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| 1 And it came to pass, after many days, that, the word of Yahweh, came unto Elijah, in the third year, saying,–Go, shew thyself unto Ahab, that I may send rain upon the face of the ground. |
Elijah – Type of the true Church in the flesh--The Christ, Head and Body. B256; PD46/56
Third year – Either the third of Elijah's sojourn at Zarephath, or after his original announcement to Ahab. R4740:1
The entire period of the drouth was 3½ years. (Luke 4:25; Jas. 5:17) R4740:2
Shew thyself – Prefigured the coming out of the true Church of God from her wilderness hiding after the year 1799 AD. R5857:4
Unto Ahab – Type of the Roman empire. B256
Representing the governments of earth. PD46/56
I will send rain – Showing return of divine favor. A sufficiency of punishment had come upon Israel for their iniquities. R4740:2,6
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| 2 And Elijah went, to show himself unto Ahab. Now, the famine, was severe in Samaria. |
A sore famine – Typifying the spiritual famine during the Dark Ages. B256; R5741:6
For 3 ½ years, typical of the "time, times, and a half,"--1260 years, of the famine "not of bread, nor of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord." (Amos 8:11) R5993:3
Typical of the period in which the true saints of God were hidden from the eyes of the world in a wilderness condition. R4741:2
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| 3 And Ahab had called for Obadiah, who was over his house. Now, Obadiah, was one who revered Yahweh, exceedingly. |
Governor – Royal superintendent, or prime minister. R4740:2
Now Obadiah – Represents partially consecrated ones. R3401:5
Feared the LORD – But must have failed to let his light shine properly, else he would not have been an acceptable servant in the house of Ahab. R3401:3
He was a true worshipper of the Lord, but timid. R3401:3
Such as are ashamed of the Lord will lose the great prize. R3401:5
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| 4 And so it came to pass, when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifties in caves, and sustained them, with bread and water. |
When Jezebel – Typical of the apostate church of Rome. B256
Symbolizes the great mystery of iniquity. R3399:4; PD46/56
Cut off the prophets – The first religious persecution on record. R2325:6
Hid them – Evidently at the risk of his all. R4740:2
Fifty in a cave – The experiences of God's prophets, for the most part, were far from enviable. A54
Fed them – Josephus connects Obadiah's widow with the woman of 2 Kings 4:1-7 and her debt with the fun R3430:6
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| 5 So then Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go, and let us pass throughout the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the ravines, peradventure we may find grass, and save alive horse and mule, and not have more of the beasts cut off. |
Horses and mules – Apparently he was more solicitous for his beasts than for the poor of the people. R3401:2
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| 6 So they divided to them the land, to pass through it,–Ahab, went one way, by himself, and, Obadiah, went another way, by himself. |
Ahab went – Probably with a good retinue of servants. R3401:2
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| 7 And so it was, as Obadiah was on the road, that lo! Elijah, met him,–and he recognised him, and fell upon his face, and said–Now art, thou, my lord Elijah? |
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| 8 And he said to him–I, am! Go, say to thy lord: Here, is, Elijah! |
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| 9 And he said–How have I sinned,–that, thou, art delivering thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death? |
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| 10 By the life of Yahweh thy God, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee, and, when they have said–Nay! he hath taken an oath of the kingdom or the nation, that no one could find thee; |
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| 11 and, now, thou, art saying,–Go say to thy lord, Here, is, Elijah; |
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| 12 so shall it come to pass, as soon as, I, go from thee, that, the spirit of Yahweh, shall carry thee away–whither I know not, and so, when I go in to tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, then will he slay me,–and yet, thy servant, hath revered Yahweh, from my youth. |
He shall slay me – He surmised that Elijah would in some manner disappear during his absence and that, in consequence, the king's anger would be against his servant. R3401:5, R4740:2
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| 13 Was it not told my lord, what I did when Jezebel was slaying the prophets of Yahweh,–how I hid, of the prophets of Yahweh, a hundred men–by fifties–in caves, and sustained them with bread and water? |
Slew the prophets – See comments on 1 Kings 18:4.
