In the year 731 B. C., Tiglath-Pileser again overran Babylonia, and in 729 B. C. offered sacrifices to the Babylonian gods in Babylon and all the principal cities. He was succeeded B. C. 727 by Shalmaneser IV, having re-established the power of Assyria throughout Syria, Palestine, and Phœnicia, to the borders of Egypt.
Shalmaneser reigned six years. His most important act was his invasion of Israel and siege of Samaria. 2 Kings 17:3–6; 18:9–12. He was succeeded in 722 B. C., by Sargon.
Sargon warred successively in Susiana (Elam), in Syria, in Armenia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kurdistan, Media, and Babylonia. About 711 B. C., he took Ashdod (Isa. 20:1), and went on from there and invaded Egypt and subdued Ethiopia. Isa. 20:3–5. Having completely reduced Syria, humiliated Egypt, and struck terror into the tribes of the north and east, he determined on a great expedition against Babylon. About the same year that Sargon took his seat on the Assyrian throne, Merodach-Baladan took possession of Babylon and established his authority there as king. While Sargon was engaged in his Syrian and Egyptian wars, Merodach-Baladan held undisputed sway in Babylon, but in his twelfth year, which was Sargon's twelfth year also, Sargon, as stated above, made his great expedition into that country. Merodach-Baladan, however, did not even await the invader, but left Babylon and fled to his own former city, Beth-Yakin, on the coast of the Persian Gulf, near the mouth of the Euphrates. There Sargon attacked him, defeated his army, and drove the troops into their own dyke, in which many of them were drowned. Merodach-Baladan took refuge within the walls of the city, which Sargon besieged, took, plundered, and burnt, and took Merodach-Baladan prisoner, and carried him captive into Assyria.
"The power of Babylon was broken. Henceforth the Assyrian rule is maintained over the whole of Chaldea and Babylonia, with few and brief interruptions, to the close of the [Assyrian] empire. The reluctant victim struggles in his captor's grasp, and now and then for a short space shakes it off; but it is only to be seized again with a firmer gripe, until at length his struggles cease, and he resigns himself to a fate which he has come to regard as inevitable." —Seven Great Monarchies, Second Monarchy, chap. 9, par. 149.
"Indeed, it may be said that from the invasion of Tiglath-Pileser to the revolt of Nabopolassar, Babylonia ceased to have any separate existence. It was governed by Assyrian kings, or the viceroys they appointed, and the only attempts to recover independence were made under the leadership of the Chaldean chiefs. It becomes nothing more than an important province of Assyria." —Encyc. Brit., art. Babylonia and Assyria, par. 9.
In B. C. 705, Sargon was succeeded by his son Sennacherib, "the greatest of all the Assyrian monarchs." This was the Sennacherib of whom so much is said in the Bible. He reigned twenty-four years. About the time of his accession, Merodach-Baladan escaped from his Assyrian prison, and fled to Babylon, and again assumed the title of king, but Sennacherib soon followed, and overran the country, and Merodach-Baladan escaped into Susiana. About B. C. 700 Merodach-Baladan returned to Babylon, and, in conjunction with a certain Susub, again organized a revolt. Sennacherib again proceeded to Babylon, and again Merodach-Baladan fled, this time to an island in the Persian Gulf, and abandoned to Sennacherib's mercy his brothers and all of his partisans. After this he is never heard of more. Babylon was captured, burnt, and ruined by Sennacherib, and its inhabitants sold into slavery.
Sennacherib was succeeded in B. C. 681 to 680, by his son Esar-haddon (Isa. 37:38). To prevent the revolts that were so frequent in Babylonia, Esar-haddon determined to rebuild Babylon and make it the second capital of his empire. Accordingly he restored many of the people who had been carried away, brought back the captured gods, rebuilt the walls and temples, built a house for his son, and a palace for himself. And this is why it was that when the "captains of the host of the king of Assyria" had taken Manasseh of Judah captive, they "carried him to Babylon." The king of Assyria was at Babylon, and the "captains of the host must carry their captive king to the king of Assyria, who was at Babylon, and Esar-haddon was this "king of Assyria" to whom Manasseh was carried (2 Chron. 33:11). In the reign of no other king of Assyria, except perhaps Esar-haddon's son, would a captive have been carried to Babylon.
