Obadiah would not have accepted the place if he could not have had it without bowing the knee to Baal, nor was Ahab so impolitic as to exclude those from offices that were fit to serve him, merely because they would not join with him in his devotions. Baal promised the rains, so God sent a drought at the word of his prophet (see 1 Kings 17:1). He that can give fire can give rain; see Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:6. 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. Dont let any of them run away! The people captured all the prophets. II. Obadiah begs to be excused from carrying this message to Ahab, for it might prove as much as his life was worth. The execution he did upon the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:40. It is said that Baal was the son of a god called el. 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.". And the people answered him not a word. The Lord is God!. 29The afternoon passed, and the prophets continued to act like this until it was time for the evening sacrifice. 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. He stood by them, and patiently heard them for so many hours praying to an idol, yet with secret indignation and disdain; and at noon, when the sun was at the hottest, and they too expecting fire (then if ever), he upbraided them with their folly; and notwithstanding the gravity of his office, and the seriousness of the work he had before him, bantered them: "Cry aloud, for he is a god, a goodly god that cannot be made to hear without all this clamour. Money becomes a spiritual power that too often uses us rather than the other way around. Name one of the Old Testament prophets present at the Transfiguration.. rh. Elijah would endeavour to convince their judgments, and no doubt it was by special warrant and direction from heaven that he put the controversy between God and Baal upon a public trial. [2.] "Shout louder!" he said. 2. How did the spirit of God move upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2? Ahab rode in his chariot, at ease and in state, 1 Kings 18:45; 1 Kings 18:45. What he said we are not told; but, 1. The Lord preserved Elijah's life for a reason. Though ten of the tribes had revolted to Baal, he would look upon them as belonging to God still, by virtue of the ancient covenant with their fathers: and, though those ten were unhappily divided from the other two in civil interest, yet in the worship of the God of Israel they had communion with each other, and they twelve were one. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. " 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 . I would have healed Israel, but they would not be healed. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Six times his servant goes to the point of the hill and sees nothing, brings no good news to his master; yet Elijah continues praying, will not be diverted so far as to go and see with his own eyes, but still sends his servant to see if he can discover any hopeful cloud, while he keeps his mind close and intent in prayer, and abides by it, as one that has taken up his father Jacob's resolution, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. The Baalites are forced to give up their cause, and now it is Elijah's turn to produce his. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. 45After a short time the sky was covered with dark clouds. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or . 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. English Revised Version 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. (3.) We may be sure it was not made necessary to qualify him for preferment that he should be of the king's religion, that he should conform to the statues of Omri, or the law of the house of Ahab. He sent fire from heaven. Second, Baal was a false god and men were not to worship him. One may guess how people stand affected to God by observing how they stand affected to his people and ministers. II. Had it been true that he was the troubler of Israel, Ahab, as king, would have been bound to animadvert upon him. Mauled by Money: The Cost of Economic Idolatry, The Bible also teaches us that the wages of our economic idolatry is death. 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. Otherwise, the rain will stop him.. Go tell your master that I am here., 9Then Obadiah said, What wrong have I done for you to hand me over to Ahab like this? The God who answered by fire, igniting the sacrifice on the altar, was the true God. If, in this trial, they could but bring it to a drawn battle, their other advantages would give them the victory. (2.) The prophets of Baal went first. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Yahweh would have none of it. He will kill me!, 15Elijah answered, As surely as the Lord All-Powerful lives, whom I serve, I will be seen by Ahab today.. Start FREE. Idols had always threatened to steal the love, trust, and service God deserves and demands.By equating greed with idolatry, Paul provocatively told the church they didnt have to go into a rival temple to worship another god. Stop for a moment. In the myth, Baal returns to life when the rains come. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. His interview with Ahab himself, 1 Kings 18:17-20. King Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the king's palace. But God made them know the contrary, for the famine continued till Baal's prophets were sacrificed, and so great a scarcity of water there was that the king himself and Obadiah went in person throughout the land to seek for grass for the cattle, 1 Kings 18:5; 1 Kings 18:6. 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. We may request cookies to be set on your device. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out on them. 10 Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life, 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 6 Truths about Jesus Coming into the World, Inspiring Mother Breaks Down after Earning Golden Buzzer with Celine Dion Hit, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind. 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. If we, in sincerity, offer our hearts to God, he will, by his grace, kindle a holy fire in them. 18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. They prayed to Baal from morning until noon, shouting Baal, answer us! But there was no sound, and no one answered. Does the Bible encourage the practice of Lent? 3. He causeth vapours to ascend, and maketh lightnings for the rain; for this rain he did both. When we worship money, it mauls us. Thats why Jesus warned his followers to watch out for all kinds of greed (see Luke 12:15). The king and court were all for Baal; so was the body of the people. You have gone after the Baals. His new conquest will be lost if he do not look about him quickly." At the end of the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit had . He durst not strike him, remembering that Jeroboam's hand withered when it was stretched out against a prophet, but gave him bad language, which was no less an affront to him that sent him. The particular Levitical institutions were so often dispensed with (as in the time of the Judges, Samuel's time, and now) that one would be tempted to think they were more designed for types to be fulfilled in the evangelical anti-types than for laws to be fulfilled in the strict observance of them. 