Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army. Let us see if he speed better. Ahab, like himself, basely accused Elijah. 20So Ahab called all the Israelites and those prophets to Mount Carmel. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. According to one ancient Canaanite myth, the father of Baal slashes his chest, arms, and back upon learning of his son's death. II. [2.] Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. The execution he did upon the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:40. But, since Ahab invites him not to ride with him, he will run before him (1 Kings 18:46; 1 Kings 18:46) as one of his footmen, that he may not seem to be lifted up with the great honour God had put upon him or to abate in his civil respect to his prince, though he reproved him faithfully. But in this chapter his appearance was as public as before his retirement was close; the days appointed for his concealment (which was part of the judgment upon Israel) being finished, he is not commanded to show himself to Ahab, and to expect rain upon the earth, 1 Kings 18:1. Showdown on the mount He that had protected so many prophets, he hoped, should not have his own life hazarded by so great a prophet. Now in their experiment observe. Leviticus 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. The servant went and looked. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 1416). Elijah, in answer to him, [1.] I would have healed Israel, but they would not be healed. When Jezebel was killing the Lords prophets, I hid a hundred of them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another. Does the devil have power to make us sick? Let it for ever be looked upon as a point adjudged against all pretenders (for it was carried, upon a full hearing, against one of the most daring and threatening competitors that ever the God of Israel was affronted by) that Jehovah, he is God, God alone. Perhaps Jezebel persecuted God's prophets under pretence that they were the cause of the judgment, because Elijah had foretold it. That word occurs again in verse 26b when the prophets of Baal are desperate trying to get their god to answer them: "'O Baal, answer us!' But there was no voice, and no one answered. God has his remnant among all sorts, high and low; there were saints in Nero's household, and in Ahab's. 17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 115:8 NET). Once we remember that the Jews saw idolatry as the ultimate sin that put one outside the community of faith, we can hear the full force of Pauls words. 1. As such he tries to counterfeit the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God never required his worshippers thus to honour him; but the service of the devil, though in some instances it pleases and pampers the body, yet in other things it is really cruel to it, as in envy and drunkenness. And all the people came near unto him. Rain is the river of God,Psalms 65:9. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. If we, in sincerity, offer our hearts to God, he will, by his grace, kindle a holy fire in them. Wasnt killing too severe a punishment for the prophets of Baal? Start FREE. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. Those that fear God need not go out of the world, bad as it is. Observe his character: He feared the Lord greatly (1 Kings 18:3; 1 Kings 18:3), was not only a good man, but zealously and eminently good; his great place put a lustre upon his goodness, and gave him great opportunities of doing good; and he feared the Lord from his youth (1 Kings 18:12; 1 Kings 18:12), he began betimes to be religious and had continued long. Pray louder! he said. They covet the precedency, not only for the honour of it, but that, if they can but in the least seem to gain their point, Elijah may not be admitted to make the trial. And nothing can't answer you when you call out to it! And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out on them. Yahweh took care of his own while the king who had turned to Baal because of his claim to bring home the economic bacon wandered the countryside hoping to find a bit of grass for the few horses and mules who hadnt died yet (see 1 Kings 18:45). Changes will take effect once you reload the page. This writing has come about a few days after The Test - 2002 and the Latter Rain, and adds greater clarity to what can be expected in the latter rain. (Obadiah was a true follower of the LORD. 27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. hear us, O Baal! Having built his altar in the name of the Lord (1 Kings 18:32; 1 Kings 18:32), by direction from him and with an eye to him, and not for his own honour, he prepared his sacrifice, 1 Kings 18:33; 1 Kings 18:33. See how wonderfully God raises up friends for his ministers and people, for their shelter in difficult times, even where one would least expect them. He hid 100 of them in two caves, when the persecution was hot, and fed them with bread and water,1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:4. How sharp Elijah was upon them, 1 Kings 18:27; 1 Kings 18:27. April 2018. Ahab had made diligent search for him (1 Kings 18:10; 1 Kings 18:10), had offered rewards to any one that would discover him, sent spies into every tribe and lordship of his own dominions, as some understand it, or, as others, into all the neighbouring nations and kingdoms that were in alliance with him; and, when they denied that they knew any thing of him, he would not believe them unless they swore it, and, as should seem, promised likewise upon oath that, if ever they found him among them, they would discover him and deliver him up. When they saw the fire consume both the burnt offering and the entire altar, they answered, " The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God " (1 Kings 18:39). 