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1 Kings 18-20
Elijah and the
True God Contest
Psalm 52:1-9 Bad Guys Sometimes Win Temporarily
1.“Why do you boast of evil, mighty man? God’s hesed/loyal love endures continually.2.Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.3.You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah.4.You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue.5.God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah.6.The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,7."Behold, this is the man who didn’t make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness."8.But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house. I trust in God’s hesed/loyal love forever and ever.9.I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it. I will hope in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your saints."
Observations
52:1-9.1 Samuel 22 is the tragic background to this Psalm according to the inscription (which may or may not be inspired, but is appropriate). Doeg betrayed Abimelech, the high priest, for helping David, killed him and 85 priests, and then slaughtered everyone in the entire priestly city of Nob: men, women, children, infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. (And you think your co-workers are evil.)
52:2-3.
Instead of seeking after God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, they have gone astray, which means they were once on the right path.
52:5.
David considered himself responsible yet looks to and trusts God for executing vengeance.
52:6.
When God destroys the wicked, those with a sense of justice rejoice.
52:7-9.
Those who trust in themselves will eventually be disappointed and destroyed. Those who trust and hope in God's loyalty to His people and promises, will eventually dance for joy.
Application
When wronged by evil lovers of lies, trust in God's hesed to make things right.
Prayer
My God, You are good and just, loyal to Your promises and people, and mightier than my enemies; I trust You to execute justice and bring about what is best for me. Thanks. Amen.
Proverbs 14:14-16 Payday is Coming
14.“The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.15.A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.16.A wise man fears, and shuns evil, but the fool is hotheaded and reckless.“Observation
14:14-16.God justly rewards good behavior and punishes bad behavior. This causes the prudent to carefully consider where his/her course of action leads, and the wise to fear God's payback, and thus avoid evil. The simpleton, doesn't critically evaluate, but just believes everything, especially what he/she wants to hear (because he/she doesn't follow wisdom). The simple graduate to being full fledged fools by failing to fear God and just doing whatever comes naturally. A fool ignores the reality of God's payback for his/her actions.
Application
Fear God, consider your ways, shun evil and enjoy His reward.
Prayer
God thanks for making wisdom simple and attainable; help me examine my ways and see if I'm doing anything displeasing to You; and show me the right path to take. Amen.
1Kings 18-20 Elijah and the True God Contest
Chapter 18 is one of the highlights of the Scripture, where God goes toe to toe against the false gods, and wins hands down. Elijah goes from elation to dejection, but God protects Him, picks him up, and puts him back to work. God goes to great lengths to reveal himself to Ahab, who just doesn't get it (like lots of folks today).
1 Kings 18 Elijah and the True God Contest
1.It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth."2.Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.3.Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly:4.for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)5.Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals."6.So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.7.As Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?"8.He answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here!’"9.He said, "Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?10.As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn’t find you.11.Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, "Behold, Elijah is here."’12.It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Yahweh from my youth.13.Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?14.Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, "Behold, Elijah is here"’; and he will kill me."15.Elijah said, "As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today."16.So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.17.It happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"18.He answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and you have followed the Baals.19.Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table."20.So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.21.Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." The people answered him not a word.22.Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men.23.Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.24.You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers by fire, let him be God." All the people answered, "It is well said."26.They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any who answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.27.It happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud; for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened."28.They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.29.It was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the offering; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any who regarded.30.Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that was thrown down.31.Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."32.With the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh. He made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed.33.He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood."34.He said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it the second time. He said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it the third time.35.The water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.36.It happened at the time of the offering of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of 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.37.Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again."38.Then the fire of Yahweh fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.39.When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, "Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, he is God!"40.Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape!" They seized them. Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.41.Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain."42.So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.43.He said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." He went up, and looked, and said, "There is nothing." He said, "Go again" seven times.44.It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea." He said, "Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you.’"45.It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.46.The hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.Observation
18:1-44.After three years of drought, God tells Elijah to go see Ahab, who has stopped hunting him to look for water so the animals won't die. Elijah comes to loyal, God-fearing Obadiah who had preserved a hundred of Yahweh's prophets when Jezebel was killing Yahweh's prophets.
In classic sinner style, Ahab blames Elijah for the problems he himself as brought on Israel by forsaking the commands of Yahweh and following the sensual pagan worship of Baal. Surprisingly Ahab agrees to gathering all of Israel and the 450 false prophets at Mt. Carmel.
