A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 18
1 Kings CHAP. XVIII.
THIS Chapter relateth Elijah's Embaſſage to King Ahab, upon the account of procuring rain after ſuch a long dreadful drought and dearth: This Embaſſage conſiſts of two parts, Firſt, The Injunction, and Secondly the Execution of it; then follows the Event thereof.
Remarks firſt upon the Injunction; as Firſt, The Time when, ver. 1. namely, after Iſrael had laid gaſping under a parching Drought, and a deſtructive Famine for Three Years and Six Months, James 5.17. in which time, no doubt but many a Curſe was belched forth by Baal's Worſhippers, at Elijah for his ſhutting up Heaven ſo long from Rain; whereas he only had declared it as God's Judgment for their Idolatry: 'Twas God's Hand, who only made uſe of Elijah's Tongue, only to ſay what God would do, chap. 17.1. Thus Embaſſadors ſuffer for the ſake of their Maſter, that ſends them upon Diſpleaſing Embaſſages: They ſhould have railed at their own Sins.
Remark the Second; When Elijah had abſconded ſo long at Cherith's Cave, and Sarepta's Widow's, God calls him forth from his Hiding-place, and bids him [Go ſhew thy ſelf to Ahab] with this Meſſage; 1. Acquaint him with the Cauſe of the Famine. 2. Adviſe him to remove the Cauſe procuring it; And 3. Promiſe him Rain upon his Reformation. No Rain muſt fall (ſaith Dr. Hall) till Elijah be ſeen of Ahab; he had carried away the Clouds with him, and ſo muſt bring them again; ſhould Rain have faln in his abſence, and before his appearance, then had it not been according to his word, ch. 17.1. God herein took care to maintain the Honour and Authority of his Prophet.
Remark the Third, Is Elijah's undaunted Courage in venturing at God's command thus to run into the mouth of this Raging Lion, who had hunted over all Lands to devour him, ver. 2. his ſtrong Faith quell'd and kill'd diſtruſtful fears, and ſhored him up, yea ſhoved him forward to ſtep end-way into this firſt degree of Martyrdom. This Heroick Spirit is neither afraid, nor aſhamed to ſhew his face; and like another Abraham, dare follow God blindfold in obedience, Heb. 11.8. yea, and dare ſtand alone to face Ahab in the midſt of his Train of Cut-throats.
Remark the Fourth is, Elijah's Wiſdom mixed with his Valour: He hears that the King and his Steward had divided the Survey of the Land to find Water and Paſture to keep alive the Royal Mules, &c. which Ahab was loth to loſe; this was only the King's care, while he wiſh'd to kill God's Prophets, and is more careful to ſave his Stable than his Soul; but his Steward Obadiah was a man better minded, who, he well knew, anſwered his own name, ſignifying a Servant of God, and therefore the Prophet moſt prudently preſents himſelf firſt to Obadiah, before he will be ſeen of Ahab, ver. 7, to 17.
Mark 1. …iety without Policy is too ſimple to be ſafe; and Policy without Piety is too ſubtle to be good. Theſe two do well, when matched together; they ſecure themſelves, and make many happy, as in Elijah here, but they do ill when ſevered aſunder. The Dove without the Serpent is eaſily caught, and the Serpent without the Dove hath a deadly ſting: Therefore our Lord allows of that compoſition [Be wiſe as Serpents, and harmleſs as Doves] Matth. 10.16. A Serpent's Eye is a ſingular Ornament when ſeen ſet in a Dove's Head: It muſt be meekneſs of Wiſdom, James 3.13. Religion reſolves the doubt thus [there may be as much of the Serpent, as of the Dove in a truly Religious Soul.] Elijah doth not imprudently caſt himſelf head-long into danger, but he uſeth Obadiah to inform Ahab of his approaching (that Ahab's cholerous expectation of meeting him, might be digeſted before they met) and he makes ſure that Jezebel ſhall be abſent, when he met Ahab.
