08/17/2022 – Day 171 – 1 Kings 14 – 18 // A succession of evil kings and Elijah appears on the scene.
- As we read how the murderous spree of killing one evil king of Israel after another, murderer to be replaced by the next murderer, there is a total lack of repentance within the people.
- I am going to Matthew Henry’s commentary in Chapter 17 – Elijah’s introduction to us, commentary on verses 1 through 7:
- “The history of Elijah begins somewhat abuptly, Elijah drops (so to speak) out of the clouds, as if, like Melchisedek, here were without father, without mother, and without descent, which made some of the Jews fancy that he was an angel sent from heaven; but the apostle has assured us that he was a man subject to like passions as we are (James 5:17).”
And what a paradox with the ravens feeding Elijah!:
“Obadiah would gladly have entertained Elijah; but he was man by himself, a figure of John the Baptist whose mean was locusts and wild honey. If it be asked whence the ravens had this provision, how and where it was cooked, and whether they came honestly by it, we must answer , as Jacob did (Genesis 27:20). The Lord our God brought it to them. But why ravens? 1) They are birds of prey, more likely to have been taken his meat from him, or to be have picked out his eyes (Proverbs 30:17); but thus Samson’s riddle is again unriddled, Out of the eater comes forth meat. 2) They are unclean creatures. Every raven after his kind was, by the law, forbidden to be eaten (Leviticus 11,15), yet Elijah did not think the meat they brought ever the worse for that , but ate and gave thanks, asking no questions for consciense’ sake. 3) Ravens feed on insects and carrion themselves, yet they brought the prophet man’s meat and wholesome food. 4) Ravens could bring but a little , and broken meat, yet Elijah was thankful he was fed, though not feasted. 5) Ravens neglect their own young ones, and do not feed them; yet when God pleases they shall feed a prophet. 6) Ravens themselves fed by special providence (Job 38:41; Psalms 147:9) ; 9) and now they fed a prophet. “
Now let’s look at the story of the Widow at Zarephath, her son, and Elijah, :17: 7-24):
I pick it up the commentary after verse 18, where the woman asks Elijah: “What have you done against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son? Henry conjectures: “Perhaps she knew of Elijah’s intercession against Israel, and being conscious of her former worshipping of Baal, the god of the Sidonians, she apprehends he had made intercession against her.” From verse 21 commentary: “We do not read before this of any that were raised to life; yet Elijah, by a divine impulse, prays for the resurrection of this child, which yet will not warrant us to do like. David expected not, by fasting or prayer, to bring his child back to life (2 Samuel 12:23), but Elijah had the power to work miracles, David had not. …”
“He is very particular in his prayer: I pray thee let this child’s soul come into him again, which plainly supposes the existence of the soul in a state of separation from the body, and consequently its immortality, which Grotius thinks God designed by this miracle to give intimation and evidence of, for the encouragement of his suffering people.”
Chapter 18 – The showdown between God with his messenger Eliajah , against Baal and the 450 prophets of Baal is a classic that I still remember , complete with vivid color pictures , early in my Sunday School years. Fresh from the spectacle, note the people don’t hesitate following Elijah’s command to seize every last one of the false prophets, to which they obey, followed by the mass execution. But from the parting of the red sea miracle , how long was it before the people were worshipping a golden calf at Mount Sinai, at the same time that Moses was receiving the ten commndments from the Lord?
Soli Deo Gloria!