(Hebrew); talking, or "meditating," thinking; pursuing, or hath a pursuit, as if to overtake something. (28.) after their manner, cutting and gashing themselves as idol-worshippers did and do now (see picture); knives, properly, short swords; lancets, short spears. (29.) prophesied, as false prophets. 1 Sam. xviii. 10; time of... sacrifice, "until toward the time" (Speaker's Com.). This was about 3 P. M., according to Josephus; neither voice... answer, nor, Baal failed not only to send fire, but even to give any answer whatever.

II. Questions.-Who were to make trial first? Why? What special condition is repeated in v. 25, last clause? Why? What prayers did the Baal-worshippers offer? To whom? When no answer came, how did they act? v. 26. How did Elijah urge them on at noon? What did he say might be the reason their god gave no answer? Why did he mock them in this way? What horrible acts followed? How long were they calling for an answer? What is said of Baal's failure to answer? Why did he fail to hear?

What may we learn from this lesson

(1.) As to the danger of trying to follow the world and God? (2.) As to the power of heathen gods?

(3.) As to the cruelty of heathen worship? Illustration.-Howling dervishes.-Sitting in a circle on the floor, they begin by chanting, and pronouncing ninety times each of the ninety-nine names they have given to the deity, bowing each time, more excited, ending with a shout of "Hoo!" springing to their feet, holding each other's hands and dancing and howling in the most frantic manner; throwing off their outer garments, caps, or turbans, beating timbrels, their cries growing more frantic, until they drop exhausted, as if in a fit.-See Van Lennep's Bible Lands.

HYMN, "I need thee, O my God." -Calvary Songs, p. 159.

CHOOSE WHOM YE

WILL SERVE.

ELIJAH AND HIS SACRIFICE.-1 Kings xviii, 36-46. [About 906 B. C.

RECITE VS. 36-39.

36 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 Israel, 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 37 thy word. 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 of 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.

89 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the 40 God the Lord, he is the God! | And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41

And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for 42 there is a sound of abundance of rain. | So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his 43 knees, and said to his servant, | Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And 44 he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop 45 thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great 46 rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran botore Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

TO THE SCHOLAR.-Read the account of the building of the altar by Elijah (vs. 30-35), and notice that while Baal gave no answer, Jehovah answers by sending first fire and then rain. Baal-idolatry being punished and crushed, the famine may fittingly cease also, and rain be sent to bring harvest again.

NOTES.-Trench, a ditch around the altar, either as deep as two measures (Lange), or holding two measures (Rawlinson). Two measures or "seahs" were about equal to six gallons.-Ki'-shon, a stream which drains the large valley Esdraelon, and runs northward along the Carmel ridge into the Mediterranean. Numerous streams run into the Kishon, and a rain swells the river very rapidly, making it impossible to pass it. The Kishon is now called "Nahr Mukutta," "river of slaughter" (though Robinson says the name with the common people means merely "the ford"), and the hill where the priests are said to have been slain is now shown the traveller.-Jez'-re-el, a town 16 miles from Carmel, and on the western base of Mt. Gilboa, overlooking the plain of Esdraelon. Jezreel was probably the "summer capital" of Ahab, now called Zer'-in, and is only a heap of ruins, near which is a little village of about twenty tottering houses.

EXPLANATIONS AND QUESTIONS.

Lesson Topics.-(I.) JEHOVAH'S VICTORY. (II.) ELIJAH'S PRAYER FOR RAIN.

I. JEHOVAH'S VICTORY. (36.) time... of sacrifice, at Jerusalem, or about 3 P. M.; be known, by an answer of fire, v. 24; at thy word, Elijah had proposed this trial, not of himself, but under God's guidance. (37.) turned... back, see v. 39. (38.) fire... fell, as the sky was clear (v. 43), this fire could not have been lightning; stones.. licked up the water, so great was the heat; a proof that it was a miraculous fire, see Lev. ix. 24; 2 Chron. vii. 3. (39.) fell on their faces, either from fear or to worship; the Lord, he is the God, the people decide now, and "halt" no longer. (40.) Take, arrest, as officers would arrest criminals; brook Kishon, now called "river of slaughter," see Notes; slew them, Deut. xvii. 2, 3, 5.

I. Questions.-Describe the building of the altar by Elijah. What was put on the altar to prevent the suspicion of deception? What around it? At what time of day was Elijah's sacrifice prepared? State the four reasons he urged in his prayer. What followed? How fully did the fire burn up the sacrifice? The altar? The water? How much water had been poured over it? How much did this "barrel" or "water-jar" probably hold? [About 2 or 3 gallons.] What was the effect of this miracle on the people? How did Elijah follow up this victory? v. 40. What was the law respecting those who offered to idols? Lev. xvii. 5, 7; Deut. xvii. 3-5.

II. ELIJAH'S PRAYER FOR RAIN. (41.) Get thee up, probably Ahab was down by the Kishon, where the priests of Baal were slain; eat and drink, this was not

...

spoken in derision, for a feast often follows a sacrifice (Taylor); sound of... rain, "a sound of a noise of a rain" (Heb.); there had been no rain for over 3 years. James v. 17. (42.) face between his knees, in earnest prayer. (43.) his servant, tradition says he was the son of the widow of Zarephath; seven times, strong faith and patient looking for the answer. (44.) little cloud like a man's hand, a cloud that looks no bigger than a man's hand; sailors know it as often a forerunner of a storm; prepare, "tie" or "bind," thy chariot; rain stop thee not, by making the roads and streams impassable. (45.) in the mean while, straightway, or "till now and till then," referring to the movement of the cloud (Maurer); to Jezreel, 16 miles, see Notes. (46.) hand of the Lord... on Elijah, he was directed or upheld by the Lord; girded, as men running; entrance of Jezreel, not into the town, for Jezebel was there.

II. Questions.-State Elijah's advice to Ahab. v. 41. Why given? How followed? Whither did Elijah go? v. 42. What to do? Who was with him? How many times was the servant to look for rain? How many times did he look in vain? What was seen at the seventh time? What message was sent to Ahab? Why was he to haste? How soon did the rain come? For how long had there been no rain? James v. 17. How did Elijah show his respect for the king? How far did he go? Why stop outside the gate?

What facts in this lesson teach us

(1.) The power of true prayer?

(2.) Of the willingness of God to hear?

(3.) Of his power to answer prayer?

HYMN, "Sweet hour of prayer."-Calvary Songs, p. 23.

EL MUHRAKAH, PLACE OF ELIJAH'S SACRIFICE.

[This is a view of the place as now seen. Near the tree in front is a large living spring.]

FEB. 25.]

LESSON VIII.

ELIJAH AT HOREB.-1 Kings xix. 8-18.

RECITE VS. 10-12,

[About 906 B.C.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What 10 doest thou here, Elijah? | And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy proph ets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; 11 and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the 12 earthquake; | And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a 13 still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice 14 unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? | And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even 15 I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be 16 king over Syria: | And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel17 meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. | And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu 18 shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.