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). 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. They explore six key biblical themes of worship, community, work, equity, creation care, and rest to dig into what the Gospel means for how we use our resources. He put himself into a strange posture. During all that time some of them prayed, while others of them prophesied, sang hymns, perhaps to the praise of Baal, or rather encouraged those that were praying to proceed, telling them that Baal would answer them at last; but there was no answer, nor any that regarded. 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. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 31He took twelve stones, one stone for each of the twelve tribes, the number of Jacobs sons. By this time there was no food in Samaria. 5. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. He will put me to death. 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. 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. 29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 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? He solicited their allegiance, work, and worshipfor himself and his kingdom. Why did Herod like to listen to John the Baptist, who criticized Herods lifestyle? When we give, we reflect the image of our giving God. The prophets kept shouting louder and louder, and they cut themselves with swords and knives until they were bleeding. We dont know exactly why it was important to God for Elijah to reach Jezreel first; perhaps it was so that he would be the first to tell Queen Jezebel. 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. Has the book of Amos been fulfilled or is it a reference to end times? By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. 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. if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? ESV - Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Baal was chief of the Canaanite gods. What he said we are not told; but, 1. God will provide himself fire. 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. V. Elijah soon obtains from his God an answer by fire. Not only some Israelites worshipped God and others Baal, but the same Israelites sometimes worshipped one and sometimes the other. "Surely he is a god! 14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. He sent fire from heaven. 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. Note, The worship of idols is a most ridiculous thing, and it is but justice to represent it so and expose it to scorn. He could not bring them to the altar at Jerusalem unless he could unite the two kingdoms again (which, for correction to both, God designed should not now be done), therefore, by his prophetic authority, he builds an altar on Mount Carmel, and so owns that which had formerly been built there. After Israel had gone more than three years without rain as a judgment for their idolatry, the prophet Elijah confronts the evil king Ahab and challenges him to a spiritual showdown. And will a nation change their god?" 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. In Pauls opinion, love of money wounds the worshiper, woos them away from the faith, and wells up in all sorts of other evils. Baals 450 prophets worked themselves into a frenzy, cutting themselves, dancing, and chanting to their god. He addressed himself to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, acting faith on God's ancient covenant, and reminding people too (for prayer may prevail) of their relation both to God and to the patriarchs. Jesus knew all about gods such as Baal. 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. 34Then he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the meat and on the wood. Then Elijah said, Do it again, and they did it again. (5.) 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. 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. 2. 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. So Elijah issued a challenge. 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. No one who was present that day missed the point. Elijah's God was neither talking nor pursuing, needed not to be either awakened or quickened; while he was yet speaking, the fire of the Lord fell, and not only, as at other times (Leviticus 9:24; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:1) consumed the sacrifice and the wood, in token of God's acceptance of the offering, but licked up all the water in the trench, exhaling that, and drawing it up as a vapour, in order to the intended rain, which was to be the fruit of this sacrifice and prayer, more than the product of natural causes. 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. From Pretty Statues to Silver and Gold: Jesus or Mammon? 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. 2. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, he prayed. Elijah told him to go and look again. 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. 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. II. 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. When Jezebel was killing the Lords prophets, I hid a hundred of them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another. 22Elijah said, I am the only prophet of the Lord here, but there are four hundred fifty prophets of Baal. 26So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. V. Elijah hereupon hastened Ahab home, and attended him himself. 11Now you want me to go to my master and tell him, Elijah is here? 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. THE PROPHETS OF BAAL,THE PROPHETS OF ASHERAH,AND THE LATTER RAIN. Then let them put the meat on the wood, but they are not to set fire to it. Those who are called to appear and act in public for God must yet find time to be private with him and keep up their converse with him in solitude. Once we remember that the Jews saw idolatry as the ultimate sin that put one outside the community of faith, we can hear the full force of Pauls words. ly. II. 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. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. 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. 36At the time for the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah went near the altar. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. A fight to the finish. Now in their experiment observe. 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. 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. 2. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Choose a bull and prepare it. But it was utterly false concerning Elijah; so far was he from being an enemy to Israel's welfare that he as the stay of it, the chariots and horsemen of Israel. (4.) I. [3.] What is the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal? Those that were firm for God doubted not but it would end to his honour; those that were indifferent were willing to be determined; and Ahab and the prophets of Baal durst not oppose for fear of the people, and hoped that either they could obtain fire from heaven (though they never had yet), and the rather because, as some think, they worshipped the sun in Baal, or that Elijah could not, because not at the temple, where God was wont thus to manifest his glory. 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. Click on the different category headings to find out more. 9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? Note, It bodes well to any people when God calls his ministers out of their corners, and bids them show themselves--a sign that he will give rain on the earth; at least we may the better be content with the bread of affliction while our eyes see our teachers,Isaiah 30:20; Isaiah 30:21. Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. 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. 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. And they did it the second time. 3. Pray louder! he said. II. Meanwhile, in the midst of Baal country, God made oil and flour overflow for Elijah and his newfound friends (vv. There needed no proof of the fact; all Israel were witnesses of it: and therefore Elijah (acting still by an extraordinary commission, which is not to be drawn into a precedent) orders them all to be slain immediately as the troublers of the land, and Ahab himself is so terrified, for the present, with the fire from heaven, that he dares not oppose it. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Elijah Kills the Prophets of Baal - During the third year without rain, the LORD spoke his word to Elijah: "Go and meet King Ahab, and I will soon send rain." So Elijah went to meet Ahab. God's cause is so incontestably just that it needs not fear to have the evidences of its equity searched into and weighed. "But there was no voice. It also dried up the water in the ditch. Elijah sought not his own glory but in subserviency to God's, and for his own necessary vindication. And the people answered him not a word. 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. I would have healed Israel, but they would not be healed. He repaired this altar with twelve stones, according to the number of the twelve tribes,1 Kings 18:31; 1 Kings 18:31. Does My Passion Mean That I'm Being Called? See 2 Kings 2:16. Bread and water were now scarce commodities, yet Obadiah will find a competence of both for God's prophets, to keep them alive for service hereafter, though now they were laid aside. As such he tries to counterfeit the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You can also change some of your preferences. Answer The account of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is recorded in 1 Kings 18. His interview with Ahab himself, 1 Kings 18:17-20. 17When he saw Elijah, he asked, Is it youthe biggest troublemaker in Israel?, 18Elijah answered, I have not made trouble in Israel. The Lord preserved Elijah's life for a reason. I brought them food and water. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. 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