I Kings 18

LORD tells Elijah to appear to Ahabverses 1-2

And it came to pass after many days

that the word of the LORD

came to Elijah in the third year

saying

Go – show yourself to Ahab

and I will send rain upon the earth

And Elijah went to show himself to Ahab

and there was a sore famine in Samaria

Ahab and Obadiah look for waterverses 3-6

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 to Obadiah

Go into the land – to all fountains of water – and to all brooks

peradventure we may find grass to save the horses

and mules alive – that we lose not all the beasts

So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it

Ahab went one way by himself

and Obadiah went another way by himself

Obadiah sees Elijahverse 7

And as Obadiah was in the way – BEHOLD – Elijah met him

and he knew him – and fell on his face – and said

Are you that my lord Elijah?

Elijah tells Obadiah to bring Ahabverse 8

And he answered him

I am – go – tell your lord – BEHOLD – Elijah is here

Obadiah afraidverses 9-14

And he said

What have I sinned – that you would deliver your servant

into the hand of Ahab to slay me?

As the LORD your God lives – there is no nation or kingdom

whither my lord hath not sent to seek you

and when they said

He is not there

he took an oath of the kingdom

and nation that they found you not

And now you say

Go – tell your lord – BEHOLD – Elijah is here

And it shall come to pass – as soon as I am gone from you

that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry you whither

I know not and so when I come and tell Ahab

and he cannot find you

he shall slay me

BUT I your 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 you say

Go – tell your lord – BEHOLD – Elijah is here

and he shall slay me

Elijah encourages Obadiahverses 15-16

And Elijah said

As the LORD of hosts lives – before WHOM I stand

I will surely show myself to him today

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab – and told him

and Ahab went to meet Elijah

Ahab calls Elijah “troubler of Israelverse 17

And it came to pass – when Ahab saw Elijah

that Ahab said to him

Are you he that troubles Israel?

Elijah wants to confront priest of Baalverses 18-19

And he answered

I have not troubled Israel

BUT you and your father’s house

in that you have forsaken the

commandments of the LORD

and you have followed Baalim

Now therefore send – and gather to me all Israel to 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

Ahab calls priests of Baalverse 20

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel

and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel

Elijah challenges priests of Baalverses 21-24

And Elijah came to all the people

and said

How long halt you between two opinions?

IF the LORD be God follow HIM

BUT IF Baal then follow him

And the people

answered him not a word

THEN 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

Let 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

and call you on the name of your gods

and I will call on the name of the LORD

and the God that answers by fire

let HIM be God

And all the people answered and said

It is well spoken

Prophets of Baal first to call on their godverses 25-29

And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal

Choose you one bullock for yourselves – and dress it first

for you are many – and call on the name of your gods

BUT put no fire under

And 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

And 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 sleeps

and must be awaked

And they cried aloud – and cut themselves after their manner

with knives and lancets – till the blood gushed out upon them

And it came to pass – when midday was past

and they prophesied until

the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice

that was neither voice – nor any to answer

nor any that regarded

Elijah repairs altar to the LORDverses 30-35

And Elijah said to all the people

Come near unto me

and all the people came near to him

And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down

and Elijah took twelve stones

according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob

to whom the word of the LORD came

saying

Israel shall be your name

And 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

and 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

And 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

And the water ran round about the altar

and he filled the trench also with water

Elijah prays to the LORDverses 36-37

And 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 – 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

Hear me O LORD hear me

that this people may know that YOU are the LORD God

and that YOU have turned their heart back again

LORD immediately answers prayerverses 38-39

THEN 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

And when all the people saw it – they fell on their faces

and they said

The LORD – HE is the God

Elijah kills prophets of Baalverse 40

And Elijah said to 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

Elijah prays for rainverses 41-44

And Elijah said to Ahab

Get you up – eat and drink

for there is a sound of abundance of rain

so 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

and 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

and it came to pass at the seventh time

that he said BEHOLD

there arises a little cloud out of the sea

like a man’s hand

And he said

Go up – say to Ahab

Prepare your chariot – and get thee down

that the rain stop you not

LORD sends rainverse 45

And it came to pass in the meanwhile

that the heaven was black with clouds and wind

and there was a great rain

And Ahab rode – and went to Jezreel

Elijah commanded to run to Jezreelverse 46

And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah

and he girded up his loins

and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 4 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. (3772 “cut off” [karath] means to cut down, to exterminate, to kill, destroy, to take away, to permit to perish)

DEVOTION: Silent witness for the LORD can be a strong witness for the LORD. Here is a servant to the king who was secretly hiding those the king was seeking to kill. He put them in two large caves during the three years of famine and gave them food and water. That was no easy chore.