Esar-haddon was succeeded by his son Asshur-bani-pal, in the year 668 B. C. Asshur-bani-pal was the "grand monarch" of the grand empire of Assyria. "In his reign the Assyrian dominions reached their greatest extent," and Assyrian art reached its highest development. Then it was that the Assyrian stood in the grandeur and glory, afterward described by the prophet of God:—
"Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of a high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field. Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth. All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches; for his root was by great waters. The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him; the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; not any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches; so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him." Eze. 31:3–9.
"In the middle part of this prince's reign, Assyria was paramount over the portion of western Asia included between the Mediterranean Sea and the River Halys on the one hand, and the Caspian Sea and the great Persian Desert on the other. Southwards the boundary was formed by Arabia and the Persian Gulf, northwards . . . it did not extend so far as the northern frontier of Armenia. Besides her Asiatic dominions, Assyria possessed also at this time a portion of Africa, her authority being acknowledged as far as the latitude of Thebes. The countries included within the limits thus indicated, and subject, during the period in question, to Assyrian influence, were chiefly the following: Susiana, Chaldea, Babylonia, Media, Matiene or the Zagros Range, Mesopotamia; parts of Armenia, Cappadocia, and Cilicia; Syria, Phœnicia, Palestine, Idumæa, a portion of Arabia, and almost the whole of Egypt." —Seven Great Monarchies, Second Monarchy, chap. 9, par. 252 (ninth from the end). See also Labberton's Historical Atlas, Map 3.
Asshur-bani-pal reigned forty-two years, till about 626 B. C. He was succeeded by his son Bel-zakir-iskun, who soon found his empire threatened on three sides—Media, Babylonia, and Egypt. Media was now organized into a powerful monarchy under Phraortes, and advanced upon Assyria from the east; Babylonia threw off the Assyrian yoke; and Psammeticus of Egypt invaded the Assyrian dominions on the west and laid siege to Ashdod. This danger to his empire was promptly met by Bel-zakir-iskun. He immediately raised two armies, one of which he placed under the command of Nabopolassar (Nabu-pal-uzur), and sent it to subdue the revolted Babylonia; the other he, in person, led to meet the coming forces of Media. Nabopolassar so effectually performed his appointed service as to merit and receive from his sovereign the honorable title of "King of Babylon." Bel-zakir-iskun met the Medes, drove them back, and pursued them into their own country, where he finally brought them to bay in the plain of Rhages, and inflicted upon them a crushing defeat, in which the Median king was slain.
Phraortes, however, was immediately succeeded by his son Cyaxeres, who continued the war and finally succeeded in driving the king of Assyria out of Media, and in his turn invaded Assyria, and threatened a siege of Nineveh, but was just then recalled to his own country by the ravages of barbarians from the north. As the barbarians of Germany afterward poured down upon the Roman Empire, so now the barbarous Scythian hordes poured into Media. "On they came . . . like a flight of locusts, countless, irresistible—swarming into Iberia and Upper Media—finding before them a garden, and leaving it behind them a howling wilderness." Cyaxeres met them, was defeated, and was compelled to make terms with the invaders, and to pay an annual tribute.
But the Scythians did not confine themselves to Media. They swept down through the passes of the Zagros Mountains into Assyria. "The tide swept on. Wandering from district to district, plundering everywhere, settling nowhere, the clouds of horse passed over Mesopotamia, the force of the invasion becoming weaker as it spread itself, until in Syria it reached its term through the policy of the Egyptian king, Psammeticus." "Psammeticus went out and met these barbarians, and by rich presents tempted them to turn aside and not invade Egypt." The power of the Scythians continued about fourteen years, when finally Cyaxeres invited all the chiefs to a banquet, got them all drunk, put them all to death, and then succeeded in driving their hordes back into Scythia.
During these years Bel-zakir-iskun died, and was succeeded by Asshur-emid-ilin, the Saracus of the Greek writers. Assyria had been greatly weakened by the invasion of the Scyths; more so, indeed, than had Media; and immediately enemies rose up on all sides. Nabopolassar, who had now for about fifteen years been consolidating and strengthening his power at Babylon, determined to possess that province, in his own right. To make success certain, he entered into an alliance with Necho, king of Egypt, who in 612 B. C. had succeeded Psammeticus, then, by virtue of this alliance, sent an embassy to Cyaxeres of Media, asking him to join in a triple alliance, and all together attack the Assyrian Empire.
