Chapter 18
God tells Elijah to go see Ahab, and rain will return to the earth. (2021 - At Elijah's word, there has been a three year drought in the land, and it has caused widespread severe famine. Three years of no crops is a long way to go.)
Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. There's an aside that says Obadiah was over the household, and that he feared the Lord greatly. Is this Obadiah the prophet? MSB does not indicate that he was. Obadiah has saved 100 prophets by hiding them in caves and feeding them bread and water when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord.
Ahab and Obadiah go in opposite directions trying to find springs that are still active so they can save some of the livestock. Elijah meets Obadiah as he's going, and tells Obadiah to go tell Ahab that Elijah is there. Obadiah is convinced this news will result in a fruitless search for Elijah and that he (Obadiah) will be killed. Elijah says not so, and Obadiah does as he's been asked to do. Ahab comes to meet Elijah.
When they meet, there is an exchange of words. Elijah asks that all the prophets of Baal and Asherah come to meet him at Mt. Carmel. There are 850 of them who eat at Jezebel's table.
(2021 - So the whole calling down fire, and the mocking of Elijah that Baal must be in the toilet happen at the end of this three year drought.)
2021 - Look at the sermon Elijah preaches to the assembled in Israel:
21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. [1Ki 18:21 ESV] Oh my...just look at this. Tolerance is running amok in Israel. They have decided that if some want to worship Baal, that's ok. They've decided that if some want to worship God AND Baal, well sure, why not cover all the bases. Baal worshipers practice rampant immorality? Well, if it's part of their religion who are we to say they shouldn't? This is what tolerance does. This is what silence does. This is what being ashamed to stand up and call sin what it is leads to. Elijah says they need to make up their minds, and follow one or the other. He takes away the middle ground of tolerance. That's what we need to do today in this country. We need to choose whom we will follow, and we need to say so.
Possible FB post.
2021 - Elijah's challenge: You pray to your god and I will pray to my God, and we will see who is really God. This is our strategy also. Pray for the idols of the enemy to be shown up as fakes, imposters, man made oppression for fleecing people while making them feel good about being duped. Pray for eyes to be opened as to ungodly philosophies and theories and explanations.
Follow up FB post.
Elijah proposes that these men and he cut up a bull and put it on an altar, but not light the fire. Whichever group's deity lights the fire is the true God. The people assembled all agree. The bad guys "limp around" all day, cut themselves, shout, and so on, but no fire comes. God chooses, and Elijah prevails, and they kill all 850 of the other prophets.
2021- The prophets of Baal cut themselves, shout, dervish and so on, trying to get the attention of their god, but what does Elijah do?
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. [1Ki 18:36 ESV] Elijah came near and "said". He didn't shout, he made no music, there were no drums to get God's attention. You don't have to shout at an omnipotent all-knowing God. You just talk. We need to remember that, too. We need only ask of our God, quietly, in a secret place, and he will hear every word, he will not misunderstand. We need to pray.
Third possible FB post in a series.
2022 - Elijah's third miracle - the fire from heaven that consumes the bull and the water. Is it only three that he does?
2021 - If we do all these things, what will happen:
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God." [1Ki 18:39 ESV]
Four.
Elijah prays, and the rain comes. Ahab is headed to Jezreel in his chariot, lest it be too muddy to get there. But God's hand is on Elijah, and he runs, and gets to the entrance of Jezreel before Ahab. This is some pretty fast running.