The managers of Baal's cause were 450 men, fat and well fed (1 Kings 18:22; 1 Kings 18:22), besides 400 more, their supporters or seconds, 1 Kings 18:19; 1 Kings 18:19. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? 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). 4. Based only on the sighting of a cloud that was as small as a mans hand, he knew a torrent was on the way. God immediately answered him by fire, 1 Kings 18:38; 1 Kings 18:38. 2. Those that slighted and hated his counsels would gladly be beholden to him for his prayers. Idols could do neither good nor evil. Why didnt Abraham bargain with God when it came to Isaac being offered as a burnt offering like he did when it came to Sodom and Gomorrah? 8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. Not only some Israelites worshipped God and others Baal, but the same Israelites sometimes worshipped one and sometimes the other. How did the spirit of God move upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2? Elijah vs. the priests of Baal. 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. So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. Perhaps Jezebel persecuted God's prophets under pretence that they were the cause of the judgment, because Elijah had foretold it. 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. A deceived heart had turned them aside, they could not deliver their souls by saying, Is there not a lie in our right hand? 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. 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. Baals 450 prophets worked themselves into a frenzy, cutting themselves, dancing, and chanting to their god. God and Elijah were honoured, 1 Kings 18:21-39. The sailors at this day call it Cape Carmel. 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. 3. I incline to this because we find, when they came together, Elijah, knowing what Ahab wanted him for, appointed him to meet him on Mount Carmel, and Ahab complied with the appointment, though Elijah took such a way to revoke the sentence and bless the land as perhaps he little thought of. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Clarify His prayer was not long, for he used no vain repetitions, nor thought he should be heard for his much speaking; but it was very grave and composed, and showed his mind to be calm and sedate, and far from the heats and disorders that Baal's prophets were in, 1 Kings 18:36; 1 Kings 18:37. 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. Dont let any of them run away! The people captured all the prophets. 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. 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. What he said we are not told; but, 1. 11Now you want me to go to my master and tell him, Elijah is here? April 2018. 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. Indeed, giving back to God and to his people is part of our DNA, a sign of our family resemblance to our generous Creator. I have followed the Lord since I was a boy. 19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. Pray louder! he said. 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. I would have healed Israel, but they would not be healed. if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. Trust ye not in lying words, saying . III. 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. Thither all Israel must come, to give Elijah the meeting; and the prophets of Baal who were dispersed all the country over, with those of the groves who were Jezebel's domestic chaplains, must there make their personal appearance. When we give, we reflect the image of our giving God. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, "Shout louder, for he is a god! 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. Roumie said he was drawn to both "The Chosen" and "Jesus Revolution" because of their scripts and characters, which "spoke to his heart.". 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 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. IV. 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. 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. Do you believe that? After all, if youre a farmer, its only practical to invest in getting the rider of the clouds to like you. Yahweh would have none of it. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? (Obadiah was a true follower of the Lord. It also dried up the water in the ditch. 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. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. Yet his guilty conscience gave him little reason to hope for it, but, rather, to fear some other more dreadful judgment. Ahab rode in his chariot, at ease and in state, 1 Kings 18:45; 1 Kings 18:45. Such was Elijah's zeal, no doubt, against the idolatry of Baal, and such his compassion to his people, that he thought it long to be thus confined to a corner; yet he appeared not till God bade him: "Go and show thyself to Ahab, for now thy hour has come, even the time to favour Israel." 22Elijah said, I am the only prophet of the Lord here, but there are four hundred fifty prophets of Baal. The purpose of the prophet's request was to demonstrate who was the true God that deserved the people's dedicated worship. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. 32Elijah used these stones to rebuild the altar in honor of the Lord. 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. God demands no more from us than he can make out a title to. 2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. King Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the king's palace. 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. Second, Baal was a false god and men were not to worship him. Those halt between them that are unresolved under their convictions, unstable and unsteady in their purposes, promise fair, but do not perform, begin well, but do not hold on, that are inconsistent with themselves, or indifferent and lukewarm in that which is good. Elijah now came to bring blessings to Israel, tidings of the return of the rain; yet he was thus affronted. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. 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.
University Of South Carolina Deaths This Week,
Gemma Louise Miles House Location,
Cloud Mobile Stratus C5 Battery,
Articles W
