The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 445

was not discouraged even by the sixth repetition of the despairing phrase, "There is nothing." Yet on that very day his one earnest cry had instantaneously brought c1,; ,vn fire from heaven. How often like the Psalmist we say," Rath God forgotten t,o be gracious?" "Wait on the Lord, wait patiently for him." (8) The answer to praye,- may begin in what aeems trifling. A cloud the size of a man's hand, hardly describable on the horizon, was enough to transfer Elijah's prayer into praise. Little in itself, it was the beginning of a glorious blessing. The baptism of the Holy Spirit will not suddenly fill the world with worshippers ; but it will be seen, perhaps, in ~he t11:uing to God of one lad, who shall prove the Elijah of his o.ge ; or m the new light given to one who has long been under the shadow of doubt; or in some holy resolve, some noble thouglit that shall presage blessina 0 to the world. Slight and insignificant as it may seem, gratefully welcome it, and still hope and wait, and pray, till He" come and re.in righteousness upon us."-A. R. ' Vers. 21-40.-The God that anawereth by fire. I. Isn.rnL's SIN (ver. 21). 1. Its nature : indecision, a. want of whole-hearted devotion ; "How long halt ye ? " &c. They tried to combine both worships, bowing before Jehovah in secret, and publicly before Baal in the assemblies commanded by the court. There are two who contend to-day for our devotion and service-the world and God (1 John ii. 15). The world has its rewards and demands ; God has His. 2. Its folly. Both cannot be served. What we build in obedience to on!l we cast down in obedience to the other. "If the Lord be God, follow him," &c. 8. The necessity for its abandonment. The messenger sent to announce blessing (ver. 1) must first convince of sin and secure its removal. The blessings of God stand at the door, but they can enter only as our sins are cast out. II. THE CHALLENGE (vers. 22-24). 1. A false test rejected. Baal seemed triumphant. Elijah stood alone, the prophets of Baal were many, and yet the cause had still to be decided. The pretensions of a faith are not established by numbering its adherents and weighing their influence. Truth has often 8tood alone, and may stand alone again. 2. The true test proposed. Baal's claims and J ehovah's are put to the proof. There is wrath against the land ; which will remove the cause of it? By wLich will the sin offering laid upon the altar be accepted and the iniquity be removed? That test which alone met Israel's need could alone prove Israel's Goc1. 3. The true test accepted. "And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken." Israel's answer will yet be the cry of all nations. The heart of the world will yet acknowledge the true God's work. . III. THE DECISION (vers. 25-89). 1. Baal fried and found wanting. (1) The first choice was given to the priests of Baal. The world has had time enough to pro'l'e the truth of its pretensions, and to show whether it can meet man's need. The sacrifice has long lain upon its altar. (2) The earnestness of the false prophets. The failure is not due to lack of effort on the part of the world's votaries. There is no path which has not been trod to find whether the world has nught to satisfy the cry of man's soul; there is no sacrifice it has called for that has been witLheld. (3) Their perseverance. Midday, the hour of the sun's might, was past, yet still they criecl and cut themselves, &c. The boundless faith and unweo.ried efforts of the world's worshippers. (4) The failure. The sacrifice lay unconsumed upon the altar, lay still there hastening to corruption, when the darkness fell and tlie priests lay weltering in their blood. 2. God tried and proved. (1) God's 11,ltar built in the face of the world's discomfiture (vers. 29, 30). It was reo.red about the time of the evening sacrifice. "In the falness of the times.'' " After that in the wisdom of God the w0rld by wisdom knew not God, it pleased," &c. (1 Cor. i. 21). The vnnity of the world's way was proved ere Christ was mnnifested. (2) The o.ltar was one on which God had been served before (" He repaired the altar of the Lord which was broken down "). What was lost in the first is restored in the second Adam. The accepted sacrifice must bo offered upon o. perfect manhood. (8) <J:od proved to the uttermost (88-85). There is nothing where tho.t sacrifice is set w~nch the fire of God will not kindle and change into the glory into which that sacrifice itself is lifted. (4) The answer. The fire fell ; the accepted sacrifice went up in Cll, XVIII, 1-46.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 455