- The Times of Volume Three
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- Chapter 1—An Appeal for Burden Bearers
- Chapter 2—Unsanctified Ability
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- Chapter 4—Intimate Friendship With Worldlings
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- Chapter 6—Experience Not Reliable
- Chapter 7—Faithfulness in Home Duties
- Chapter 8—Pride and Vain Thoughts
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- Chapter 12—To Wealthy Parents
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- Chapter 14—The Health Reform
- Chapter 15—The Health Institute
- Chapter 16—Danger of Applause
- Chapter 17—Labor for the Erring
- Chapter 18—The Sabbath School
- Chapter 19—Laborers in the Office
- Chapter 20—Love and Duty
- Chapter 21—The Battle Creek Church
- Chapter 22—Missionary Work
- Chapter 23—Effect of Discussions
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- Chapter 25—Self-Caring Ministers
- Chapter 26—Inordinate Love of Gain
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- Chapter 38—Importance of the Work
- Chapter 39—The State of the World
- Chapter 40—The State of the Church
- Chapter 41—Love of the World
- Chapter 42—Presumption
- Chapter 43—Power of Appetite
- Chapter 44—Leadership
- Chapter 45—Calls for Means
- Chapter 46—Duty to the Unfortunate
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- Chapter 48—The Sin of Covetousness
- Chapter 49—Industry in the Ministry
- Chapter 50—Parents as Reformers
- Chapter 51—“Cannot Come Down”
Ahab's Case a Warning
Under the perverted rule of Ahab, Israel departed from God and corrupted their ways before Him. “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.”3T 262.2
Ahab was weak in moral power. He did not have a high sense of sacred things; he was selfish and unprincipled. His union by marriage with a woman of decided character and positive temperament, who was devoted to idolatry, made them both special agents of Satan to lead the people of God into idolatry and terrible apostasy. The determined spirit of Jezebel molded the character of Ahab. His selfish nature was incapable of appreciating the mercies of God to His people and his obligation to God as the guardian and leader of Israel. The fear of God was daily growing less in Israel. The blasphemous tokens of their blind idolatry were to be seen among the Israel of God. There were none who dared to expose their lives by openly standing forth in opposition to the prevailing blasphemous idolatry. The altars of Baal, and the priests of Baal who sacrificed to the sun, moon, and stars, were conspicuous everywhere. They had consecrated temples and groves wherein the work of men's hands was placed to be worshiped. The benefits which God gave to this people called forth from them no gratitude to the Giver. All the bounties of heaven,—the running brooks, the streams of living waters, the gentle dew, the showers of rain which refreshed the earth and caused their fields to bring forth abundantly,—these they ascribed to the favor of their gods.3T 262.3
Elijah's faithful soul was grieved. His indignation was aroused, and he was jealous for the glory of God. He saw that Israel was plunged into fearful apostasy. And when he called to mind the great things that God had wrought for them, he was overwhelmed with grief and amazement. But all this was forgotten by the majority of the people. He went before the Lord, and, with his soul wrung with anguish, pleaded for Him to save His people if it must be by judgments. He pleaded with God to withhold from His ungrateful people dew and rain, the treasures of heaven, that apostate Israel might look in vain to their gods, their idols of gold, wood, and stone, the sun, moon, and stars, to water and enrich the earth, and cause it to bring forth plentifully. The Lord told Elijah that He had heard his prayer and would withhold dew and rain from His people until they should turn unto Him with repentance.3T 263.1