LORD'S prophets – The worthy servants of Mark 12:3-5. R1796:1
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| 14 and yet, now, thou, art saying, Go, tell thy lord–Here, is, Elijah; and so he will slay me! |
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| 15 Then said Elijah–By the life of Yahweh of hosts, before whom I stand, today, will I show myself unto him. |
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| 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him,–and, Ahab, went to meet, Elijah. |
Ahab went to meet Elijah – Prophetic of the great contest between Catholicism and Protestantism in the Reformation period. R5751:5
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| 17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Now, art, thou, troubling Israel? |
Ahab – Type of worldly governments claiming to be Christ's kingdom. R5751:2[R5751:10], R389:2*
Elijah – Type of the true Church of Christ in the flesh, this side the veil. R5751:3[R5751:3]
Although the true Church is indeed represented symbolically by a woman, it is also represented sometimes by a man--when the picture includes the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. R5751:3[R5751:3]
Art thou he – Implying that all the trouble was properly chargeable to Elijah. R3401:6
This is the worldly custom. R4740:3
That troubleth Israel – The valiant for the truth have always been considered enemies by the nominal mass. R577:5, R234:6
We would trouble Israel by showing the Lord's people their transgressions. R234:6
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| 18 And he said–I have not troubled Israel, but, thou and the house of thy father,–in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and followed Baal. |
Baalim – Bel, type of the God of Babylon: the Pope. D40
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| 19 Now, therefore, send, gather unto me all Israel, unto Mount Carmel,–and the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Sacred Stem, four hundred, who do eat at the table of Jezebel. |
Prophets of Baal – So the priests and the religious representatives of a great church system have been the obedient servants of the great false institutions, pictured by Ahab and Jezebel. R5751:3
Jezebel – A false Christian church system married to earthly governments. R5751:2, R389:2*
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| 20 So Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel,–and gathered the prophets unto Mount Carmel. |
Mount Carmel – About seventeen miles from the palace at Jezreel, an ideal place for such a spectacle. R3406:1
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| 21 And Elijah drew near unto all the people, and said–How long are ye limping on the two divided opinions? If, Yahweh, be GOD, follow, him, but, if, Baal, follow, him. But the people answered him, not a word. |
Elijah – Here representing Jehovah. R3402:1, R4740:3
How long halt ye – "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." (Josh. 24:15) R2950:4,6
"Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." (Heb 3:15) R2950:6
Coming to a positive decision is a great blessing, and a great help in the formation of character. R2950:4
Two opinions – "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." (Matt. 6:24) R2950:3
A contrast to the present dominant religious sentiment of compromise. D190
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| 22 Then said Elijah unto the people–I, am left, Yahweh's, only, prophet,–but, the prophets of Baal, are four hundred and fifty men. |
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| 23 Let there be given us, therefore, two bullocks, and let them choose for themselves one bullock, and cut it in pieces, and lay it upon the wood, but, fire, shall they not put,–then, I, will make ready the other bullock, and place upon the wood, but, fire, will I not put. |
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| 24 Then shall ye call on the name of your god, and, I, will call on the name of Yahweh, and it shall be, the God that respondeth by fire, he, is GOD. And all the people responded–Well spoken! |
Your gods – Infidelity in our day is calling upon many to worship the god of nature; and, through Higher Criticism and Evolution theories, the priests of error are misleading many. R3407:5
That answereth by fire – Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to a public test as to which god could answer prayer. PD46/56
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| 25 Then said Elijah to the prophets of Baal–Choose for yourselves one bullock, and make ye ready, first, for, ye, are many,–and call ye on the name of your god, but, fire, shall ye not put. |
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| 26 So they took the bullock which was given them, and made ready, and called on the name of Baal–from the morning even until the noon, saying–O Baal! answer us. But them was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about by the altar which had been made. |
Called on ... Baal – Noted for being preeminently the sun god, the god of nature, fertility, etc. R3406:2
To accept the offering and vindicate his cause. PD46/56
If Baal were powerful enough to answer their prayers, then the people might understand that it was because Baal was offended with them that they had experienced the drouth. R2332:5
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| 27 And it came to pass, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said–Cry with a loud voice, for, a god, he is, either he hath, a meditation, or an occasion to retire, or he hath, a journey,–peradventure, he, sleepeth, and must be awaked. |
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| 28 And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances,–until the blood gushed out upon them. |
They cried aloud – Yelling and cutting themselves, claiming they had committed sins, chastising themselves, that Baal be propitiated and answer them. R3406:3
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| 29 And so it was, when noon was passed, that although they prophesied until the offering up of the evening gift, yet was there no voice nor any that answered, nor any that hearkened. |
