I Kings 18:1-19
“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 Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab.” (I Kings 18:1-2a)
After about three years of drought, when there had been no rain at all, and Ahab had done everything possible to find and kill Elijah, God told Elijah to go see Ahab, and he would send rain on the earth.
“And there was a sore famine in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.” (I Kings 18:2b-5)
After three years without any rain, there wasn’t any grass for livestock, or any crops for food, things were so desperate the king and his chief of staff were forced to go out and help look for feed for the horses and mules to prevent them all dying.
When Ahab sponsored the worship of Baal, Jezebel had made a deliberate effort to kill all the prophets of God and eliminate the worship of God. Obadiah believed God, and had put himself at risk in an effort to save the prophets of Baal. This deliberate effort to prevent the worship of God is one of the reasons Ahab is described as being worse than all the kings before him.
“So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 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?
And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 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.
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. ” (I Kings 18:6-14)
Obadiah recognized Elijah immediately, and when he asked him to go tell Ahab he was there Obadiah was scared. Ahab had spent three years looking for Elijah, and if Elijah decided not to stick around, Ahab would surely kill him for letting him get away. He reminded Elijah of what he had done to help the prophets of God as proof he was not in favor of Ahab’s actions, but it also put him at greater risk since Ahab already had reason to question his loyalty. When we are already in danger, it is frightening to increase that risk.
“And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day.
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.” (I Kings 18:15-16)
Assured that Elijah would not leave him alone. Obadiah went to tell Ahab Elijah wanted to see him. As king, Ahab was used to ordering others to come to him. Being told to go meet Elijah could have been viewed as a challenge to his authority, but Ahab was getting desperate. He went to meet him.
“And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” (I Kings 18:17)
Like most people, Ahab blamed God and his people for the results of his sin. They are unwilling to admit their actions have anything to do with what is happening. For three years he had tried to kill Elijah because of the drought. They don’t understand that it is the very ones they are trying to kill who are protecting them from destruction.
“And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
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.” (I Kings 18:18-19)
Elijah pointed out that the drought and famine were what God had warned would happen if they turned away and began to serve idols. Ahab and his predecessors had deliberately turned away from God and the drought and famine were the natural result.
Today people are worried about global warming and potential world wide famine, as well as economic concerns, but like Ahab, they blame them on other things rather than acknowledging that it is a result of turning away from God. In fact they often blame the Christians for standing against what they are doing.
Elijah asked Ahab to gather the people, the prophets of Baal , and the prophets who worshipped nature together at Mount Carmel if they wanted to find out how to end the famine. If they failed to show up, it would be pretty obvious they didn’t care what happened. Politically, they couldn’t afford to refuse.
“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 Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab.” (I Kings 18:1-2a)
After about three years of drought, when there had been no rain at all, and Ahab had done everything possible to find and kill Elijah, God told Elijah to go see Ahab, and he would send rain on the earth.
“And there was a sore famine in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.” (I Kings 18:2b-5)
After three years without any rain, there wasn’t any grass for livestock, or any crops for food, things were so desperate the king and his chief of staff were forced to go out and help look for feed for the horses and mules to prevent them all dying.
When Ahab sponsored the worship of Baal, Jezebel had made a deliberate effort to kill all the prophets of God and eliminate the worship of God. Obadiah believed God, and had put himself at risk in an effort to save the prophets of Baal. This deliberate effort to prevent the worship of God is one of the reasons Ahab is described as being worse than all the kings before him.
“So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 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?
And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 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.
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. ” (I Kings 18:6-14)
Obadiah recognized Elijah immediately, and when he asked him to go tell Ahab he was there Obadiah was scared. Ahab had spent three years looking for Elijah, and if Elijah decided not to stick around, Ahab would surely kill him for letting him get away. He reminded Elijah of what he had done to help the prophets of God as proof he was not in favor of Ahab’s actions, but it also put him at greater risk since Ahab already had reason to question his loyalty. When we are already in danger, it is frightening to increase that risk.
“And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day.
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.” (I Kings 18:15-16)
Assured that Elijah would not leave him alone. Obadiah went to tell Ahab Elijah wanted to see him. As king, Ahab was used to ordering others to come to him. Being told to go meet Elijah could have been viewed as a challenge to his authority, but Ahab was getting desperate. He went to meet him.
“And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” (I Kings 18:17)
Like most people, Ahab blamed God and his people for the results of his sin. They are unwilling to admit their actions have anything to do with what is happening. For three years he had tried to kill Elijah because of the drought. They don’t understand that it is the very ones they are trying to kill who are protecting them from destruction.
“And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
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.” (I Kings 18:18-19)
Elijah pointed out that the drought and famine were what God had warned would happen if they turned away and began to serve idols. Ahab and his predecessors had deliberately turned away from God and the drought and famine were the natural result.
Today people are worried about global warming and potential world wide famine, as well as economic concerns, but like Ahab, they blame them on other things rather than acknowledging that it is a result of turning away from God. In fact they often blame the Christians for standing against what they are doing.
Elijah asked Ahab to gather the people, the prophets of Baal , and the prophets who worshipped nature together at Mount Carmel if they wanted to find out how to end the famine. If they failed to show up, it would be pretty obvious they didn’t care what happened. Politically, they couldn’t afford to refuse.
Sadly, when hearts are turned off to God, they are very unlikely to come around in response to what a man of God says. Still, the believer's job is not to convert but to witness, and the saving is up to the Holy Spirit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post & God bless,
Laurie
Thanks, Laurie.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that God only gave us the job of witnessing. It would be a really hopeless situation if it all depended on us.