prophets and kings-第26部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

hange　the　heart。

〃What　doest　thou　here；　Elijah？〃　the　voice　inquired；　and　again　the　prophet　answered；　〃I　have　been　very　jealous　for　the　Lord　God　of　hosts：　because　the　children　of　Israel　have　forsaken　Thy　covenant；　thrown　down　Thine　altars；　and　slain　Thy　prophets　with　the　sword；　and　I；　even　I　only；　am　left；　and　they　seek　my　life；　to　take　it　away。〃

The　Lord　answered　Elijah　that　the　wrongdoers　in　Israel　should　not　go　unpunished。　Men　were　to　be　especially　chosen　to　fulfill　the　divine　purpose　in　the　punishment　of　the　idolatrous　kingdom。　There　was　stern　work　to　be　done；　that　all　might　be　given　opportunity　to　take　their　position　on　the　side　of　the　true　God。　Elijah　himself　was　to　return　to　Israel；　and　share　with　others　the　burden　of　bringing　about　a　reformation。

〃Go；〃　the　Lord　commanded　Elijah；　〃return　on　thy　way　to　the　wilderness　of　Damascus：　and　when　thou　comest；

170

anoint　Hazael　to　be　king　over　Syria：　and　Jehu　the　son　of　Nimshi　shalt　thou　anoint　to　be　king　over　Israel：　and　Elisha　the　son　of　Shaphat　of　Abel…meholah　shalt　thou　anoint　to　be　prophet　in　thy　room。　And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　that　him　that　escapeth　the　sword　of　Hazael　shall　Jehu　slay：　and　him　that　escapeth　from　the　sword　of　Jehu　shall　Elisha　slay。〃

Elijah　had　thought　that　he　alone　in　Israel　was　a　worshiper　of　the　true　God。　But　He　who　reads　the　hearts　of　all　revealed　to　the　prophet　that　there　were　many　others　who；　through　the　long　years　of　apostasy；　had　remained　true　to　Him。　〃I　have　left　Me；〃　God　said；　〃seven　thousand　in　Israel；　all　the　knees　which　have　not　bowed　unto　Baal；　and　every　mouth　which　hath　not　kissed　him。〃

From　Elijah's　experience　during　those　days　of　discouragement　and　apparent　defeat　there　are　many　lessons　to　be　drawn；　lessons　invaluable　to　the　servants　of　God　in　this　age；　marked　as　it　is　by　general　departure　from　right。　The　apostasy　prevailing　today　is　similar　to　that　which　in　the　prophet's　day　overspread　Israel。　In　the　exaltation　of　the　human　above　the　divine；　in　the　praise　of　popular　leaders；　in　the　worship　of　mammon；　and　in　the　placing　of　the　teachings　of　science　above　the　truths　of　revelation；　multitudes　today　are　following　after　Baal。　Doubt　and　unbelief　are　exercising　their　baleful　influence　over　mind　and　heart；　and　many　are　substituting　for　the　oracles　of　God　the　theories　of　men。　It　is　publicly　taught　that　we　have　reached　a　time　when　human　reason　should　be　exalted　above　the　teachings　of　the　Word。　The　law　of　God；　the　divine　standard　of　righteousness；　is　declared　to　be　of　no　effect。　The　enemy　of　all　truth

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　171

is　working　with　deceptive　power　to　cause　men　and　women　to　place　human　institutions　where　God　should　be；　and　to　forget　that　which　was　ordained　for　the　happiness　and　salvation　of　mankind。

Yet　this　apostasy；　widespread　as　it　has　come　to　be；　is　not　universal。　Not　all　in　the　world　are　lawless　and　sinful；　not　all　have　taken　sides　with　the　enemy。　God　has　many　thousands　who　have　not　bowed　the　knee　to　Baal；　many　who　long　to　understand　more　fully　in　regard　to　Christ　and　the　law；　many　who　are　hoping　against　hope　that　Jesus　will　come　soon　to　end　the　reign　of　sin　and　death。　And　there　are　many　who　have　been　worshiping　Baal　ignorantly；　but　with　whom　the　Spirit　of　God　is　still　striving。

These　need　the　personal　help　of　those　who　have　learned　to　know　God　and　the　power　of　His　word。　In　such　a　time　as　this；　every　child　of　God　should　be　actively　engaged　in　helping　others。　As　those　who　have　an　understanding　of　Bible　truth　try　to　seek　out　the　men　and　women　who　are　longing　for　light；　angels　of　God　will　attend　them。　And　where　angels　go；　none　need　fear　to　move　forward。　As　a　result　of　the　faithful　efforts　of　consecrated　workers；　many　will　be　turned　from　idolatry　to　the　worship　of　the　living　God。　Many　will　cease　to　pay　homage　to　man…made　institutions　and　will　take　their　stand　fearlessly　on　the　side　of　God　and　His　law。

Much　depends　on　the　unceasing　activity　of　those　who　are　true　and　loyal；　and　for　this　reason　Satan　puts　forth　every　possible　effort　to　thwart　the　divine　purpose　to　be　wrought　out　through　the　obedient。　He　causes　some　to　lose

172

sight　of　their　high　and　holy　mission；　and　to　become　satisfied　with　the　pleasures　of　this　life。　He　leads　them　to　settle　down　at　ease；　or；　for　the　sake　of　greater　worldly　advantages；　to　remove　from　places　where　they　might　be　a　power　for　good。　Others　he　causes　to　flee　in　discouragement　from　duty；　because　of　opposition　or　persecution。　But　all　such　are　regarded　by　Heaven　with　tenderest　pity。　To　every　child　of　God　whose　voice　the　enemy　of　souls　had　succeeded　in　silencing；　the　question　is　addressed；　〃What　doest　thou　here？〃　I　commissioned　you　to　go　into　all　the　world　and　preach　the　gospel；　to　prepare　a　people　for　the　day　of　God。　Why　are　you　here？　Who　sent　you？

