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. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Nothing creates more trouble to a land than the impiety and profaneness of princes and their families. 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. Then let them put the meat on the wood, but they are not to set fire to it. If the Lord is the true God, follow him, but if Baal is the true God, follow him! But the people said nothing. First, the Lord was the true God and men were to worship Him. 2. In fact, the New Testament teaches that money and greed are often the loudest and most appealing idols seeking to steal our attention. The glory of God: "Lord, hear me, and answer me, that it may be known (for it is now by the most denied or forgotten) that thou art God in Israel, to whom alone the homage and devotion of Israel are due, and that I am thy servant, and do all that I have done, am doing, and shall do, as thy agent, at thy word, and not to gratify any humour or passion of my own. Elijah sought not his own glory but in subserviency to God's, and for his own necessary vindication. Let it go on therefore to a trial. (3.) Ahab, like himself, basely accused Elijah. 2. 1 Kings 18:40. Idols could do neither good nor evil. 27At noon Elijah began to make fun of them. You have gone after the Baals. 10As surely as the Lord your God lives, the king has sent people to every country to search for you. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. He went in quest of grass, and found him from whose word, at God's mouth, he must expect rain. Does the devil have power to make us sick? While Baal worshipers went hungry during the drought, God fed Elijah meat and bread delivered to him daily by carrier ravens (see v. 6). God has his remnant among all sorts, high and low; there were saints in Nero's household, and in Ahab's. To win his people back, God demonstrated his power and mocked Baal along the way. The service of God and the service of sin, the dominion of Christ and the dominion of our lusts, these are the two thoughts which it is dangerous halting between. If Baal really is a god, maybe he is thinking, or busy, or traveling! He knew, by the Spirit, where to meet him, and we are here told what passed between them. He addressed himself to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, acting faith on God's ancient covenant, and reminding people too (for prayer may prevail) of their relation both to God and to the patriarchs. 1621), of rich men sent to hell for their failure to let go of their wealth for the sake of their neighbor (see Luke 16:1931), and of eternal judgment declared on the basis of ones willingness to share with those in need (Matt. No one answered; no one paid attention (v. 29 ESV). We may well imagine what a terror the fire struck on guilty Ahab and all the worshippers of Baal, and how they fled from it as far and as fast as they could, saying, Lest it consume us also, alluding to Numbers 16:34. Let but Obadiah know that he spoke seriously and really intended it, and he will make no scruple to carry the message to Ahab. 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. Jesus reminds us that when we try, we risk devoting ourselves to money and hating him (see Luke 16:13). 1. What is the meaning of the parable of the rich man and his manager? 3. ESV - 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. Why did the prophets of Baal cut themselves (1 Kings 18:28) Context: 1 Kings 18:27-28 New International Version (NIV) 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. 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. The sailors at this day call it Cape Carmel. Obadiah saluted him with great respect, fell on his face, and humbly asked, Art thou that my lord Elijah?1 Kings 18:7; 1 Kings 18:7. God will first prepare our heart, and then cause his ear to hear, will first turn us to him, and then turn to us,Psalms 10:17; Psalms 80:3. [2.] And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out on them. 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. 6:9). He repaired this altar with twelve stones, according to the number of the twelve tribes,1 Kings 18:31; 1 Kings 18:31. All rights reserved. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? 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. " 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 . We need 2 cookies to store this setting. When they called on their god, nothing happened. This happened seven times. A fight to the finish. But the primary attraction to Baal wasnt a pretty statue; it was an economic promise. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Probably on that mountain they had an eminent high place, where formerly the pure worship of God had been kept up as well as it could be any where but at Jerusalem. 9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? After Israel had gone more than three years without rain as a judgment for their idolatry, the prophet Elijah confronts the evil king Ahab and challenges him to a spiritual showdown. It is an instance of the courage of Elijah that he durst stand alone in the cause of God against such powers and numbers; and the issue encourages all God's witnesses and advocates never to fear the face of man. Some, we hope, had their hearts thus turned back, but the generality of them were convinced only, not converted, yielded to the truth of God, that he is the God, but consented not to his covenant, that he should be theirs. III. How deaf Baal was to them. When Baals people died, it was Elijah who raised them to life (v. 22). Let us therefore never despise the day of small things, but hope and wait for great things from it. The execution he did upon the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:40. Turn them again to the Lord God of hosts, from whom they have revolted, and all will be well quickly; this must be Elijah's doing. Compare Psalms 135:7. He is sure Ahab would be so enraged at the disappointment that he would put him to death for making a fool of him, or for not laying hands on Elijah himself, when he had him in his reach, 1 Kings 18:12; 1 Kings 18:12. 4. I. Elijah reproved the people for mixing the worship of God and the worship of Baal together. 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. V. The return of the mercy of rain, at the word of Elijah, 1 Kings 18:41-46. At the end of the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit had . VI. Elijah, like himself, boldly returned the charge upon the king, and proved it upon him, that he was the troubler of Israel,1 Kings 18:18; 1 Kings 18:18. Elijah's Trial of the False Prophets; the Destruction of Baal's Prophets. [1.] "Shout louder!" he said. Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. to please their deity, as Herodias did Herod, and so to obtain their request. Being an idolater, she was a persecutor, and made Ahab one. This was the way they worshiped, Douay-Rheims Bible So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood. 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. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. We become increasingly committed to a lifestyle of an abundance of possessions. Those who are called to appear and act in public for God must yet find time to be private with him and keep up their converse with him in solitude. Elijah is not the Achan: "I have not troubled Israel, have neither done them any wrong nor designed them any hurt." 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. 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. He solicited their allegiance, work, and worshipfor himself and his kingdom. Has the book of Amos been fulfilled or is it a reference to end times? 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. All the people agreed that this was a good idea. We find that the beast which deceived the world does it. When we worship money, it mauls us. 3. (2.) We may request cookies to be set on your device. 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. But no voice was heard; Baal did not answer, and no one paid attention. He bids Obadiah go and tell the king that he is there to speak with him: Tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is forth-coming, 1 Kings 18:8; 1 Kings 18:8. 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. 1. Elijah vs. the priests of Baal. 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. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. 1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 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. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. 5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. The prophets of Baal, as criminals, are seized, condemned, and executed, according to law, 1 Kings 18:40; 1 Kings 18:40. Elijah swears by the Lord of hosts, who has all power in his hands, and is therefore able to protect his servants against all the powers of hell and earth. There needed no proof of the fact; all Israel were witnesses of it: and therefore Elijah (acting still by an extraordinary commission, which is not to be drawn into a precedent) orders them all to be slain immediately as the troublers of the land, and Ahab himself is so terrified, for the present, with the fire from heaven, that he dares not oppose it. He takes it for granted that Elijah would again withdraw (1 Kings 18:12; 1 Kings 18:12): The Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee (as it is likely he had done sometimes, when Ahab thought he had been sure of him) whither I know not. As for why the worship of Baal and Asherah specifically was such a problem for Israel, there are several reasons we can cite: first, the worship of Baal and Asherah held the allure of illicit sex, since the religion involved ritual prostitution. 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