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. And will a nation change their god?" 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. [3.] 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. When Baals people died, it was Elijah who raised them to life (v. 22). Jesus knew all about gods such as Baal. 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. Those that slighted and hated his counsels would gladly be beholden to him for his prayers. 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. 2. 1. He turned the hearts of his people back to himself. Such living falls far short of the life Jesus invites us to experience. 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. 2. 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. How importunate and noisy the prophets of Baal were in their applications to him. Of course, most Israelites probably didnt totally reject Yahweh, the God of Israel. Jack Gutknecht. Prophets should be called seers, and shepherds, and watchmen, and ministers, rather than lords, as those that mind duty more than dominion. This is the right method. Behold the bullock and the wood; but where is the fire?Genesis 22:7; Genesis 22:8. ), St. Joseph New Catholic Version New Testament. We are made in the image of this generous King, wired to reflect his generosity to the rest of creation. Paul goes even further. V. The return of the mercy of rain, at the word of Elijah, 1 Kings 18:41-46. 46The Lord gave his power to Elijah, who tightened his clothes around him and ran ahead of King Ahab all the way to Jezreel. Roumie said he was drawn to both "The Chosen" and "Jesus Revolution" because of their scripts and characters, which "spoke to his heart.". Baal and his prophets were confounded. 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. That wanting to get rich inevitably causes such destruction? He that will thrive must rise betimes. If I go tell King Ahab you are here, and he comes and doesnt find you, he will kill me! 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. Above two years he had lain hid with the widow at Zarephath, after he had been concealed one year by the brook Cherith; so that the third year of his sojourning there, here spoken of (1 Kings 18:1; 1 Kings 18:1), was the fourth of the famine, which lasted in all three years and six months, as we find, Luke 4:25; James 5:17. 6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 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. Moses's altar and Solomon's were consecrated by the fire from heaven; but this was destroyed, because no more to be used. Giving is what we do best; the air into which we were born. Giving signals and solidifies our allegiance to and dependence on God and his kingdom. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. 2. We may suppose it was a great surprise to Ahab to hear that Elijah, whom he had so long sought and not found, was now found without seeking. Who has required these things at your hands? We are fairly put to our choice whom we will serve,Joshua 24:15. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . "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." In the book of Acts, we read a most interesting and revealing number. Surely you think he is talking or meditating (as the word is) or he is pursuing some deep thoughts, (in a brown study, as we say), thinking of somewhat else and not minding his own matter, when not your credit only, but all his honour lies at stake, and his interest in Israel. 1. 0 responses 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. 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. [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. Thou employest me; Lord, make it appear that thou dost so;" see Numbers 16:28; Numbers 16:29. A deceived heart had turned them aside, they could not deliver their souls by saying, Is there not a lie in our right hand? 10As surely as the Lord your God lives, the king has sent people to every country to search for you. 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. Has the book of Amos been fulfilled or is it a reference to end times? There are those who trouble Israel by their wickedness, whom the conservators of the public peace are concerned to enquire after. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. 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. Elijah now came to bring blessings to Israel, tidings of the return of the rain; yet he was thus affronted. The sad state of Israel at this time, upon two accounts:--. He sent the rain in torrents. I brought them food and water. 5:3). Elijah told him to go and look again. 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. 11Now you want me to go to my master and tell him, Elijah is here? Though he expected an answer by fire, yet he came near to the altar with boldness, and feared not that fire. 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? Deserters must not look for God's favour till they return to their allegiance. to please their deity, as Herodias did Herod, and so to obtain their request. 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. Now Elijah shows them the absurdity of this. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. 11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Their heart is divided (Hosea 10:2), whereas God will have all or none. The prophets of Baal, as criminals, are seized, condemned, and executed, according to law, 1 Kings 18:40; 1 Kings 18:40. By this time there was no food in Samaria. Paul declares that greed is idolatry, that to be greedy is to worship other gods (see Col. 3:5; Eph. Those fear God greatly that keep up the fear of him in bad times and places; thus Obadiah did. V. The return of the mercy of rain, at the word of Elijah, 1 Kings . When they called on their god, nothing happened. How unlike was this to that with which his servant Obadiah saluted him (1 Kings 18:7; 1 Kings 18:7): Art thou that my lord Elijah? Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. 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. 25:3146). Then he said, Do it a third time, and they did it the third time. 2. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. 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). We left the prophet Elijah wrapt up in obscurity. 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. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. 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. shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 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. A false God and his kingdom spirit of God move upon the prophets of Baal ; so was the God... 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