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David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Guzik has an interesting thought - 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. Instead, Ahab should have turned to the Word of God. Deuteronomy 28:23-24 promised that drought would come to a disobedient Israel. William Gurnall - A minister without boldness is like a smooth file, a knife without an edge, a sentinel that is afraid to let off his gun. If men will be bold in sin, ministers must be bold to reprove. Troubler (05916) akar is a verb meaning to cause trouble, stir up resentment, cause hatred. It usually describes the trouble brought upon one from another person. The first use is by Jacob addressing his sons Simeon and Levi declaring “You have brought trouble (Lxx = miseo = to be hated) on me." (By killing Hamor and his son Shechem who had defiled their sister Dinah - Ge 34:26-27). (Ge 34:30) In Pr 11:17 "the cruel man does himself harm (Lxx = exollumi - to destroy utterly in the present tense = continually destroys himself!)" In Pr 11:29 Solomon warns that "He who troubles his own house will inherit wind," which "refers to actions which make life difficult for one's family." His reward is "empty air," nothing that can be grasped, nothing he can put his hands on. In 1Sa 14:29 Jonathan (son of Saul) declared that Saul had "troubled the land" by telling the soldiers none could eat food (1Sa 14:28) Ahab called Elijah a "troubler of Israel." (1Ki 18:17, 18). 1 Kings 18:18 He said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed the Baals. I have not: Eze 3:8 Mt 14:4 Ac 24:13,20 you have forsaken: 1Ki 9:9 2Ch 15:2 Pr 11:19 13:21 Isa 3:11 Jer 2:13,19 Rev 2:8,9 Related Passages: Romans 1:22-25+ Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures (CF "BAALS" IN ISRAEL). 24 Therefore God gave them over (GAVE THEM OVER TO POWER OF ANOTHER) in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. ELIJAH DENIES AHAB'S ACCUSATION I have not troubled (akar; Lxx - diastrepho - perverter, corrupter) Israel, but (strong term of contrast) you and your father’s house (e.g., Omri) have - Your father's house first would speak of Omri but surely goes back to Jeroboam I the initiator of all the trouble by setting up two golden calves, one at Bethel and the other at Dan. Ahab's "you troubler" accusation comes flying back in his face like a boomerang! Because (term of explanation) - What is Elijah explaining? I realize this is a simplistic question, but it trains you in your reading to pause and ponder the terms of explanation like because and for. You have forsaken ('azab; Lxx - kataleipo) the commandments of the LORD and you have followed (halak) the Baals (note Baals is plural so they have tossed out monotheism of even their false gods not to mention rejecting Dt 6:4+) - Note the spiritual dynamic implied by this passage. God has created us with a "God shaped vacuum" and if it is not filled with the true and living God, our fallen flesh will seek to fill it with various idols, in this case the Baals of Northern Israel. Elijah's accusation reminds us of the prophet Azariah's words to King Asa when he declared "if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." (2Ch 15:2+) In context God forsaking those who forsake Him in effect is tantamount to Him giving them over to the lust of their flesh as described in Romans 1 (see Scriptures above). As alluded to above, the irony of following the Baals (and his female consort Ashtaroth) is that these were the rain and fertility gods and they were in the midst of a 3 year drought. And lest we forget, the worship of these false gods and goddesses included animal sacrifices, male and female prostitution, and sometimes human sacrifices. Tony Merida points out that Ahab was guilty of sins of omission and commision - Sins of omission: “abandoning the commands”; and sins of commission: “followed the Baals.” (See Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings) Followed the Baals - As followers of the Baals note first they follow multiple gods and secondly, to follow implies they had essentially become "disciples" of the false gods (behind which are demonic powers - cf 1Co 10:20+). Henry
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Guzik - 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 Zarapheth. 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).
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Guzik: This is the sad result of worshipping an imaginary god or the god of our own making. We may dedicate great sincerity, sacrifice, and devotion to such gods, but it means nothing. There is no one there to answer. Bob
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Guzik: Tragically, this was only a momentary persuasion. This was no lasting revival in Israel. The people were decidedly persuaded, but not lastingly changed. Whitcomb: The contest on Mt. Carmel was a spectacular vindication of the uniqueness and sovereignty of Jehovah in a day of satanic darkness. Never in all history was the point more clearly made that “no idol is anything in the world and there is no God but one” (1 Cor. 8:4). The three-and-one-half-year famine had doubtless shaken the confidence of many in the ability of Baal, the god of fertility, to answer their prayers. But if any yet hesitated, Elijah’s demonstration would remove every excuse for following this vile system of worship. Vance Havner - TO GOD BE THE GLORY! The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. 1 Kings 18:39. When the fire fell on Carmel, the people did not say, "Elijah, he is the great prophet!" but "The Lord, He is the God." God's purpose is not to show us strong in His behalf, but Himself strong in our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9). Facing Goliath, David prayed that all men might know not that there was a David in the camp, but "that there is a God in Israel" (1 Samuel 17:46). Elijah's prayer on Carmel was that "this people may know that thou art the Lord God..." (1 Kings 18:37). When that is our objective, then the fire will fall and we shall see revival. We begin with, "Hallelujah, Thine the glory!" and end singing, "To God be the glory, great things He hath done." 1 Kings 18:40 Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. Seize 2Ki 10:25 Kishon: Jdg 5:21 slew them there: De 13:5 18:20 Jer 48:10 Zec 13:2,3 Rev 19:20 20:10 BAAL'S PROPHETS SEIZED AND SLAIN BY ELIJAH Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. This action seems harsh, but it was necessary. And it shows how serious God is about idolatry and those who practice it (WOE!) It was an act of obedience to God's own order (Deut. 13:6-9; 17:2-7). As the text reads, it was Elijah himself who killed 400 prophets, specifically the prophets of Baal! There is no mention of slaying the 400 prophets of Asherah. 1Ki 18:19 -20 would seem to suggest all 950 prophets came to Mount Carmel. Donald Wiseman: The slaughter of the Baal prophets was not an act of wanton cruelty but the necessary retribution, ordered by Elijah as the ‘new Moses’ on behalf of God, against false prophets as decreed in Deuteronomy (11:5, 13-18; 17:2-5) following the action of Moses and Phinehas (Num. 25:1-13).
