Elijah humbled himself until he was in a condition where he would not take the glory to himself. This is the condition upon which the Lord hears prayer, for then we shall give the praise to Him. The custom of offering praise to men is one that results in great evil. One praises another, and thus men are led to feel that glory and honor belong to them. When you exalt man, you lay a snare for his soul, and do just as Satan would have you. You should praise God with all your heart, soul, might, mind, and strength; for God alone is worthy to be glorified (The Review and Herald, March 27, 1913).
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43, 44. Elijah′s Heart Search—The servant watched while Elijah prayed. Six times he returned from the watch, saying, There is nothing, no cloud, no sign of rain. But the prophet did not give up in discouragement. He kept reviewing his life, to see where he had failed to honor God, he confessed his sins, and thus continued to afflict his soul before God, while watching for a token that his prayer was answered. As he searched his heart, he seemed to be less and less, both in his own estimation and in the sight of God. It seemed to him that he was nothing, and that God was everything; and when he reached the point of renouncing self, while he clung to the Saviour as his only strength and righteousness, the answer came. The servant appeared, and said, “Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man′s hand”(1 Kings 18:44) (The Review and Herald, May 26, 1891).
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4. Looking to God Upholds Courage—However courageous and successful a man may be in the performance of a special work, unless he looks constantly to God when circumstances arise to test his faith he will lose his courage. Even after God has given him marked tokens of His power, after he has been strengthened to do God′s work, he will fail unless he trusts implicitly in Omnipotence (The Review and Herald, October 16, 1913).
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18. Many Have Not Bowed to Baal—There are in our cities thousands who have the fear of God before them, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. It is because so many of these are in lowly circumstances that the world does not notice them. But though hidden in highways and hedges, these are seeking God (Manuscript 17, 1898).
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19-21. The Character of Elisha—The attention of Elijah was attracted to Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who with the servants was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. He was educator, director, and worker. Elisha did not live in the thickly populated cities. His father was a tiller of the soil, a farmer. Far from the city and court dissipation, Elisha had received his education. He had been trained in habits of simplicity, of obedience to his parents and to God. Thus in quietude and contentment he was prepared to do the humble work of cultivating the soil. But though of a meek and quiet spirit, Elisha had no changeable character. Integrity and fidelity and the love and fear of God were his. He had the characteristics of a ruler, but with it all was the meekness of one who would serve. His mind had been exercised in the little things, to be faithful in whatsoever he should do; so that if God should call him to act more directly for Him, he would be prepared to hear His voice.
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The surroundings of Elisha′s home were those of wealth; but he realized that in order to obtain an all-round education, he must be a constant worker in any work that needed to be done. He had not consented to be in any respect less informed than his father′s servants. He had learned how to serve first, that he might know how to lead, instruct, and command.
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Elisha waited contentedly, doing his work with fidelity. Day by day, through practical obedience and the divine grace in which he trusted, he obtained rectitude and strength of purpose. While doing all that he possibly could in cooperating with his father in the home firm, he was doing God′s service. He was learning how to cooperate with God (The Youth′s Instructor, April 14, 1898).
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7,8. Prejudices Blind Eyes to Truth—The more closely the Scriptures are studied, the more clearly shall we understand the true character of our thoughts and actions. But thousands put the Bible on one side for the same reason that Ahab hated Micaiah. Because it prophesies evil against the sinner, they claim that they find objections and contradictions in God′s Word. While professing to be open to conviction, they allow prejudice to hold sway, and refuse to see the truth which that Word reveals (The Youth′s Instructor, June 10, 1897).
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2, 3. Voice of the Prince of Darkness—The God of Ekron was supposed to give information, through the medium of its priests, concerning future events. Large numbers of people went to inquire of it; but the predictions there uttered and the information given, proceeded directly from the prince of darkness (The Review and Herald, January 15, 1914).
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3. Is There No God in Israel?—God is your counselor, and we are always in danger of showing distrust of God when we seek for the advice and counsel of men who do not make God their trust, and who are so devoid of wisdom in matters that they will, by following their own judgment, retard the work. They do not recognize God to be infinite in wisdom. We are to acknowledge God in all our counsels, and when we ask Him, we are to believe that we receive the things we ask of Him. If you depend upon men who do not love God and obey His commandments, you will surely be brought into very difficult places. Those that are not connected with God are connected with the enemy of God, and the enemy will work with them to lead us in false paths. We do not honor God when we go aside from the only true God to inquire of the God of Ekron. The question is asked, “Is it because there is not a God in Israel that ye have gone to the God of Ekron to inquire?”(2 Kings 1:3) (Manuscript 41, 1894).
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1-6. Some Need Many Moves—Again, God sees that a worker needs to be more closely associated with Him; and to bring this about, He separates him from friends and acquaintances. When He was preparing Elijah for translation, He moved him from place to place that he might not settle down at ease, and thus fail of obtaining spiritual power. And it was God′s design that Elijah′s influence should be a power to help many souls to gain a wider, more helpful experience.
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Let those who are not permitted to rest in quietude, who must be continually on the move, pitching their tent tonight in one place, and tomorrow night in another place, remember that the Lord is leading them, and that this is His way of helping them to form perfect characters. In all the changes that we are required to make, God is to be recognized as our companion, our guide, our dependence (The Review and Herald, May 2, 1907).
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1-8. Our Schools of the Prophets—Just before Elijah was taken to heaven, he visited the schools of the prophets, and instructed the students on the most important points of their education. The lessons he had given them on former visits, he now repeated, impressing upon the minds of the youth the importance of letting simplicity mark every feature of their education. Only in this way could they receive the mold of heaven, and go forth to work in the ways of the Lord. If conducted as God designs they should be, our schools in these closing days of the message will do a work similar to that done by the schools of the prophets (The Review and Herald, October 24, 1907).
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