33Elijah put the wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? In Pauls opinion, love of money wounds the worshiper, woos them away from the faith, and wells up in all sorts of other evils. It is a chapter in which are many things very observable. He sent his prophet Elijah to tell Israel to stop limping between two different opinions (1 Kings 18:21 ESV). See Luke 1:16; Luke 1:17. ESV - 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, There are many of you, so you go first. What is the meaning of the parable of the rich man and his manager? 13Havent you been told what I did? 2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. " By afternoon, worshippers of Baal were cutting themselves up and ripping off their clothes, writhing in unspeakable suicidal frustration.When he called on them to shout and wake up . 29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. If the ruler said you were not there, Ahab forced the ruler to swear you could not be found in his country. [2.] Baal's prophets were so far from being convinced and put to shame by the just reproach Elijah cast upon them that it made them the more violent and led them to act more ridiculously. His interview with Obadiah, one of Ahab's servants, by whom he sends notice to Ahab of his coming, 1 Kings 18:2-16. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. (Obadiah was a true follower of the Lord. The people must be brought to repent and reform, and then they may look for the removal of the judgment, but not till then. How senseless, how brutish, were they in their addresses to Baal! There are those who trouble Israel by their wickedness, whom the conservators of the public peace are concerned to enquire after. 12The Spirit of the Lord may carry you to some other place after I leave. When we shall see the doctrine of the individual responsibility of each Christian fully felt and carried out into individual action. What occasion for addition to that which is perfect? He maketh fire come down from heaven in the sight of men and so deceiveth them,Revelation 13:13; Revelation 13:14. Report Let but Obadiah know that he spoke seriously and really intended it, and he will make no scruple to carry the message to Ahab. They danced around the altar they had built. He will put me to death. He then solemnly addressed himself to God by prayer before his altar, humbly beseeching him to turn to ashes his burnt-offering (as the phrase is, Psalms 20:3), and to testify his acceptance of it. It does not appear that either the increase of the provision or the raising of the child had caused him to be taken notice of at Zarephath, for then Ahab would have discovered him; he would rather do good than be known to do it. Because our material possessions so often seduce us into worshiping them like gods, they pose possibly the preeminent threat to worshiping Jesus. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. We become increasingly committed to a lifestyle of an abundance of possessions. Baal promised the rains, so God sent a drought at the word of his prophet (see 1 Kings 17:1). Maybe he is sleeping so you will have to wake him! 28The prophets prayed louder, cutting themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed, which was the way they worshiped. But no voice was heard; Baal did not answer, and no one paid attention. To this fair proposal of the case, which Elijah here makes, the people knew not what to say: They answered him not a word. God immediately answered him by fire, 1 Kings 18:38; 1 Kings 18:38. During all that time some of them prayed, while others of them prophesied, sang hymns, perhaps to the praise of Baal, or rather encouraged those that were praying to proceed, telling them that Baal would answer them at last; but there was no answer, nor any that regarded. God, at length, ordered Elijah to present himself to Ahab, because the time had now come when he would send rain upon the earth (1 Kings 18:1; 1 Kings 18:1), or rather upon the land. Yet, bad as things were. If we can find one that has more right to us, or will be a better master to us, than God, we may take him at our peril. "In reconcilable differences (says bishop Hall) nothing more safe than indifferency both of practice and opinion; but, in cases of such necessary hostility as betwixt God and Baal, he that is not with God is against him." By this time there was no food in Samaria. If Baal really is a god, maybe he is thinking, or busy, or traveling! [4.] Second, Baal was a false god and men were not to worship him. Providence ordered it so, that Ahab might, with his own eyes, see how bad the consequences of this judgment