The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 468

hie Lord with oo.ths e.nd cnrses; yet both the one e.nd the other were the outcome of the same che.re.cter. Never was contra.diction more complete than in Elijah. One de.y he leads e. whole nation in penitence, the next he flees to eave his life, a.s one who has thrown up all hope of Jehovah's ea.use. None but the pitiful and patient Father-God would have judged him aright; nor was Elijah the last to say, "Thy gentleness ha.th ma.de me great." We are .!emin~ed that it is difficult to judge ourselves as well as others.__ On Carmel, EhJah rmght ha._ve thonght. h1_mself invincible, and in Horeb an unmitigated coward, but he was neither. Vanet1es of mood must not be too much considered. They do not afford a fair index to character. We are not infidels because we pass throngh e. phase of c1oubt, we are not reprobates because we are deeply conscious of sin, nor are we Christians because we enjoy a religious service. A sad and frequent experience of religious lit,,, that of despondency, is set before us here, nnd we will seek to discover its causes. I. REACTION AFTER EXCITEMENT. Great natures are peculiarly subject to this. The impulse which impels to e. noble act has a rebound proportioned to its intensity. Peter and John the Baptist stand beside Elijah as exemplars of this fact. From it arises the specia.l peril of revivalistic services. Excitement has its place and power in the advance of Christ's kingdom, but we must not substitute spasmodic feeling for steady growth. II. EXHAUSTION OF PHYSICAL AND NERVOUS ENERGY. Even the gigantic strength of Elijah underwent e. terrible strain on Carmel Anxiety, enthusiasm, bm-ning zeal, exultation combined to agitate him, and these were doubtless preceded by many days and nights of passionate, agonizing prayer. God's provision for the prophet-the sleep that came over him, as over a tired ohild, the food prepared by angel hands-prove that this was recognized. Show the mutual dependence of body and mind. Neither the equable tempera- ment of some Christians nor the excitability of others is due always to the presence or absence of Divine grace. Good food, fresh air, and change of scene woulcl do more than religious exercises to restore tone to some who are despondent. The neglect of sanitary laws is e. sin. There was far-reaching wisdom in Paul's declo.ration, 11 I keep the body under." III. ABSENCE OF SYMPATHY. " I am left alone.'' " I only am left." Such was the burden of Elije.h's cry. This is e. special source of despondency to missionaries surrounded by the heathen. It affects also multitudes who are not so literally nlone. They may ha.ve many Christians a.round them, but in their special work, in their peculiar difficulty, they oan find none to help, or even to understa.nd them. "Alone in a crowd" is o. true desciiption of many a disciple of Christ, who is thinking his own thoughts and fighting his own foes. Show from this the wisdom of the provision God has made in Church fellowship. Point out the causes which tend to mnko such communion unreal or unhelpful. Urge the cultivation of sympathy with young diseiplos, with obscure workers, &e. IV. INFLUENCE OF DOUBT. The confidence of the prophet on Carmel had broken down. Jezebel had not been oowed by the sudden revulsion of popula.r feelina, She doubted its permanence, and at all events resolved that she would not lose heart, so Ahab e.nd his courtiers were reasSlll'ed when she swore to have revenge on Elijah. The prophet thought now that he had been too sanguine-that the one chance had com_e and gone without effect. Doubt paralyzed him. Doubt of God's willingness to forgive plunges the penitent into despondoncy. He would scarcely venturo secretly mto a crowd to touch the hem of Christ's garment. Doubt of God's readiooss to hea.r and answer prnyer keeps the Christian from the light of His countenance, &c. _V. INVIsI~~ITY ?F ANTAGONISTS. Elijah could face his visible foes on Carmel without_ quaili:tg-llldeed, ~e dared to ~aunt them at the risk of being torn to pieces- but agamst this vague feeling of despair he could not hold his own. Moral battles are the hardest to fight. He who oe.n grapple with what is tangible sometimes foils when co.lled on to II wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world.'' Some would mther rW:: the risk of being condemned hereafter, as wicked and slothful servants, than have the certainty of being sneered at now as those who o.re " righteous overmuch," 478 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [ CR, XIX, 1--21.