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Dave Burnette's Commentary

1 Kings Chapter 18

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Jeremiah
Date Penned: (586 BC)
Overview: A History of the Kings of Israel and Judah (c 1-22)
Theme: The Divided Kingdom (c 12-22)
Message: Elijah Rebukes King Ahab (v 1-46)

1 Kings 18 Commentary 

(18:3-4) Elijah Confronts Ahab - Although Elijah was alone in his confrontation with Ahab and Jezebel, he was not the only one in Israel who still worshiped only the true God. Obadiah had been faithful in hiding 100 prophets still true to the Lord.


(18:18) Ahab Worships Baal - Instead of worshiping the true God, Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, worshiped Baal, the most popular Canaanite god. Baal idols were often made in the shape of a bull, representing strength and fertility and reflecting lust for power and sexual pleasure.


(18:19) The 850 Prophets of Baal - Ahab brought 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah (Ashtoreth) to Mount Carmel to match wits and power with Elijah. Evil kings hated God's prophets because they spoke against sin and idolatry and undermined their control over the people. With the wicked kings' backing, many false prophets sprang up to counter the words of God's prophets. But Elijah showed the people that speaking a prophecy wasn't enough. One needed the power of the living God to fulfill it.


(18:21) Elijah Challenges the People - Elijah challenged the people to take a stand--to follow whoever was the true God. Why did so many people waver between the two choices? Perhaps some were not sure. Many, however, knew that the Lord was God but were enjoying the sinful pleasures and other benefits that came with following Ahab in his idolatrous worship. Taking a stand for the Lord is not just important- it will ultimately save your life. If we merely drift along with whatever is pleasant and easy, we will someday discover that we have been worshiping a false god--ourselves. And the consequences of that choice will last for eternity.


(18:29) A False God Gives No Answer - Although the prophets of Baal raved all afternoon, no one answered them. Their god was silent because it had no power in the face of the one true God. The gods we may be tempted to follow today are not depicted in idols of wood or stone, but they are just as false and dangerous as these were because they cause us to depend on something or someone other than God. Power, status, appearance, people, and material possessions can become our gods if we devote our lives to them. But when we reach times of crisis and desperately call out to these gods, there will only be silence. They can offer no true answers, no guidance, and no wisdom.


(18:31) Twelve Stones - Using 12 stones to build the altar took courage. This would have angered some of the people because it was a silent reminder of the split between the tribes. While the ten tribes of the north called themselves Israel, this name had originally been given to all 12 of the tribes together.


(18:36-38) Fire From Heaven - God flashed fire from heaven for Elijah. He will also help us accomplish what he commands us to do. The proof may not be as dramatic in our lives as in Elijah's, but God will make resources available to us in creative ways to accomplish his purposes. He will give us the wisdom to raise a family, the courage to take a stand for the truth, or the means to provide help for someone in need. Like Elijah, we can have faith that in whatever God commands us to do, he will provide what we need to carry it through.


(18:46) Elijah Gives Ahab One Last Chance - Elijah ran the six miles back to the city in order to give Ahab one last chance to turn from his sin before joining Jezebel in Jezreel. His run also ensured that the correct story of what had happened would reach Jezreel.

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Dave Burnette's Life Application

A Sovereign Lord

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Today we continue in the book of 1 Kings with Chapter 18.  In our text, we see Elijah rebuking King Ahab, which leads to Elijah's contest with evil prophets, which concludes with Elijah praying for rain. What catches my eye is how the Lord consumed the sacrifice proving His sovereignty. In applying, we see how the Lord still proves his sovereignty (supreme power and authority) today. Many continue to challenge the Lord, but He shows He is Lord. How about you? Do you see the sovereignty of the Lord? Let us learn from our text today with the life of Elijah that we serve a sovereign Lord.

 

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1 Kings 18

1 Kings 18

 1And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

 2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

 3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

 4For 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.)

 5And 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.

 6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

 7And 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?

 8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

 9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

 10As 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.

 11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

 12And 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.

 13Was 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?

 14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

 15And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

 16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

 17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

 18And 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.

 19Now 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.

 20So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

 21And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

 22Then 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.

 23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

 24And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

 25And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

 26And 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. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

 27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

 28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

 29And 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.

 30And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

 31And 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:

 32And 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.

 33And 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.

 34And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

 35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

 36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

 37Hear 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.

 38Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

 39And 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.

 40And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

 41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

 42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

 43And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

 44And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.

 45And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

 46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.