why did the prophets of baal cut themselves

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 all the people came near unto him. Though ten of the tribes had revolted to Baal, he would look upon them as belonging to God still, by virtue of the ancient covenant with their fathers: and, though those ten were unhappily divided from the other two in civil interest, yet in the worship of the God of Israel they had communion with each other, and they twelve were one. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Why did Elijah kill the prophets of Baal? Had it been true that he was the troubler of Israel, Ahab, as king, would have been bound to animadvert upon him. Elijah now came to bring blessings to Israel, tidings of the return of the rain; yet he was thus affronted. Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. (4.) Deserters must not look for God's favour till they return to their allegiance. King Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the king's palace. 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. Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'? 2. I incline to this because we find, when they came together, Elijah, knowing what Ahab wanted him for, appointed him to meet him on Mount Carmel, and Ahab complied with the appointment, though Elijah took such a way to revoke the sentence and bless the land as perhaps he little thought of. No one answered; no one paid attention" (v. 29 ESV).. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. God and Elijah were honoured, 1 Kings 18:21-39. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. A fight to the finish. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. A good answer provides new insight and perspective. 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. 41Then Elijah said to Ahab, Now, go, eat, and drink, because a heavy rain is coming. 42So King Ahab went to eat and drink. This happened seven times. 25:3146). (1.) The priests and the Levites had all gone to Judah and Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 11:13; 2 Chronicles 11:14), but, instead of them, God raised up these prophets, who read and expounded the law in private meetings, or in the families that retained their integrity, for we read not of any synagogues at this time; they had not the spirit of prophecy as Elijah, nor did they offer sacrifice, or burn incense, but taught people to live well, and keep close to the God of Israel. He mentions this, not in pride or ostentation, but to convince Elijah that though he was Ahab's servant he was not in his interest, and therefore deserved not to be bantered as one of the tools of his persecution. The people must be brought to repent and reform, and then they may look for the removal of the judgment, but not till then. 4. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient. Yet his guilty conscience gave him little reason to hope for it, but, rather, to fear some other more dreadful judgment. 45After a short time the sky was covered with dark clouds. 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. Why did the prophets of Baal cut themselves (1 Kings 18:28) Context: 1 Kings 18:27-28 New International Version (NIV) 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. The long drought was over, and it was demonstrated that the prayers of Elijah both withheld the rain and then subsequently brought the rain. 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. Now God made those who said they were Jews and were not, but were of the synagogue of Satan, to come, and, in effect, to worship at his feet, and to know that God had loved him,Revelation 3:9. Micah 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? He went in quest of grass, and found him from whose word, at God's mouth, he must expect rain. See Luke 1:16; Luke 1:17. Also bring the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebels table.. How did the prophets tithe and to whom? 13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 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. He maketh fire come down from heaven in the sight of men and so deceiveth them,Revelation 13:13; Revelation 13:14. The Baalites are forced to give up their cause, and now it is Elijah's turn to produce his. He himself retired to pray (for though God had promised rain, he must ask it, Zechariah 10:1), and to give thanks for God's answer by fire, now hoping for an answer by water. Start FREE. Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army. As one having authority immediately from the King of kings, he ordered a convention of the states to be forthwith summoned to meet at Mount Carmel, where there had been an altar built to God, 1 Kings 18:30; 1 Kings 18:30. (1.) 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. " By afternoon, worshippers of Baal were cutting themselves up and ripping off their clothes, writhing in unspeakable suicidal frustration.When he called on them to shout and wake up . e. Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you: This was a word of faith from Elijah to Ahab. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. For the nations around Israel, Baal was the rider of the clouds, who brought the rains and blessed the earth.When Baal showed up, the heavens rained oil, the rivers ran with honey, mothers gave birth to healthy children, and even the dead could be raised. V. Elijah hereupon hastened Ahab home, and attended him himself. And nothing can't answer you when you call out to it! Community answers are sorted based on votes. Elijah was no priest, nor were his attendants Levites. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Let us see if he speed better. Wasnt killing too severe a punishment for the prophets of Baal? 13Havent you been told what I did? Two things he pleads here:-- (1.) Choose a bull and prepare it. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Nay (1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 18:13), Was it not told my lord how I hid the prophets? In Pauls opinion, love of money wounds the worshiper, woos them away from the faith, and wells up in all sorts of other evils. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. V. The return of the mercy of rain, at the word of Elijah, 1 Kings 18:41-46. 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. 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. IV. Ahab and the people expected that Elijah would, in this solemn assembly, bless the land, and pray for rain; but he had other work to do first. Bread and water were now scarce commodities, yet Obadiah will find a competence of both for God's prophets, to keep them alive for service hereafter, though now they were laid aside. And now, 1. It is a chapter in which are many things very observable. Elijah's Trial of the False Prophets; the Destruction of Baal's Prophets. Such was Elijah's zeal, no doubt, against the idolatry of Baal, and such his compassion to his people, that he thought it long to be thus confined to a corner; yet he appeared not till God bade him: "Go and show thyself to Ahab, for now thy hour has come, even the time to favour Israel." Like madmen they cut themselves in pieces with knives and lancets (1 Kings 18:28; 1 Kings 18:28) for vexation that they were not . The Bible states that during the encounter with Elijah the prophets of Baal, "And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them." ( 1 Kings 18:28 ) Where Do We See God's Power over Baal? 6:9). Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. The Character of Obadiah; Elijah's Interview with Obadiah. He pleads that he did not deserve to be thus exposed, and put in peril of his life: What have I said amiss?1 Kings 18:9; 1 Kings 18:9. God expressly forbade his worshippers to cut themselves, Deuteronomy 14:1. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Baal was chief of the Canaanite gods. Providence ordered it so, that Ahab might, with his own eyes, see how bad the consequences of this judgment were, that so he might be the better inclined to hearken to Elijah, who would direct him into the only way to put an end to it. "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." 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