Then Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock." Then Ahab said to ObadiahThis phrase introduces two significant figures: Ahab, the king of Israel, and Obadiah, his servant. Ahab, known for his idolatry and marriage to Jezebel, represents a leadership that has turned away from God. Obadiah, whose name means "servant of Yahweh," is a devout believer working within a corrupt system. This juxtaposition highlights the tension between faithfulness to God and the pressures of worldly authority. Historically, Obadiah's role as a steward in Ahab's court suggests a position of influence, yet also of great personal risk, as he secretly protected the prophets of the Lord. Go throughout the land
Ahab's command to search the land underscores the severity of the drought in Israel, a divine judgment pronounced by Elijah. The Hebrew root for "go" (הלך, halak) implies a thorough and determined search, reflecting the desperation of the situation. This phrase also serves as a reminder of the land's covenantal significance to Israel, a land promised by God but now suffering due to the nation's unfaithfulness. to every spring and valley
The mention of "spring" (עין, ayin) and "valley" (נחל, nachal) indicates a search for water sources, vital for survival. Springs and valleys were often places of life and sustenance in the arid climate of Israel. Archaeologically, these locations were crucial for ancient settlements, and their mention here highlights the dire need for resources. Spiritually, this search can be seen as a metaphor for seeking God's provision in times of spiritual drought. Perhaps we will find grass
The word "perhaps" (אולי, ulay) conveys uncertainty and hope amidst desperation. Grass (חציר, chatsir) is a symbol of basic sustenance for livestock, and its scarcity reflects the broader crisis facing the nation. This phrase captures the human tendency to rely on natural solutions in times of crisis, often neglecting the need for spiritual repentance and reliance on God. to keep the horses and mules alive
Horses and mules were essential for transportation and military strength in ancient Israel. Their survival was crucial for maintaining the kingdom's power and stability. This focus on preserving animals over addressing the spiritual cause of the drought reveals Ahab's misplaced priorities. Historically, this reflects the broader theme of Israel's reliance on military might rather than divine protection. so that we will not have to destroy any livestock
The potential destruction of livestock (בהמה, behemah) signifies a significant economic and social loss. In the ancient Near East, livestock were a measure of wealth and prosperity. This phrase underscores the severity of the drought's impact on daily life. Spiritually, it serves as a call to consider the consequences of turning away from God, as material loss often accompanies spiritual decline. Persons / Places / Events 1. AhabThe king of Israel, known for his idolatry and marriage to Jezebel, which led Israel into sin. 2. ObadiahA devout believer in the Lord who served in Ahab's court. He feared the Lord greatly and protected the prophets of God. 3. Springs and ValleysThese are the locations Ahab instructed Obadiah to search for grass. They represent the natural resources of the land, which were scarce due to the drought. 4. LivestockThe animals that were essential for transportation, agriculture, and military strength. Their survival was crucial for the kingdom's economy and defense. 5. DroughtA severe drought was afflicting the land, a direct consequence of Israel's disobedience and idolatry, as prophesied by Elijah. Teaching Points Dependence on GodThe drought serves as a reminder of our dependence on God for provision. In times of scarcity, we must turn to Him rather than rely solely on human efforts. Faithfulness in Difficult TimesObadiah's role in Ahab's court shows that one can remain faithful to God even in ungodly environments. We are called to be lights in dark places. Consequences of DisobedienceThe drought was a direct result of Israel's idolatry. Our actions have consequences, and turning away from God leads to spiritual and sometimes physical drought. Stewardship of ResourcesAhab's concern for the livestock highlights the importance of stewardship. We are called to wisely manage the resources God has entrusted to us. Seeking God's WillIn times of crisis, we should seek God's will and direction, trusting that He will provide a way through the challenges we face. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Ahab's response to the drought reflect his spiritual state, and what can we learn from this about our own responses to crises? 2. In what ways can we remain faithful to God like Obadiah, even when surrounded by ungodliness? 