T E E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
67
contempt with which she treated the voice of the people.— Exp. Bible. Had Elijah hoped that what had taken place on Carmel would result in bring ing not only Ahab back to Jehovah, but also influence Jezebel? If such was his expectation, he must have been bit terly disappointed. All that follows verifies James’ statement, “ Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are.” —- Anno* Bible. God took her at her own proposition. (See 2 Kings 9:30- 37.)— Parsons. By tomorrow. - Ob serve the marvelous working of divine providence even here. Why does Jeze bel send warnings? Why does she de lay a whole day? Why not take in stant revenge? It is thus that God puts thé hook into the leviathan and turns to confusion the counsel of the un godly. With every trial He makes a way of escape. A city of refuge from every temptation, fear, peril, sin, is at hand. Let us flee into it and defy the pursuer.-filParker. v. 3. Went for his life. In his for mer danger God told him to hide (17' 3). He thought he could do it now. He did not wait to ask.— S. & W. Eli jah got his eyes on circumstances—-the things that “ stand around,” but things that stand around need not hinder the God who is above •us and within us. When the outlook is bad, try the up- look.-—Farr. Fear brings forgetful ness. He forgot that God had hidden him from Ahab, fed him by the brooks and sustained him in Zarephath. He forgot that God had answered him by fire, heard his prayer and vouched him before the priests of Baal as the true and only prophet in Israel.-—Haldeman v. 4. Requested that he might die. Elijah wanted to die, yet was unwilling to be murdered. To be taken away by the Lord is one thing. To consent to be killed is another.— People’s Bible. The prayer, however natural, however excusable, is never right. It is a sign of insufficient faith and human imper fection.-—Farrar. This prayer was left forever unanswered (2 Kings 2 :1).— Crabill. Be assured that while God keeps us living He has something for us to do.— Aliich. It was a selfish re quest. It was not for God’s glory for him to end that way.— Peterson. It is enough. Elijah’s reaction after the great experience of Carmel is an ex perience common to many of us. When depression in this way succeeds exalta tion, the devil is never far away. He
halting and hesitating, "Go forth!” (Isa. 41:10) “F ea r thou not; for I am w ith thee; be not dism ayed; for I am th y God. I w ill stren gthen thee; yea* I w ill help thee; yea, I w ill uphold thee w ith the righ t hand of m y righteousness.” (Josh. 1:2, 3) “Moses, m y servan t is dead. Now, there fore, arise, *go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land w hich I do g iv e them , even to the children o f Israel. E v e r y place th a t the sole of your foot shall tread upon, th a t have I given you, as I said unto Moses.” PRACTICAL POINTS. (1) No matter how fast or how far you run, you cannot get away •from God. (2) In despair, Elijah desired the angel of death; in love, God sent him an angel of life. (3) There is a royal remnant which never bows or bends to false gods. (4) The tumultuous soul of t h e prophet is quieted by the “ sound of soft stillness.“ (5) Do not over-estimate your own omissions. (6) Elijah commenced by saying, “ They have neglected thee,” and ended by saying, “ They have re jected me.” (7) “What doest thou here?” from the lips of our Lord would startle many saints from a life of stag nation. (8) From the mountain top of faith to the valley of unbelief is but a • step. (9) Give the juniper tree a wide berth. v. 2. So let the gods do to me. Whether Baal had been defeated or not, Jezebel was not defeated, and Elijah should not escape her vengeance. The oath shows the COMMENTS FROM intensity of her MANY SOURCES rage. We cannot Keith L. Brooks but notice the in significance t o which she reduced her husband and th3
Made with FlippingBook Annual report