were, that so he might be the better inclined to hearken to Elijah, who would direct him into the only way to put an end to it. Ahab issued out writs accordingly, for the convening of this great assembly (1 Kings 18:20; 1 Kings 18:20), either because he feared Elijah and durst not oppose him (Saul stood in awe of Samuel more than of God), or because he hoped Elijah would bless the land, and speak the word that they might have rain, and upon those terms they would be all at his beck. (Mark 6:20). No one who was present that day missed the point. He ordered abundance of water to be poured upon his altar, which he had prepared a trench for the reception of (1 Kings 18:32; 1 Kings 18:32), and, some think, made the altar hollow. It was a very coarse compliment with which he accosted him at the first word: Art thou he that troubleth Israel?1 Kings 18:17; 1 Kings 18:17. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or . Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural, Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword, Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural, A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style, Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed, Preposition | third person masculine plural, In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah, Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets, Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT History: 1 Kings 18:28 They cried aloud and cut themselves after (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg). The prophets of Baal try first, but in vain, with their god. He did not think it enough to fear God himself, but, having wealth and power wherewith to do it, he thought himself obliged to assist and countenance others that feared God; nor did he think his being kind to them would excuse him from being good himself, but he did both, he both feared God greatly himself and patronised those that feared him likewise. God will provide himself fire. [1.] Does God gives us political leaders or do we vote them by choice? They cut themselves and cried out to Baal for hours, but 1 Kings 18:26 says, "There was no voice; no one answered." Their god was a non-entity, a nothing. As for those who fall as victims to the fire of God's wrath, no water can shelter them from it, any more than briers or thorns, Isaiah 27:4; Isaiah 27:5. I. Elijah reproved the people for mixing the worship of God and the worship of Baal together. Obadiah recognized Elijah, so he bowed down to the ground and said, Elijah? He tells Elijah what great search Ahab had made for him and how much his heart was upon it to find him out, 1 Kings 18:10; 1 Kings 18:10. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, "Shout louder, for he is a god! I see nothing, he said. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. VI. Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'? 11Now you want me to go to my master and tell him, Elijah is here? Like madmen they cut themselves in pieces with knives and lancets (1 Kings 18:28; 1 Kings 18:28) for vexation that they were not . 7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? They thought to trim the matter, and play on both sides, as the Samaritans, 2 Kings 17:33. to please their deity, as Herodias did Herod, and so to obtain their request. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. 4. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. The god who answers by setting fire to his wood is the true God.. (1.) 32Elijah used these stones to rebuild the altar in honor of the Lord. I. Elijah sent Ahab to eat and drink, for joy that God had now accepted his works, and that rain was coming; see Ecclesiastes 9:7. They explore six key biblical themes of worship, community, work, equity, creation care, and rest to dig into what the Gospel means for how we use our resources. To Christians this is a. Ahab had continued fasting all day, either religiously, it being a day of prayer, or for want of leisure, it being a day of great expectation; but now let him eat and rink for, though others perceive no sign of it, Elijah, by faith, hears the sound of abundance of rain,1 Kings 18:41; 1 Kings 18:41. To demonstrate that he was neither ashamed of, nor afraid for, what he had done, though he knew how Jezebel would resent it, but durst venture himself in the midst of his enemies, as being confident of the Divine power and protection. (Poole), ii. Vote Up With their experiences as a pastor, urban community development expert, and bestselling author of "When Helping Hurts" and president of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development, Michael Rhodes, Robby Holt, and Brian Fikkert offer eye-opening true stories of economic discipleship in action. Strictly necessary to provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer our... [ 1. of its features ruler to swear you could not be found in his country are many you... Food in Samaria called Obadiah, which was the way they worshiped is deep in thought, occupied! Our material possessions so often seduce us into worshiping them like gods, they pose the. You call out to it may carry you to some other place I! 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