1 Kings 18:22-24 Fire from Heaven!

 “Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.””

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. I alone am left a prophet of the LORD: Elijah had reason to know this was not true. In the recent past, Obadiah told him that he sheltered 100 prophets of God against the persecution of Jezebel and Ahab.

b. Let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves: In this proposed test, Elijah was careful to give the prophets of Baal every potential advantage. They picked the two bulls, and picked which one they would sacrifice and which one Elijah would sacrifice.

c. And the God who answers by fire, He is God: The fire would not come from either Elijah or the prophets of Baal. It had to be supernatural in origin, and supplied by either Baal or Yahweh.

i. Again, Elijah gave plenty of advantage to the prophets of Baal. It was thought that Baal was the sky-god, lord of the weather and the sender of lightning (thought to be fire from the sky). If Baal were real, he certainly could send fire from heaven.

ii. To put God and himself on the line before the gathered nation of Israel took a lot of faith. Elijah learned this faith over the many months of daily dependence on God, both at the Brook Cherith and at the widow’s house at Zarapeth.

iii. Of course, Elijah had plenty of reasons for confidence in the LORD God. First, he was following express instructions from the LORD (1 Kings 18:36). Second, he knew from the history of Israel that God could and would send fire from heaven upon a sacrifice (Judges 6:20-21 and 2 Chronicles 7:1-7). (Guzik)

Fire from Heaven!

There will be a time in the future when God sends fire from heaven for it is written:

“The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I don’t want to be around for the tribulation, do you?

BTW, I consider myself a pretribber! 😇 

“ A "pretribber" is a term used to describe someone who believes in the pretribulation rapture, which is the doctrine that Christians will be taken up to heaven before a period of great tribulation occurs on Earth.”

Blessings 

Tribulation

God is Good!

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

‭‭I Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Have you ever had one of those days when your health becomes an issue? For me it happened last Saturday evening. After experiencing a health crisis for about an hour my wife says maybe we should go to the emergency room because if you fall down I won’t be able to pick you up. So after midnight I spent four and a half hours on Easter Sunday in the ER then I was released. Sunday nite I started to feel bad and had a temperature of 101*. By morning it was 103*. Back to the hospital and after some tests I was talking to a surgeon and ended up with a gallbladder removal!

When I woke up in recovery my wife was there along with two dear friends and I was released to go home. God is indeed good!

This morning when I woke up it was the first time in several years I didn't have lower back pain!

This morning I give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever!

Do you give thanks to the Lord?

Blessings 

1 Kings 18:20-21 Whom will you serve?

 “So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Ahab sent for all the children of Israel: It is hard to know why Ahab did this, carrying out the instructions of Elijah. Perhaps he hoped that the people would be so angry with Elijah for the last three years of drought that this crowd would turn against the prophet.

b. And gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel: These prophets of Baal hated Elijah. They loved the favor of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, and they enthusiastically promoted the persecution of any true follower of Yahweh. But over the last three years, they had been severely humbled by Elijah and the drought sustained by his prayers. All their cries to the weather-god Baal were ineffective for three years. They hated this prophet of God who humiliated them and their sham priesthood so thoroughly.

i. “See, with what malignant glances his every movement is watched by the priests. No tiger ever watched its victim more fiercely! If they may have their way, he will never touch yonder plain again.” (Meyer)

ii. “That lone man, of heroic soul, stemmed the fearful torrent of idolatry, and like a rock in mid-current, firmly stood his ground. He, alone and single-handed, was more than a match for all the priests of the palace and the groves, even as one lion scatters a flock of sheep.” (Spurgeon)

c. How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him: This was a logical and useful question. In general, the people of Israel were in a spiritually lukewarm condition. They wanted to give some devotion to both Yahweh and Baal, but the God of Israel was not interested in such divided devotion.

i. Spiritually speaking, Israel was like an unfaithful partner in a marriage who doesn’t want to give up their marriage partner, but also does not want to give up their illicit lover. The marriage partner has a legitimate claim to the exclusive devotion of their spouse.