Mark 2. Here, a wicked King had a godly Steward, as Pharaoh had his Joſeph, Ahaſuerus his Mordecai, Artaxerxes his Nehemiah, Darius his Daniel, and Nero (that none-ſuch for blood) had ſome good Servants in his Houſhold, Phil. 4.22. as Herod had, Luke 8.3. This Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, ver. 3.12. and gave good demonſtration thereof; for tho' he breathed in a bad Air, at an Idolatrous Court; N.B. Yet every Man is what he is in private betwixt God and his own Soul; and tho' he hazarded not his life and liberty for the Ceremonial Worſhip of the True God, yet this was David's caſe when driven from it by Saul, nor did he worſhip either the Calves or Baal, but ventured his own life to preſerve the lives of an hundred of the Lord's Prophets perſecuted by Jezebel, v. 4, 13. No doubt but godly Policy was practiſed by him alſo for his own preſervation.
Mark 3. This good Man, tho' he paid his Veneration to ſo great a Prophet, ver. 7. whom he knew from old acquaintance, yet was puſillanimous to become the Internuncius, his Meſſenger … Ahab, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. This famous Dialogue betwixt Elijah and Obadiah (herein contained) may well make up
Remark the Fourth; The Conference at their providential Congreſs conſiſts of many Branches; As 1. Tho' this Obadiah was Lord High-Steward of Iſrael, yet falls he down upon his face before a poor perſecuted Prophet (who had been hid and boarded with Ravens, and with the Widow of Sareptah about three years and ſix months) paſſing this Complement upon him [Art thou that my Lord Elijah?] ver. 7. 2. Elijah anſwers, [I am, go tell thy Lord, Behold Elijah is here] ver. 8. whence P. Martyr obſerves, that tho' Ahab was a wicked King, yet his wickedneſs did not deſtroy or diſſolve Ahab's Dominion over his Subjects, but he is ſtill Obadiah's Lord. This bold command the Prophet impoſeth upon this great Grandee (after he had received Reverence from him) becauſe he was in God's ſtead to him, as his Embaſſador. 3. Obadiah replies, ver. 9. admiring not only the boldneſs, but alſo the unkindneſs of this command (ſaith Dr. Hall) ſaying [What have I ſinned, &c?] thus to expoſe me to Ruine by Ahab's Rage, who will certainly ſlay thy Servant for not apprehending thee, for whom he hath ſo long and moſt ſolicitouſly ſought in all Lands, and in Confederate Countreys, that they ſhould not harbour a Traitor, whom he looks on as the Author of this Famine in Samaria, &c. So incenſed therefore is Ahab againſt thee, that he hath forced other Kingdoms by Oath not to harbour any of his Fugitives, ver. 10. ſo that this Meſſage is fitter for thy Foe, a worſhipper of Baal, than for me thy Friend, and a Friend to ſo many of the Lord's Prophets, ver. 11, 12. I muſt either kill thee, or be killed for thee, ver. 13, 14 N.B. Oh unhappy Servant, that is plunged to keep God's, and a Tyrant's favour too, &c. 4. Elijah's Rejoynder, v. 15. wherein he removes all Obadiah's fears about the Spirit's removing himſelf, (as 2 Kings 2.11, 16. Ezek. 3.14. Acts 8.39. Mat. 4.1.) and aſſures him by a Solemn Oath, that he would ſurely appear under the protection of the Lord of Hoſts before the King, tho' never ſo much incenſed againſt him. N. B. Elijah's Faith was above his Fear; and his fear of God had put forth the fear of Man, as the Sun-beams do put forth Kitchin fire: He truſted the ſame God, who had ſecured him ſo long in Sareptah, ſo nigh Ahab, in a City that belong'd to Jezebel's Father, Ethabaal Ahab's Father-in-Law, (notwithſtanding his hunting him in ſo many Kingdoms) would likewiſe by his power protect him in Ahab's preſence while he was in his way of obedience to God's Command. 5. Obadiah's firm Reſ…lve hereupon to be the Prophet's Meſſenger to Ahab, ver. 16. when he ſaw Elijah's conſtancy therein, he goes to tell Ahab, and Ahab comes to meet Elijah, either to execute his Rage upon him, or to enquire when he might expect Rain from him, knowing that tho' himſelf commanded a ſmall ſpot of Earth, yet Elijah had got the command of Heaven. No doubt (ſaith Dr. Hall) but Ahab was ſtartled to hear of Elijah's bold coming to meet him, who had made ſuch a ſearch for him in all Lands. Well might he think, ſurely Elijah durſt not do ſo, unleſs he come under a ſure Safeguard, and with a ſtrange Commiſſion: He knows his courſe Mantle is better arm'd than my Robe and Royal Scepter.
