World Conditions Facing the Christian Worker
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Lessons From Elijah’s Experience
From Elijah’s experience during those days of discouragement
and apparent defeat, there are many lessons to be drawn,—lessons
invaluable to the servants of God in this age, marked as it is by general
departure from right. The apostasy prevailing today is similar to that
which in the prophet’s day overspread Israel. In the exaltation of the
human above the divine, in the praise of popular leaders, in the worship
of mammon, and in the placing of the teachings of science above the
truths of revelation, multitudes today are following after Baal. Doubt
and unbelief are exercising their baleful influence over mind and heart,
and many are substituting for the oracles of God the theories of men.
It is publicly taught that we have reached a time when human reason
should be exalted above the teachings of the Word. The law of God,
the divine standard of righteousness, is declared to be of no effect. The
enemy of all truth is working with deceptive power to cause men and
women to place human institutions where God should be, and to forget
that which was ordained for the happiness and salvation of mankind.
Yet this apostasy, widespread as it has come to be, is not universal.
Not all in the world are lawless and sinful; not all have taken sides
with the enemy. God has many thousands who have not bowed the
knee to Baal, many who long to understand more fully in regard to
Christ and the law, many who are hoping against hope that Jesus will
come soon to end the reign of sin and death. And there are many who
have been worshiping Baal ignorantly, but with whom the Spirit of
God is still striving.—
Prophets and Kings, 170, 171
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