"The

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday,

from the beginning, or ever the earth was."

His works of old. I was set up from everlasting "The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before

and after that also King of Salem, which "First being by interpretation King of righteousness,

is, King of PEACE."

HEB. vii. 2.

"For He is our peace." "Preaching peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all."

"Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means."

2 Thess. iii. 16

"And, having made peace through the blood of His Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto

Himself; by Him, I say, whether

they be things in earth,

or things in heaven. COL. i. 2.

ELIJAH AND OBADIAH.
1 KINGS Xviii. 1-16.

"THE fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." The unregenerate are not in this secret: they have "no fear of God before their eyes." In the Lord Jesus we see this grace, like every other, in perfection. In His saints, this blessed workmanship of the Spirit is more or less manifested, according to the measure of the gift of grace, and the sphere of walk and service to which they are called. Elijah had long walked in the fear of the Lord; he, therefore, feared not the wicked and mighty Ahab. This dignified man of the earth was but weak and impotent in the account of the man of faith, who waited upon the Lord God of Israel with a circumcised ear. The believing eye beholds the Majesty of heaven as having all dominion and might, and perceives Him overruling all the ways of men, to carry out His own eternal purposes and counsels; thus making even the wrath of man to praise Him. The spirit of the prophet had rested in the fear of the Lord for "many days," in the retirement of the widow's house at Zarephath. Now, however, the voice of Him whom He fears commands his steps and services in another direction, and, like one of old, he is able to say," Behold, here am I." "And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth." This must have been an affecting announcement to the quiet and happy little circle at Zarephath; but the prophet seems not surprised; he is ready for the

bold service. He was, we know, a man of prayer; and the blessedness of secret dealing with God is again made manifest. Happy indeed, beloved, are those who, while occupying the retirement and quiet of the familycircle, can yet be found with girded loins and the staff in hand when the Master calls, ready to bear an open testimony for the Lord before the face of His enemies. Such, I presume, was the state of soul of this dear servant of the Lord, for we are told that "Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab." What can be more instructive to us, beloved, or more beautifully in season than this fruit of the Spirit of God? How needful that we should so diligently use our leisure moments in fellowship with the Lord, that we may be prepared unto every good word and work, or that, when He cometh and knocketh, we may open to Him immediately!

But there was another in the land besides Elijah who "feared the Lord greatly," and who also, in another sphere and manner, glorified the God of Israel. Though members of the same elect family, they were not gifted alike-not called to shew forth the characteristics of the Lord in the same line of things; nevertheless, both were vessels of mercy, both wrought on by the same Spirit, both servants of the Lord, both fearing the God of Israel, but each was called to a distinct character of service, even as it is now. Obadiah does not seek to imitate Elijah, nor Elijah to perform the same kind of service as Obadiah. They both fear the Lord, and seek, more or less, to do His holy will, though their faith and love flow out in different channels. Elijah, evidently, was specially called to bear a public

testimony to the nation of Israel, while Obadiah's place was to glorify God in the king's palace-he " was governor of the king's house."

As a servant to his earthly master, Obadiah was, doubtless, faithful and true. It was a place of trust, as well as of honour and distinction; and his feeding the prophets of the Lord, whom his mistress had condemned to death, plainly shews the reality of his fear of God, his love to the brethren, and the readiness with which he could risk his own life, rather than unite with the enemies of the Lord in the persecution of His servants. With all this godly fear, however, there was no fellowship of spirit between Elijah and Obadiah when they came together, though they knew each other. Obadiah lacked an important feature in the character of his divine Master. "The world cannot hate you," said Jesus, "but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil (John vii. 7). Our blessed Lord not only walked in holy separation from the evil that surrounded Him, but He also reproved its ungodly character. He was in every sense the Faithful Witness. We do not, I observe, find this faithful testimony in Obadiah; hence, he was ill prepared for fellowship in the Spirit with Elijah. The king's house, in which he abode, was not only the house which was best supplied with provisions in the time of sore famine; but, as it has been in all ages, was also a place of earthly honour, distinction, and authority. This history, however, is very important, as shewing us, that one may fear the Lord greatly, and yet come short of the Lord's mind; in one's ways be glorifying God in some things, and fall far behind in others; and that some of the house