Remark the Fifth, Is the Event of their meeting, from ver. 17, to ver. 40. In which famous Hiſtory, Mark 1. Ahab charges Elijah with troubling Iſrael, ver. 17. as the cauſe of all their Calamities, This angry Ahab▪ at firſt ſight, dare wagg his wicked Tongue in charging God's Prophet with a capital Crime, but he dares not ſtrike him with his hand, leſt his hand ſhould wither, as Jeroboam's hand had ſo lately done in the like caſe. Ahab doth here (faith Dr. Hall) as ſome fond People blame the Herald that proclaims a War by his ſounding a Trumpet, as the cauſe of their Wars; Elijah did no more, therefore he boldly retorts, ver. 18. aſſigning the true cauſe to be Ahab's ſin of Idolatry. P. Martyr obſerves here, Elijah did not fall down proſtrate before the King, to beg his Royal Pardon, but (Prophet-like) he deals plainly with him; the Spirit of God had given him this undaunted Spirit, having ſteeled his face, and made it as an Adamant, Ezek. 3.9. diſcovering that himſelf was the true troubler of Iſrael, and that his Idolatry was the Traitor, &c. N.B. Nor did Elijah herein tranſgreſs God's Law [Thou ſhalt not revile Rulers] Exod. 22.28. for he contemned not his Power, but only reprov'd his Sin, which was part of the Prophet's Office; and thus our Lord call'd H…od, Fox, Luke 13.32. So far was Elijah from deſpiſing Dominion, that while he Reprov'd the King, he alſo requires him in God's Name to exerciſe his Authority, in ſummoning an Aſſembly to Mount Carmel, ver. 19. that the Controverſie between them might be decided, Whether the King or the Prophet was Iſrael's Troubler?
Mark (2.) ver. 20. Ahab complies with Elijah's motion, which P. Martyr marvels at, ſaying, Surely Ahab durſt not deny ſo reaſonable a propoſal, tending to remove the Famine, and procure Rain, &c. to reject it could not be without diſcontent to his People, as well as to his own diſhonour, or he might fear ſome greater and more miſchievous Judgments, or out of curioſity of his beholding ſome extraordinary Actions of Elijah; but whatever was the inferiour Motive, God was the ſupreme Cauſe over-ruling Ahab's heart, which was in his hand, Prov. 21.1. and made him willing to ſend for all thoſe that Elijah required to be ſent for.
Mark (3.) The Perſons Elijah requires Ahab to ſummon up to Mount Carmel by his Royal Authority, were, (1.) All the Elders of Iſrael, that they might be both Eye and Ear-witneſſes of what he intended to be done, and theſe he expoſtulates with about their halting, &c. ver. 21, &c. (2.) All the Prieſts of Baal, call'd Prophets here, becauſe Idolaters feigned ſuch Functions as were found in the True Church. Elijah will have all ſummoned, both the four hundred belonging to the Court, and the four hundred and fifty which were diſperſed all over the Kingdom. N.B. The number of thoſe Prophets is ſet down (ſaith P. Martyr) to ſhew what Zeal Idolaters had to multiply their falſe Prophets, more eſpecially that of Jezebel, who fed Four Hundred of them at her own Table, while God's Prophets are glad of Bread and Water in Obadiah's Caves: Theſe Trencher-Chaplains of Jezebel are feaſted upon her Delicacies, and dwell in ſplendid and pleaſant Places ſome near her Royal Palace. This likewiſe doth much amplifie the Courage of Elijah, who being one alone, dare make this Challenge to oppoſe no fewer than Eight hundred and fifty falſe Prophets of Baal, ver. 19, 20, 21, 22.
