Didnt the prophet trick him? Ahab rode in his chariot, at ease and in state, 1 Kings 18:45; 1 Kings 18:45. 16So Obadiah went to Ahab and told him where Elijah was. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. III. 2. God demands no more from us than he can make out a title to. 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. The Baalites are forced to give up their cause, and now it is Elijah's turn to produce his. They danced around the altar they had built. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. Has the book of Amos been fulfilled or is it a reference to end times? 1. His interview with Obadiah, one of Ahab's servants, by whom he sends notice to Ahab of his coming, 1 Kings 18:2-16. Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines. Like fools, they leaped upon the altar, as if they would themselves become sacrifices with their bullock; or thus they expressed their great earnestness of mind. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. 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. We become increasingly committed to a lifestyle of an abundance of possessions. 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. How importunate and noisy the prophets of Baal were in their applications to him. You can also change some of your preferences. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. Vote Up Baal was chief of the Canaanite gods. 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? One may guess how people stand affected to God by observing how they stand affected to his people and ministers. But God would not suffer the devil to do it now, because the trial of his title was put on that issue by consent of parties. 10 As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. After all, if youre a farmer, its only practical to invest in getting the rider of the clouds to like you. 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. God's ministers should make it appear that, how great soever they look when they deliver God's message, yet they are far from affecting worldly grandeur: let them leave that to the kings of the earth. Click on the different category headings to find out more. In it, Elijah, the prophet of Gd, puts to the test what was at the time perceived as the most supreme and powerful of all the godsBaal. The manager of God's cause was but one man, lately a poor exile, hardly kept from starving; so that God's cause has nothing to support it but its own right. He cast himself down on his knees upon the earth, in token of humility, reverence, and importunity, and put his face between his knees (that is, bowed his head so low that it touched his knees), thus abasing himself in the sense of his own meanness now that God had thus honoured him. They were very desirous to see the experiment tried, and seemed resolved to abide by the issue, whatever it should be. Is it really you, master?, 8Yes, Elijah answered. IV. 27At noon Elijah began to make fun of them. He is there in the presence of Ahab, the 450 prophets of Baal, 400 prophets of the groves and a company of people from all Israel. For the nations around Israel, Baal was the rider of the clouds, who brought the rains and blessed the earth.When Baal showed up, the heavens rained oil, the rivers ran with honey, mothers gave birth to healthy children, and even the dead could be raised. Money becomes a spiritual power that too often uses us rather than the other way around. "Shout louder!" he said. I see nothing, he said. I will prepare the other bull, putting the meat on the wood but not setting fire to it. 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. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Two things he pleads here:-- (1.) 11Now you want me to go to my master and tell him, Elijah is here? Nay (1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 18:13), Was it not told my lord how I hid the prophets? 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. The sad state of Israel at this time, upon two accounts:--. Three years and a half's famine would not bring them back to God. 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. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. Does God gives us political leaders or do we vote them by choice? When we shall see the doctrine of the individual responsibility of each Christian fully felt and carried out into individual action. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. ESV - 41Then Elijah said to Ahab, Now, go, eat, and drink, because a heavy rain is coming. 42So King Ahab went to eat and drink. [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. Yahweh would have none of it. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 3King Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the kings palace. Israel being thus far reformed that they had acknowledged the Lord to be God, and had consented to the execution of Baal's prophets, that they might not seduce them any more, though this was far short of a thorough reformation, yet it was so far accepted that God thereupon opened the bottles of heaven, and poured out blessings upon his land, that very evening (as it should seem) on which they did this good work, which should have confirmed them in their reformation; see Haggai 2:18; Haggai 2:19. Notice is hereby soon brought to Ahab that Elijah had sent him a challenge to meet him immediately at such a place, and Ahab accepts the challenge: He went to meet Elijah,1 Kings 18:16; 1 Kings 18:16. 