The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 457

w0,s not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (1 Tim. ii. 14). "The god.s do so," &o. This is like much of the profane swearing that we hear, 11 full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." It costs very little to invoke factitious deities. 11 The gods she sware by could do her no harm." They ho.d not been able to save their own prophets. Cf. Judg. vi. 31. "If I make not thy life," &c. The enemies of God's Church nnd prophets are always chained, and sometimes are infatuate too. They cannot "go beyond the word of the Lord to do less or more'' (Nuru. xxii. 18). "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord .•. he turneth it whithersoever he will" (Prov. xxi. 1). "He taketh the wise in their own craftiness" (1 Cor. iii. 19), and turns the counsel of an Ahi!.hophel into foolishness (2 Sam. xv. 31). The wrath of man is made to praise Him (Psa. lxxn. 10). " Her threat pt·eserved him whom she meant to kill" " It were no living for godly men if the hands of tyrants we1·e allowed to be as bloody a.s their hearts'' (Hall). Ver. 3.-" He arose and went for his l(fe." Elijah, the intrepid apostle of Carmel, who had met the king without fear and faced the four hundred Baal prophets, and stood alone contra mundum, is seized with panic fear. The champion of the morn- ing becomes the coward of the evening. We may well exclaim here, Quantum mu.tatus ab illo I well ask, 11 Lord, what is man?" Some have called man a demi- god; have seen in him "the peer of the angels." '' What a piece of work,'' says Hamlet, "is man I how noble in reason I how infinite in faculties I in form and moving how express and admirable I in action how like an angel I in apprehension how like a god I " In Elijah we see man at his best. He was one of the "first three.'' He is distinguished even from his brother prophets by the work he was called to do, by the powers with which he was entrusted, by the grace given to him, the care taken of him, the triumphant end granted to him. But how weak and unworthy does this elect messenger of God now appear. " Should such a man as I am flee?" (N eh. vi. 11.) " How are the mighty fallen I" How completely he is the sport of circumstances ; how full of contradictions his conduct. At one moment he flees for his life; at the next he requests for himself that he may die. "Doth he wish to be rid of his life because he feared to lose it?" (Hall.) Yesterday strong in faith, fearing neither man nor devil; to-day trembling before a woman, wretchetl and despairing. But more than that, we find him impatient, petulant, proud, arraigning the providence and wisdom of God. " Take away my life,'' this is the cry of a mortified ambition ; of one who cannot trust himself in God's hands any longer. "I am not better than my fathers.'' What do these words reveal, but that he had thought himself better than they; that he had been "exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations"? (2 Cor. xii. 7.) And this is Elijah, the re- storer of the law, the express ambassador of heaven. It is well said that he WO.El " a man subject to like passions as we are" (James v. 18). '' I have seen an end of all perfection." Here is humanity at its best, and how poor and weak it is. If man is "the glory" he is also "the scandal of the universe." • 11 Chaos of passions, passions all confused, • Still by himself abused or disabused, Created half to rise and half to fall, Great lord of all things, yet a prey to ell ; Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled, The glory, jest, and riddlo of the world." Ver. 5.-" Behold, an angel touched him." So that ho was watched and guarded, even while he slept. His impatience and faithlessness have not diminished the loving care and tenderness of God. "He knoweth ow· frame.'' His very sleep was or- dained in mercy. Observe the contrast between the pity and love of God and the childish repining and discontent of the man of God I Observe, too, how God uses the ministry of angels I Compare Matt. iv. 11 ; Luke xxii. 48; Acts xxvii. 28; v. 19; xii. 8. "Are they not all ministering spirits?" (Heb. i. 14.) "No wilderness is too solitary for the attendance of those blessed spirits." "While he slept, his break• fast ia made ready for him by those spiritual hands.'' OB, xrx. 1-21.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 467