Relatives. 18: 2 "Elijah went to show him to Ahab. Then there was a great famine in Samaria. 」
The drought lasted for three and a half years (Lk. 4: 25; Wu Ya 17). In the third year (1), God took the initiative to let Ahab see Elijah, not because of the prayer of the prophet or the repentance of the people, but because it was time for God to appear.
When Solomon offered the temple, he prayed to God: "Your people have sinned against you, so it doesn't rain.": If they pray here, they should confess your name and turn away from their sins "(8: 35). But in fact, this prayer greatly underestimated human corruption, because people in the Great Famine (verse 2) did not pray to the temple for three years, but continued to "follow Baal" (verse 18); Even if it can't rain in Baal, they have no regrets and stick to their own opinions. It can be seen that the descendants of Adam have been "completely corrupted" (Deuteronomy 3 1: 29), and the spiritual ones have died (Genesis 2: 17), and there is nothing they can do to seek God. Therefore, "there is no righteous man, not even one" (Romans. 3: 10), and we can only rely on God's initiative and grace to save you: "You died in your sins, and he raised you up" (Christopher. 2: 1).
Elijah obeyed immediately (5, 10), whether he accepted the supply of crows or the support of the widow of Zarephah. Now I want to risk my life to see Ahab, but God said "Go" (1 verse) and "Elijah will go" (verse 2), and the authority of God's word continued through him. Everyone who speaks God's word must obey God's word first, so as to live the testimony of God's word.
Ahab called Obadiah, the ruler of the household. (Obadiah fears the Lord very much. "
1kg。 When Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah hid a hundred prophets, and every fifty people hid in a cave and gave them bread and water to eat. )」
Relatives. 18: 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, "Let's go through this land to all the springs, or we may find grass, so that we can save the mules and horses and avoid destroying the livestock. 』」
1kg。 18: 6 So they walked together, Ahab walked all the way and Obadiah walked all the way. 」
"Jia Zai" (section 3) is an official in charge of royal affairs. The name Obadiah (verse 3) means "servant of the Lord". "Great fear of the Lord" (v. 3) originally meant "great fear of the Lord". The Omri dynasty, which was extremely dark in spirit, actually let a person who was extremely afraid of the Lord manage the affairs of the royal family. Because Ahab clearly knows that people who don't fear God can go along with it, but be careful, because today's closest comrade-in-arms may be the enemy of usurpation tomorrow (XVI. 9- 10); Therefore, the smartest thing to do is to ask a person who "fears the Lord extremely" to be a "domestic slaughter". Today, many believers refuse to go with the flow, so they are rejected on more and more occasions; But if we can really live in fear, the world will have to admit that people who fear God, like King Ahab, are the most worthy of communication and trust.
By the time of Jezebel, the North had abandoned God for more than 60 years, but there were still so many "prophets of the Lord" (v. 4), and Obadiah (v. 12), who had feared the Lord since childhood, could still help him in the persecuted environment. Even in the darkest hour of Israel's spirit, the export of God's word still exists; Even in the darkest period in the history of the church, Christ never left his church. If we rely on our limited experience and the environment we see and think that "everyone is drunk and I am alone", we will easily fall into self-righteous pride and fail to understand the wonder of God's salvation.
When David was in famine for three years, he "inquired of the Lord". 2 1 1). On the other hand, Ahab found the grass for mules and horses by himself after three years of famine. At that time, Israelis used Niu Gengdi to pull carts, mules were the mounts of wealthy families, and horses were the war horses of the army. According to the Kurdish stone tablet of Samai Ize III, king of Assyria, King Ahab has 2,000 chariots, so there are at least 6,000 horses, which need a lot of grass to maintain. Therefore, Ahab wanted to "save mules and horses" (v. 5) in order to maintain his own army, not to sympathize with the sufferings of the people.
Above: The Kurch stone tablet of King Sharma Nasser III of Assyria (reigned from 859 to 824 BC) is now in the British Museum. The inscription records the battle of Karkar between the Assyrian king and the rebel Aramaic Coalition in 853 BC. There were twelve kings in Syria, including Ahab king of Israel in the north, who led two thousand chariots and ten thousand soldiers. Ahab often fought with the king of Syria (1 Kings 20 1-43), but he did not fight with Syria in the last three years (1 Kings 22 1), during which he allied with Syria to resist Assyria.
Above: The Kurch stone tablet of King Sharma Nasser III of Assyria (reigned from 859 to 824 BC) is now in the British Museum. The inscription records the battle of Karkar between the Assyrian king and the rebel Aramaic Coalition in 853 BC. There were twelve kings in Syria, including Ahab king of Israel in the north, who led two thousand chariots and ten thousand soldiers. Ahab often fought with the king of Syria (1 Kings 20 1-43), but he did not fight with Syria in the last three years (1 Kings 22 1), during which he allied with Syria to resist Assyria.