Notice that the animals were dying in the kingdom when Ahab wanted to go and search for more water to make sure they didn’t die. He was more concerned for his animals than his people.

Obadiah was trying to do his best in hard times to serve the LORD. He told Elijah what he had done because he wanted Elijah to understand that if he died, so would a hundred other prophets of the LORD.

There have been many Christians that I have met that don’t let others really know what they are doing for the LORD. They are just silently serving the LORD in soup kitchens and other ministries that need volunteers to keep them going.

The purpose of their mission of mercy is not to help people with just food and drink but to help them to grow in their service to the LORD. Obadiah knew there might come a time when these men could go back into active ministry for the LORD. They were just waiting their time.

All of our service to the LORD doesn’t have to be on the front lines like were Elijah was serving but behind the scenes given aid to those in need who loved the LORD. In many countries around the world it is illegal to worship the LORD and so anyone who worships has to do it in secret.

There are many in the prisons around the world who have tried to serve the LORD secretly but have ended up in jail where they are tortured for their faith in Jesus Christ.

We don’t face this type of problem yet in this country but it might come. There are people who think that training our children to serve the LORD is child abuse. We are telling them the truth and yet many think that is wrong.

Our society is changing and it isn’t for the better. We need to be the silent or vocal witnesses the LORD wants us to be according to our calling. Our silent witness starts at home with our family and reaches out to our friends regarding our convictions regarding the need for Jesus Christ in the lives of those we care about.

CHALLENGE: Whether you are helping people up front or behind the lines we need to be active in our service for the LORD!!!

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry you whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he shall slay me: but I your servant fear the LORD from my youth. (4984 “carry” [mithnasse] means to lift, to raise, to bring, to transport something or someone somewhere else, conceived of as lifting up)

DEVOTION: The ministry of the Holy Spirit has been known throughout the generations of human history. Here is a servant of the LORD who understands HIS ministry in a way that could cause him problems.

He knew that the Holy Spirit can take people from one place to another. Not sure where he learned this truth but it is the truth nevertheless. We have an example of this in the life of Christ and in the life of one of the deacons of the early church.

So Obadiah was afraid for real. He wanted to make sure that Elijah was under the instructions of the LORD to stay in the place that he was presently in. He wanted Elijah to confirm that he was going to stay where he had met him.

It is quite a testimony that Obadiah gives regarding his life of service to the LORD. He was a silent witness because Ahab didn’t know what he was doing for the other prophets.

Do we understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit even today? HE can move people into locations where they are needed on a moment’s notice. HE can pick a servant of the LORD for a certain responsibility and move him/her to any location where they are needed.

Have you ever had the Holy Spirit do this to you? HE can move you into a different part of the country to win one soul to the LORD or start a ministry that is needed in one location and they move you to another location in your city or in the country.

It is amazing what the LORD can do with willing servants. Are you one of those willing servants who is willing to go wherever the LORD leads no matter what the cost?

Sometimes it could mean the end of our life if we are caught. Obadiah was afraid of this happening. We never know how the LORD can use us in any given situation.

CHALLENGE: Be prepared to live or die for the LORD!!!

: 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, How long halt you between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow HIM: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him NOT A WORD. (5587 “opinions” [ca‘iph] means thoughts, ambivalence, opposite sides, crutches, or waver.)

DEVOTION: The Bible teaches that we have to choose between two different and distinct ways of life. There is no middle ground. The people thought they were able to find a middle ground between worshiping the God of their ancestors and the false god of Baal. They thought they could worship the one true God on Saturday and then the rest of the week worship the god of this world.

They were confused in their understanding of what God expected of them. Their thought process was corrupted by sin. They didn’t look at it as picking a side but happy to just go with the flow of what was happening in their current society.

It seems that Ahab was confused as well because he let Elijah challenge him to allow such a demonstration as to who was the only TRUE GOD. He probably thought that Elijah would lose and he would finally settle the issue once and for all. He knew that Elijah was alone and there could be over eight hundred false prophets there to try to reach their false god who was a representative of the deceiver of the nations, Satan.

