Voice of Stern Rebuke
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“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares.”
Hebrews 13:2
. These words have lost
none of their force through the lapse of time. Our heavenly Father still
continues to place in the pathway of His children opportunities that
are blessings in disguise; and those who improve these opportunities
find great joy. “If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the
afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be
as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy
thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like
a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
Isaiah 58:10, 11
.
To His faithful servants today Christ says, “He that receiveth you
receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me.”
No act of kindness shown in His name will fail to be recognized and
rewarded. And in the same tender recognition Christ includes even
the feeblest and lowliest of the family of God. “Whosoever shall give
to drink,” He says, “unto one of these little ones”—those who are as
children in their faith and their knowledge of Christ—“a cup of cold
water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in
no wise lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:40, 42
.
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Through the long years of drought and famine, Elijah prayed
earnestly that the hearts of Israel might be turned from idolatry to
allegiance to God. Patiently the prophet waited, while the hand of
the Lord rested heavily on the stricken land. As he saw evidences of
suffering and want multiplying on every side, his heart was wrung
with sorrow, and he longed for power to bring about a reformation
quickly. But God Himself was working out His plan, and all that His
servant could do was to pray on in faith and await the time for decided
action.
The apostasy prevailing in Ahab’s day was the result of many years
of evil-doing. Step by step, year after year, Israel had been departing
from the right way. For generation after generation they had refused
to make straight paths for their feet, and at last the great majority of
the people had yielded themselves to the leadership of the powers of
darkness.
About a century had passed since, under the rulership of King
David, Israel had joyfully united in chanting hymns of praise to the