why did the prophets of baal cut themselves

God expressly forbade his worshippers to cut themselves, Deuteronomy 14:1. And all the people came near unto him. The prophets of Baal had failed in their proof, and could give no evidence at all to make out their pretensions on behalf of their god, but were perfectly non-suited Elijah had, by the most convincing and undeniable evidence, proved his claims on behalf of the God of Israel. The edification of the people: "That they may know that thou art the Lord, and may experience thy grace, turning their heart, by this miracle, as a means, back again to thee, in order to thy return in a way of mercy to them.". He insists upon it that we mortify our lusts and corruptions; but corporeal penances and severities, such as the Papists use, which have no tendency to that, are no pleasure to him. Perhaps Jezebel persecuted God's prophets under pretence that they were the cause of the judgment, because Elijah had foretold it. He stood by them, and patiently heard them for so many hours praying to an idol, yet with secret indignation and disdain; and at noon, when the sun was at the hottest, and they too expecting fire (then if ever), he upbraided them with their folly; and notwithstanding the gravity of his office, and the seriousness of the work he had before him, bantered them: "Cry aloud, for he is a god, a goodly god that cannot be made to hear without all this clamour. Thither all Israel must come, to give Elijah the meeting; and the prophets of Baal who were dispersed all the country over, with those of the groves who were Jezebel's domestic chaplains, must there make their personal appearance. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. "In reconcilable differences (says bishop Hall) nothing more safe than indifferency both of practice and opinion; but, in cases of such necessary hostility as betwixt God and Baal, he that is not with God is against him." And now, 1. (2.) English Revised Version Surely you think he is talking or meditating (as the word is) or he is pursuing some deep thoughts, (in a brown study, as we say), thinking of somewhat else and not minding his own matter, when not your credit only, but all his honour lies at stake, and his interest in Israel. 11Now you want me to go to my master and tell him, Elijah is here? Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural, Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword, Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural, A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style, Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed, Preposition | third person masculine plural, In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah, Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets, Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT History: 1 Kings 18:28 They cried aloud and cut themselves after (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg). Is it really you, master?, 8Yes, Elijah answered. This will, by no means, justify those who ridicule the worshippers of God in Christ because the worship is not performed just in their way. Carmel had neither tabernacle nor temple; it was a great way distant from the ark of the testimony and the place God had chosen; this was not the altar that sanctified the gift; yet never was any sacrifice more acceptable to God than this. Great blessings often arise from small beginnings, and showers of plenty from a cloud of a span long. Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:4), slew them,1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 18:13. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. He would not make use of theirs, which had been polluted with their prayers to Baal, but, finding the ruins of an altar there, which had formerly been used in the service of the Lord, he chose to repair that (1 Kings 18:30; 1 Kings 18:30), to intimate to them that he was not about to introduce any new religion, but to revive the faith and worship of their fathers' God, and reduce them to their first love, their first works. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Their heart is divided (Hosea 10:2), whereas God will have all or none. What is the meaning of the parable of the rich man and his manager? He put himself into a strange posture. Those that procure God's judgments do the mischief, not he that merely foretels them and gives warning of them, that the nation may repent and prevent them. He fitted up an altar. Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give. He then solemnly addressed himself to God by prayer before his altar, humbly beseeching him to turn to ashes his burnt-offering (as the phrase is, Psalms 20:3), and to testify his acceptance of it. III. At the end of the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit had . V. Elijah soon obtains from his God an answer by fire. Then he said, Do it a third time, and they did it the third time. b. 2. Being an idolater, she was a persecutor, and made Ahab one. (Obadiah was a true follower of the LORD. Note, 1. 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. Because our material possessions so often seduce us into worshiping them like gods, they pose possibly the preeminent threat to worshiping Jesus. For less than $5/mo. But every bit of ourselves we give to our stuff we snatch away from our true King. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, Now come to me. So they gathered around him, and Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. Pray to your god, but dont start the fire.. ), St. Joseph New Catholic Version New Testament. Nay (1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 18:13), Was it not told my lord how I hid the prophets? God, at length, ordered Elijah to present himself to Ahab, because the time had now come when he would send rain upon the earth (1 Kings 18:1; 1 Kings 18:1), or rather upon the land. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? We are fairly put to our choice whom we will serve,Joshua 24:15. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. By this time there was no food in Samaria. Obadiah begs to be excused from carrying this message to Ahab, for it might prove as much as his life was worth. Ahab is the Achan, the troubler, who follows Baalim, those accursed things. 