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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And Ahab declareth to Jezebel all that Elijah did, and all how he slew all the prophets by the sword, |
And Ahab – Type of the Roman empire. B256; R5629:1, R4741:1, R3408:2
Told Jezebel – Type of the apostate church of Rome and of the so-called Protestant sects. B256; R5629:1, R3408:3
Herodias was an advanced type of her. R3408:2
All that Elijah – Representing the true Church in the flesh. B256; R5629:1, R5857:4, R4741:1
John the Baptist was a type, corresponding to Elijah. R3408:2
Had done – Jezebel viewed the matter, not as a combat between the Almighty and Baal, but as between her prophets and Elijah. R4741:1
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| 2 and Jezebel sendeth a messenger unto Elijah, saying, 'Thus doth the gods, and thus do they add, surely about this time to-morrow, I make thy life as the life of one of them.' |
Jezebel – Representing the principles of Papacy in Protestantism. B256
Represents a form of godliness, great and boastful, and supported by earthly power. R5752:6
Sent a messenger – So the gospel Church has been persecuted and compelled to flee by a woman who sat as "a queen" (Rev. 18:7) and is called "Jezebel." (HG69:4)
The great social and religious upheaval of a century did not alter the attitude of the church nominal and the world toward the true Church. The Reformation was partial only. R5752:6
Of one of them – Declaring that he would be as dead as the priests of Baal within 24 hours. R3408:1
The queen did not persecute him, but threatened him. R5629:1
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| 3 And he feareth, and riseth, and goeth for his life, and cometh in to Beer-Sheba, that [is] Judah's, and leaveth his young man there, |
Went for his life – The message was a boast and threat designed to intimidate him and to cause him to flee, which it did. R3408:1
Antitypically, this implies a measure of fear and cowardice on the part of God's saintly people, and their becoming obscure for a time. R4741:4
The reformers of the 16th century fled the threats of the antitypical Jezebel, being caused to desert many prominent principles of righteousness for fear of the consequences. R2341:1
The complete separation of a class from the power of Jezebel in the interests of the new life, 1829 to 1846. R4211:3*
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| 4 and he himself hath gone into the wilderness a day's Journey, and cometh and sitteth under a certain retem-tree, and desireth his soul to die, and saith, 'Enough, now, O Jehovah, take my soul, for I [am] not better than my fathers.' |
Into the wilderness – Not for a specified time, however. R5629:1
In fulfillment, Protestant sects compel the saints again to flee into the wilderness condition. B256
O LORD – Signifying his discouragement. R5629:4
Take away my life – Why thus flee from death, and yet pray the Lord for death? An illustration of how some of strong faith amongst the Lord's people at times become discouraged, panic-stricken, fearful. R3408:5
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| 5 And he lieth down and sleepeth under a certain retem-tree, and lo, a messenger cometh against him, and saith to him, 'Rise, eat;' |
Arise and eat – God realized, better than did Elijah, the physical exhaustion experienced in the great work he had done. R2333:3
The "Miller Movement," with special food: the ransom, the return of the Lord, and an understanding of prophecy. R4211:3,6*[R4211:24]
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| 6 and he looketh attentively, and lo, at his bolster a cake [baken on] burning stones, and a dish of water, and he eateth, and drinketh, and turneth, and lieth down. |
There was a cake – A loaf of bread, somewhat like a pancake; symbol of the Church's spiritual food, the unleavened bread of life, Christ. R2333:5
The special message that is now feeding the people of God. R5629:4
A cruse of water – Symbol of truth, the water of life. R2333:5
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| 7 And the messenger of Jehovah turneth back a second time, and cometh against him, and saith, 'Rise, eat, for the way is too great for thee;' |
Angel of the LORD – The Lord thus gave him a special message of comfort and food which lasted forty days, until he came to the mount of God--Horeb. R5752:3
The messenger whom the Lord has been using since 1874. R4211:6*
The second time – Second awakening, 1874 to 1914. R4211:6*
Arise and eat – However earnest and zealous the Lord's people may be, they need rest and food. R3408:6
Represents the special blessings and refreshments of the truth in the experiences of the Church. R3408:6
The journey – The hope of our calling, to be joint-heirs with our Lord. R4211:6*
Too great for thee – Unless strengthened by the special food provided. R4211:6*