The problem was that there were so few that even wanted to help Elijah in this demonstration. The people heard the challenge and remained silent. It is amazing that no one spoke up one way or the other. This is happening today in our world.

Many people are confronted with a lie or a false belief on their job or in their social circle and never say a word of defense for the LORD. They don’t want to lose their “friends” or their standing with those in authority in their company. They just want to fit in and not cause any waves.

Elijah challenges us to not think those thoughts. It was not easy for him to be in hiding for three years. It was not easy to think that he was the only one who was truly serving the LORD because he didn’t meet anyone who spoke out like he did.

The LORD gives Elijah more insight later regarding others that loved HIM. He found out that Obadiah had an hundred prophets of God in hiding as well that he was feeding.

CHALLENGE: Once we realize that we are not really alone in our stand for the LORD we should become bold in our approach to others.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 30 And Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. (7495 “repaired” [rapha] means to heal, rebuild, mend, make healthy, bring an object back to a prior, preferable state, or make whole)

DEVOTION: Here we have notice that the altars of the LORD were in disrepair. They had been forgotten by the people while they worshiped the false gods that were given priority while the LORD was forgotten.

We have that happening even today in our world. Too many places that used to be places of worship are either torn down or used for other purposes. Many churches are closed. The ones that are open are not being attended by very many people.

Our nation is not worshiping the LORD like it used to. Too many preachers have left the Word of God for entertainment rather than the preaching of the Bible. It seems that this is what individuals who say they are followers of the LORD would rather do than to hear long messages from the Word of God.

Pastors are being taught to be business managers rather than representatives of the God of the Bible. More music and entertainment rather than more preaching of the Word of God. The interest of those attending church is not in the Bible as much as in the interest in singing and entertainment.

We need a revival in our churches in repairing a healthy interest in the Word of God and what the LORD expects of HIS people.

CHALLENGE: What is the reason you attend church? Is it to be entertained or is it to worship the Creator of our world? Only each individual can answer that question.

: 37 Hear 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. (5437 “turned” [cabab] means revolve, surround, border, fetch, lead, whirl, apply, change, return, or bring again)

DEVOTION: The ten tribes had no good king. They were worshiping false gods when Jeroboam set up the two calves. They worshiped in groves. They had Ahab come to the throne and his wife brought Baal worship to the land.

The worship of Baal was so prevalent that the prophets of the LORD had to hide in caves. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and the prophets of the groves to meet him on Mount Carmel.

Elijah wanted the people to make a choice between either Baal or the LORD. He allowed the prophets of Baal to go first. They set up an altar and cried out to their false god. They cut themselves with knives and lancets until the blood gushed out. They kept it up all day but nothing happened.

Finally, Elijah told the people to come close to him. He rebuild an altar to the LORD that had fallen apart. He told them to put the animal on the altar. Then he did something strange, he told them to pour water on the altar. He had them pour water on it three times. There was a lot of water on the sacrifice and on the altar and on the ground next to the altar. Was this faith or foolishness?

Elijah’s prayer was for Israel to change their behavior and follow the LORD. The LORD sent fire from heaven. The fire consumed the animal, the water and the altar. When God does something, HE really showed the people that HE was the ONLY TRUE GOD. All false gods are powered by the enemy. God allows it but at this time the false angel behind Baal was powerless. Why did HE show HIS power? HE wanted the hearts of the children of Israel to return to HIM.

They obeyed the order given by Elijah to gather the false prophets of Baal together. He took them down to the brook Kishon and killed them there. The false prophets were gone. The people saw that the LORD was the one who was true.

This was an occasion where the LORD showed HIS power to the people of Israel. They knew that the LORD was God.

We know that the LORD is God. What will it take in our lives to realize that HE is just as powerful today as in the past? Some think that the church is beyond its prime. The world thinks that the church is not relevant for today. We can still have revival NOW. Let’s pray for it!!

Is the God you worship the God of the Bible? Is your God still as powerful today as HE was in the days of Elijah? If so, step out in faith and witness for HIM in your family and neighbor.

CHALLENGE: Then also witness for HIM in your workplace. Tell them about your almighty God who sent HIS son to die on the cross for their sins. Or you can be afraid like Obadiah!!

