gods, but they did not answer. Elijah called on the Lord, who sent down fire from heaven upon his sacriEfice. The people fell on their faces, and acknowledged the true God.

The false prophets were put to death according to the law of Moses (Deut. xiii. 6; 9.) But under the Gospel there are no such immediate punishments. The righteous and the wicked grow on together till the harvest, when it will be fearful to fall into the hands of the living God.

Lesson 82. Elijah's Grief. Elisha is Called.

Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, determined to put Elijah to death. Elijah went to Beersheba, and thence to Horeb. He was grieved, thinking that all Israel had forsaken the Lord; but God assured him that there were 7,000 men in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal. At God's command he called Elisha to be a prophet.

"God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal." Rom. xi. 2—4.

Lesson 83. Benhadad besieges Samaria.

Benhadad, king of Syria, sent messengers to Ahab, to take from him the best of all things which he The elders advised Ahab

possessed.
not to hearken.

A

Benhadad set his army in array against Samaria. prophet came and assured Ahab of victory. Many of the Syrians were slain by the princes of Israel, others fled, but the king escaped.

The kings of Israel probably at this time either paid tribute to the kings of Syria, or had consented to pay tribute, but the elders or chief men of Samaria would not consent to become Benhadad's slaves. The prophet warned Ahab that the Syrians would come again at the end of a year.

Lesson 84. Benhadad returns. •

Benhadad returned with a large army, and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. A man of God came to Ahab and promised him victory: 100,000 of the Syrians were slain, and a wall at Aphek fell upon 27,000. Benhadad fled, and hid himself. Ahab afterwards made a covenant of peace with him, and was reproved.

The idolatrous Syrians thought their multitude would conquer, they knew not that "the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong," but that "God giveth it to whomsoever he will." It was wrong of Ahab to make a covenant of friendship with the wicked Syrians, and he was afterwards punished.

Lesson 85. Naboth's Vineyard.

Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard, but Naboth refused to sell it. Jezebel procured false witnesses who swore that Naboth had blasphemed God

and the king; and he was stoned. Elijah met Ahab in the vineyard, and made known the judgments of God that dogs should lick Ahab's blood, and eat Jezebel, and that his family should perish.

The tenth commandment says, "Thou shalt not covet .... ANYTHING that is thy neighbour's;" the ninth, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour;" the sixth, "Thou shalt not kill;" the eighth, "Thou shalt not steal;" the third, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." All these commandments and others were broken in this wicked transaction.

Lesson 86. Battle of Ramoth-gilead.

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went with Ahab to battle against Ramothgilead. Ahab was disguised, but Jehoshaphat was in his robes. A man drew a bow at a venture, and smote Ahab in his chariot, and he was taken out of the battle. His

blood flowed into his chariot, and dogs licked it up, as Elijah had foretold.

Though Ahab tried to hide himself in his disguise, the arrow of the archer found him. He could not hide himself from the eve of God. "There was none like unto Ahab, who did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel, his wife, stirred up."

Lesson 87. Jehoshaphat's Trust in God.

Jehoshaphat was reproved for aiding Ahab. Some time after, the Moabites and Ammonites invaded Judah. The king proclaimed a fast, and prayed to God for help. In the morning they went forth to battle, in the Wilderness of Tekoa, and when the people praised God, their enemies began to destroy each other.

Jehoshaphat repented of his sin in aiding the ungodly" Ahab, and God forgave him. He governed his people justly, and trusted in God alone for help