The king of Media was only too glad of such a golden opportunity to complete the enterprise from which he had been turned by the Scythic invasion, and, without a moment's delay, accepted the proposition. And to more closely bind the alliance, the king of Media gave, in marriage, his daughter Amyitis to Nebuchadnezzar the son of Nabopolassar. In the year 610 B. C., these united powers invaded Assyria. Necho came out of Egypt, hurrying on to join the other powers (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chron. 35:20, 21), when Josiah king of Judah went out to stop him. Josiah was slain, his army defeated, and Necho pushed on to the Euphrates, laid siege to Carchemish (2 Chron. 35:20), an Assyrian fortress, the center of a province, and the link that connected Assyria and Syria. He captured Carchemish, and occupied it with his army, thus at one stroke severing all the Assyrian territory west of the Euphrates. Necho fixed his headquarters "at Riblah in the land of Hamath," and exercised his power as suzerain485over the kingdom of Judah and the provinces round about. 2 Kings 23:33–35.
Nabopolassar and Cyaxeres both went up against the king of Assyria himself, and besieged Nineveh. Saracus, after exhausting every means of resistance, burned himself in his palace, and Nineveh was destroyed.
Thus perished forever, the Assyrian Empire, after an independency of more than a thousand years, and an ascendancy of about six hundred and ninety years.
There followed a division of the territories that had formed the Assyrian Empire. West of the Euphrates fell to Necho; the northern mountainous region was annexed to Media; and all the rest was held by Nabopolassar as king of Babylon. And so arose the kingdom of Babylon of the Bible. A. T. J.
NOTE.—The authority which we have mainly followed in this sketch of the Assyrian Empire, is, "The Seven Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World," by Canon Rawlinson. In connection with this, we have consulted the "Encyclopedia Britannica," ninth edition; "The Ancient Empires of the East," by Prof. A. H. Sayce; "Ancient History of the East," by Lenormant and Chevallier; and "Ancient History from the Monuments, Assyria," by Mr. George Smith, of the British Museum; especially have we followed Mr. Smith in the order of events from the death of Asshur-bani-pal to the division of the empire among the allied conquerors.
Christ's Coming a Motive to Holiness and Usefulness.
THE second coming of the Redeemer is urged, in various forms of words, as one of the most powerful motives to virtue, godliness, and benevolence. But this motive, to a great extent, is lost sight of by many preachers, and in its stead death is set forth as the principal motive to repentance, conversion, and faith in Jesus.
The coming of the Lord is used as a motive to watchfulness. "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching." Luke 12: 37. "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. . . . Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." 1 Thess. 5: 4-6.
The coming of the Lord is used as a motive to patience and stability. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Jas. 5: 7, 8.
The appearing of Christ is made use of as a motive to mortification, or self-denial. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth." Col. 3: 4, 5.
The appearing of the Saviour is used as an incentive to sobriety, righteousness, and godliness. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2: 11-13.
The appearing of Jesus is used as a motive to purity. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 1 John 3: 2, 3.
The coming of Christ is used as a motive to love of the brethren. "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward you; to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." 1 Thess. 3: 12, 13.
The grace that is to be brought to believers at the revelation of Christ, is referred to as a motive for girding up the loins of their minds, or to have their minds in a suitable frame and condition; for sobriety, or calmness, or composedness, and continued hope. "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. 1: 13.
The appearing of Jesus is used by Peter as a motive for sustaining the church, or the body of believers; for nourishing them with sound and Christian doctrine, and putting them on their guard against false teaching; for doing whatever is necessary to their growth in knowledge and holiness. "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof. . . . And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Pet. 5: 2-4.
The revelation of the Saviour's glory is employed by the apostle as a motive to encourage believers to endure suffering or persecution for the sake of Christ. "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." 1 Pet. 4: 13.
The great end to be gained by the trials of believers will not be fully manifest till the Saviour's appearing. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. 1: 7.
The coming of the Lord is used as a motive to our abiding in him, to our continuing true and faithful, steadfast and unmovable. "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." 1 John 2: 28.
And the nearness of the Lord's coming is used as a motive to moderation, to calmness of soul, to the shunning of party strife, or violence; to equanimity, economy, and frugality. "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." Phil. 4: 5.
From these motives and incitements we would draw an exhortation to hope,—perfect hope; for he who has promised to come will not much longer delay. We are waiting and looking with expectation.—Quarterly Journal of Prophecy.
Copying My Lord's Likeness.
