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Seven thousand in Israel - That is, many thousands; for seven is a number of perfection, as we have often seen: so, The barren has borne seven - has had a numerous off-spring; Gold seven times purified - purified till all the dross is perfectly separated from it. The court and multitudes of the people had gone after Baal; but perhaps the majority of the common people still worshipped in secret the God of their fathers.

Every mouth which hath not kissed him - Idolaters often kissed their hand in honor of their idols; and hence the origin of adoration - bringing the hand to the mouth after touching the idol, if it were within reach; and if not, kissing the right hand in token of respect and subjection. The word is compounded of ad, to, and os, oris, the mouth. Dextera manu deum contingentes, ori admovebant: "Touching the god with their right hand, they applied it to their mouth." So kissing the hand, and adoration, mean the same thing -

Thus Pliny,

Inter adorandum, dexteram ad osculum referimus, totum corpus circumagimus: Nat. Hist. lib. xxviii., cap. 2. -

"In the act of adoration we kiss the right hand, and turn about the whole body."

Cicero mentions a statue of Hercules, the chin and lips of which were considerably worn by the frequent kissing of his worshippers:

Ut rictus ejus, et mentum paulo sit attritius, quod in precibus et gratulationibus, non solum id venerari, sed etiam osculari solent. - Orat. in Verrem.

I have seen several instances of this, especially in the paintings of old saints: the lips and mouth of beautiful paintings literally worn away by the unmerciful osculations of devotees.

Yet I have left me … - Rather, as in the margin. “Seven thousand” faithful Israelites shall survive all the persecutions of Ahab and Jezebel, and carry down the worship of Yahweh to another generation. Elijah is mistaken in supposing that he only is left. The number is manifestly a “round” number, not an exact estimate. Perhaps it is, moreover, a mystical or symbolic number. Compare Revelation 7:5-8. Of all the symbolic numbers used in Scripture, seven is the most common.

Every mouth which hath not kissed him - Idolaters sometimes kissed the hand to the object of their worship Job 31:26-27; at other times they kissed the actual image (marginal reference).

This chapter is based on 1 Kings 19:9-18.

Elijah's retreat on Mount Horeb, though hidden from man, was known to God; and the weary and discouraged prophet was not left to struggle alone with the powers of darkness that were pressing upon him. At the entrance to the cave wherein Elijah had taken refuge, God met with him, through a mighty angel sent to inquire into his needs and to make plain the divine purpose for Israel. PK 167.1

God had bidden Elijah anoint another to be prophet in his stead. “Elisha the son of Shaphat ... shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room” (1 Kings 19:16), He had said; and in obedience to the command, Elijah went to find Elisha. As he journeyed northward, how changed was the scene from what it had been only a short while before! Then the ground was parched, the farming districts unworked, for neither dew nor rain had fallen for three and a half years. Now on every hand vegetation was springing up as if to redeem the time of drought and famine. PK 217.1

Elisha's father was a wealthy farmer, a man whose household were among the number that in a time of almost universal apostasy had not bowed the knee to Baal. Theirs was a home where God was honored and where allegiance to the faith of ancient Israel was the rule of daily life. In such surroundings the early years of Elisha were passed. In the quietude of country life, under the teaching of God and nature and the discipline of useful work, he received the training in habits of simplicity and of obedience to his parents and to God that helped to fit him for the high position he was afterward to occupy. PK 217.2

Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18. CC 215.1

Shall any one of us let the shame of our nakedness appear in the use of our God-given faculties of speech, and in the use of our pen? Shall we not consider that Christ's righteousness in His perfect obedience to His Father's commandments was the cause of His crucifixion. By perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah we are to magnify the law and make it honorable. What mean these words placed before the people of God, who, against great obstacles, are trying to fight the good fight of faith, saying, “We will not bow the knee to Baal, or give glory or honor to any who do this”? CW 100.1

Divine blessedness is pronounced upon those who keep the commandments, and a curse He declares against those who transgress His law. And shall the pen or voice stoop to bestow laurels upon those who have been leaders in carrying the banner of Satan, declaring that the institution of the papacy shall receive the honor? The faculties God has given us for His name's glory, have been misappropriated, and been used to bring in rebel sentiments. That human beings should exalt and worship the human agency who has been engaged in a work in direct opposition to the work God has given His people to do in these last days is altogether contrary to His purpose. Why do we see such blindness? The least anyone could do is to show their eloquence before the universe of heaven, before worlds unfallen and a fallen world in keeping silent.... CW 100.2

Present Vital Matters—Suppose our teachers and students should have more to teach and write in regard to those things which are now to be fulfilled, and which concern the eternal welfare of souls. Suppose that pen and voice should give meat in due season to the old and the young, to saints and to sinners. Let the many things that might be said to awaken the church from its slumbers be spoken without losing any more time in dwelling on those things which are not essential, and that have no bearing upon the present necessities of our people or upon the ignorant who know not the truth. Read the first three verses of Revelation, and see what work is especially enjoined upon those who claim to believe the word of God.... CW 101.1