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Guzik- Charles Spurgeon used this text as an illustration of the small signs that precede a mighty work of God. He spoke of four “certain signs and tokens for good which prayerful faith clearly perceives when an awakening, a genuine revival is about to come.” Christians should regard the following things as clouds, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea: · A growing dissatisfaction with the present state of things, and an increasing anxiety among the members of the church for the salvation of souls. · When this anxiety leads believers to be exceedingly earnest and importunate in prayer. · When ministers begin to take counsel one with another, and to say, “What must we do?” · When we shall see the doctrine of the individual responsibility of each Christian fully felt and carried out into individual action. Ian Paisley - The Great Example of Prayer "It came to pass at the seventh time" I Kings 18:44 Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly. Elijah had energy to sprint (see verse 46) but he had also the energy to supplicate. He had beaten a well-marked path to the throne of Grace. His power in prayer was manifested in his cry at the altar for God's answering fire, His perseverance in prayer was demonstrated in his cry for rain. We need to follow his example. I. The Example of His Experience Elijah had an experience of God answering His prayers, He saw heaven shut up for three and a half years. He saw the fire fell in answer to his prayers. His past experiences drove him to his knees. In the matter of our personal salvation we too have experienced God answering prayer. Let us follow on in the track of Elijah. II. The Example of His Expectancy The command to his servant was to look towards the sea. We must not only plead, we must stand upon our watchtower and watch and wait. Vance Havner - A Cloud Like A Man's Hand" After the amazing miracle on Carmel, Elijah bids Ahab get up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain—the long drought is about to be broken. There is yet no sign in the sky, but Elijah speaks in faith. Then, the prophet goes up on top of Carmel and casts himself upon the ground, putting his face between his knees. He bids his servant go look toward the sea for a sign of rain. The servant goes, but sees nothing. Elijah bids him go seven times, and with the seventh trip comes the report, "Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand" (1 Kings 18:44). Elijah immediately sends word to Ahab and starts toward Jezreel. Here are significant truths for us. Elijah lives in confidence that there will be rain. At the proper time, he is in contrition, his head between his knees. He uses common sense, bidding his servant look toward the sea where the cloud would be most likely to arise. He is not disappointed with the first report, but sends the servant back seven times in patient continuance. Most of us give up and go down the Carmel of prayer when the first report shows no sign of rain! Naaman must wash seven times. The child of the Shunammite, whom Elisha restored, sneezed seven times. Jesus bids us forgive a brother seven times a day if he so offend us. We need to learn the lesson of God's sevens. Finally comes the report of the little cloud like a man's hand, and Elijah acted upon it immediately. God often answers us with a little cloud like a man's hand, and we do not act upon so small a prospect because we want something stupendous and spectacular to happen. We are not willing to fare forth upon the encouragement of a little cloud; we want the thunder and lightnings of some dramatic manifestation. Consequently, there are no showers of blessing. Moody and Sankey undertook their first evangelistic mission to England upon the invitation of two rather obscure men. One of them had died when they arrived. Their first meeting was attended by a bare handful. It was truly a cloud like a man's hand. But they did not leave Carmel in disgust; they moved forward in faith until God sent a downpour of the Spirit in the land. Some of us still are huddled on Carmel, our heads between our knees, waiting for more assurance, when we ought to girdle up our loins and be on our way toward Jezreel. We read that when Elijah acted upon the report, "The hand of the Lord was on Elijah" (v. 46). They that wait on the Lord shall run and not be weary, and the prophet was enabled to run this course because he had waited. But remember that we are not to wait all the time: when the cloud rises it is time to run. God does not answer always with dazzling, tremendous certainties. Sometimes He comes, not with earthquake and wind and fire, but with the still, small voice. Sometimes the answer is not encouraging, it is only a little cloud, but He means for us to act upon it. Are we willing to take the cloud for the rain and count Him faithful Who has promised? We want too much guaranteed in advance, we forget that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God does not spoil us by granting too much at a time: He tries us with a little cloud to see whether we start for Jezreel or stay on Carmel. Do not run before the Lord and take matters into your own hands before you see the cloud. But when it arises, gird up your loins and set out running. The hand of the Lord shall be upon you; you shall run and not be weary. 1 Kings 18:45 In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. there was a heavy shower 1Ki 18:39,40 Nu 25:8 2Sa 21:14 Ahab: 1Ki 21:1,23 Jos 19:18 2Sa 2:9 2Ki 9:16 AHAB RETREATS TO HIS WINTER PALACE AT JEZREEL In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower - God answers Elijah's prayer, not with a little dew but with a heavy shower. So all the people at Mt Carmel that day not only witnessed the miracle of fire falling from heaven but also the miracle of rain falling from heaven. In His mercy God was demonstrating to the people who were hesitating to worship Him Alone that He was the only living God. Sadly there was no obvious revival in the Northern Kingdom despite the clear demonstration of Yahweh's power. THOUGHT - Idols are "sticky" and once you begin to grasp them, it is difficult to release your grip! This principle was true then and is still true today. "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." (1Co 10:14+). JEZREEL VALLEY (Wikipedia article) And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel - The winter palace was about 17 miles from Mount Carmel.