By Evangelical Christendom
LEAVING my desk and books early one forenoon in Florence, I wandered out into the piazza, which was glowing in the fervent rays of the bright Italian sun, and making my way across the Arno, landed at length in the gallery of the Pitti Palace, so justly celebrated for the wondrous gems of art that adorn its walls. Having been a familiar visitor to the place, and feeling somewhat in a passive, listless mood, my eye caught sight of an artist in an inner room, whose quiet, earnest occupation immediately fixed my attention. She had planted herself before a picture, which, by some strange oversight, I had scarcely noticed previously. It was rather small in size and quiet in coloring, and represented ideally the countenance of our blessed Lord. A look of deep, unspeakable sadness sat on the features, but the eyes glistened with the most intense yearning and compassion. After gazing for awhile at this most moving picture, I began to watch the artist who was copying it. I could not but admire the care and patience she displayed in adding touch to touch with such a watchful, earnest,
loving purpose, ever turning her eyes to the beautiful original, and absorbed in the task of endeavoring to reproduce, as faithfully as in her lay, a likeness of its loveliness.
A train of thought was awakened in me as I watched her. Not in this manner, but in another and a nobler way, am I too called on to produce a likeness of my blessed Lord. Not in lines and color on a canvas, but in the lineament and features of my character, is my own soul to be conformed to the reality of my Saviour's living self. Shall I ever succeed unless animated by a spirit of deepest love and admiration? Can I become like him unless I be much with him, gazing on his glory and beauty, who is the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely? Should I not ever compare myself with his bright example, and strive earnestly to be in all things as he was? The copy this artist will produce will, after all, be valueless compared with the priceless original; but to those who cannot see that original, it will convey some faint idea of what its beauty is. So to the world that sees not Christ, knows him not, and cares not for him, to that world am I called upon to be a revelation of him, so that in me they may see a witness, faint and far-off though it be, to the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. Fill me with thy love, O Christ! Do thou ever dwell in my heart till, when thou shalt appear, I shall be altogether like thee, when I shall see thee as thou art.
Lost.
A FRIEND recently related a very peculiar and suggestive experience in getting lost on the island of Nantucket. He was one of a gunning party whose camp was on a desolate part of this ancient domain. One afternoon he wandered off alone in the pursuit of game, and success stimulated him to continue the hunt until the twilight was fading into darkness. Laden with wild fowl, he turned his steps toward the distant shelter. At length a light appeared, but, upon looking again, it came and went, instead of having a steady glow, and he concluded at once that it was a revolving beacon on the coast, the location of which he knew. Changing his course, he traveled towards another light-house—into the gloom which enshrouded his path—till, exhausted, he was compelled to part with the burden of game and thread his way back to the point of departure from the light which he first saw; and he heard, erelong, the welcome voices of his comrades. One of their number, while preparing supper, had removed, at intervals, the lamp from the window to the fire, which caused the deception, made him turn his back upon it and follow a light which led him farther and farther from the camp.
There are two practical points in this narrative, of special moral significance. Men must be careful what lights they follow. The lost hunter reproached himself because he did not survey more closely the horizon and become sure of his course, as he might have done before leaving the homeward track. The other suggestion is, that every person who holds a lamp should be cautious how his light shines. Christ put this warning into two letters in their connection, "Let your light so shine that men, seeing," etc. And surely it is a fearful fact that, in all ages, many in the visible church, by the false light of an empty profession and inconsistent life, lead the bewildered and benighted, the too willing to be thus misguided, into the darkness which has no morning.—Sel.
Correcting One’s Faults
EVERY man has his faults; but to have faults and not attempt to correct them, is the greatest fault a man can have.
Looking Within
By Secker
THERE is something wrong within, among all those who are afraid to look within.—Secker.
Sabbath-School Duties in the Camp-Meeting and at Home.
By Ellen G. White
DEAR brethren and sisters who assemble at our camp-meetings, we wish to address to you a few words in the interest of our Sabbath-schools. This is one of the important branches of the work, and should not be left to chance, or to hap-hazard management. If these schools are conducted as they should be, the efforts made in the pulpit to present the truth in a manner to win souls may be deepened; and if the labor bestowed is followed up by interested workers in the Sabbath-school, much good will be accomplished. But it is not enough to have the Sabbath-school move like well-regulated machinery. There should be practical workers; the teachers should be of that class who have a living connection with God, who have an appetite for study themselves, who will give time and moral earnestness to their work, and who will not be satisfied unless they see something accomplished.
There should be a living, growing interest in storing the mind with Bible truth. The precious knowledge thus gained will build a barrier about the soul. Although assailed with temptation, there will be a firm trust in Jesus, through the knowledge of him who hath called them to glory and to virtue. Let the teachers enter heart and soul into the subject-matter of the lesson. Let them lay plans to make a practical application of the lesson, and awaken an interest in the minds and hearts of the children under their charge. Let the activities of the scholars find scope in solving the problems of Bible truth. The teachers may give character to the work, so that the exercises will not be dry and uninteresting.
