- the lion had:
- All here was supernatural. The lion, though he had killed the man, yet, contrary to his nature, did not devour him, nor tear the ass, nor meddle with the travellers that passed by; while the ass stood quietly by, not fearing the lion, nor betaking himself to flight. Both stood as guardians of the fallen prophet, till this extraordinary intelligence was carried into the city which rendered the miracle the more illustrious and plainly shewed that this event did not happen by chance. This concatenation of miracles marked the death of the man of God as a Divine rebuke for his disobedience in eating bread at idolatrous Beth-el; and here we see, as in various other cases, that "often judgment begins at the house of God." The true prophet, for suffering himself to be seduced by the old prophet, and for receiving that as a revelation from God which was opposed to the revelation which himself had received, and which was confirmed by so many miracles, is slain by a lion, and his body deprived of the burial of his fathers; while the wicked king and the fallen prophet are both permitted to live. "And it shall be,¹ [that] thou shalt drinkª° of the brook;ª¹ and I have commandedª° the ravensª to feedª° thee there.¹" {1Kg 17:4} + "And the ravensª broughtª° him breadª and fleshª in the morning,ª and breadª and fleshª in the evening;ª and he drankª° of¹ the brook.ª" {1Kg 17:6} + "And there went outª° fireª from¹¹ the LORD,ª and devouredª° them, and they diedª° beforeª the LORD.ª" {Lev 10:2} + "So they went near,ª° and carriedª° them in their coatsª out² of¹¹¹ the camp;ª as¹ Mosesª had said.ª°" {Lev 10:5} + "And said,ª° Hithertoªª shalt thou come,ª° but no¹ further:ª° and here¹ shall thy proudª wavesª be stayed?ª°" {Job 38:11} + "Praiseª°¹ the LORDª from¹ the earth,ª ye dragons,ª and all¹ deeps:ª ... Fire,ª and hail;ª snow,ª and vapour;ª stormyª windª fulfillingª° his word:ª" {Psa 148:7-8} + "Fearª° ye not¹ me? saithª° the LORD:ª will ye not¹ trembleª° at my presence,ª¹ which¹ have placedª° the sandª [for] the boundª of the seaª by a perpetualª decree,ª that it cannot¹ passª° it: and though the wavesª thereof toss²° themselves,¹ yet can they not¹ prevail;ª° though they roar,ª° yet can they not¹ pass overª° it? ... But this¹ peopleª hath¹ a revoltingª° and a rebelliousª° heart;ª they are revoltedª° and gone.²°¹" {Jer 5:22-23} + "Thereforeªª¹ becauseª²¹ the king'sª commandmentª was urgent,ª° and the furnaceª exceeding²¹ hot,ª° the flameª of¹ the fireª slewª° thoseª menª² that¹ took upª° Shadrach,ª Meshach,ª and Abednego.ª" {Dan 3:22} + "And the princes,ª governors,ª and captains,ª and the king'sª counsellors,ª being gathered together,ª° sawª° theseª men,ª upon whose¹ bodiesª the fireª had no² power,ª°¹ norª was an hairª of their headª singed,ª° neitherª were their coatsª changed,ª° norª the smellª of fireª had passedª° on them. ... [Then] Nebuchadnezzarª spake,ª° and said,ª° Blessedª° [be] the Godª of¹ Shadrach,ª Meshach,ª and Abednego,ª who¹ hath sentª° his angel,ª and deliveredª° his servantsª that¹ trustedª° in¹ him,² and have changedª° the king'sª word,ª and yieldedª° their bodies,ª that¹ they might notª serveª° norª worshipª° anyª god,ª exceptª their own God.ª" {Dan 3:27-28} + "My Godª hath sentª° his angel,ª and hath shutª° the lions'ª mouths,ª that they have notª hurtª° me: forasmuch asªª¹ beforeª him innocencyª was foundª° in me; and alsoª beforeª thee, O king,ª have I doneª° noª hurt.ª ... And the kingª commanded,ª° and they broughtª° thoseª menª which¹ had accusedªª° Daniel,ª¹ and they castª° [them] into the denª of lions,ª them,ª their children,ª and their wives;ª and the lionsª had the masteryª²° of them, and brake²° all² their bones² in piecesª°¹¹ or ever² they cameª°¹¹¹ at the bottomª of the den.ª" {Dan 6:22-24} + "Andª suddenlyª there wasª° a greatª earthquake,ª so thatª the¹ foundationsª of the¹ prisonª were shaken:ª° andª immediatelyª allª the¹ doorsª were opened,ª° andª every one'sª bands²¹ were loosed.ª°" {Act 16:26} + "Whoª throughª faithª subduedª° kingdoms,ª wroughtª° righteousness,ª obtainedª° promises,ª stoppedª° the mouthsª of lions,ª ... Quenchedª° the violenceª of fire,ª escapedª° the edgeª of the sword,ª out ofª weaknessª were made strong,ª° waxedª° valiantª inª fight,ª turned to flightª° the armiesª of the aliens.ª" {Hbr 11:33-34}
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