ii. How long will you falter: The ancient Hebrew word translated falter means “to limp, halt, hop, dance, or leap” (Dilday). It is the same word used in 1 Kings 18:26where the prophets of Baal leaped about the altar. It may be that Elijah meant, “How long will you dance between two opinions?”

iii. Adam Clarke had a slightly different understanding: “Literally, ‘How long hop ye about upon two boughs?’ This is a metaphor taken from birds hopping about from bough to bough, not knowing on which to settle.”

iv. The appeal of Elijah made it clear that there was a difference between the service of Baal and the service of Yahweh. Perhaps in the minds of many, there was not a great difference - the only important thing was to have some kind of religion, and to be sincere about that, following your heart to whatever god your heart might lead you to. Yet Elijah knew that it could never be this way. You either served Baal or you served Yahweh; there was a difference.

v. Elijah’s appeal also called his hearers to account for the period of time in which they had not made a decision between Yahweh and Baal. “How long,” he asked them. “How many more sermons do you want? How many more Sundays must roll away wasted? How many warnings, how many sicknesses, how many tollings of the bell to warn you that you must die? How many graves must be dug for your family before you will be impressed? How many plagues and pestilences must ravage this city before you will turn to God in truth? How long halt ye between two opinions?” (Spurgeon).

d. But the people answered him not a word: There was no objection and no repentance. They lacked the courage to either defend their position or to change it. They were willing to live unexamined lives of low conviction.

i. Elijah could so accurately see their hearts because he could see their actions. Spurgeon explained Elijah’s idea: “I know you are not decided in opinion, because you are not decided in practice. If God be God, follow him; if Baal, follow him. You are not decided in practice.”(Guzik)

Whom will you serve?

There’s a famous song by Bob Dylan with the lyrics: 

“But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed

You’re going to have to serve somebody

Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord

But you’re going to have to serve somebody.”

It basically comes down to two choices, Baal or Yahweh, ie the devil or the Lord!

“How long halt ye between two opinions?”

Blessings 

1 Kings 18:17-19 Dethrone the God of Israel

 “Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.””

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Is that you, O troubler of Israel? Ahab was easily the worst, most ungodly king that Israel ever had. Yet he did not hesitate to blame the godly prophet Elijah for the problems of Israel. If Ahab would at least stop the active persecution of the people of God, God would relent in the drought. But the wicked king of Israel found it easier to blame the godly prophet.

i. According to his theology, it made sense for Ahab to blame Elijah. Ahab believed in Baal, so much so that his government promoted and supported Baal worship and persecuted the worshippers of Yahweh. Ahab believed that Elijah had angered the sky-god Baal and therefore Baal withheld rain. Ahab probably thought that Baal would hold back the rain until Elijah was caught and executed.

ii. Instead, Ahab should have turned to the Word of God. Deuteronomy 28:23-24promised that drought would come to a disobedient Israel.

b. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel: Elijah challenged King Ahab to gather the idol prophets of Baal and Asherah for this meeting at Mount Carmel.

i. “Gather to me all Israel, by their deputies, or heads, or representatives, that they may be witnesses of all our transactions.” (Poole)

ii. 1 Kings 18:36 makes it clear that Elijah did all this at the command of God. This wasn’t his clever idea or strategy. This was a God-inspired plan that Elijah obeyed.

iii. It was important to confront and eliminate these prophets of Baal before God sent rain to the land of Israel. It was crucial that everyone understand that the rain came from Yahweh, not from Baal.

c. Who eat at Jezebel’s table: This refers to the fact that these prophets of Baal and Asherah were sponsored and supported by the government of Israel, having a special patron in the wicked Queen Jezebel.

i. “Jezebel was not content with a private chapel, nor with her husband’s readiness to pay lip-service to Baal; she meant to dethrone the God of Israel, and make her Baal the chief deity and her faith in the official state religion.” (Payne) (Guzik)

Dethrone the God of Israel 

Many have tried and many have failed! Flash alert, I’ve read the Bible and God wins. Satan knows he has lost and it’s only a matter of time! 