3. How does the drought in 1 Kings 18 serve as a warning for us today regarding the consequences of turning away from God? 4. What are some practical ways we can be good stewards of the resources God has given us, especially in times of scarcity? 5. How can we apply the lessons from this passage to seek God's guidance and provision in our current life situations? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Kings 17The chapter preceding this event describes the beginning of the drought, which Elijah prophesied as a judgment from God. James 5:17-18This New Testament passage references Elijah's prayer for drought and rain, highlighting the power of prayer and God's response to righteousness. Deuteronomy 11:16-17These verses warn Israel of the consequences of turning away from God, including drought, which directly connects to the situation in 1 Kings 18. Psalm 104:10-14This passage speaks of God's provision through springs and grass, contrasting the current lack due to Israel's sin. People Ahab, Elijah, Isaac, Jacob, Jezebel, Jezreel, ObadiahPlaces Jezreel, Kishon River, Mount Carmel, Samaria, ZarephathTopics Able, Ahab, Alive, Animals, Beasts, Brooks, Cattle, Cut, Destroy, Destruction, Fountains, Grass, Hay, Horse, Horses, Kill, Lose, Maybe, Mule, Mules, Obadiah, Obadi'ah, Peradventure, Perhaps, Rivers, Save, Springs, Torrents, Transport, Valleys, WatersDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 18:5 4017 life, animal and plant
4460 grass 1 Kings 18:1-5 4823 famine, physical 1 Kings 18:1-6 5092 Elijah Library Obadiah
To the Young '... I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.--1 KINGS xviii.12. This Obadiah is one of the obscurer figures in the Old Testament. We never hear of him again, for there is no reason to accept the Jewish tradition which alleges that he was Obadiah the prophet. And yet how distinctly he stands out from the canvas, though he is only sketched with a few bold outlines! He is the 'governor over Ahab's house,' a kind of mayor of the palace, and probably the second man in the kingdom. But …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Trial by Fire
'And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose yon one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 27. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Elijah's Appeal to the Undecided
Now, we have these three classes here this morning. We have, I hope, a very large number who are on Jehovah's side, who fear God and serve him; we have a number who are on the side of the evil one, who make no profession of religion, and do not observe even the outward symptoms of it; because they are both inwardly and outwardly the servants of the evil one. But the great mass of my hearers belong to the third class--the waverers. Like empty clouds they are driven hither and thither by the wind; …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857 Obadiah; Or, Early Piety Eminent Piety
The Lord does not love that his servants, however great they are, should think lightly of their lesser comrades, and it occurs to me that he so arranged matters that Obadiah became important to Elijah when he had to face the wrathful king of Israel. The prophet is bidden to go and show himself to Ahab, and he does so; but he judges it better to begin by showing himself to the governor of his palace, that he may break the news to his master, and prepare him for the interview. Ahab was exasperated …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 30: 1884 The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament But Some one Will Say, Does He not Know Without a Monitor Both what Our...
But some one will say, Does he not know without a monitor both what our difficulties are, and what is meet for our interest, so that it seems in some measure superfluous to solicit him by our prayers, as if he were winking, or even sleeping, until aroused by the sound of our voice? [1] Those who argue thus attend not to the end for which the Lord taught us to pray. It was not so much for his sake as for ours. He wills indeed, as is just, that due honour be paid him by acknowledging that all which …
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith Selfishness and Prayer. A Contrast.
"So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees."--1 KINGS xviii. 42. WHAT A CONTRAST! And yet, both men were perfectly consistent. It is in each case what you would expect, and yet how differently it might have been. What a different story it would have been if only Ahab had listened to the teaching of God! How often we see men having chances of turning round and beginning a new …
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread The West Coast of Galilee-Carmel.
