30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto 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. His new conquest will be lost if he do not look about him quickly." Who has required these things at your hands? 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. Like madmen they cut themselves in pieces with knives and lancets (1 Kings 18:28; 1 Kings 18:28) for vexation that they were not answered, or in a sort of prophetic fury, hoping to obtain the favour of their god by offering to him their own blood, when they could not obtain it with the blood of their bullock. Report 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. 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. We become increasingly committed to a lifestyle of an abundance of possessions. Elijah sought not his own glory but in subserviency to God's, and for his own necessary vindication. They worshipped God to please the prophets, but worshipped Baal to please Jezebel and curry favour at court. The steps taken towards redressing the grievance, by Elijah's appearing again upon the stage, to act as a Tishbite, a converter or reformer of Israel, for so (some think) that title of his signifies. The wind began to blow, and soon a heavy rain began to fall. Meanwhile, in the midst of Baal country, God made oil and flour overflow for Elijah and his newfound friends (vv. The prophets of Baal went first. 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. Obadiah recognized Elijah, so he bowed down to the ground and said, Elijah? 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. III. 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. Log in, Barton W. Stone: The Preachers Are Working While the People Are Gazing, Thoughts on the Asbury Revival (02.23.23), The Serious Sin of Proselytism (02.16.23), Christians Becoming a Minority Group in America (02.02.23), Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. 7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? Perhaps Jezebel persecuted God's prophets under pretence that they were the cause of the judgment, because Elijah had foretold it. (Obadiah was a true follower of the LORD. Elijah first surrendered, or rather discovered, himself to Obadiah. Had it been true that he was the troubler of Israel, Ahab, as king, would have been bound to animadvert upon him. It was strange that either he did not reform Ahab or Ahab corrupt him; but it seems they were both fixed; he that was filthy would be filthy still, and he that was holy would be holy still. 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. Now in their experiment observe. He that had protected so many prophets, he hoped, should not have his own life hazarded by so great a prophet. Now Elijah shows them the absurdity of this. (The Lord changed Jacobs name to Israel.) Elijah does not say, "The God that answers by water" (though that was the thing the country needed), but "that answers by fire, let him be God;" because the atonement was to be made by sacrifice, before the judgment could be removed in mercy. All rights reserved. 41Then Elijah said to Ahab, Now, go, eat, and drink, because a heavy rain is coming. 42So King Ahab went to eat and drink. But it is strange to find such an eminently good man governor of Ahab's house, an office of great honour, power, and trust. 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. 2. 27At noon Elijah began to make fun of them. If, in this trial, they could but bring it to a drawn battle, their other advantages would give them the victory. You have gone after the Baals. Elijah vs. the priests of Baal. 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. Report. 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). 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). Has the book of Amos been fulfilled or is it a reference to end times? You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 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. "Surely he is a god! "I love Jesus and it is the honor of my life to get to portray him," he said. 2. He proposed to bring the matter to a fair trial; and it was so much the fairer because Baal had all the external advantages on his side. Now God made those who said they were Jews and were not, but were of the synagogue of Satan, to come, and, in effect, to worship at his feet, and to know that God had loved him,Revelation 3:9. 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. Like fools, they leaped upon the altar, as if they would themselves become sacrifices with their bullock; or thus they expressed their great earnestness of mind. To win his people back, God demonstrated his power and mocked Baal along the way. How importunate and noisy the prophets of Baal were in their applications to him. He sent the rain in torrents. b. God reveals his secrets to his servants the prophets; and yet, without a revelation, we may foresee that when man's judgments run down like a river God's mercy will. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Idolatry is an economic issue. Elijah, in answer to him, [1.] (2.) I brought them food and water. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. He is there in the presence of Ahab, the 450 prophets of Baal, 400 prophets of the groves and a company of people from all Israel. 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. V. Elijah hereupon hastened Ahab home, and attended him himself. The battle for their hearts took place in part on the battlefield of their bank accounts. They thought to trim the matter, and play on both sides, as the Samaritans, 2 Kings 17:33. Trust ye not in lying words, saying . While Baal worshipers went hungry during the drought, God fed Elijah meat and bread delivered to him daily by carrier ravens (see v. 6). 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. You can check these in your browser security settings. God immediately answered him by fire, 1 Kings 18:38; 1 Kings 18:38. If the ruler said you were not there, Ahab forced the ruler to swear you could not be found in his country. His interview with Obadiah, one of Ahab's servants, by whom he sends notice to Ahab of his coming, 1 Kings 18:2-16. He that can give fire can give rain; see Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:6. 