1 Kings 19:9-21
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5:10.
ELIJAH walked for forty days in the wilderness quite alone, till at last he came to a mountain. There he found a cave: and he went into the cave, and slept in it. While he was in the cave, God spoke to him, and asked him why he was come there.
You know, dear children, the reason why. You know that Elijah had left Canaan because of wicked Jezebel, and God knew this: but He wanted Elijah to tell Him why.
Then Elijah said, 'The people of Israel have thrown down God's altars, and killed God's prophets: and I am the only one left; and they try to kill me.'
Then God told Elijah to come out of the cave. Then Elijah came out and stood upon the mountain. And God made a very great wind blow, that tore the mountain: then God made the mountain shake: and then God made a fire come. But God was not in any of these things. Then God spoke to Elijah in a very gentle voice, and when Elijah heard this voice, he covered his face with his cloak, and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
It was kind of God to speak to Elijah in such a gentle voice! God loved Elijah, and wished to comfort him. But Elijah remembered what a great God He was; so he hid his face. The angels who stand round God's throne in heaven hide their faces under their wings.' Ought not all people to fear the Lord? My dear child, when you pray to God, do you remember what a great God He is? How can children be so bold as to look about and play at prayer-time?
God asked Elijah again why he came there, and then Elijah told the Lord again, that the people were wicked, and that they wanted to kill him.
Then God told Elijah that he would soon punish the wicked people for worshipping idols: and God said that all the people did not worship Baal; and that there were a great many in Israel who had never bowed their knees to Baal, nor kissed his image with their mouths.
Elijah thought that no one loved God but himself. How glad he must have been when he heard there were many other people who loved God. God knows who loves Him and who does not. He counts them and remembers them
God told Elijah to go and find a man called Elisha, and to anoint him to be a prophet.
Would not Elijah be pleased that there should be another prophet to teach people about God?
Then Elijah left the cave, and he went to look for Elisha. At last he came to a field where a man was plowing. There were twenty-four oxen plowing. They were harnessed two and two; and each two had a great piece of wood over their necks, called a yoke. A man was walking by the side of the two last oxen. The man's name was Elisha.
Elijah came up to the man, and taking off his own cloak, threw it over the man's shoulders. Why did he throw the cloak over the man? He wished to show him that he was to come with him, and the man knew what Elijah meant, and he left his oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, 'I will come with thee: only let me first go and kiss my father and mother.'
It was right of Elisha to be ready to go with Elijah; because Elijah was a prophet of the Lord's. I do not wonder the man wished to go first to take leave of his father, and mother, and his friends. Dear children, would you not wish to take leave of your parents, if you were going away from them?
Elijah allowed the man to go home for a little while. When the man went home he made a feast for all his friends. He killed two of his oxen: and he made a fire with the wood that was upon their necks, and roasted them, and then asked his friends to come and eat their flesh.
Then he left his home and went after Elijah: and he was Elijah's servant. It was very right of the man to go with Elijah. Do you think it would be pleasant to live with Elijah? Yes, it would be pleasant to hear Elijah talk of God, and to hear him preach and pray. But you know that wicked people hated Elijah, and so Elijah was often obliged to hide himself. If this man had not loved God, he would have liked to stay at home with his friends, better than being with Elijah. But he did love God—and God loved him and blessed him. God loves people who do what He bids them. How pleasant it is to obey God! Being with parents and friends cannot make us so happy as knowing that we please God.
O praise the Lord, for He is good;
The ravens brought Elijah food,
When he from Ahab fled;
And then he shared the widow's cake,
And next an angel bade him wake,
And feed on heavenly bread.
Why is Elijah's soul cast down?
Ah! hear that soft, that silver tone;—
It is Elijah's Lord;
He will on him bestow a friend,
Who shall his wandering steps attend,
And teach God's Holy Word.
Child
Elijah's God is still the same;
He comforts those who fear His name,
When sunk in deepest grief:
For when they think no friend is nigh,
He looks from heaven with pitying eye
And sends some kind relief.
Questions on Lesson 28
After Elijah had walked forty days through the wilderness, where did he come at last?
What terrible things did he hear and see in the cave?
What was it Elijah did when he heard God's gentle voice?
Why had Elijah left the land of Canaan?
Were there any people in Canaan who had not worshipped Baal?
Whom was Elijah to anoint to be a prophet?
What did he find Elisha doing?
Why did Elijah throw his cloak over Elisha?
What did Elisha wish to do before he went with Elijah?
If Elisha had been a wicked man, would he have liked to go with Elijah?
Why not?