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Call upon the LORD to see if HE is Godverse 24

Elijah’s prayerverses 36, 37

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Israelites fell on their faces before Godverse 39

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Word of the LORDverses 1, 31

Commandments of the LORDverse 18

Abrahamverse 36

Isaacverse 36

Israelverse 36

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 3, 4, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 21, 22, 24, 30, 31, 36-39, 46

Word of the LORDverses 1, 31

Prophets of the LORDverses 3, 22

God – Elohim (Creator)verses 10, 21, 24, 36, 37, 39

LORD thy Godverse 10

LORD of hostsverse 15

LORD be Godverse 21

Name of the LORDverse 24

Altar of the LORDverse 30

LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israelverse 36

God in Israelverse 36

LORD Godverse 37

Fire of the LORDverse 38

The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is the Godverse 39

Hand of the LORDverse 46

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Spirit of the LORDverse 12

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Sinnedverse 9

Forsake the commandments of the LORDverse 18

Follow Baalimverses 18, 21

Prophets of Baal (450)verses 19, 22, 25, 40

Prophets of the groves (400)verse 19

Two opinionsverse 21

No witness for LORDverse 21

False godverses 24, 25, 27

Praying to a false godverse 26

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Fear the LORDverses 3, 12

Prophetsverses 4, 13

Stand before the LORDverse 15

Trouble the unsavedverse 17

Call upon name of the LORDverse 24

God that answersverse 24

Repair the altar of the LORDverse 30

Prayer of a righteous manverses 36, 37

Servantverse 36

Turn hearts backverse 37

Answered prayerverse 38

Worship Godverse 39

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Elijahverses 1, 2, 7-15, 22-46

Stands before the LORD

Troubler of Israel

Challenge of

Mocked prophets of Baal

Repaired altar of the LORD

Twelve stones

Poured water on altar

Prayer to LORD

Kills prophets of Baal

Prayed for rain

Ahab – king in Samariaverses 2, 5-17, 41-46

Elijah told of rain coming

Obadiah – governor of house of Ahabverses 3-15

Protected 100 prophets

Fed them bread and water

Fear of the LORD since youth

Jezebel – wife of Ahabverses 4, 13, 19

Prophets of the LORDverse 4

Israelverses 17, 18

Prophets of Baalverses 19-29

450 offered bullock to Baal

Cut themselves

Gather at Mount Carmelverse 20

Tribes of the sons of Jacob: 12verse 31

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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QUOTES regarding passage

39–40 The people responded in true belief and worship (v.39). Falling to the ground, they confessed that truly Yahweh alone is God! But Elijah wanted total commitment from those who were gathered there. He commanded that these prophets of Baal be seized and executed (v.40). Their wicked crimes against man and God demanded the death penalty (cf. Deut 7:2–6; 13:13–15; 17:2–5). The people reacted instantaneously; they took Baal’s prophets in charge to the Kidron Valley and executed them there. Elijah himself remained behind; the people would see to the execution. (Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. (1988). 1, 2 Kings. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 145). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

18:40–42. The Kishon Valley ran parallel to the Carmel range on its north side. There the people slaughtered the false prophets in obedience to the command of God through Moses (Deut. 13:12–15) and Elijah. Previously Elijah had predicted the drought to Ahab (1 Kings 17:1); now the prophet told the king there would be a heavy rain. Ahab rode off down the mountain to celebrate the end of the drought by eating and drinking, but Elijah walked back up the mountain to pray for rain. His posture as he prayed reflected the earnestness of his petition, again for the glory of the Lord. (Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 527). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