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. Note, Those who profess religion should study to recommend themselves to the esteem even of those that are without by their integrity, fidelity, and application to business. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab: This was an obviously supernaturally empowered 14-mile cross-country run. There was a heavy rain: Gods word through Elijah was proved true. ESV - (2.) It is an instance of the courage of Elijah that he durst stand alone in the cause of God against such powers and numbers; and the issue encourages all God's witnesses and advocates never to fear the face of man. Their perishing thus is the using, as the apostle speaks of them (Colossians 3:22), was to intimate the utter abolition of them after a little while, Hebrews 8:13. The glory of God: "Lord, hear me, and answer me, that it may be known (for it is now by the most denied or forgotten) that thou art God in Israel, to whom alone the homage and devotion of Israel are due, and that I am thy servant, and do all that I have done, am doing, and shall do, as thy agent, at thy word, and not to gratify any humour or passion of my own. The prophets of Baal try first, but in vain, with their god. The Character of Obadiah; Elijah's Interview with Obadiah. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. Click on the different category headings to find out more. We may request cookies to be set on your device. 9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? A deceived heart had turned them aside, they could not deliver their souls by saying, Is there not a lie in our right hand? According to one ancient Canaanite myth, the father of Baal slashes his chest, arms, and back upon learning of his son's death. His interview with Ahab himself, 1 Kings 18:17-20. Why did the prophets of Baal cut themselves? A fight to the finish. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull and kill it and cut it into pieces. The central story in the Torah portion is that of the Golden Calf, and thus the story of the haftarah serves as an obvious sequel to this unfortunate episode. Even Christ and his apostles were thus misrepresented, Acts 17:6. Jesus reminds us that when we try, we risk devoting ourselves to money and hating him (see Luke 16:13). But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. V. Elijah soon obtains from his God an answer by fire. 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. 1. The Baalites are forced to give up their cause, and now it is Elijah's turn to produce his. In fact, the New Testament teaches that money and greed are often the loudest and most appealing idols seeking to steal our attention. Show these people that you commanded me to do all these things. Hence we read of those that hide themselves in the top of Carmel,Amos 9:3. He will kill me!, 15Elijah answered, As surely as the Lord All-Powerful lives, whom I serve, I will be seen by Ahab today.. Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. (28-29) The prophets of Baal work harder at their prayer. (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.) [2.] It is a very bad thing to halt between God and Baal. Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army. Yet his guilty conscience gave him little reason to hope for it, but, rather, to fear some other more dreadful judgment. The long drought was over, and it was demonstrated that the prayers of Elijah both withheld the rain and then subsequently brought the rain. The execution he did upon the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:40. But the primary attraction to Baal wasnt a pretty statue; it was an economic promise. 32Elijah used these stones to rebuild the altar in honor of the Lord. And they did it the second time. All these parables point in the same direction: money wants our worship. '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. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out on them. 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. Of course, most Israelites probably didnt totally reject Yahweh, the God of Israel. answer us; as it is in the margin: and this for some hours together, longer than Diana's worshippers made their cry, Great is Diana of the Ephesians,Acts 19:34. Let it for ever be looked upon as a point adjudged against all pretenders (for it was carried, upon a full hearing, against one of the most daring and threatening competitors that ever the God of Israel was affronted by) that Jehovah, he is God, God alone. Baals 450 prophets worked themselves into a frenzy, cutting themselves, dancing, and chanting to their god. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. 1 Kings 18:40. He also brought them food and water.) 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. 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. 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. 0 responses Their heart is divided (Hosea 10:2), whereas God will have all or none. However, it is put to this experiment, "Let each side prepare a sacrifice, and pray to its God, and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God; if neither shall thus answer, let the people turn Atheists; if both, let them continue to halt between two." Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. "Shout louder!" he said. And all the people came near unto him. 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. 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. When we cannot carry a reformation so far as we would we must do what we can, and rather comply with some corruptions than not do our utmost towards the extirpation of Baal. [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. That wanting to get rich inevitably causes such destruction? [4.] They were very desirous to see the experiment tried, and seemed resolved to abide by the issue, whatever it should be. [3.] And nothing can't answer you when you call out to it! He causeth vapours to ascend, and maketh lightnings for the rain; for this rain he did both. 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