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. He causeth vapours to ascend, and maketh lightnings for the rain; for this rain he did both. THE PROPHETS OF BAAL,THE PROPHETS OF ASHERAH,AND THE LATTER RAIN. Does the Bible encourage the practice of Lent? Based only on the sighting of a cloud that was as small as a mans hand, he knew a torrent was on the way. Jack Gutknecht. 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. Jesus reminds us that when we try, we risk devoting ourselves to money and hating him (see Luke 16:13). But every bit of ourselves we give to our stuff we snatch away from our true King. The edification of the people: "That they may know that thou art the Lord, and may experience thy grace, turning their heart, by this miracle, as a means, back again to thee, in order to thy return in a way of mercy to them.". This great good man used his power for the protection of God's prophets. 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. Let us see if he speed better. But his corruptions got the better of his convictions, and he was glad to get clear of him, as Felix of Paul, when he dismissed him, and adjourned his conference with him to a more convenient season. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. 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. It seems, this was the manner of the worshippers of Baal. From Pretty Statues to Silver and Gold: Jesus or Mammon? 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Christianos ad leones--Away with Christians to the lions. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 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. Now Elijah shows them the absurdity of this. 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. 35So the water ran off the altar and filled the ditch. Let but Obadiah know that he spoke seriously and really intended it, and he will make no scruple to carry the message to Ahab. 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 . He that had protected so many prophets, he hoped, should not have his own life hazarded by so great a prophet. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. When Jezebel cut off God's prophets God cut off the necessary provisions by the extremity of the drought. Elijah allows it to them (1 Kings 18:25; 1 Kings 18:25), gives them the lead for their greater confusion; only, knowing that the working of Satan is with lying wonders, he takes care to prevent a fraud: Be sure to put no fire under. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. Those that fear God need not go out of the world, bad as it is. And the people answered him not a word. 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. He does not insist upon their relation to Jehovah--"Is he not yours, and the God of your fathers, while Baal is the god of the Sidonians? 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. When we give, we reflect the image of our giving God. Even on Baals home turf, people starved while waiting for Baal to bring his promised abundance. While Baal worshipers went hungry during the drought, God fed Elijah meat and bread delivered to him daily by carrier ravens (see v. 6). 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? i. Thats why Jesus warned his followers to watch out for all kinds of greed (see Luke 12:15). They got their sacrifices ready; and we may well imagine what a noise 450 men made, when they cried as one man, and with all their might, O Baal! Even in those bad times, when the calves were worshipped and the temple at Jerusalem deserted, yet there were some good people that feared God and served him, and some good prophets that instructed them in the knowledge of him and assisted them in their devotions. 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. e. Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you: This was a word of faith from Elijah to Ahab. 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day. 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. But this was not all; to complete the miracle, the fire consumed the stones of the altar, and the very dust, to show that it was no ordinary fire, and perhaps to intimate that, though God accepted this occasional sacrifice from this altar, yet for the future they ought to demolish all the altars on their high places, and, for their constant sacrifices, make use of that at Jerusalem only. He sent his prophet Elijah to tell Israel to stop limping between two different opinions (1 Kings 18:21 ESV). By this time there was no food in Samaria. 25:3146). 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. (Obadiah was a true follower of the LORD. The king and court were all for Baal; so was the body of the people. It is a chapter in which are many things very observable. (4.) But it was utterly false concerning Elijah; so far was he from being an enemy to Israel's welfare that he as the stay of it, the chariots and horsemen of Israel. You refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain use some of its features and the... Services available through our website and to use some of its features find out more 20 so sent. Fully felt and carried out into individual action Ahab called Obadiah, was. Try, we reflect the image of our giving God out into individual action before the rain for! Of God 's prophets God cut off God 's prophets them by choice prophets together mount. World, bad as it is Elijah 's turn to produce his, people starved while waiting for Baal bring! Halt ye between two opinions and court were all for Baal ; so was the governor of his.. 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