Teachers do not make as earnest work as they should of the Sabbath-school exercises; they should come close to the hearts of the scholars, by aptness, by sympathy, by patient and determined effort to interest every scholar in regard to the salvation of the soul. These exercises should become altogether what the Lord would have them,—seasons of deep conviction of sin, of heart reformation. If the right work is done in a skillful, Christ-like manner, souls will be convicted, and the inquiry will be, "What shall I do to be saved?" In some Sabbath-schools, positions are given to persons who have no aptitude to teach. They have no earnest love for souls. They do not half understand the practical bearings of the truth themselves. How, then, can they lead the children and youth to the living fountain? Let the teachers themselves drink deep of the water of salvation; and then angels of God will minister to them, and they will know just what course the Lord would have them take to win the precious youth to Jesus. It requires aptitude, a will, perseverance, a spirit such as Jacob had when he wrestled in prayer and exclaimed, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me." When the blessing of God rests upon the teachers, it can but be reflected to those under their charge. Never place the youth under individuals who are spiritually indolent, who have no high, elevated, holy aspirations; for the same mind of indifference, Phariseeism, of form without the power, will be seen in both teachers and scholars.
Let parents do their part, not only helping the children in their study, but becoming familiar with the lessons themselves. The Bible is our text-book. Parents, teachers, and scholars need to become better acquainted with the precious truths contained in both the Old and the New Testaments. We must come up to a higher plane of action. Let the spirit of Jesus vitalize the souls of the workers. Then their plans and methods of labor will be of that character to win souls to Jesus Christ. In our large churches, where there are many children and youth, there is great danger of so managing the Sabbath-school that it will become a mere form, mechanical but spiritless. It lacks Jesus. Do not allow all your strength and energy to be given to worldly, temporal things during the week, and so have no energy and moral strength to give to the service of Christ on the Sabbath. There is earnest work to be done just now. We have not a moment's time to use selfishly. Let all we do be done with an eye single to the glory of God. Never rest till every child in your class is brought to the saving knowledge of Christ.
It is important that the exercises in our camp-meeting Sabbath-schools be conducted with order, promptness, and efficiency. Then the right mould will be given to Sabbath-schools in the different churches, as the people return to their homes. Do not allow business and other interests to crowd out the Sabbath-school interest, so that it shall be considered a matter of no special consequence.
Very much can be done for the education and moral and religious training of our youth by well organized, properly conducted Sabbath-schools. Time and attention should be given to this branch of the work; for its importance in its influence upon our youth cannot be estimated. But our teachers need to be converted men and women, who know what it means to wrestle with God, who will not be at rest until the hearts of the children are tuned to love, praise, and glorify God. Who will be the earnest workers for souls in our Sabbath-schools? Who will take the youth separately, and talk and pray with them, and make personal appeals to them, beseeching them to yield their heart to Jesus, that they may be as a sweet savor to Christ? As we view the magnitude of the work, and see how little it is appreciated, we feel like groaning in spirit and exclaiming. Who will accept these grave responsibilities and watch for souls as they that must give an account? We are Christ's representatives upon the earth. How do we fulfil our mission? Christ's representatives will be in daily communion with him. Their words will be select, their speech seasoned with grace, their hearts filled with love, their efforts sincere, earnest, persevering, to save souls for whom Christ has died. Let all do their utmost to work for the salvation of the dear children and youth, and by and by they will listen with joy to the words of Jesus, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." What is this joy?—It is beholding the redeemed saints saved through their instrumentality, through the blood of Jesus Christ.—Ellen G. White, in S. S. Worker.
Well Stated.
The New York Observer sums up its lesson-notes on the International lesson about Elijah and the prophets of Baal, with the following sound, practical suggestions:—
1. In corrupt times it is the false teachers who are honored and well fed.
2. Though seemingly many, there are really but two ways in which men walk in this world.
3. It is never safe or right to follow the fashion in religious opinions; since every man must give an account of himself, each must think and decide for himself.
4. God asks for no blind faith or unreasonable service; there are good reasons for following him, and it is in view of these that he would have us act.
5. It is whole-hearted, undivided service which God desires; no other will he accept.
It will be remembered that the lesson for last week was upon the scene of Elijah's calling all Israel to the point of decision between the Lord and Baal; how that all Israel, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, came to him at Mount Carmel, and there the test was to be made, by which the people should decide as to whom they would follow. The prophets of Baal prophesied from morning till noon, "But there was no voice nor any that answered." Then they cried louder and "cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out upon them" till the time of the evening sacrifice (about three o'clock), but still "there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded."
