prophets and kings-第23节

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〃It　came　to　pass　at　noon；　that　Elijah　mocked　them；　and

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said；　Cry　aloud：　for　he　is　a　god；　either　he　is　talking；　or　he　is　pursuing；　or　he　is　in　a　journey；　or　peradventure　he　sleepeth；　and　must　be　awaked。　And　they　cried　aloud；　and　cut　themselves　after　their　manner　with　knives　and　lancets；　till　the　blood　gushed　out　upon　them。　And　it　came　to　pass；　when　midday　was　past；　and　they　prophesied　until　the　time　of　the　offering　of　the　evening　sacrifice；　that　there　was　neither　voice；　nor　any　to　answer；　nor　any　that　regarded。〃

Gladly　would　Satan　have　come　to　the　help　of　those　whom　he　had　deceived；　and　who　were　devoted　to　his　service。　Gladly　would　he　have　sent　the　lightning　to　kindle　their　sacrifice。　But　Jehovah　has　set　Satan's　bounds；　restrained　his　power；　and　not　all　the　enemy's　devices　can　convey　one　spark　to　Baal's　altar。

At　last；　their　voices　hoarse　with　shouting；　their　garments　stained　with　blood　from　self…inflicted　wounds；　the　priests　become　desperate。　With　unabated　frenzy　they　now　mingle　with　their　pleading　terrible　cursings　of　their　sun…god；　and　Elijah　continues　to　watch　intently；　for　he　knows　that　if　by　any　device　the　priests　should　succeed　in　kindling　their　altar　fire；　he　would　instantly　be　torn　in　pieces。

Evening　draws　on。　The　prophets　of　Baal　are　weary；　faint；　confused。　One　suggests　one　thing；　and　another　something　else；　until　finally　they　cease　their　efforts。　Their　shrieks　and　curses　no　longer　resound　over　Carmel。　In　despair　they　retire　from　the　contest。

All　day　long　the　people　have　witnessed　the　demonstrations　of　the　baffled　priests。　They　have　beheld　their　wild　leaping　round　the　altar；　as　if　they　would　grasp　the　burning　rays　of　the　sun　to　serve　their　purpose。　They　have　looked

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with　horror　on　the　frightful；　self…inflicted　mutilations　of　the　priests；　and　have　had　opportunity　to　reflect　on　the　follies　of　idol　worship。　Many　in　the　throng　are　weary　of　the　exhibitions　of　demonism；　and　they　now　await　with　deepest　interest　the　movements　of　Elijah。

It　is　the　hour　of　the　evening　sacrifice；　and　Elijah　bids　the　people；　〃Come　near　unto　me。〃　As　they　tremblingly　draw　near；　he　turns　to　the　broken…down　altar　where　once　men　worshiped　the　God　of　heaven；　and　repairs　it。　To　him　this　heap　of　ruins　is　more　precious　than　all　the　magnificent　altars　of　heathendom。

In　the　reconstruction　of　this　ancient　altar；　Elijah　revealed　his　respect　for　the　covenant　that　the　Lord　made　with　Israel　when　they　crossed　the　Jordan　into　the　Promised　Land。　Choosing　〃twelve　stones；　according　to　the　number　of　the　tribes　of　the　sons　of　Jacob；　。　。　。　he　built　an　altar　in　the　name　of　the　Lord。〃

The　disappointed　priests　of　Baal；　exhausted　by　their　vain　efforts；　wait　to　see　what　Elijah　will　do。　They　hate　the　prophet　for　proposing　a　test　that　has　exposed　the　weakness　and　inefficiency　of　their　gods；　yet　they　fear　his　power。　The　people；　fearful　also；　and　almost　breathless　with　expectancy；　watch　while　Elijah　continues　his　preparations。　The　calm　demeanor　of　the　prophet　stands　out　in　sharp　contrast　with　the　fanatical；　senseless　frenzy　of　the　followers　of　Baal。

The　altar　completed；　the　prophet　makes　a　trench　about　it；　and；　having　put　the　wood　in　order　and　prepared　the　bullock；　he　lays　the　victim　on　the　altar　and　commands　the　people　to　flood　the　sacrifice　and　the　altar　with　water。　〃Fill　four　barrels；〃　he　directed；　〃and　pour　it　on　the　burnt　sacrifice；

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and　on　the　wood。　And　he　said；　Do　it　the　second　time。　And　they　did　it　the　second　time。　And　he　said；　Do　it　the　third　time。　And　they　did　it　the　third　time。　And　the　water　ran　round　about　the　altar；　and　he　filled　the　trench　also　with　water。〃

Reminding　the　people　of　the　long…continued　apostasy　that　has　awakened　the　wrath　of　Jehovah；　Elijah　calls　upon　them　to　humble　their　hearts　and　turn　to　the　God　of　their　fathers；　that　the　curse　upon　the　land　of　Israel　may　be　removed。　Then；　bowing　reverently　before　the　unseen　God；　he　raises　his　hands　toward　heaven　and　offers　a　simple　prayer。　Baal's　priests　have　screamed　and　foamed　and　leaped；　from　early　morning　until　late　in　the　afternoon；　but　as　Elijah　prays；　no　senseless　shrieks　resound　over　Carmel's　height。　He　prays　as　if　he　knows　Jehovah　is　there；　a　witness　to　the　scene；　a　listener　to　his　appeal。　The　prophets　of　Baal　have　prayed　wildly；　incoherently。　Elijah　prays　simply　and　fervently；　asking　God　to　show　His　superiority　over　Baal；　that　Israel　may　be　led　to　turn　to　Him。