Introducing the epic battle of the gods, Elijah chides the people for wavering and challenges them to make up their minds and choose whom they will serve: “If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." Majority opinion is a bad way to determine truth, because 450 prophets are wrong, and only one is right. The bowers to Baal, call, cry, cut, and carry on, trying to get Baal's attention to their offering. Elijah has the ill-grace to mock them in their failure. Elijah rebuilds the altar of Yahweh with stones representing the 12 tribes. Then he douses the firewood, because he knows you don't have to make it easy for a supernatural Creator, and calmly calls upon Yahweh. He anchors his prayer in the God of history, who had brought them into the land, and asks that God act, so people might know that He is who He said He is (Hebrews 11:6). God is happy to comply with what He had presumably promised (since Elijah is only acting on His word), and fire consumes the sacrifice completely. The people proclaim that Yahweh is God, and settle their bets. God didn't kill the prophets of Baal, but left that job to Elijah, who slays them all with the sword, assisted by the repentant nation. So from now on we should expect a revival and return to the God of heaven, earth and fire. Don't bet on it.
Elijah doesn't kill Ahab, but tells him to hurry home before he gets wet from the predicted rain. Elijah goes up the mountain to pray for rain (James 5:17-18). Now that the people have acknowledged God, He can send the blessings that are attached to obedience (Dt 28:12), rather than the cursings attached to disobedience.
Application
God uses those who fear Him, follow Him, and faithfully pray to Him, to reveal His power and glory in blessing the obedient.
Prayer
God, regardless of the odds, and difficulties in following You, use my life to exalt You in the eyes of others. Amen.
1 Kings 19 Prophet Persecuted and Preserved
1.Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.2.Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!"3.When he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.4.But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."5.He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat!"6.He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.7.The angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you."8.He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the Mount of God.9.He came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"10.He said, "I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; 11.He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh." Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.12.After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.13.It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"14.He said, "I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."15.Yahweh said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.16.You shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.17.It shall happen, that he who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.18.Yet will I leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him."19.So he departed there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed over to him, and cast his mantle on him.20.He left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." He said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?"21.He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him.Observation
19:1-21.Jezebel, a greater evil threat than Ahab and 450 false prophets, announces a hit on Elijah, who somehow focuses on circumstances rather than God. As James said, he was righteous, but human (5:17). Elijah flees for his life; emotionally drained, he wants to die. God send an angel, twice, to sustain him, again using natural means (coals) to give the prophet a cookie and water. Elijah takes forty days to make the fourteen day journey to Horeb, the mountain range, where Moses got the ten commandments.
God asks Elijah what he's doing there hiding out, because God didn't send him there. Elijah gives God his tale of woe, and God gives Him a taste of His power. God speaks again to him in a still small voice, after the pyrotechnics and special effects, telling him that he's lost perspective, because (like Job) he doesn't see the bigger picture (nor remembers the 100 that Obadiah preserved). Elijah actually has his eyes covered by his prophet's mantle, probably to avoid looking at God and dying, and possibly to highlight that his work has clouded his vision. God gives him the task of anointing others who will help rid the land of Baal worship (2Kg 8 & 9), and clues him in to seven thousand who are still loyal to Yahweh. Rest, sleep, food, a view of God, and a commitment to God's work are good remedies for emotional exhaustion.
Elijah finds Elisha and casts his mantle upon him, which was understood to be an invitation to follow and serve him (a form of adoption, since a father clothed his children). Elisha leaves his wealthy lifestyle to follow in the service of God.
Application
We need to attune our ear to the still voice of God because that is how He most frequently communicates with His servants who are engaged in the team sport of ministry.
Prayer
God, help me keep perspective on Your protection and provision, and daily hear Your voice. Amen.