Mark 4. It was then in the Power of Princes to call a Convocation of Prophets, no Synods, or general Councils were aſſembled by the Power of any Pope: Ahab Summons the whole Summ of Eight hundred and fifty, but imperious Jezebel countermands the King, and permits not her Four hundred to be preſent, perhaps out of care and kindneſs to them, having ſome fear of the Prophet Elijah's Power; therefore we read of them, Chap. 22.6. now reſerved, to deceive Ahab then to his utter Deſtruction. Elijah comes to this Aſſembly, and charges the Elders with Inconſtancy; [Attem poſechim gnal Shettei Haſegnephim, Hebr.] Why fly ye like Birds, off from one Branch and on to another; or why halt ye like Criples, the Body now up, and now down? Ye cannot ſerve two Maſters, Matth. 6.24. God and Baal; be not thus unſtable in your ways, James 1.6. but make ſtraight your paths, Hebr. 12.13.
Mark 5. Elijah offers to decide this Controverſie betwixt God and Baal, not by the Scripture (becauſe he had to do with thoſe that were no better than Infidels) but rather by a Miracle from Heaven, ver. 22, 23, 24, 25. giving the Precedency and all the Privileges to Baal's Prophets, as to the greater number, and leſt it ſhould be pretended that their God by any diſguſt was become ſullen, and therefore ſilent: The People conſented, that he who anſwer'd by Fire, they would own for the true God, becauſe they could not be altogether ignorant (ſaith Lavater) how God had formerly done ſo, Gen. 4.4. Levit. 9.24. Judges 6.21. and 13.20. 2 Chron. 7.1. and 1 Chron. 21.26.
Mark 6. Baal's Prophets prepare their Bullock firſt (according to Elijah's grant) and pray for Fire to burn it; preſuming (ſaith Peter Martyr) that Baal would burn that beſt Beaſt which they had choſen for him, ver. 26, 27, 28, 29. but their Idol proved dumb and deaf, yea in a dead Sleep, whom all their Antick Geſtures, Prophet-like Raptures, and unnatural Lancing themſelves cannot awaken. N. B. It may eaſily be imagined, what an hideous yelling and prodigious uproar thoſe Four hundred and fifty wide-throated Prieſts would make, in their joint Prayers and Out-crys to Baal; aſſuredly they well-nigh tore the very Skys with their loud Acclamations, for an Anſwer by Fire. How did they leap upon their Altar, as if they themſelves could have been content to become the Sacrifice it ſelf, ſo they might but conquer the Lord's Prophet, and continue the Reputation of their Idol and Idolatry: Yea, they leaped up (ſaith Dr. Hall) upon their Altar, as if they would have climb'd up to Heaven, to fetch thence that Fire which would not come of it ſelf alone without fetching. N. B. Oh what would the Devil (that Prince of the Air) have given for one flaſh of Lightning out of the Air (his own Territory) at this time: The ſame God who had permitted Satan to deſtroy Job's Seven thouſand Sheep by a great Fire falling out of the Air, Job 1.3, 16. will not allow him ſo much as one flaſh to conſume one Bullock, in Vindication of his Devil-Worſhip. Oh how Proud would Lucifer have been, if, as he was caſt down from Heaven like Lightning, Luke 10.18. ſo now he might have fall'n down in that fiery Form upon his own Altar of Baal; when their Voices were even ſpent with continual loud crying from Morning to Noon. N. B. Then Elijah flouts them into a cutting of their own Fleſh (ſo vexed they were at their dumb and deaf Deity) whereby they mingled their own Blood with the Blood of the Bullock, hoping the Cry of their Blood would out cry their Prayers, and awaken a ſleepy Devil, who is delighted with Man's Blood offer'd to him, as a Teſtimony of his Deity. This they had learned from their Pagan Neighbours, Deut. 14.1. Sanguine placâſtis Ventos & Virgine Caeſâ, Virg. They uſed to appeaſe their gods and goddeſſes with human Blood. When they had tried all means, and tired themſelves in vain, Elijah Jeers and Ridicules both their Perſons, Actions and Idols, taunting them with ſaying, Baal was ſo buſie in purſuing his Foes, that he had no leiſure of attending his Friends, &c. N. B. Which teacheth, that all Jeſting is not unlawful (faith Peter Martyr) ſave that only which intrencheth upon Piety and good Manners, ſaying, that [foreign] which Paul condemns, Eph. 5.4. is taken for [foreign] Salt Jeſts and Scurrility, not for an inoffenſive Ʋrbanity, or a pleaſant facetiouſneſs of Speech.