18:40 Seize the prophets. Taking advantage of the excited feelings of the people over the manifestation of Jehovah as the true God, Elijah called on them to seize the priestly imposters and fill the river with their blood, the river that was dried up by their idolatry. brook Kishon. This river, which drains the Jezreel Valley from E to the NW, was in the valley N of Mt. Carmel. slew them. The killing of the 450 prophets of Baal (18:19) fulfilled the law’s demands that false prophets be executed (Dt 13:1–5) and that those embracing idolatry or inciting others to practice it were worthy of death (Dt 13:13–18; 17:2–7). Further, these deaths were just retribution for Jezebel’s killing of the Lord’s prophets (vv. 4, 13). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Ki 18:40). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Ver. 40. And Elijah said unto them, take the prophets of Baal, &c.] The 450 that were upon the spot; for the number of the people of Israel, now gathered together, were equal to it; nor was it in Ahab’s power to hinder it, and he might himself be so far surprised and convicted as not in the least to object to it: let not one of them escape; that there might be none of them left to seduce the people any more: and they took them; laid hold on them, every one of them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon; which ran by the side, and at the bottom of Mount Carmel, into the sea; see the notes on Judg. 4:7. and 5:21. and slew them there; intimating, that it was owing to the idolatry they led the people into that rain had been withheld, and the brooks were dried up, as this might be; or, as Ben Gersom thinks, that the land might not be defiled with their blood, but be carried down the river after it: these he slew not with his own hand, but by others he gave orders to do it; and this not as a private person, but as an extraordinary minister of God, to execute justice according to his law, Deut. 13. by which law such false prophets were to die; and the rather he was raised up and spirited for this service, as the supreme magistrate was addicted to idolatry himself. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 752). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

6191 סְעִפִּים (s^eʿip·pîm): n.fem. [oth n.masc.]; ≡ Str 5587; TWOT 1527f—1. LN 6.14–6.22 crutch, i.e., a stick padded to go under the arm pit to support a weak leg, with a focus on a weakened condition (1Ki 18:21+); 2. LN 31.1–31.7 opinion, i.e., the holding of a particular view or belief, implying a course of action to follow (1Ki 18:21+) (Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)

18:20–21 Ahab apparently is satisfied with the odds and expects this to be an excellent way to rid himself of this troublesome prophet and separatistic Yahwism at the same time. So Ahab obliges Elijah by sending for the people and the prophets. They wait to see who will win and who can help them the most. Will it be Baal or Yahweh? The prophet challenges the people to stop limping (pāsaḥ, translated “waver”) between two opinions—to decide who is God and then act on that decision. Obadiah is a good man trapped between two competing worldviews. Ahab is a king who may be wondering if his “ancestral” God is more powerful than his wife’s deity. The people are noncommittal at best. They “limp” along without conviction, wanting to follow halfheartedly one god and then the other. (House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, pp. 218–219). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

21. The challenge ‘How long will you go on limping (waver) between two opinions?’ (sĕ‘ippîm) can be interpreted also as hobbling between two forks (denoting tree branches or crossroads or even crutches). This is the English idiom to ‘sit on the fence’ (so neb). The clear choice is between acknowledgment of the Lord (Yahweh) or Baal. Syncretistic worship of both at the same time is impossible. Elijah alone was standing out publicly here (v. 22), though the Lord had indeed other true witnesses. (Wiseman, D. J. (1993). 1 and 2 Kings: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 9, p. 181). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

There are those in the church who feel that they have the gift of confrontation, and others the gift of rebuke. While we may smile at this, there are indeed those who have an acute sense of justice, gravitating toward exhortational ministries. These people provide an important balance in the church, but they must be cautious to wield their words with truth and grace. Paul writes that we should “not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all purity” (vv. 1-2). The point is that such ministries are always to be done in a spirit of grace, truth, and love. (Quiet Walk)

PRIDE

O wretched man that I am! Romans 7:24

Self-sufficiency, self-consciousness oh, to get away from the self!

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24). How can I get away from this wretched, ugly self I am always thinking about? Isn’t that the cry of every man and woman convicted of sin by the Holy Ghost? Now the effect of 1 John 4:9-10 is to expose all that, and I really am not prepared to listen to people who tell me that they glory in the revelation of God’s love unless they have dealt with themselves. There is no value in any striving to keep the tenets of the Christian faith unless those tenets have made you see yourself in the world, unless they have flashed upon you in such a way as to make you see the manifestation of self; that is what the love of God always does. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us.” It is incredible that God could love such a person as I have been describing. That is the amazing thing! That is love, says John.

Therefore, if you believe and know all that, it makes you see yourself as you are, and do you see what happens at once? The moment you see yourself like that, you cry with John Bunyan: He that is down need fear no fall,

He that is low in pride
John Bunyan meant that when I see myself as I really am, nobody can insult me. It is impossible, because they can never say anything that is bad enough about me. Whatever the world may say about me, I am much worse than they think. When we see ourselves in the light of this glorious gospel, no one can hurt us, no one can offend us.

A Thought to Ponder: Self-sufficiency, self-consciousness oh, to get away from the self! (From The Love of God, p. 70 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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