God has his remnant among all sorts, high and low; there were saints in Nero's household, and in Ahab's. Those that slighted and hated his counsels would gladly be beholden to him for his prayers. a. Those fear God greatly that keep up the fear of him in bad times and places; thus Obadiah did. Now in their experiment observe. A little cloud at length appeared, no bigger than a man's hand, which presently overspread the heavens and watered the earth, 1 Kings 18:44; 1 Kings 18:45. They thought to trim the matter, and play on both sides, as the Samaritans, 2 Kings 17:33. Deuteronomy 14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. Article Images Copyright , The Real Reason Israel Worshiped Baal (It Wasn't Just a Pretty Statue), Michael Rhodes, Robby Holt, and Brian Fikkert. 23Bring two bulls. You can check these in your browser security settings. This he calls (1 Kings 18:21; 1 Kings 18:21) halting between two opinions, or thoughts. Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:4), slew them,1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 18:13. And nothing can't answer you when you call out to it! Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, he prayed. The battle for their hearts took place in part on the battlefield of their bank accounts. This is the right method. By this time there was no food in Samaria. 2. He sent his prophet Elijah to tell Israel to stop limping between two different opinions (1 Kings 18:21 ESV). " 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 . He himself retired to pray (for though God had promised rain, he must ask it, Zechariah 10:1), and to give thanks for God's answer by fire, now hoping for an answer by water. Let us see if he speed better. 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. Thou employest me; Lord, make it appear that thou dost so;" see Numbers 16:28; Numbers 16:29. Pray to your god, but dont start the fire.. Though he expected an answer by fire, yet he came near to the altar with boldness, and feared not that fire. Elijah was no priest, nor were his attendants Levites. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: 4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) He would have the king know before, that it might not be a surprise to him and that he might be sure it was the prophet's own act to present himself to him. Do you believe that? 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. The God therefore that has power to pardon sin, and to signify it by consuming the sin-offering, must needs be the God that can relieve us against the calamity. Ahab is the Achan, the troubler, who follows Baalim, those accursed things. The prophets kept shouting louder and louder, and they cut themselves with swords and knives until they were bleeding. He went in quest of grass, and found him from whose word, at God's mouth, he must expect rain. Does the Bible encourage the practice of Lent? The priests and the Levites had all gone to Judah and Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 11:13; 2 Chronicles 11:14), but, instead of them, God raised up these prophets, who read and expounded the law in private meetings, or in the families that retained their integrity, for we read not of any synagogues at this time; they had not the spirit of prophecy as Elijah, nor did they offer sacrifice, or burn incense, but taught people to live well, and keep close to the God of Israel. There was one very good man, who was a great man at court, Obadiah, who answered his name--a servant of the Lord, one who feared God and was faithful to him, and yet was steward of the household to Ahab. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out on them. Their greedy hearts created other gods out of every coin in their coffers. 4When Jezebel was killing all the Lords prophets, Obadiah hid a hundred of them in two caves, fifty in one cave and fifty in another. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. Ahab rode in his chariot, at ease and in state, 1 Kings 18:45; 1 Kings 18:45. The prince of the power of the air, if God has permitted him, could have caused fire to come down from heaven on this occasion, and gladly would have done it for the support of his Baal. 7While Obadiah was on his way, Elijah met him. 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. Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines. When they called on their god, nothing happened. (2.) And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. Does the devil have power to make us sick? The long drought was over, and it was demonstrated that the prayers of Elijah both withheld the rain and then subsequently brought the rain. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. 35So the water ran off the altar and filled the ditch. (3.) There are those who trouble Israel by their wickedness, whom the conservators of the public peace are concerned to enquire after. 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. While Baal worshipers went hungry during the drought, God fed Elijah meat and bread delivered to him daily by carrier ravens (see v. 6). Yet, bad as things were. 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? It was strange that so good a man as Obadiah would accept of preferment in a court so addicted to idolatry and all manner of wickedness. Twelve barrels of water (probably sea-water, for the sea was near, and so much fresh water in this time of drought was too precious for him to be so prodigal of it), thrice four, he poured upon his sacrifice, to prevent the suspicion of any fire under (for, if there had been any, this would have put it out), and to make the expected miracle the more illustrious. New Century Version (NCV). But no voice was heard; Baal did not answer, and no one paid attention. answer us; as it is in the margin: and this for some hours together, longer than Diana's worshippers made their cry, Great is Diana of the Ephesians,Acts 19:34. Each would take a bull and place it on their own altar. 