Mark 7. When Baal's Prieſts end, and can do nothing with all their ridiculous Endeavours all the day long, then Elijah begins at the time of the Evening Sacrifice, ver. 30, to ver. 40. who no doubt did all by divine Direction: He, 1. calls the People to come away from thoſe falle Prophets, (that had ſo long ſeduced them) unto him the true Prophet of God. 2. He repairs the Altar of the Lord▪ (which Baal's Worſhippers had demoliſhed) with twelve Stones (repreſenting the Twelve Tribes) thereby renewing the Covenant betwixt God and Iſrael, now when Ten Tribes were Apoſtatized, ver. 30, 31, 32. 3. He orders twelve Barrels of Water (ſuppoſed to be fetch'd from the Sea near Carmel, when the drought had dried up all their Land-Brooks) to be poured upon the Wood and Altar, to avoid all ſuſpicion of any Colluſion, in hiding Fire any where under ſuch a vaſt quantity of Water which ran upon the Altar, and filled the Trench too, that the reality of the Miracle might be made the more manifeſt, by a greater fervency of ſuch a Fire as to lick up all, ver. 33, 34. 4. Then betakes he to Prayer for fire, &c. 36, 37, 38. wherein, though the Prophets of Baal had cried loud, yet this Prophet of God cried louder, ſaying, [Hear me, O Lord, hear me,] well knowing that God, and not Baal, was the true Prayer-hearing God. N. B. The Baalites Prayers had been long and tedious to a deaf, dumb, and dunghil Deity, but Elijah's Prayer was ſhort and pithy, charging God with the care of his Covenant, of his Truth, and of his Glory: N. B. Nor did his twelve Stones for repairing the Altar, and his twelve Barrels of Water wherewith he filled the Altar and Trenches any leſs rebuke the Ten Tribes, for falling off from the Two in the Worſhip of God. N. B. This is beyond doubt, that his ſtrong Crys of Faith did reach the Throne of Grace, and ſoon diſcover to Iſrael, that Elijah's God was unlike Baal, neither talking, nor travelling, nor purſuing, nor ſleeping, not a God of ſuch a narrow Uunderſtanding, as unable to mind two things at once. But as he is the Creator, ſo the Governor of all things both in Heaven and Earth, and hath the command both of Fire and of Water at all times, and as an Evidence hereof at this time; he firſt ſends fire to conſume Elijah's Sacrifice, and not only to lick up the twelve Barrels of Water that filled the Trenches by that flaſh of fire, but after gives abundance of Water in a plentiful Rain alſo, to remove the Judgment of Drought and Famine; inſomuch, that when Iſrael ſaw the firſt Sign, that God had anſwer'd by Fire to the Prophet's Prayers▪ they cry out as fully [The Lord, and not Baal, is God, the Lord is God,] and he can give us Water as well as Fire, if our Sins hinder not. N. B. They might ſay, Oh well is it with us, that this fearful flaſh of fire hath not conſumed our own fleſh for our Idolatries, as it hath done the fleſh of the burnt Offering, and licked up our Blood, as it hath all the Water in the Trench, and ſo they might acknowledge God's Mercy, as they did his Power, twice over, ver. 39.
Remark the Sixth, is, the Execution of Juſtice upon Baal's Prophets, and the return of Rain, after a long Drought of Three Years and ſix Months, from ver. 40, to 46. wherein,
Mark 1. Elijah ſtrikes while the Iron is hot; he takes hold of this Opportunity, while the Peoples Hearts were warm with the freſh Conviction of this wonderful Miracle, and bids them take thoſe juggling Prieſts, and let not one of them eſcape, v. 40. and kill them at Kiſhon, that their Blood might help to fill that River, which their Idolatry had emptied by the Drought. N. B. All this Elijah might lawfully do at God's direction, and according to God's Law, Deut. 13.5. and 18.20. for which like Juſtice Jehu is afterwards commended, 2 Kings 10.28. and probably he had the conſent of the King, who found them Impoſtors, and was aſſured of Rain when this Work was done, &c. indeed, Luke 9.55. Our ſweet Saviour rebukes that over-hot Spirit, which would call Fire from Heaven to conſume ſuch as ſlighted him; this he ſaid was not ſuitable to the Goſpel of Peace, but Elijah was a Reſtorer of the Law, &c.