THEN "Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near." Then he repaired the altar of the Lord, that had been broken down, and took "twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob;" with these he built the altar of the Lord; then prepared his sacrifice and commanded water to be brought and poured upon the sacrifice and the altar until it ran over and down and round about the altar and filled the trench that he had caused to be digged.
"AND it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, 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. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God."
IN last week's lesson we also showed that just before the Lord comes the people will be brought to just such a test upon their obedience to the Lord, in keeping the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, against the decree of Church and State in favor of Sunday, as was Israel against the decree of the ancient Jezebel in favor of Baal; that every man must decide whether he will "worship the beast and his image," or whether he will "worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." We called attention to the fact that there is now a party working for a union of Church and State, for the express purpose of compelling the people to keep Sunday; and that against this the Lord sends a message of warning, and also calls upon all men to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
WHEN the people all gathered before Elijah, they seemed to be wavering. It seems that they could not make up their minds what they should do. Although the narrative is very brief, it is plain that the attention of all the people had been called to the conflict that was going on between Jezebel and the prophets of the Lord, between Baal and Jehovah. For (1) Jezebel had cut off all the prophets487of the Lord that she could find, and those who escaped were obliged to take refuge in caves, and there were 7,000 persons scattered throughout Israel who had not worshiped Baal. It is impossible that all this could have been carried on without the attention of all Israel being called to this great subject.
(2) Ahab had made such a diligent search for Elijah that it was impossible that the subject of controversy could have been hidden, for when Obadiah finally met Elijah, he said: "There is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord [Ahab] hath not sent to seek thee; and when they said, He is not here; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not." 1 Kings 18: 10.
(3) The prophets of Baal were working in the interest of Baal, throughout the nation of Israel; for when Elijah did show himself to Ahab and gave the challenge and told him to gather Israel and the prophets together, we read: "So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel." Of these there were four hundred and fifty, and of the prophets of Ashera, the female companion of Baal, there were four hundred. From all these things it is plain that this thing "was not done in a corner;" and we may safely conclude that the subject had been thoroughly discussed by all Israel.
This is further shown by the very first words that Elijah spake to the people, when they had assembled. Said he, "How long halt ye between two opinions?" It is plain therefore that the people were acquainted with the two views of the subject, although there was hesitancy in decidedly adopting either.
ON the one side was Jehovah, who had brought their fathers out of Egypt; who had planted them in Canaan; who had been with Samuel, and Gideon, and Barak, and Jephtha; who had led the host of Israel round Jericho, and had thrown down its walls; who had caused the waters of Jordan to stand still while Israel passed over; who had led them through the wilderness, and had fed them with bread from heaven, even with angels' food (Ps. 78: 25); the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; the Creator of heaven and earth; the lover of a world of sinners. On the other side was Baal, the embodiment of shame, with the wicked, licentious, cruel, shameful Jezebel as his grand patron, and the promoter of his worship.
OH! how were it possible for there to be "two opinions"? How could it be that they would not only recognize "two opinions," but actually "halt"—hesitate—between them? Was it because they were worse than any other people that have ever been? Not at all. It was simply because they were human. Let us see for a moment what there was to draw them toward Baal.
FIRST of all, Baal worship was fashionable, it was popular. Remember that Baal-worship was sun-worship. It was just as fashionable, just as popular, then to worship Baal as it now is to keep Sunday. The king, the queen, the court, the rich, the powerful, the mighty, all worshiped Baal; and after these all the middle classes, and all the common people, all, all were for Baal—except only seven thousand out of all the multitudes of Israel. There were a few scattered here and there throughout the nation who refused to accept anything as worthy of an opinion but that the Lord was God, and that his commandments were yea and amen and must be obeyed, and these were held as fanatics.
THEN, too, a person could not prosper at all, unless he worshiped Baal. All the patronage and all the power of the kingdom with the queen at the head, was exerted in favor of Baal. So much so indeed was this, that it was even dangerous not to follow the way of Jezebel and Baal. It was at the risk of life itself that the
The Sabbath-School.
By Editor
ON account of circumstances over which we had no control, we are unable to furnish the Bible lesson for this week. We very much regret to be obliged to make this break in the series. Our readers, however, will find abundant matter not only for thought but for action, in the article immediately following, from the pen of Mrs. E. G. White.