The people of Issachar had "Carmel and the river for their bounds in length": the people of Zabulon, "Carmel and the sea." Carmel was not so much one mountain as a mountainous country, containing almost the whole breadth of the land of Issachar, and a great part of that of Zabulon. It was, as it seems, a certain famous peak among many other mountain tops, known by the same name, lifted up and advanced above the rest. The promontory Carmel, in Pliny, and in the mountain a town of the same name, heretofore …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Ninth Sunday after Trinity. How Long Halt Ye Between Two Opinions? if the Lord be God, Follow Him; but if Baal, Then Follow Him.
How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. Was kinket ihr betrognen Seelen [106]Lehr. 1733. trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1855 Why halt thus, O deluded heart, Why waver longer in thy choice? Is it so hard to choose the part Offered by Heaven's entreating voice? Oh look with clearer eyes again, Nor strive to enter in, in vain. Press on! Remember, 'tis not Caesar's throne, Nor earthly honour, wealth or might Whereby God's favour shall be …
Catherine Winkworth—Lyra Germanica: The Christian Year Fall of the Western Empire (Ad 451-476)
The empire of the West was now fast sinking. One weak prince was at the head of it after another, and the spirit of the old Romans, who had conquered the world, had quite died out. Immense hosts of barbarous nations poured in from the North. The Goths, under Alaric, who took Rome by siege, in the reign of Honorius, have been already mentioned (p 93). Forty years later, Attila, king of the Huns, who was called "The scourge of God," kept both the East and the West in terror. In the year 451, he advanced …
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation Will the Knowledge that Some of Our Own are Lost, Mar Our Happiness in Heaven?
This is a difficult question to answer satisfactorily, on account of our instinctive feelings of natural affection, which arise, and, like a mist, obscure our judgment. Nevertheless, the difficulty is much lessened, and even entirely removed from some minds, at hast, by the following considerations. 1. Our happiness, even in this world, does not depend on the happiness of those who are bound to us by the ties of kindred or of friendship. This is especially the case when their unhappiness proceeds …
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion This was Antony's First Struggle against the Devil...
7. This was Antony's first struggle against the devil, or rather this victory was the Saviour's work in Antony [1005] , Who condemned sin in the flesh that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.' But neither did Antony, although the evil one had fallen, henceforth relax his care and despise him; nor did the enemy as though conquered cease to lay snares for him. For again he went round as a lion seeking some occasion against him. But Antony …
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius Upon Our Lord's SermonOn the Mount
Discourse 7 "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: And thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:16-18. 1. It has been the endeavour of Satan, from the beginning of the world, …
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The First Commandment
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' Exod 20: 3. Why is the commandment in the second person singular, Thou? Why does not God say, You shall have no other gods? Because the commandment concerns every one, and God would have each one take it as spoken to him by name. Though we are forward to take privileges to ourselves, yet we are apt to shift off duties from ourselves to others; therefore the commandment is in the second person, Thou and Thou, that every one may know that it is spoken to him, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Prayer
But I give myself unto prayer.' Psa 109: 4. I shall not here expatiate upon prayer, as it will be considered more fully in the Lord's prayer. It is one thing to pray, and another thing to be given to prayer: he who prays frequently, is said to be given to prayer; as he who often distributes alms, is said to be given to charity. Prayer is a glorious ordinance, it is the soul's trading with heaven. God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer. What is prayer? It is an offering …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Of Passages from the Holy Scriptures, and from the Apocrypha, which are Quoted, or Incidentally Illustrated, in the Institutes.
TO THE AUTHORS QUOTED IN THE INSTITUTES PREFATORY ADDRESS TO HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY, THE MOST MIGHTY AND ILLUSTRIOUS MONARCH, FRANCIS, KING OF THE FRENCH, HIS SOVEREIGN; [1] JOHN CALVIN PRAYS PEACE AND SALVATION IN CHRIST. [2] Sire,--When I first engaged in this work, nothing was farther from my thoughts than to write what should afterwards be presented to your Majesty. My intention was only to furnish a kind of rudiments, by which those who feel some interest in religion might be trained to …
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