VI. 12The Spirit of the Lord may carry you to some other place after I leave. But the primary attraction to Baal wasnt a pretty statue; it was an economic promise. Even on Baals home turf, people starved while waiting for Baal to bring his promised abundance. 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. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. 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. 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. 2. 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. Elijah on Mount Carmel 26 And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made. If Baal really is a god, maybe he is thinking, or busy, or traveling! 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. 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. 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. 28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 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. At the same time Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bent down to the ground with his head between his knees. 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. Elijah told him to go and look again. Now Elijah shows them the absurdity of this. The Baalites are forced to give up their cause, and now it is Elijah's turn to produce his. Name one of the Old Testament prophets present at the Transfiguration.. rh. 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 he dug a ditch around the altar that was big enough to hold about thirteen quarts of seed. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. He turned the hearts of his people back to himself. (2.) 3:24). And all the people came near unto him. 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. There he would be alone. 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. He repaired this altar with twelve stones, according to the number of the twelve tribes,1 Kings 18:31; 1 Kings 18:31. 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. It is a very bad thing to halt between God and Baal. What would be some verses from the Bible to save a marriage? Jack Gutknecht. 2. "As long as God keeps bringing me stories that I can honor him with, to me, it doesn't matter what genre they . Does God gives us political leaders or do we vote them by choice? Based only on the sighting of a cloud that was as small as a mans hand, he knew a torrent was on the way. 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. But it is strange to find such an eminently good man governor of Ahab's house, an office of great honour, power, and trust. 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 . The Lord preserved Elijah's life for a reason. Money becomes a spiritual power that too often uses us rather than the other way around. Elijah first surrendered, or rather discovered, himself to Obadiah. 11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. II. Jeremiah 2:11. 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. A good answer provides new insight and perspective. 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. [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. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. 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. Not only some Israelites worshipped God and others Baal, but the same Israelites sometimes worshipped one and sometimes the other. (5.) 2. He knew, by the Spirit, where to meet him, and we are here told what passed between them. 45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Three years and a half's famine would not bring them back to God. Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? So Elijah issued a challenge. By this time there was no food in Samaria. 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. 45After a short time the sky was covered with dark clouds. They covet the precedency, not only for the honour of it, but that, if they can but in the least seem to gain their point, Elijah may not be admitted to make the trial. IV. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? You can also change some of your preferences. They prayed to Baal from morning until noon, shouting Baal, answer us! But there was no sound, and no one answered. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. Has the book of Amos been fulfilled or is it a reference to end times? All these parables point in the same direction: money wants our worship. Nay (1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 18:13), Was it not told my lord how I hid the prophets? Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Two things he pleads here:-- (1.) 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. As such he tries to counterfeit the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was great condescension in God that he would suffer so plain a case to be disputed, and would permit Baal to be a competitor with him; but thus God would have every mouth to be stopped and all flesh to become silent before him. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull and kill it and cut it into pieces. The Lord is God!. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. When Baals people died, it was Elijah who raised them to life (v. 22). New Century Version (NCV). Great blessings often arise from small beginnings, and showers of plenty from a cloud of a span long. 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. 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 sent his prophet Elijah to tell Israel to stop limping between two different opinions (1 Kings 18:21 ESV). We need 2 cookies to store this setting. 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. They just added Baal worship to their insurance policy. Each would take a bull and place it on their own altar. And now, 1. 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. Who has required these things at your hands? Rain is the river of God,Psalms 65:9. 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. 3. 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. 19Now tell all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel. We are made in the image of this generous King, wired to reflect his generosity to the rest of creation. 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. Baal promised the rains, so God sent a drought at the word of his prophet (see 1 Kings 17:1). Yet, bad as things were. The people must be brought to repent and reform, and then they may look for the removal of the judgment, but not till then. 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. He thought Elijah was not in good earnest when he bade him tell Ahab where he was, but intended only to expose the impotency of his malice; for he knew Ahab was not worthy to receive any kindness from the prophet and it was not fit that the prophet should receive any mischief from him. III. "I love Jesus and it is the honor of my life to get to portray him," he said. Elijah vs. the priests of Baal. 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. Compare Mark 9:38; Mark 9:39; Matthew 21:30. And nothing can't answer you when you call out to it! If I go tell King Ahab you are here, and he comes and doesnt find you, he will kill me! 46The Lord gave his power to Elijah, who tightened his clothes around him and ran ahead of King Ahab all the way to Jezreel. What occasion for addition to that which is perfect? Help us purchase electrical generators for churches. 4. [3.] And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. April 2018. 25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (3.) 732 views, 45 likes, 11 loves, 7 comments, 73 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from : 22 2023 . 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. This was not as a morning cloud, which passes away (though Israel's goodness was so), but one that produced a plentiful rain (Psalms 68:9), and an earnest of more. If Jehovah be the true God, Baal is a false God, to whom these Israelites had revolted, and seduced others to the worship of him; and therefore, by the express law of God, they were to be put to death, Deuteronomy 13:1-11. 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. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. There he set himself, as it were, upon his watch-tower, like the prophet, Habakkuk 2:1. 24You prophets of Baal, pray to your god, and I will pray to the Lord. 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. 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. One true prophet against 450 false prophets. In the end, Those who make [idols] will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them (Ps. Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. 5Ahab said to Obadiah, Lets check every spring and valley in the land. His interview with Ahab himself, 1 Kings 18:17-20. 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. 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. 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 also brought them food and water.) 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. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. And they did it the second time. Does My Passion Mean That I'm Being Called? This he calls (1 Kings 18:21; 1 Kings 18:21) halting between two opinions, or thoughts. He causeth vapours to ascend, and maketh lightnings for the rain; for this rain he did both. When Jezebel cut off God's prophets God cut off the necessary provisions by the extremity of the drought. 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. He mentions this, not in pride or ostentation, but to convince Elijah that though he was Ahab's servant he was not in his interest, and therefore deserved not to be bantered as one of the tools of his persecution. It was a very coarse compliment with which he accosted him at the first word: Art thou he that troubleth Israel?1 Kings 18:17; 1 Kings 18:17. 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