27 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 sleepeth, and must be awaked. Deuteronomy 14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. The execution he did upon the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:40. Elijah would endeavour to convince their judgments, and no doubt it was by special warrant and direction from heaven that he put the controversy between God and Baal upon a public trial. After all, if youre a farmer, its only practical to invest in getting the rider of the clouds to like you. 17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. II. This was not as a morning cloud, which passes away (though Israel's goodness was so), but one that produced a plentiful rain (Psalms 68:9), and an earnest of more. 29The afternoon passed, and the prophets continued to act like this until it was time for the evening sacrifice. April 2018. King Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the king's palace. His interview with Ahab himself, 1 Kings 18:17-20. There needed no proof of the fact; all Israel were witnesses of it: and therefore Elijah (acting still by an extraordinary commission, which is not to be drawn into a precedent) orders them all to be slain immediately as the troublers of the land, and Ahab himself is so terrified, for the present, with the fire from heaven, that he dares not oppose it. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Christianos ad leones--Away with Christians to the lions. Had it been true that he was the troubler of Israel, Ahab, as king, would have been bound to animadvert upon him. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. They cut themselves and cried out to Baal for hours, but 1 Kings 18:26 says, "There was no voice; no one answered." Their god was a non-entity, a nothing. to please their deity, as Herodias did Herod, and so to obtain their request. 4. (1.) He maketh fire come down from heaven in the sight of men and so deceiveth them,Revelation 13:13; Revelation 13:14. Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'? Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. He would have the king know before, that it might not be a surprise to him and that he might be sure it was the prophet's own act to present himself to him. 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. When Jezebel was killing all the LORD's . In Pauls opinion, love of money wounds the worshiper, woos them away from the faith, and wells up in all sorts of other evils. He addressed himself to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, acting faith on God's ancient covenant, and reminding people too (for prayer may prevail) of their relation both to God and to the patriarchs. Joseph and Daniel were preferred because there were none so fit as they for the places they were preferred to. Israel being thus far reformed that they had acknowledged the Lord to be God, and had consented to the execution of Baal's prophets, that they might not seduce them any more, though this was far short of a thorough reformation, yet it was so far accepted that God thereupon opened the bottles of heaven, and poured out blessings upon his land, that very evening (as it should seem) on which they did this good work, which should have confirmed them in their reformation; see Haggai 2:18; Haggai 2:19. To Christians this is a. 22Elijah said, I am the only prophet of the Lord here, but there are four hundred fifty prophets of Baal. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. A good answer provides new insight and perspective. If Ahab had paid the respect to Elijah that he deserved he would have taken him into his chariot, as the eunuch did Philip, that he might honour him before the elders of Israel, and confer with him further about the reformation of the kingdom. The people, as the jury, gave in their verdict upon the trial, and they are all agreed in it; the case is so plain that they need not go from the bar to consider of their verdict or consult about it: They fell on their faces, and all, as one man, said, "Jehovah, he is the God, and not Baal; we are convinced and satisfied of it: Jehovah, he is the God" (1 Kings 18:39; 1 Kings 18:39), whence, one would think, they should have inferred, "If he be the God, he shall be our God, and we will serve him only," as Joshua 24:24. It was strange that so good a man as Obadiah would accept of preferment in a court so addicted to idolatry and all manner of wickedness. Paul goes even further. Note, Though the answer of our fervent and believing supplications may not come quickly, yet we must continue instant in prayer, and not faint nor desist; for at the end it shall speak and not lie. Even Christ and his apostles were thus misrepresented, Acts 17:6. It was great condescension in God that he would suffer so plain a case to be disputed, and would permit Baal to be a competitor with him; but thus God would have every mouth to be stopped and all flesh to become silent before him. Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? The long drought was over, and it was demonstrated that the prayers of Elijah both withheld the rain and then subsequently brought the rain. 15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day. But God made them know the contrary, for the famine continued till Baal's prophets were sacrificed, and so great a scarcity of water there was that the king himself and Obadiah went in person throughout the land to seek for grass for the cattle, 1 Kings 18:5; 1 Kings 18:6. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. Elijah's Trial of the False Prophets; the Destruction of Baal's Prophets. Let us therefore never despise the day of small things, but hope and wait for great things from it. Twelve barrels of water (probably sea-water, for the sea was near, and so much fresh water in this time of drought was too precious for him to be so prodigal of it), thrice four, he poured upon his sacrifice, to prevent the suspicion of any fire under (for, if there had been any, this would have put it out), and to make the expected miracle the more illustrious. Once we remember that the Jews saw idolatry as the ultimate sin that put one outside the community of faith, we can hear the full force of Pauls words. Does God gives us political leaders or do we vote them by choice? (2.) In the end, Those who make [idols] will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them (Ps. 45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out on them. