Our Bible Band | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · May 13, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 20.

Our Bible Band.

Schedule for Week Ending May 23, 1908.

Sunday	May 17	1 Kings 19, 20	Psalm 134
Monday	" 18	" 21, 22	" 135
Tuesday	" 19	2 Kings 1, 2	" 136
Wednesday	" 20	" 3, 4	" 137
Thursday	" 21	" 5, 6	" 138
Friday	" 22	" 7, 8	" 139
Sabbath	" 23	" 9-12	" 140

Suggestive Notes.

Our lesson of this week continues the story of the reign of weak and wicked Ahab. After Elijah's wonderful day of anxiety and triumph at Carmel, the mighty prophet girds up his loins and runs down the long slope before Ahab's chariot, a distance of at least sixteen miles, to the entrance of Jezreel. Here a messenger comes from the wicked Jezebel telling him his life must pay forfeit for the destruction of the false prophets. A feeling of discouragement and fear comes over the weary man, so unlike his usual manner, and he arises and flees for his life. But he is not forsaken of God. A wonderful lesson he learns at Horeb, and back he goes to do God's work. He connects with him Elisha. Chapter 20 is the story of the defeat of Ben-hadad, the Syrian king. It shows another effort on the part of God to win the weak Ahab.

In Chapter 21 Elijah meets Ahab again, and pronounces the doom of his house and the death of Jezebel; but Ahab seems to repent and is given respite. Chapter 22 introduces the good king Jehoshaphat of Judah, and records his fearful mistake of alliance with Ahab, and the death of the latter. Jehoshaphat's reign is touched lightly, and the wickedness of Ahab's son, Ahaziah, is portrayed.

The first twelve chapters of 2 Kings deal with the prophets Elijah and Elisha, the last days of Elijah, and his translation, and the noble, godly life of Elisha, by whose hand God wrought noted miracles and reproved and instructed backsliding Israel. We follow the house of Ahab to its extinction. The sure punishment of sin is shown in the case of Gehazi. Jehu might have redeemed Israel from false worship had he not been a worshiper of himself. His judgments upon Baal-worship were fierce and summary. Athaliah, the wicked daughter of Ahab, carries the spirit of Jezebel her mother into Judah. Our lesson closes with a sketch of the beginning of the reign of Joash in Judah under good priest Jehoiada, Joash's submission to Hazael, and his death.

Psalms 134 to 140 constitute the special devotional readings for the week. They largely consist of praise to Jehovah for His loving-kindness and tender mercy, which "endureth forever." Psalm 137 was a song of the captives in Babylon. How full of assurance is Psalm 138 to the humble! Psalm 139 is peculiarly heart-searching, and to the true heart, comforting.