Just like Ahab, you can deny the deity of God but He is still there and working behind the scenes.

What do you think will happen to the prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah?

Blessings 

God is working behind the scenes, Billy Graham

1 Kings 18:15-16 Legitimate Fears

 “Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.” So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.” ‭‭I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. I will surely present myself to him today: Kindly and wisely, Elijah responded to Obadiah’s legitimate fears. He would not make Obadiah a martyr on Elijah’s behalf. (Guzik)

Legitimate Fears

People around the world have legitimate fears because they are killed and martyred on a daily basis for their faith in Christ.

The first Christian martyr, Stephen is recorded in Acts 6:8–7:53.

Then we have the Fox’s Book of martyrs:

“Fox's Book of Martyrs, Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant, Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs

Below is a link for a free copy of the Fox’s book of martyrs.”

Are you being persecuted or have any legitimate fears for your faith in Jesus Christ?

Blessings 

Fox’ Book of Martyrs

Christian Martyrdom

1 Kings 18:3-14 Obadiah

“And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.” So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is that you, my Lord Elijah?” And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’ ” So he said, “How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you. And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here” ’! And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. Was it not reported to my Lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water? And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.” ’ He will kill me!”” ‭‭I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭3‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. While Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water: This man Obadiah was a brave man who stood for God and His prophets in a difficult time.

i. This may be the same Obadiah whose prophecy against Edom is recorded among the Minor Prophets. It is a little difficult to be certain, because there were 13 Obadiahs in the Old Testament. The Hebrew name Obadiah means “Worshipper of Yahweh” or “Servant of Yahweh.”

· An Obadiah was sent out by King Jehoshaphat of Judah to teach the law in the cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:7).

· An Obadiah was one of the overseers who helped repair the temple in the days of Josiah, King of Judah (2 Chronicles 34:12).

· An Obadiah was a priest in the days of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:5).

ii. One hundred prophets: “Prophets: this name is not only given to such as are endowed with an extraordinary spirit of prophecy, but to such ministers as devoted themselves to the service of God in preaching, praying, praising God, and the like” (Poole).

iii. “Account for it how you may, it is a singular circumstance that in the center of rebellion against God there was one whose devotion to God was intense and distinguished. As it is horrible to find a Judas among the apostles, so it is grand to discover an Obadiah among Ahab’s courtiers. What grace must have been at work to maintain such a fire in the midst of the sea, such godliness in the midst of the vilest iniquity!” (Spurgeon)

iv. “That Obadiah would have little difficulty in finding caves for the sons of the prophets can be seen in that over two thousand caves have been counted in the Mount Carmel area.” (Patterson and Austel)

b. Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him: The drought was so severe that King Ahab himself and his trusted servant Obadiah were out searching for pastureland. God arranged this unexpected meeting between Obadiah and the prophet Elijah.

i. “We might have supposed that he would set himself to alleviate the miseries of his people; and, above all, that he would have turned back to God: but no - his one thought was about the horses and mules of his stud; his only care was to save some of them alive… What selfishness is here! Mules and asses before his people! Seeking for grass, instead of seeking for God!” (Meyer)

c. How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me: Obadiah knew that King Ahab conducted an exhaustive search for Elijah to punish him for the drought that his prayers imposed on Israel. Obadiah feared that if he announced that he met Elijah, and the prophet disappeared again, Ahab would punish Obadiah for letting Elijah get away.

(Guzik)

Obadiah 

Some parents choose names because they like the sound, some are chosen after a family member to carry on their family legacy, some are chosen after biblical prophets or kings and mine was chosen after king David.

Guzik explains to us that there were 13 Obadiahs in the Old Testament.

Our church administrator has a son named Obadiah that we cared for in the nursery, and I learned today that the “Hebrew name Obadiah means “Worshipper of Yahweh” or “Servant of Yahweh.””

What an interesting name!

Does your name have any significance or meaning?

Blessings 

Obadiah-in-the-Bible