1 Kings 20 Saving from the Syrians
1.Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.2.He sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, "Thus says Ben Hadad,3.‘Your silver and your gold is mine. Your wives also and your children, even the best, are mine.’"4.The king of Israel answered, "It is according to your saying, my lord, O king. I am yours, and all that I have."5.The messengers came again, and said, "Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent indeed to you, saying, "You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;6.but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, that whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away."’" try.7.Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, "Please notice how this man seeks mischief; for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I didn’t deny him."8.All the elders and all the people said to him, "Don’t listen, neither consent."9.Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, "Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do; but this thing I cannot do.’" The messengers departed, and brought him back the message.10.Ben Hadad sent to him, and said, "The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me."11.The king of Israel answered, "Tell him, ‘Don’t let him who puts on his armor brag like he who takes it off.’"12.It happened, when Ben Hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said to his servants, "Prepare to attack!" They prepared to attack the city.13.Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.’"14.Ahab said, "By whom?" He said, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces.’" Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?" He answered, "You."15.Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two. After them, he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.16.They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who helped him.17.The young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben Hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, "Men are coming out from Samaria."18.He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."19.So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them.20.They each killed his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.21.The king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.22.The prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said to him, "Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do; for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you."23.The servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.24.Do this thing: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their place.25.Muster an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. We will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than them." He listened to their voice, and did so.26.It happened at the return of the year, that Ben Hadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.27.The children of Israel were mustered, and were provisioned, and went against them. The children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of young goats; but the Syrians filled the country.28.A man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘Because the Syrians have said, "Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys; "therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am Yahweh.’"29.They encamped one over against the other seven days. So it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand footmen of the Syrians in one day.30.But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner room.31.His servants said to him, "See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Maybe he will save your life."32.So they put sackcloth on their bodies and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, "Your servant Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’" He said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."33.Now the men observed diligently, and hurried to take this phrase; and they said, "Your brother Ben Hadad." Then he said, "Go, bring him." Then Ben Hadad came out to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.34.Ben Hadad said to him, "The cities which my father took from your father I will restore. You shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria." "I," said Ahab, "will let you go with this covenant." So he made a covenant with him, and let him go.35.A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by the word of Yahweh, "Please strike me!" The man refused to strike him.36.Then he said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall kill you." As soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and killed him.37.Then he found another man, and said, "Please strike me." The man struck him, smiting and wounding him.38.So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes39.As the king passed by, he cried to the king; and he said, "Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man! If by any means he be missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’40.As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So your judgment shall be; you yourself have decided it."41.He hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized that he was of the prophets42.He said to him, "Thus says YAHWEH, 'Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.'"43.The king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.Observation
20:1-41.God still wants to woo Israel back to Him, and uses the Syrian king's siege of Samaria to demonstrate His power on behalf of His people. Ben Hadad threatens to take everything Ahab has, but the people of Israel counsel him to resist. Ahab tells him that he shouldn't boast of a victory in a battle that hasn't even begun. Ben Hadad orders another round of drinks with his 32 sub-kings.
A prophet of Yahweh comes up with a promise of victory from Yahweh against the 100k plus Syrians. Ahab inquires about the plan and actually follows it. Maybe Mt. Carmel had some effect on him. He musters 232 young men, through whom Yahweh wins the day. The Syrians come back the next year to attack in the valley, thinking that Yahweh was just the territorial spirit of the hills. God again promises victory so Ahab would acknowledge Him. After a seven day waiting period (like Jericho) they get the victory, but Ahab still doesn't get it. Yahweh is the God of hills and valleys and everything in between, including walls.
Rather than destroying the enemies of the Lord (like Saul should have), Ahab makes a covenant with them. God sends a prophet to act out a rebuke, however another prophet is needed to cooperate in the make-up department, but he doesn't obey the word of the Lord through the first prophet who asks to be struck. God has a hit-lion that specializes in disobedient prophets. Eventually Ahab gets a front row seat to the play and pronounces his own judgment.
Application
We can choose to obey God's truth and live, or meet the lion.
Prayer
God, You are patient and gracious in validating who You are and what You've promised; I want to be quick to trust and obey You. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God desires to show His character and power so people will trust Him, and does so through those who trust and obey Him. He controls the elements, angelic beings, animals and inanimate objects in orchestrating His disclosure of Himself and His promises. He punishes those who reject Him, and blesses those who accept and follow His word. He can communicate in numerous intelligible ways to those who have attuned their ear to His voice.
Us in a nutshell: We're given the choice to decide to follow God or not. If we don't follow Him we have no purpose or reason for continuing to live. If we follow Him, we will encounter a greater than average share of opposition, and corresponding greater supply of God's grace. We can lose perspective or get burned out by focusing on the material rather than the spiritual world. God has far greater resources than we could imagine.