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| 8 and he riseth, and eateth, and drinketh, and goeth in the power of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God Horeb. |
That meat – Present truth. R4212:1*
Forty days – 1874 to 1914. R4212:1*
Unto Horeb – Mt. Sinai, a type of the Kingdom of God. R3408:2,6
Represents the Messianic Kingdom. R5629:4, R5752:6, R4212:1*
Elijah's reaching Mt. Horeb typifies the Church at the incipient establishment of the Kingdom in 1878. R3408:6
Coming of Elijah to it shows that the Church will be in and under the Kingdom administration while still in the flesh, although the last members will not fully participate in the Kingdom honors and blessings. R5752:6
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| 9 And he cometh in there, unto the cave, and lodgeth there, and lo, the word of Jehovah [is] unto him, and saith to him, 'What to thee, here, Elijah ' |
He came thither – Chronologically Messiah's Kingdom began its operation in the world in 1878 while the last members of the Church are still in the flesh. R5753:1
Unto a cave – The cave of Moses. R3414:1
Lodged there – No special aim or purpose before his mind. R2333:5
What doest thou – It may be asked, What are we doing for the Lord and for his cause? R2334:1
Here – Not in a place to do anything. R2334:1
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| 10 And he saith, 'I have been very zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant Thine altars they have thrown down, and Thy prophets they have slain by the sword, and I am left, I, by myself, and they seek my life to take it.' |
I only, am left – As Elijah was discouraged, so it has been with the Church. There was much discouragement felt until the Lord began to make clear the divine plan. R5753:5, R3414:2
They seek my life – The experiences of God's prophets, for the most part, were far from enviable. A54
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| 11 And He saith, 'Go out, and thou hast stood in the mount before Jehovah.' And lo, Jehovah is passing by, and a wind great and strong is rending mountains, and shivering rocks before Jehovah: not in the wind [is] Jehovah; and after the wind a shaking: not in the shaking [is] Jehovah; |
Stand upon the mount – The final overthrow of present institutions will not take place until the Elijah class has reached the mount of God--actually changed. R4212:4*
Before the LORD – The Lord gave him illustrations of different ways of accomplishing results. We need, and are getting, such a lesson. R3414:2,3
To us he makes clear the divine plan by which Messiah's Kingdom will be inaugurated. R5753:5, R2333:5
And strong wind – Not the Lord's manifestation of himself, but merely an illustration of power. R4741:4, R3414:2
Winds of strife, symbol of wars. R5753:1, R2334:4
Windy strife of words, not the voice of God, but the voice of humanity. R4741:4, R2333:6
Quite probably they are already (1904) being let loose. R3414:3
Represents the present (1915) war. R5629:4, R5753:1
Rent the mountains – Mountains represent kingdoms; a great weakening of the nations, governments of the earth, by wars; and increased knowledge and discontent among the people. A318; SM795:3; R5601:2, R5629:4
Not In the wind – God's Kingdom will not follow the epoch of war. R2334:4
An earthquake – Symbolically represents a social revolution. R5629:4; SM795:3; R5753:2, R2334:4, R3414:3, R5649:5, R5601:2; A336, D528
The earthquake of Rev. 16:18. R3414:3, R2334:5
When the kings and captains of industry, finance and politics will, in self-defense, exalt the power of religious leaders. R5601:3
Another power by which, ultimately, the present order of things will give way before the Kingdom of God's dear Son. R4741:4
This will not come as soon as the war begins, but the war might continue while the earthquake is on. R5629:4, R5753:2
Not in the earthquake – Revolutionary experiences will not be sufficient to prepare men to hear the voice of God. R2334:4
In none of these great experiences coming to the world will God be manifest. They will all be merely to fit and prepare man for the voice of Eden. R5753:2, R2334:4
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| 12 and after the shaking a fire: not in the fire [is] Jehovah; and after the fire a voice still small; |
A fire – Anarchy, symbolically represented by St. Peter as consuming the ecclesiastical heavens and the social, financial and political earth. (2 Pet. 3:10-13) R5753:2, R3414:3
The great time of trouble (Dan. 12:1) is prefigured also by a ti R5863:6
Celestial fire, lightning, symbol of anarchy, consuming and destroying the present order of things. R2334:4, R5753:2, R5567:4, R5601:2, R5629:4, R5649:5, R2333:6
The third great phase of the calamity. SM795:3
Anarchy--Armageddon experiences. I think the Church will be gone before the Armageddon experience, but cannot be sure. Q617:4
