Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/308

 I may go  and  dress  it  for  me  and  my  son,  that  we  may  eat  it and  die.’'

The prophet  assured  her  saying:  “Fear  not,  but  go  and  do as  thou  hast  said;  but  first  make  for  me  of  the  same  meal a little hearth-cake. For thus  saith  the  Lord:  ‘The  pot  of  meal shall not  waste  nor  the  cruse  of  oil  be  diminished  until  the  day wherein the  Lord  will  give  rain  upon  the  earth. ”

The woman  did  as  Elias  had  told  her,  and  from  that  day forth she  had  meal  in  her  pot  and  oil  in  her  cruse  and  knew  no want,  neither  Elias  nor  she  nor  her  son. Now it  happened  some time after  that  the  son  of  this  poor  woman  of  Sarepta  fell  sick and died. She said  to  the  prophet:  “What  have  I done  to  thee, thou man  of  God? Hast thou  come  to  me  that  my  iniquities should be  remembered?”  Thereupon  Elias  took  the  child  and went into  the  upper  chamber,  and  laid  it  upon  his  own  bed. Then he cried to  the  Lord: “O  Lord,  hast  Thou  also  afflicted  the widow with  whom  I am  after  a sort  maintained?”  Then  he  stretched himself and  measured  himself  three  times  upon  the  child; and  the soul of  the  boy  returned  and  he  revived.

Elias took  the  child  and  brought  him  down  to  his  mother and said:  “Behold,  thy  son  liveth.”  Full  of  joy  and  gratitude the woman  exclaimed:  “Now  by  this  I know  that  thou  art  a man of God,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  in  thy  mouth  is  true.”

The Mercy  of  God.  Of  His  mercy  He  did  not  entirely  reject  the faithless Israelites,  but  sent  His  prophets  to  them  from  time  to  time  to give  them  a chance  of  repentance  and  pardon.

The Omniscience  of  God.  The  prophets  were  inspired  by  God,  or else  they  would  not  have  been  able  to  foretell  the  future. The future is known  only  to  God,  with  whom  times  and  seasons  are  as  nothing.

The Omnipresence  of  God.  “As  the  Lord  liveth  in  whose  sight  I stand,”  said  Elias  to  Achab. Wherever we  are  or  go,  God  is  with  us. Elias lived  in  the  constant  recollection  of  God’s  presence,  and  this  it was  that  gave  him  courage  and  consolation  under  persecution  and  when in danger  of  death. He did  not  feel  himself  deserted  even  in  the cave of  Carith,  because  God  was  with  him.