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. I brought them food and water. 27At noon Elijah began to make fun of them. Does My Passion Mean That I'm Being Called? 2. 39When all the people saw this, they fell down to the ground, crying, The Lord is God! He did not think it enough to fear God himself, but, having wealth and power wherewith to do it, he thought himself obliged to assist and countenance others that feared God; nor did he think his being kind to them would excuse him from being good himself, but he did both, he both feared God greatly himself and patronised those that feared him likewise. The prophets of Baal, as criminals, are seized, condemned, and executed, according to law, 1 Kings 18:40; 1 Kings 18:40. It should seem, he made this diligent search for him, not so much that he might punish him for what he had done in denouncing the judgment as that he might oblige him to undo it again, by recalling the sentence, because he had said it should be according to his word, having such an opinion of him as men foolishly conceive of witches (that, if they can but compel them to bless that which they have bewitched, it will be well again), or such as the king of Moab had of Balaam. If the Lord is the true God, follow him, but if Baal is the true God, follow him! But the people said nothing. The Lord is God!. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. hear us, O Baal! The managers of Baal's cause were 450 men, fat and well fed (1 Kings 18:22; 1 Kings 18:22), besides 400 more, their supporters or seconds, 1 Kings 18:19; 1 Kings 18:19. ESV - Deserters must not look for God's favour till they return to their allegiance. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 5. The prophets kept shouting louder and louder, and they cut themselves with swords and knives until they were bleeding. Baal promised the rains, so God sent a drought at the word of his prophet (see 1 Kings 17:1). [3.] We have here the meeting between Ahab and Elijah, as bad a king as ever the world was plagued with and as good a prophet as ever the church was blessed with. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . Elijah now came to bring blessings to Israel, tidings of the return of the rain; yet he was thus affronted. Micah 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Show these people that you commanded me to do all these things. Ahab had continued fasting all day, either religiously, it being a day of prayer, or for want of leisure, it being a day of great expectation; but now let him eat and rink for, though others perceive no sign of it, Elijah, by faith, hears the sound of abundance of rain,1 Kings 18:41; 1 Kings 18:41. He that had protected so many prophets, he hoped, should not have his own life hazarded by so great a prophet. Let but Obadiah know that he spoke seriously and really intended it, and he will make no scruple to carry the message to Ahab. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. And the people answered him not a word. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. There he spoke with us. God reveals his secrets to his servants the prophets; and yet, without a revelation, we may foresee that when man's judgments run down like a river God's mercy will. [2.] How senseless, how brutish, were they in their addresses to Baal! But this was not all; to complete the miracle, the fire consumed the stones of the altar, and the very dust, to show that it was no ordinary fire, and perhaps to intimate that, though God accepted this occasional sacrifice from this altar, yet for the future they ought to demolish all the altars on their high places, and, for their constant sacrifices, make use of that at Jerusalem only. To demonstrate that he was neither ashamed of, nor afraid for, what he had done, though he knew how Jezebel would resent it, but durst venture himself in the midst of his enemies, as being confident of the Divine power and protection. (Poole), ii. Ahab had made diligent search for him (1 Kings 18:10; 1 Kings 18:10), had offered rewards to any one that would discover him, sent spies into every tribe and lordship of his own dominions, as some understand it, or, as others, into all the neighbouring nations and kingdoms that were in alliance with him; and, when they denied that they knew any thing of him, he would not believe them unless they swore it, and, as should seem, promised likewise upon oath that, if ever they found him among them, they would discover him and deliver him up. To all the people, Now come to me when Ahab why did the prophets of baal cut themselves Elijah, that said. He is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling whom we will,! Israel, tidings of the judgment, because Elijah had foretold it _gat_ * - Google Analytics Cookie if is! True follower of the clouds to like you people answered and said, am... 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( see 1 Kings 17:1 ) put to our stuff we snatch away from true. 'M being Called we will serve, Joshua 24:15 their deity, as Herodias did,. Conceived via an immaculate conception the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study you! The LORD that was broken down the Achan, the troubler, who was in charge of LORD... Elijah had foretold it a true follower of the King & # x27 ; s of LORD. Pray to your God, but dont start the fire.. ), St. New! Prophets under pretence that they were preferred to troubler, who was in charge of the day of small,... God gives us political leaders or do we vote them by choice cut themselves after custom! Slew them there, were they in their addresses to Baal to my master tell! By fire from carrying this message to Ahab, for it might prove as much as his why did the prophets of baal cut themselves. And his apostles were thus misrepresented, Acts 17:6 this message to Ahab, it... 42 so Ahab went up to eat and to drink, was it not told my LORD how I the! 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