Not In the fire – The fire, representing consumption, destruction, anarchy, is not the Lord, but merely human passions which he will permit. R4741:5
After the fire – These calamities having completely exhausted and humbled mankind. R2334:5, R5649:5
A still small voice – The voice of truth, love, wisdom. R3414:3
The voice of God, the divine power, which will bring the blessings to the world. R5629:4, R5601:2
The "pure language" (Zeph. 3:9) or pure message of God's W R3414:5
Corresponding to the "Be still" of Psa. 46:10. R3414:6, R2334:5
Not by earthly might nor by earthly power will the Lord establish his rule. R3414:6
The King will take his great power with the result that the fires of anarchy will be extinguished. SM795:3
Which Luther's translation renders, "The voice of Eden." God was in the voice--it really and truly represented him. R5752:3[R5752:3]
"It shall come to pass that every soul that will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people." (Acts 3:23) R2334:5
Elijah had expected his reformation to go forward like a windstorm, or an earthquake or lightning; and when it did not, he fled. Now he was to understand that it would be more secret and quiet in the hearts of men, before giving outward manifestation. R2340:3,6
The voice of God's Word speaking to his people today. R4741:5
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| 13 and it cometh to pass, at Elijah's hearing [it], that he wrappeth his face in his robe, and goeth out, and standeth at the opening of the cave, and lo, unto him [is] a voice, and it saith, 'What to thee, here, Elijah ' |
Went out – The type here changes to teach lessons of our present privileges and responsibilities. R4212:4*
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| 14 And he saith, 'I have been very zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, Thine altars they have thrown down, and Thy prophets they have slain by the sword, and I am left, I, by myself, and they seek my life to take it.' |
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| 15 And Jehovah saith unto him, 'Go turn back on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and thou hast gone in, and anointed Hazael for king over Aram, |
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| 16 and Jehu son of Nimshi thou dost anoint for king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel-Meholah, thou dost anoint for prophet in thy stead. |
And Elisha – Probably a type of the Great Company until he re-crossed Jordan. Q260:3; R3416:4, R4758:2, R5771:6
A class that will come into deep sympathy with the Elijah class, and follow the Lord's leading with it, yet a class that will not expect to be glorified. B265
We have no positive proof in the Scriptures that he was a type at all. Q259:2; R3429:2
Prophet in thy room – To prepare and instruct Elisha, representing those who shall succeed the overcomers as the Lord's mouthpiece on the earth. R557:6
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| 17 'And it hath been, him who is escaped from the sword of Hazael, put to death doth Jehu, and him who is escaped from the sword of Jehu put to death doth Elisha; |
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| 18 and I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.' |
7,000 in Israel – Similarly there are thousands in the nominal system who are not in sympathy with the errors they are taught, but are confused and blinded. R3415:1
Similarly today there are two classes in spiritual Israel: one class is in the wilderness condition; another, a larger class, is still more or less associated with, and bound up in, Babylon. R4741:5
The "Little Flock" may be rather difficult to discern. We are to look for them everywhere--in all denominations, and outside all. SM702:1[SM702]
Unto Baal – The Papal "Beast" and the Protestant "Image." (Rev. 13) R290:6[R290]
Hath not kissed him – Which was the custom. R3415:1
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| 19 And he goeth thence, and findeth Elisha son of Shaphat, and he is plowing; twelve yoke [are] before him, and he [is] with the twelfth; and Elijah passeth over unto him, and casteth his robe upon him, |
Elisha – Signifying, "God is deliverer." R3428:3
With twelve yoke – Indicating that he was the son of a wealthy Israelite. R3428:3
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| 20 and he forsaketh the oxen, and runneth after Elijah, and saith, 'Let me give a kiss, I pray thee, to my father and to my mother, and I go after thee.' And he saith to him, 'Go, turn back, for what have I done to thee ' |
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| 21 And he turneth back from after him, and taketh the yoke of oxen, and sacrificeth it, and with instruments of the oxen he hath boiled their flesh, and giveth to the people, and they eat, and he riseth, and goeth after Elijah, and serveth him. |
Ministered unto him – For more than 10 years. R3428:3
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