Mark 2. After this Execution of Juſtice, Elijah foretels Mercy was now coming, ver. 41. ſaying to Ahab, [Haſte thou from Kiſhon up to thy Tent on Carmel, and refreſh thy ſelf there after thy long faſting day: The chief cauſe of the Drought being now removed, God will ſend Rain, therefore go eat thy Bread with joy, and drink thy Wine with a chearful heart, &c. Eccleſ. 9.7. For [Col. Ha…non, &c. Hebr.] I hear a Wind whiſtling in the Heavens, and preſaging abundance of Rain. He heard this noiſe with the Ears of his Faith (ſaith Oſiander) when none elſe did hear it.
Mark 3. Ahab (now ſatisfied with news of Rain) goes up to his Repaſt, and Elijah goes up to his Prayer, ver. 42. minding more God's Glory in that great day's Work, than his own Refreſhment. Joſephus ſaith, He prayed ſitting; but 'tis otherwiſe expreſſed here, [He put his face between his knees,] the very poſture (ſaith Peter Martyr) wherein the Babe layeth in the Womb, with his Head between his Knees. N.B. This was a Geſture of his deep Humility, as unworthy to lift up his Eyes to God, of his remembrance with thankfulneſs, how he was brought to light from a miſerable beginning at his Birth, and now was about to be (as it were) born again after his three Years and half abſconding in the Womb of Providence: The Prophet prays for Rain in this poſture, which ſtrained all the ſtrings of his Head, Heart and whole Body, well knowing, though God had promiſed Rain, yet would he have his Prayer to fetch it; and therefore no wonder if the Apoſtle ſay▪ [He prayed earneſtly] James 5.17, 18. And though 'tis not told us what he prayed, yet this is Recorded, his Prayer was ſo earneſt, that he opened Heaven by that Key.
Mark 4. The Prophet, unwilling to break off his Prayer, ſends his Servant (which, Vatablus ſaith, was the Widow of Sarepta's Son) to watch the firſt riſe of a vaporous Cloud out of the Sea, ver. 43. Elijah had pray'd (ſaith Sanctius) that the Fire might deſcend immediately, for a ſpeedy freeing of his own Faith, and for ſatisfying a ſorrowful People then preſent; but he knew God would not ſo quickly give the Water of Rain, this muſt be waited and prayed for, leſt the Prophet ſhould grow proud thereupon, ſaith Menochius: And though the Prophet's Prayer was not preſently heard (for his Servant ſix ſeveral times returns without ſight of any Sign) yet he continues inſtant in Prayer.
Mark 5. At the ſeventh time the Sign appear'd to his Servant, ver. 44. N. B. What at firſt is not granted, by perſeverance may be obtained. We muſt wait patiently upon him, who waiteth wiſely upon us, Iſa. 30.18. to give us his gracious Mercy, when it will do us moſt good: N. B. God ſees it good ſometimes to ſuſpend his Mercy after ſix Motions, for the tryal of our Faith, and exerciſe of our Patience; but he fails not at the ſeventh, if we faint not, Luke 18.1, 5. Though at firſt but a little Cloud appears, God gives his grants of Mercy gradually, yet may that greatly increaſe, Zech. 4.10. Job 8.7.
Mark 6. Elijah (full glad of the firſt Anſwer of his Prayer in this ſmall ſign) ſends his Servant to Ahab with this good News, that the Rain, he long look'd for, was now on the Wing, and that if he haſtned not away, 'twould be before him: Ahab hereupon betakes himſelf to his Chariot: Elijah becomes his Lacquey, both to encourage the King in his well-begun Reformation, and to evidence his own Humility, notwithſtanding all his Power in opening and ſhutting Heaven, both for Fire and Water; and though he was now an old Man, Chap. 19.4. and faint with long Faſting and Prayer, as well as wearied with his Sacrifice, yet the Hand of God enabled him to out-run Ahab's Chariot, into which it may be wondred why the King did not hand him: He runs into Jezreel, not fearing Jezebel, to Preach (ſaith Peter Martyr) more Light to the People, &c. Thus have we two more Miracles of this Prophet; his Praying down Fire was his Fifth Miracle, and his Praying down Water (in the preſent great Rain) was his Sixth Miracle; this latter being as grateful, as the former was frightful, &c.