1kg。 18: 7 "Obadiah met Elijah by chance on the road. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell on his face and said, Are you my Lord Elijah? 』」
1kg。 18: 8 "The answer is,' Yes. Tell your master that Elijah is here. 』」
Relatives. 18: 9 Obadiah said, "What is your servant's sin, that you will hand me over to Ahab to kill me?" 」
1k。 18: 10 "As the Lord your God lives, my Lord will send someone to look for you in any country or nation. If you say you are not there, you will make people from different countries swear that they really can't find you. 」
King 18: 1 1 You say, go and tell your master that Elijah is here. 」
1k。 18: 12 "I'm afraid that as soon as I leave you, the spirit of the Lord will take you to places I don't know. So, I will tell Ahab that if he can't find you, he will kill me. But the servant feared the Lord from his childhood. 」
1kg。 18: 13 "When Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, I hid one hundred prophets of the LORD, and every fifty people hid in a cave and gave them bread and water to eat. Nobody told my master about it? 」
King 18: 14 Now you have to tell your master that Elijah is here and he is going to kill me. 』」
King 18: 15 Elijah said, As the Lord Almighty lives, before whom I serve, I will let Ahab see me today. 』」
King 18: 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Ahab went to meet Elijah. 」
At that time, King Ahab's national situation was relatively strong, so he could ask the small countries around him to help him find Elijah and "make the people of that country swear" (section 10).
Obadiah called Elijah "my Lord" (v. 7) to show respect. He also believed that God would protect his servants, so he was worried that the "Spirit of the Lord" (section 12) would take Leah to other places before Ahab came (section 12).
Ahab certainly didn't know that Obadiah had hidden a hundred prophets, but Obadiah thought Elijah must know because he believed Elijah was a prophet of God (section 13).
15 is the first time in the Book of Kings to call God "the Lord of hosts" (15). "Host" originally refers to a large number of troops, including angels, stars and people; The name "Lord of hosts" shows that God is the God who created and dominated "hosts". So Elijah "swears by the living Lord of hosts" (verse 15) declares to Obadiah that God's power is irresistible, so God's prophets need not fear Ahab at all.
King Xia 18: 17 "When Ahab saw Elijah, he said,' Are you the one who brought disaster to Israel? 』」
1kg。 Elijah said, "It's not me that has afflicted Israel, but you and your father's family. For you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed Baal. 」
1kg。 Now send and gather all Israel, the four hundred and fifty prophets who serve Baal and the four hundred prophets who serve the Asherah at Jezebel, so that they may come to me on Mount Carmel. 』」
Ahab only saw "the disaster of Israel" (section 17), but he didn't see "abandoning the commandments of the Lord and following Baal" (section 18), which was the cause of the disaster. Sin makes people "die in the evil of past crimes" (Christopher. 2: 1), and spirituality is dead, so they can't see their own sins or the discipline of God. When encountering difficulties, they always pass the buck, confuse right and wrong, and cover up the truth (Gen. 3: 12). Therefore, when faced with natural and man-made disasters, the world usually blames others, either blaming others, looking for scapegoats or blaming others, so that God can open his eyes and question his lack of love; At the same time, they hold high humanitarianism, flaunt their sympathy and boast of the people's love.
God's people followed Baal, the god of storms, but the result was three and a half years of drought. Today, all believers who are far away from God and serve Mamen are repeating this stupid road: seeking life, but reaping death; Seek happiness, but reap troubles; Seek success, but gain despair. As the Lord Jesus said, "whoever wants to save his own life will lose his life;" Whoever loses his life for me will gain it "(Mt 16: 25).
When the prophet is sent by God to speak, his words have power, so now it is not King Ahab who gives orders, but Elijah who gives orders (v. 19). He will select 850 false prophets from Mount Carmel (v. 20) and show that "the Lord is God" (v. 37).
Mount Carmel is a mountain range in the northwest of modern Israel. It started in Haifa on the Mediterranean Sea, extended to the southeast for more than 40 kilometers, and ended at the northwest end of Yesley Plain. At the bottom of Kishun River, there is water all the year round. According to the myth of Ugali, Baal's power lies in mountains and oceans. Therefore, God especially wants to defeat Baal on Mount Carmel in the Mediterranean, showing that only "the Lord is God" (v. 39).