〃Lord　God　of　Abraham；　Isaac；　and　of　Israel；〃　the　prophet　pleads；　〃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　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。〃

A　silence；　oppressive　in　its　solemnity；　rests　upon　all。　The　priests　of　Baal　tremble　with　terror。　Conscious　of　their　guilt；　they　look　for　swift　retribution。

No　sooner　is　the　prayer　of　Elijah　ended　than　flames　of

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fire；　like　brilliant　flashes　of　lightning；　descend　from　heaven　upon　the　upreared　altar；　consuming　the　sacrifice；　licking　up　the　water　in　the　trench；　and　consuming　even　the　stones　of　the　altar。　The　brilliancy　of　the　blaze　illumines　the　mountain　and　dazzles　the　eyes　of　the　multitude。　In　the　valleys　below；　where　many　are　watching　in　anxious　suspense　the　movements　of　those　above；　the　descent　of　fire　is　clearly　seen；　and　all　are　amazed　at　the　sight。　It　resembles　the　pillar　of　fire　which　at　the　Red　Sea　separated　the　children　of　Israel　from　the　Egyptian　host。

The　people　on　the　mount　prostrate　themselves　in　awe　before　the　unseen　God。　They　dare　not　continue　to　look　upon　the　Heaven…sent　fire。　They　fear　that　they　themselves　will　be　consumed；　and；　convicted　of　their　duty　to　acknowledge　the　God　of　Elijah　as　the　God　of　their　fathers；　to　whom　they　owe　allegiance；　they　cry　out　together　as　with　one　voice；　〃The　Lord；　He　is　the　God；　the　Lord；　He　is　the　God。〃　With　startling　distinctness　the　cry　resounds　over　the　mountain　and　echoes　in　the　plain　below。　At　last　Israel　is　aroused；　undeceived；　penitent。　At　last　the　people　see　how　greatly　they　have　dishonored　God。　The　character　of　Baal　worship；　in　contrast　with　the　reasonable　service　required　by　the　true　God；　stands　fully　revealed。　The　people　recognize　God's　justice　and　mercy　in　withholding　the　dew　and　the　rain　until　they　have　been　brought　to　confess　His　name。　They　are　ready　now　to　admit　that　the　God　of　Elijah　is　above　every　idol。

The　priests　of　Baal　witness　with　consternation　the　wonderful　revelation　of　Jehovah's　power。　Yet　even　in　their

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discomfiture　and　in　the　presence　of　divine　glory；　they　refuse　to　repent　of　their　evil…doing。　They　would　still　remain　the　prophets　of　Baal。　Thus　they　showed　themselves　ripe　for　destruction。　That　repentant　Israel　may　be　protected　from　the　allurements　of　those　who　have　taught　them　to　worship　Baal；　Elijah　is　directed　by　the　Lord　to　destroy　these　false　teachers。　The　anger　of　the　people　has　already　been　aroused　against　the　leaders　in　transgression；　and　when　Elijah　gives　the　command；　〃Take　the　prophets　of　Baal；　let　not　one　of　them　escape；〃　they　are　ready　to　obey。　They　seize　the　priests；　and　take　them　to　the　brook　Kishon；　and　there；　before　the　close　of　the　day　that　marked　the　beginning　of　decided　reform；　the　ministers　of　Baal　are　slain。　Not　one　is　permitted　to　live。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　12

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　From　Jezreel　to　Horeb


With　the　slaying　of　the　prophets　of　Baal；　the　way　was　opened　for　carrying　forward　a　mighty　spiritual　reformation　among　the　ten　tribes　of　the　northern　kingdom。　Elijah　had　set　before　the　people　their　apostasy；　he　had　called　upon　them　to　humble　their　hearts　and　turn　to　the　Lord。　The　judgments　of　Heaven　had　been　executed；　the　people　had　confessed　their　sins；　and　had　acknowledged　the　God　of　their　fathers　as　the　living　God；　and　now　the　curse　of　Heaven　was　to　be　withdrawn；　and　the　temporal　blessings　of　life　renewed。　The　land　was　to　be　refreshed　with　rain。　〃Get　thee　up；　eat　and　drink；〃　Elijah　said　to　Ahab；　〃for　there　is　a　sound　of　abundance　of　rain。〃　Then　the　prophet　went　to　the　top　of　the　mount　to　pray。

It　was　not　because　of　any　outward　evidence　that　the　showers　were　about　to　fall；　that　Elijah　could　so　confidently　bid　Ahab　prepare　for　rain。　The　prophet　saw　no　clouds　in　the　heavens；　he　heard　no　thunder。　He　simply　spoke　the

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word　that　the　Spirit　of　the　Lord　had　moved　him　to　speak　in　response　to　his　own　strong　faith。　Throughout　the　day　he　had　unflinchingly　performed　the　will　of　God　and　had　revealed　his　implicit　confidence　in　the　prophecies　of　God's　word；　and　now；　having　done　all　that　was　in　his　power　to　do；　he　knew　that　Heaven　would　freely　bestow　the　blessings　foretold。　The　same　God　who　had　sent　the　drought　had　promised　an　abundance　of　rain　as　the　reward　of　rightdoing；　and　now　Elijah　waited　for　the　promised　outpouring。　In　an　attitude　of　humility；　〃his　face　between　his　knees；〃　he　interceded　with　God　in　behalf　of　penitent　Israel。

Again　and　again　Elijah　sent　his　servant　to　a　point　overlooking　the　Me