The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 397

will. The mystery of prayer is revee,led (1 John v. 14, 16). 2. This was a 1·esponsi, to the challenge of Baal-worship. The productive powers of nnture were adored under the idole,trous symbol. Here they were shown to he dependent on the unseen God. All natural laws are. They are the expressions of the Divine will. It was in ve,in to cry, "0 Baal, hear us I'' 3. 'l.'his man would qffect all classes of the people. They had shared the sin, and therefore must share the penalty, The loftiest are not beyond God's reach, tlie lowliest are not hidden from God's notice, The_ tiny ~arde~ of the _peasant wa~ ~ursed, as well as the splendid park of the king, National sm brings national calamities. The message, not to some, but to all, is, '' Repent, and be converted.'' 4. This was associated with estrangement from God. It was to be "according to the word" of His servant. The chanae would be fore- seen and foretold, not by the false priests, but by the praying prophet. 'l.'he curse came because of sin, as had been proclaimed by the law. (See Levit. xxvi. 19; Deut. xi. 16 ; xxviii. 23.) It was removed on repentance (1 Kings xviii.) Listen to the messa,ge God still sends to men, bidding them root out idola,try from every nation a,nd from every hea,rt. May the God of Israel, before whom they stand, prosper all His messengers I-A. R. Vers. 2-4.-Stra,nge Pro'IJ?:sion in a Sad Necessity. The miracles associated with the ministry of Elijah and Elisha. have led some to deny the historical credibility of the Books of Kings. It should ba remembered that great miracles were rendered necessary by a great and general apostasy. It was essential to the survival of true faith that Jehovah should indicate His unseen sovereignty. In Israel such attestation was more required than in Judah, where the sanctuary and the priesthood, in the worst times, testified for God. This passage sets before us I. Silent suffering. II. Divine deliverance, III. Restful retreat. Ea.eh of which points we will consider. I. SILENT SUFFERING is implied by all that we know of the prophet's circum- stances. The famine he had foretold had come ; and he shared the privations of the people. Others might have kindness shown them, but there was none for this man. Regarded as the cause of the calamity, he was an accursed outcast. Upon such a temperament the steady persistent pressure of hunger and hatred would tell s_everely. He would feel pity for others-for the poor dumb beasts, for the innocent children-and would be tempted to ask," Was I right in praying for this, and bringing this woe on the people ? " Meantime he was himself suffering the rigours of famine, and no chariot of fire came to bear him away from the desolated land. Like Samson, it seemed as if he had shaken the house, and was bringing destruction on himself as well as on the idolo.tors. Yet not a word of complaint. He was SW1tained by the conviction that he had done right, and that God would see to the issues. Apply the teaching from this to occasions on which men are still called upon to do God's will, to utter God's truth, regardless of consequences. Sometimes we are able to " count the cost," and then we should do so. But often this is impossible. The love of Christ may constrain us to do, or to say, something which will place us in unexpected difficulties. Illustrate by Peter's zeal, which prompted him to step out of the boat upon the sea. He was terrified at a result he Lad not taken into calculation; but he was perfectly safe, for he was going towards Christ. Exemplify by instances from ordinary Iife-e.g., an assistant in business refuses to tell a lie, or to act one, and loses his situation. A daughter confesses her love to Christ, and finds her home a place of torment, &c. The one thing that can support us in such circnmstances is the humble, yet confident, conviction that we Lave done what God willed, And often from those straits Ho delivers us in the most unexpected way, befora we ask Him, as He delivered Elijah. II. DIVINE DELIVERANCE. 1. It wa,a unexpected. No one would have imagined, and some cannot now credit the means adopted. The ravens have been a sore offence to critics. Discuss some of their theories-that thoy were merchants, Arabians, &c. The difficulties are not removed by the interpretations suggested, nor do they seem warranted by the text. Had men brought food to the hidden prophet, Ahab would soon have discovered his wheroal,outs; nor would they be CII. XVII. 1-24.) TIIE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 407