Jack Gutknecht. "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." 20So Ahab called all the Israelites and those prophets to Mount Carmel. How did the spirit of God move upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2? Worship, after all, is an economic issue. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. 10As surely as the Lord your God lives, the king has sent people to every country to search for you. And they limped [they hobbled] around the altar that they had made." I don't think those two uses of the word limp or hobble are an accident. Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, he prayed. 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. When they saw the fire consume both the burnt offering and the entire altar, they answered, " The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God " (1 Kings 18:39). 31He took twelve stones, one stone for each of the twelve tribes, the number of Jacobs sons. 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. 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.". They danced around the altar they had built. Pursuant to this order we have here, I. Community answers are sorted based on votes. April 28 2020 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. He turned the hearts of his people back to himself. He that will thrive must rise betimes. And he said, Do it the third time. Perhaps Jezebel persecuted God's prophets under pretence that they were the cause of the judgment, because Elijah had foretold it. 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. Ahab and the people expected that Elijah would, in this solemn assembly, bless the land, and pray for rain; but he had other work to do first. 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. 36At the time for the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah went near the altar. Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. 3. Baal promised the rains, so God sent a drought at the word of his prophet (see 1 Kings 17:1). Hence we read of those that hide themselves in the top of Carmel,Amos 9:3. Elijah ran on foot before him. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. 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. 8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. If we can find one that has more right to us, or will be a better master to us, than God, we may take him at our peril. I brought them food and water. b. V. Elijah hereupon hastened Ahab home, and attended him himself. Money becomes a spiritual power that too often uses us rather than the other way around. 26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. 2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED. God and Elijah were honoured, 1 Kings 18:21-39. Name one of the Old Testament prophets present at the Transfiguration.. rh. The long drought was over, and it was demonstrated that the prayers of Elijah both withheld the rain and then subsequently brought the rain. 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. III. 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. 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. 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. 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. 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, There are many of you, so you go first. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. This happened seven times. Yet his guilty conscience gave him little reason to hope for it, but, rather, to fear some other more dreadful judgment. I. Elijah reproved the people for mixing the worship of God and the worship of Baal together. Start FREE. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 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. God will first prepare our heart, and then cause his ear to hear, will first turn us to him, and then turn to us,Psalms 10:17; Psalms 80:3. 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. The prophets kept shouting louder and louder, and they cut themselves with swords and knives until they were bleeding. Obadiah begs to be excused from carrying this message to Ahab, for it might prove as much as his life was worth. 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. (2.) So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. '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. The god who answers by setting fire to his wood is the true God.. He put himself into a strange posture. Ahab had made diligent search for him (1 Kings 18:10; 1 Kings 18:10), had offered rewards to any one that would discover him, sent spies into every tribe and lordship of his own dominions, as some understand it, or, as others, into all the neighbouring nations and kingdoms that were in alliance with him; and, when they denied that they knew any thing of him, he would not believe them unless they swore it, and, as should seem, promised likewise upon oath that, if ever they found him among them, they would discover him and deliver him up. Let but Obadiah know that he spoke seriously and really intended it, and he will make no scruple to carry the message to Ahab. No, he waives the prescription, and enters upon the merits of the cause:--"There can be but one God, but one infinite and but one supreme: there needs but one God, one omnipotent, one all-sufficient. 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. 5:3). We are made in the image of this generous King, wired to reflect his generosity to the rest of creation. 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. [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. The prophets of Baal try first, but in vain, with their god. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. What he said we are not told; but, 1. April 2018. 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. What was the result of this fair trial. We may request cookies to be set on your device. 39When all the people saw this, they fell down to the ground, crying, The Lord is God! Article Images Copyright , The Real Reason Israel Worshiped Baal (It Wasn't Just a Pretty Statue), Michael Rhodes, Robby Holt, and Brian Fikkert. 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. He ordered abundance of water to be poured upon his altar, which he had prepared a trench for the reception of (1 Kings 18:32; 1 Kings 18:32), and, some think, made the altar hollow. Choose a bull and prepare it. It was strange that so wicked a man as Ahab would prefer him to it and continue him in it; certainly it was because he was a man of celebrated honesty, industry, and ingenuity, and one in whom he could repose a confidence, whose eyes he could trust as much as his own, as appears here, 1 Kings 18:5; 1 Kings 18:5. New Century Version (NCV). You have gone after the Baals. 23Bring two bulls. Moses's altar and Solomon's were consecrated by the fire from heaven; but this was destroyed, because no more to be used. Elijah now came to bring blessings to Israel, tidings of the return of the rain; yet he was thus affronted. Two things he pleads here:-- (1.) Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 24You prophets of Baal, pray to your god, and I will pray to the Lord. Transfers the title of honour he gave him to Ahab: "Call him thy lord, not me;" that is a fitter title for a prince than for a prophet, who seeks not honour from men. 3. e. Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you: This was a word of faith from Elijah to Ahab. The time was that of Ahab, king of Israel. 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. The prophets of Baal, as criminals, are seized, condemned, and executed, according to law, 1 Kings 18:40; 1 Kings 18:40. Then Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley, where he killed them. Let us therefore never despise the day of small things, but hope and wait for great things from it. 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. This was the way they worshiped, Douay-Rheims Bible So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood. 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. Our animals sacrifice, the number of Jacobs sons had foretold it try first, in... Said to the rest of creation and louder, and Israel, he prayed worship, all! Attended him himself it the third time Lord your God lives, the is. And the worship of God move upon the face of the rain ; yet was. 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