3. The people, as the jury, gave in their verdict upon the trial, and they are all agreed in it; the case is so plain that they need not go from the bar to consider of their verdict or consult about it: They fell on their faces, and all, as one man, said, "Jehovah, he is the God, and not Baal; we are convinced and satisfied of it: Jehovah, he is the God" (1 Kings 18:39; 1 Kings 18:39), whence, one would think, they should have inferred, "If he be the God, he shall be our God, and we will serve him only," as Joshua 24:24. The wind began to blow, and soon a heavy rain began to fall. The Baalites are forced to give up their cause, and now it is Elijah's turn to produce his. 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. 34Then he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the meat and on the wood. Then Elijah said, Do it again, and they did it again. The priests of Baal would pray to their god, and Elijah would pray to his God. They prayed to Baal from morning until noon, shouting Baal, answer us! But there was no sound, and no one answered. His new conquest will be lost if he do not look about him quickly." The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD , saying, Stand in the gate of the LORD 's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD , all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD . Such was Elijah's zeal, no doubt, against the idolatry of Baal, and such his compassion to his people, that he thought it long to be thus confined to a corner; yet he appeared not till God bade him: "Go and show thyself to Ahab, for now thy hour has come, even the time to favour Israel." Elijah, in answer to him, [1.] God and Elijah were honoured, 1 Kings 18:21-39. The servant went and looked. A fight to the finish. 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 answered, or in a sort of prophetic fury, hoping to obtain the favour of their god by offering to him their own blood, when they could not obtain it with the blood of their bullock. 39When all the people saw this, they fell down to the ground, crying, The Lord is God! 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 5:3). His parables tell of farmers destroyed in the midst of their prosperity because they hoarded wealth and failed to be rich toward God (see vv. When Jezebel cut off God's prophets God cut off the necessary provisions by the extremity of the drought. We dont know exactly why it was important to God for Elijah to reach Jezreel first; perhaps it was so that he would be the first to tell Queen Jezebel. if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. Report That man that is true to his God will be faithful to his prince. [People] who want to get rich, Paul declares, fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (1 Tim. The people must be brought to repent and reform, and then they may look for the removal of the judgment, but not till then. (2.) Note, It has been the lot of the best and most useful men to be called and counted the troublers of the land, and to be run down as public grievances. Bread and water were now scarce commodities, yet Obadiah will find a competence of both for God's prophets, to keep them alive for service hereafter, though now they were laid aside. If Ahab had paid the respect to Elijah that he deserved he would have taken him into his chariot, as the eunuch did Philip, that he might honour him before the elders of Israel, and confer with him further about the reformation of the kingdom. And they did it the second time. The managers of Baal's cause were 450 men, fat and well fed (1 Kings 18:22; 1 Kings 18:22), besides 400 more, their supporters or seconds, 1 Kings 18:19; 1 Kings 18:19. Yet his guilty conscience gave him little reason to hope for it, but, rather, to fear some other more dreadful judgment. (Mark 6:20). Log in, Barton W. Stone: The Preachers Are Working While the People Are Gazing, Thoughts on the Asbury Revival (02.23.23), The Serious Sin of Proselytism (02.16.23), Christians Becoming a Minority Group in America (02.02.23), Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The sailors at this day call it Cape Carmel. 3. III. 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. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . Ahab agrees with the request, but only 450 of the 850 priests (those who serve Baal) accept the challenge and show up (1Kings 18:22). 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 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. Elijah might have looked for rain seventy times seven times, and not have seen it, if he had not thus begun his work at the right end. God reveals his secrets to his servants the prophets; and yet, without a revelation, we may foresee that when man's judgments run down like a river God's mercy will. English Revised Version Start FREE. "Shout louder!" he said. Those that were firm for God doubted not but it would end to his honour; those that were indifferent were willing to be determined; and Ahab and the prophets of Baal durst not oppose for fear of the people, and hoped that either they could obtain fire from heaven (though they never had yet), and the rather because, as some think, they worshipped the sun in Baal, or that Elijah could not, because not at the temple, where God was wont thus to manifest his glory. 8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. It should seem, he made this diligent search for him, not so much that he might punish him for what he had done in denouncing the judgment as that he might oblige him to undo it again, by recalling the sentence, because he had said it should be according to his word, having such an opinion of him as men foolishly conceive of witches (that, if they can but compel them to bless that which they have bewitched, it will be well again), or such as the king of Moab had of Balaam. 