44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. 4. 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). You can check these in your browser security settings. 16So Obadiah went to Ahab and told him where Elijah was. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. When they called on their god, nothing happened. When we read about the Israelites worshiping the god Baal in 1 Kings 18, we tend to think of them developing a preference for wooden idol images. a. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. V. The return of the mercy of rain, at the word of Elijah, 1 Kings . But God listened to his prophet. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. Those few that escaped the sword were forced to abscond, and hide themselves in caves, where they were buried alive and cut off, though not from life, yet from usefulness, which is the end and comfort of life; and, when the prophets were persecuted and driven into corners, no doubt their friends, those few good people that were in the land, were treated in like manner. The Lord preserved Elijah's life for a reason. 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. How sharp Elijah was upon them, 1 Kings 18:27; 1 Kings 18:27. 26So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it. New Century Version (NCV). "Surely he is a god! As one having authority immediately from the King of kings, he ordered a convention of the states to be forthwith summoned to meet at Mount Carmel, where there had been an altar built to God, 1 Kings 18:30; 1 Kings 18:30. 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. 15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day. (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.) And he said, Go again seven times. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. 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. Obadiah begs to be excused from carrying this message to Ahab, for it might prove as much as his life was worth. "But there was no voice. Indeed, giving back to God and to his people is part of our DNA, a sign of our family resemblance to our generous Creator. Mauled by Money: The Cost of Economic Idolatry, The Bible also teaches us that the wages of our economic idolatry is death. They allow the proposal to be fair and unexceptionable "God has often answered by fire; if Baal cannot do so, let him be cast out for a usurper." He withdrew to a strange place, to the top of Carmel, which was very high and very private. Such living falls far short of the life Jesus invites us to experience. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! In the book of Acts, we read a most interesting and revealing number. Had he, by his spies, surprised Elijah, he would have triumphed over him; but, now that he was thus surprised by him, we may suppose he even trembled to look him in the face, hated him, and yet feared him, as Herod did John. But the primary attraction to Baal wasnt a pretty statue; it was an economic promise. (Mark 6:20). The Character of Obadiah; Elijah's Interview with Obadiah. As he had shown the tenderness of a father to the sons of the prophets, so he showed the reverence of a son to this father of the prophets; and by this made it appear that he did indeed fear God greatly, that he did honour to one that was his extraordinary ambassador and had a great interest in heaven. 3:24). 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. 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.". St. Joseph New Catholic Version New Testament: Pocket Edition - Slightly Imperfect, St. Joseph New Catholic Version New Testament: Pocket Edition. April 2018. 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. "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." Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Great blessings often arise from small beginnings, and showers of plenty from a cloud of a span long. 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. 12The Spirit of the Lord may carry you to some other place after I leave. The land of Judah lay close to the land of Israel, yet we find no complaint there of the want of rain; for Judah yet ruled with God, and was faithful with the saints and prophets (Hosea 11:12), by which distinction Israel might plainly have seen the ground of God's controversy, when God caused it to rain upon one city and not upon another (Amos 4:7; Amos 4:8); but they blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, and would not see. Let us therefore never despise the day of small things, but hope and wait for great things from it. 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. The sailors at this day call it Cape Carmel. God's cause is so incontestably just that it needs not fear to have the evidences of its equity searched into and weighed. 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. 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. 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 rights reserved. We become increasingly committed to a lifestyle of an abundance of possessions. 13Havent you been told what I did? 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. 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. 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. Elijah told him to go and look again. 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, There are many of you, so you go first. All these parables point in the same direction: money wants our worship. See 2 Kings 2:16. Note, Early piety, it is to be hoped, will be eminent piety; those that are good betimes are likely to be very good; he that feared God from his youth came to fear him greatly. He sent the rain in torrents. 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. I. IV. 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. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. 24You prophets of Baal, pray to your god, and I will pray to the Lord. 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. Maybe we can find enough grass to keep our horses and mules alive and not have to kill our animals. 6So each one chose a part of the country to search; Ahab went in one direction and Obadiah in another. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 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. 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. Has the book of Amos been fulfilled or is it a reference to end times? 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. Those that procure God's judgments do the mischief, not he that merely foretels them and gives warning of them, that the nation may repent and prevent them. The execution he did upon the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:40. Being an idolater, she was a persecutor, and made Ahab one. I have followed the Lord since I was a boy. And now, 1. He writes that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil that has led some to wander from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs (v. 10). VI. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. [2.] Note, It bodes well to any people when God calls his ministers out of their corners, and bids them show themselves--a sign that he will give rain on the earth; at least we may the better be content with the bread of affliction while our eyes see our teachers,Isaiah 30:20; Isaiah 30:21. 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). Elijah, doubtless, had a special commission from God to put it to this test, otherwise he would have tempted God and affronted religion; but the case was extraordinary, and the judgment upon it would be of use, not only then, but in all ages. How did the spirit of God move upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2? These Jezebel aimed to extirpate, and put many of them to death, which was as much a public calamity as a public iniquity, and threatened the utter ruin of religion's poor remains in Israel. Though he was not at the place appointed, he chose the appointed time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, thereby to testify his communion with the altar at Jerusalem. 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. Who has required these things at your hands? 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Share In a truly horrific passage, Jeremiah writes that our worship of idols consumes not only our flocks and herds but also our sons and daughters (Jer. His interview with Ahab himself, 1 Kings 18:17-20. 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. Elijah Kills the Prophets of Baal - During the third year without rain, the LORD spoke his word to Elijah: "Go and meet King Ahab, and I will soon send rain." So Elijah went to meet Ahab. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word | . Why in 1 Kings 18:40 did Elijah take the prophets of Baal down to the brook of Kishon to slew them? 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? 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. Elijah is not the Achan: "I have not troubled Israel, have neither done them any wrong nor designed them any hurt." If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. 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. 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. From Genesis to Revelation, we see that one of our Creator Kings primary qualities is his lavish generosity. Stop for a moment. Elijah did not interrupt them, but let them go on till they were tired, and quite despaired of success, which was not till the time of the evening sacrifice,1 Kings 18:29; 1 Kings 18:29. Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. He that had protected so many prophets, he hoped, should not have his own life hazarded by so great a prophet. He turned the hearts of his people back to himself. What is the meaning of the parable of the rich man and his manager? By this time there was no food in Samaria. Jeremiah 2:11. " 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 . How did the prophets tithe and to whom? Asked April 28 2020 Elijah vs. the priests of Baal. Those that slighted and hated his counsels would gladly be beholden to him for his prayers. Carmel had neither tabernacle nor temple; it was a great way distant from the ark of the testimony and the place God had chosen; this was not the altar that sanctified the gift; yet never was any sacrifice more acceptable to God than this. 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. 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. One direction and Obadiah in another and cut themselves after their custom swords... To security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains, the Bible also us. Did upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2 email us Privacy! 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