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| 30 Then said Elijah unto all the people: Draw near unto, me. And all the people drew near unto, him. Then repaired he the broken-down altar of Yahweh; yea Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,– |
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| 31 unto whom the word of Yahweh came, saying–Israel, shall be thy name; |
The sons of Jacob – Typifying the twelve apostles. B246
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| 32 and built, with the stones, an altar, in the name of Yahweh,–and he made a trench, as large as would contain two measures of seed, round about the altar; |
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| 33 and he put in order the wood,–and cut in pieces the bullock, and laid upon the wood. Then said he–Fill four pitchers with water, and pour out upon the ascending-sacrifice, and upon the wood. And they did so. |
Barrels – Earthen jars. R3406:3
Water – From a never-failing spring which is to be found on the slope of Mt. Carmel. R3406:3
Pour it on – No one could say that there was a secret smouldering of fire beneath. R4740:5; PD46/56
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| 34 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. |
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| 35 And the water ran round about the altar,–moreover also, the trench, filled he with water. |
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| 36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the gift, that Elijah the prophet drew near, and said, O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel! Today, let it be known–That, thou, art God in Israel, and that, I, am thy servant,–and that, by thy word, have I done all these things. |
Came near, and said – This prayer is beautiful in its simplicity, manifesting no boastful spirit. R3406:4
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| 37 Answer me, O Yahweh! answer me, That this people may know, that, thou–Yahweh, art GOD,–so shalt, thou thyself, have turned their heart back again. |
Hear me, O LORD – Elijah prayed to God to vindicate his cause. PD46/56
Turned their heart – Recalling them again by their experiences, and by these signs, to be thy people. R2332:6
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| 38 Then fell fire from Yahweh, and consumed the ascending-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust,–even the water that was in the trench, it licked up. |
Fire of the LORD fell – The fire descended and consumed the sacrifice, licking up even the water in the trench. PD46/56
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| 39 And, when all the people saw it, they fell upon their faces,–and said, Yahweh, he, is GOD, Yahweh, he, is GOD. |
All the people – Representing the world. R5629:1
Fell on their faces – A lesson for us is that the masses of Christendom are deceived today, as were the masses of Israel. By and by, when God shall open their eyes, every knee shall bow. R4740:5
The LORD – Jehovah, He is God. PD46/56
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| 40 And Elijah said unto them–Seize ye the prophets of Baal–let not, a man, of them escape. So they seized them. And Elijah took them down unto the ravine of Kishon, and slaughtered them there. |
Prophets of Baal – Public teachers of idolatry. A55
And slew them there – Representing the punishments visited upon the Papacy at the end of the three and one-half symbolic "times" (1260 literal years). B256
It is not a divine command to us today to put all false teachers to death. R4740:5
It is for us to slay and utterly expose the errors and follies which are deceiving the people. R3407:5, R4211:3*
Foreshadowing the Second Death of all who work iniquity after full opportunity. R4740:6
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| 41 Then said Elijah unto Ahab, Go up, eat and drink,–for there is a sound of a downpour of rain. |
There is a sound – Might be understood better, "I hear from the Lord the message of an abundance of rain coming." R3407:1
Abundance of rain – Typifying the millions of Bibles published and issued shortly after the end of 1799. B256
Showing a return of divine favor. R4740:6
Nearly all of our great Bible Societies were organized within fifteen years after 1799. R5752:5, R4211:3*
A spiritual drouth ended in 1798. R5751:3[R5751]
From 325 AD, when the Nicene creed was promulgated, there was practically no Bible study for 12 centuries until 1526, when the art of printing had become common and Tyndale had published his manuscript. It was 1799 before the Bible came into great prominence. R5752:1-5
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| 42 So Ahab went up, to eat and to drink,–but, Elijah, went up to the top of Carmel, and bowed himself to the earth, and put his face between his knees. |
Down upon the earth – Elijah did not pray for rain until he understood that it was the Lord's due time for it to come. We are to pray for and confidently expect those things and only those things which the Lord has promised to give us. R3407:2-4
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| 43 Then said he unto his young man–Go up, I pray thee, and look about in the direction of the sea. So he went up, and looked about, and said–There is, nothing whatever. Then said he–Go again, seven times. |
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| 44 And it came to pass, at the seventh time, that he said, Lo! a little cloud, like a man's hand coming up from the sea. Then he said–Go up, say unto Ahab–Harness, and get thee down, lest the rain shut thee in. |
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| 45 And it came to pass, meanwhile, that, the heavens, had enshrouded themselves with clouds and wind, and there came a great rain, and Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel; |
Great rain – Representing the wide circulation of the Bible since 1799. R5857:4
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| 46 but, the hand of Yahweh, came upon Elijah, so he girded his loins,–and ran before Ahab, until thou enterest Jezreel. |
Was on Elijah – Enduing him with supernatural power. R3407:4[R3407]
Ran before Ahab – An act of courtesy, showing that he recognized Ahab as the king of the nation. R3407:4[R3407]
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