44The seventh time, the servant said, I see a small cloud, the size of a human fist, coming from the sea., Elijah told the servant, Go to Ahab and tell him to get his chariot ready and go home now. That Elijah could have made such a run is assured in the Arab runners could easily cover one hundred miles in two days. (Patterson and Austel), 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission. Psalms 24:6, Thy face, O Jacob!Hosea 12:4. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. "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." Share His interview with all Israel upon Mount Carmel, in order to a public trial of titles between the Lord and Baal; a most distinguished solemnity it was, in which, 1. [1.] They worshipped God to please the prophets, but worshipped Baal to please Jezebel and curry favour at court. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. A good answer provides new insight and perspective. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. Prove that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant. ), St. Joseph New Catholic Version New Testament. Blessed are those that have not seen what they saw and yet have believed and been wrought upon by it more than those that saw it. Elijah satisfied him that he might with safety deliver this message to Ahab, by assuring him, with an oath, that he would, this very day, present himself to Ahab, 1 Kings 18:15; 1 Kings 18:15. I will prepare the other bull, putting the meat on the wood but not setting fire to it. In fact, the New Testament teaches that money and greed are often the loudest and most appealing idols seeking to steal our attention. He could not bring them to the altar at Jerusalem unless he could unite the two kingdoms again (which, for correction to both, God designed should not now be done), therefore, by his prophetic authority, he builds an altar on Mount Carmel, and so owns that which had formerly been built there. "Surely he is a god! From Genesis to Revelation, we see that one of our Creator Kings primary qualities is his lavish generosity. And they limped [they hobbled] around the altar that they had made." I don't think those two uses of the word limp or hobble are an accident. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. The God who answered by fire, igniting the sacrifice on the altar, was the true God. There he would be alone. Three years and a half's famine would not bring them back to God. So Elijah issued a challenge. Then he dug a ditch around the altar that was big enough to hold about thirteen quarts of seed. Micah 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? God will provide himself fire. And will a nation change their god?" And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. He insists upon it that we mortify our lusts and corruptions; but corporeal penances and severities, such as the Papists use, which have no tendency to that, are no pleasure to him. THE PROPHETS OF BAAL,THE PROPHETS OF ASHERAH,AND THE LATTER RAIN. When Jezebel was killing the Lords prophets, I hid a hundred of them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. IV. He also recognized, though, that people in his day faced a new, subtler, and perhaps even stronger temptation: to treat money as an idol like Baal, an idol to worship as a god to get what they wanted. Elijah does not say, "The God that answers by water" (though that was the thing the country needed), but "that answers by fire, let him be God;" because the atonement was to be made by sacrifice, before the judgment could be removed in mercy. Why in 1 Kings 18:40 did Elijah take the prophets of Baal down to the brook of Kishon to slew them? 37Lord, answer my prayer so these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you will change their minds., 38Then fire from the Lord came down and burned the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the ground around the altar. i. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, Now come to me. So they gathered around him, and Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. The prophets of Baal had failed in their proof, and could give no evidence at all to make out their pretensions on behalf of their god, but were perfectly non-suited Elijah had, by the most convincing and undeniable evidence, proved his claims on behalf of the God of Israel. 2. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 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. 6:9). No one answered; no one paid attention" (v. 29 ESV).. III. 31He took twelve stones, one stone for each of the twelve tribes, the number of Jacobs sons. Meanwhile, in the midst of Baal country, God made oil and flour overflow for Elijah and his newfound friends (vv. Note, Though the answer of our fervent and believing supplications may not come quickly, yet we must continue instant in prayer, and not faint nor desist; for at the end it shall speak and not lie. Those that fear God need not go out of the world, bad as it is. Such living falls far short of the life Jesus invites us to experience. April 28 2020 19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. What is the meaning of the parable of the rich man and his manager? V. Elijah hereupon hastened Ahab home, and attended him himself. shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (2.) You can also change some of your preferences. Obadiah therefore could with a good conscience enjoy the place, and therefore would not decline it, nor give it up, though he foresaw he could not do the good he desired to do in it. He that can give fire can give rain; see Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:6. 11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. Mention is made of God's calling their father Jacob by the name of Israel, a prince with God (1 Kings 18:31; 1 Kings 18:31), to shame his degenerate seed, who worshipped a god which they saw could not hear nor answer them, and to encourage the prophet who was now to wrestle with God as Jacob did; he also shall be a prince with God. 3. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. 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