The　joy　set　before　Christ；　the　joy　that　sustained　Him　through　sacrifice　and　suffering；　was　the　joy　of　seeing　sinners　saved。　This　should　be　the　joy　of　every　follower　of　His；　the　spur　to　his　ambition。　Those　who　realize；　even　in　a　limited　degree；　what　redemption　means　to　them　and　to　their　fellow　men；　will　comprehend　in　some　measure　the　vast　needs　of　humanity。　Their　hearts　will　be　moved　to　compassion　as　they　see　the　moral　and　spiritual　destitution　of　thousands　who　are　under　the　shadow　of　a　terrible　doom；　in　comparison　with　which　physical　suffering　fades　into　nothingness。

Of　families；　as　of　individuals；　the　question　is　asked；　〃What　doest　thou　here？〃　In　many　churches　there　are　families　well　instructed　in　the　truths　of　God's　word；　who　might　widen　the　sphere　of　their　influence　by　moving　to　places　in　need　of　the　ministry　they　are　capable　of　giving。　God　calls　for　Christian　families　to　go　into　the　dark　places　of　the　earth　and　work　wisely　and　perseveringly　for　those　who　are

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　173

enshrouded　in　spiritual　gloom。　To　answer　this　call　requires　self…sacrifice。　While　many　are　waiting　to　have　every　obstacle　removed；　souls　are　dying；　without　hope　and　without　God。　For　the　sake　of　worldly　advantage；　for　the　sake　of　acquiring　scientific　knowledge；　men　are　willing　to　venture　into　pestilential　regions　and　to　endure　hardship　and　privation。　Where　are　those　who　are　willing　to　do　as　much　for　the　sake　of　telling　others　of　the　Saviour？

If；　under　trying　circumstances；　men　of　spiritual　power；　pressed　beyond　measure；　become　discouraged　and　desponding；　if　at　times　they　see　nothing　desirable　in　life；　that　they　should　choose　it；　this　is　nothing　strange　or　new。　Let　all　such　remember　that　one　of　the　mightiest　of　the　prophets　fled　for　his　life　before　the　rage　of　an　infuriated　woman。　A　fugitive；　weary　and　travel…worn；　bitter　disappointment　crushing　his　spirits；　he　asked　that　he　might　die。　But　it　was　when　hope　was　gone　and　his　lifework　seemed　threatened　with　defeat；　that　he　learned　one　of　the　most　precious　lessons　of　his　life。　In　the　hour　of　his　greatest　weakness　he　learned　the　need　and　the　possibility　of　trusting　God　under　circumstances　the　most　forbidding。

Those　who；　while　spending　their　life　energies　in　self…sacrificing　labor；　are　tempted　to　give　way　to　despondency　and　distrust；　may　gather　courage　from　the　experience　of　Elijah。　God's　watchful　care；　His　love；　His　power；　are　especially　manifest　in　behalf　of　His　servants　whose　zeal　is　misunderstood　or　unappreciated；　whose　counsels　and　reproofs　are　slighted；　and　whose　efforts　toward　reform　are　repaid　with　hatred　and　opposition。

174


It　is　at　the　time　of　greatest　weakness　that　Satan　assails　the　soul　with　the　fiercest　temptations。　It　was　thus　that　he　hoped　to　prevail　over　the　Son　of　God；　for　by　this　policy　he　had　gained　many　victories　over　man。　When　the　will　power　weakened　and　faith　failed；　then　those　who　had　stood　long　and　valiantly　for　the　right　yielded　to　temptation。　Moses；　wearied　with　forty　years　of　wandering　and　unbelief；　lost　for　a　moment　his　hold　on　Infinite　Power。　He　failed　just　on　the　borders　of　the　Promised　Land。　So　with　Elijah。　He　who　had　maintained　his　trust　in　Jehovah　during　the　years　of　drought　and　famine；　he　who　had　stood　undaunted　before　Ahab；　he　who　throughout　that　trying　day　on　Carmel　had　stood　before　the　whole　nation　of　Israel　the　sole　witness　to　the　true　God；　in　a　moment　of　weariness　allowed　the　fear　of　death　to　overcome　his　faith　in　God。

And　so　it　is　today。　When　we　are　encompassed　with　doubt；　perplexed　by　circumstances；　or　afflicted　by　poverty　or　distress；　Satan　seeks　to　shake　our　confidence　in　Jehovah。　It　is　then　that　he　arrays　before　us　our　mistakes　and　tempts　us　to　distrust　God；　to　question　His　love。　He　hopes　to　discourage　the　soul　and　break　our　hold　on　God。

Those　who；　standing　in　the　forefront　of　the　conflict；　are　impelled　by　the　Holy　Spirit　to　do　a　special　work；　will　frequently　feel　a　reaction　when　the　pressure　is　removed。　Despondency　may　shake　the　most　heroic　faith　and　weaken　the　most　steadfast　will。　But　God　understands；　and　He　still　pities　and　loves。　He　reads　the　motives　and　the　purposes　of　the　heart。　To　wait　patiently；　to　trust　when　everything　looks　dark；　is　the　lesson　that　the　leaders　in　God's　work　need　to　learn。　Heaven　will　not　fail　them　in　their　day　of　adversity。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　175

Nothing　is　apparently