using civil power against the true religion, and that by a woman.— Bul- llnger. v. 17. He that troubleth Israel. The man who is faithful with Christ’s mes sage is usually called a trouble maker (Acts 16:20; 17:6; 24:5).— Sel. v. 18. Thou and thy father’s house. Nothing creates more trouble to a land * than the impiety and profaneness of rulers and their families.— Henry. v. 21. How long halt ye? Literally ‘‘limp” or “ totter.” There are many religious limpers who will not make a clean-cut stand.— Eliot. Two opinions. Conviction, not compromise, is God’s demand.— Cook. The undecided man is a halting man. The halting man is a lame man and a miserable man.— Simpson. If Baal, follow him. Truth addresses a perpetual challenge to all false religions. Its challenges have heightened and broadened in tone from the first ages until now. Moses chal lenged the necromancers of Egypt. Eli jah challenged the priests of Baal. Christ challenges the world. At first the challenge was more strictly physi cal; now‘it is intensely spiritual. What religion produces the highest and finest type of character? Full opportunity has been given to men to show the worth of their false religions. They cannot complain that they have not had field enough. What has been the re sult? There is nothing to show. Pro digious exertions finish in prodigious emptiness. Where are the sinners they
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