1kg。 So Ahab sent for all Israel and the prophets to go up Mount Carmel. 」
Wang Xia 18: 2 1 "Elijah came and said to all the people," How long will you be divided? If God is God, obey God. If Baal is a god, obey Baal. " None of them answered a word. 」
Mount Carmel (v. 20) may be the border between Israel and Phoenicia, and it is also the center of worshipping Baal. Barr's false prophet had home court advantage, but home court advantage became a witness of shame. Because "Mount Carmel" used to be lush and beautiful, but after three years of drought, it may have been desolate and withered, and the Kishun River at the foot of the mountain has been cut off, which has witnessed Barr's incompetence and hypocrisy. This situation made those who "obeyed Baal" (2 1 section) very disappointed, but they refused to "obey the Lord" (2 1 section), so they "didn't promise a word" before the call of the prophet (2 1 section). The same is true for many believers. They clearly know that they should trust God, and they also know that the health, success and wealth pursued by the world are unreliable, just as Baal can't bring rain, but they are always unwilling to put down their idols and simply obey God, so they have to "say nothing" in the face of criticism from the Holy Spirit.
"Having two hearts" (section 2 1) originally meant "jumping on both sides" or "limping on both sides". On the surface, the people do not completely reject God, but just want to worship God and Baal at the same time. Today, many believers are also "contradictory". While they worship and serve in the church, they feel at ease in the world, thinking that they can "be rich in this world and Lazarus in the next" (Luke 16: 19-3 1), and have the best of both worlds. But this is only self-deception, because "one servant cannot serve two masters;" Either you hate this and love that, or you value this and despise that. You cannot serve God and Maman at the same time.
Above: Keren Carmel (the corner of Carmel) is the peak in the northern corner of Carmel Mountain. At the foot of the mountain is Kishun River. On the mountain, there is a statue of the prophet Elijah and the prophet Baal.
Above: Keren Carmel (the corner of Carmel) is the peak in the northern corner of Carmel Mountain. At the foot of the mountain is Kishun River. On the mountain, there is a statue of the prophet Elijah and the prophet Baal.
King 18: 22 "Elijah said to all the people,' I am the only prophet of the Lord. There are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. 」
Wang Xia 18: 23 "Give us two calves. Baal's prophet can choose one, cut it into pieces and put it on a wood without lighting a fire; I also prepared a calf and put it on the wood without making a fire. 」
King 18: 24 "I ask to call on the name of your God, and I also ask to call on the name of the Lord. The God who is angry and reflective is God. " All the people replied, "That's good. 』」
"I am the only prophet of the LORD" (v.22) may mean that there is only one prophet of the LORD, because Elijah knew that there were other prophets in Israel (v.22 13).
When Elijah put forward that "the God who sends out fire and reflects it is God" (v.24), all those who previously "answered nothing" (v.21) now say "this is good" (v.24). Because "fire" is Barr's strong point, Barr's modeling is holding lightning; God's people worship Baal so that Baal can drop lightning and rain.
Man is "just dust" (poem 103 14), and he is not qualified to test God at all. God's people are even more "do not test the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 6: 16), because they have experienced too many grace and miracles since they left Egypt. Now God has taken the initiative to feel inferior. In order to save the people, he competed with the vain Baal, and the people even said, "This is very good." . God's patience and mercy reveal the "complete corruption" of Adam's descendants (Deuteronomy 3 1: 29).
Elijah emphasized that "I also call on the name of the Lord" (v. 24) in order to draw people's attention to the God who performs miracles, not the prophet who prays, and to make people know that "the Lord is God" (v. 37). Today, many "false Christs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders" (Matt. 24: 24), but the purpose is not to draw people's attention to God, but to draw people's attention to "false Christs and false prophets" and confuse believers.
Above: The Baal stone tablet of15-13rd century unearthed in Ugarit site is now located in the Louvre. Baal on the stone tablet waved a scepter in his right hand and held a lightning spear inserted into the ground in his left hand. The tail of the lightning spear is shaped like a plant. This image shows that Baal is in charge of thunder and lightning, and he is the god who brings storms and harvests. The pedestal on which Baal stands is engraved with his sphere of power: mountains and oceans.
Above: The Baal stone tablet of15-13rd century unearthed in Ugarit site is now located in the Louvre. Baal on the stone tablet waved a scepter in his right hand and held a lightning spear inserted into the ground in his left hand. The tail of the lightning spear is shaped like a plant. This image shows that Baal is in charge of thunder and lightning, and he is the god who brings storms and harvests. The pedestal on which Baal stands is engraved with his sphere of power: mountains and oceans.
1kg。 18: 25 Elijah said to the prophet of Baal, "You are many. Take a calf and get it ready first, and call on the name of your God, but don't light a fire. 』」
1kg。 18: 26 They prepared the calf they got, and called on Baal's name from morning till night, saying, O Baal, please answer us. "But there was no sound, no answer. They jumped around the altar they built. 」
1kg。 18: 27 at noon, Elijah laughed at them and said,' shout! Because he is a god, you should wake him up when he meditates, walks and sleeps. 』」
1kg。 18: 28 They shouted loudly and cut themselves with knives and guns according to the rules until their bodies bled. 」
1kg。 18: 29 "From afternoon to night, they screamed, but there was no sound, no answer, and no one paid attention. 」