First Kings

18:1-19

The Ministry of Elijah the Prophet (part 2): Confrontation with Ahab

by

Jim Bordwine, ThD

Introduction

Throughout the Bible, there are a number of events recorded in which the servant of God is vastly outnumbered or greatly outmatched by an opponent. For example, think of Noah against the world of his day. With the exception of his own family, this man faced the hostility of everyone around him. Consider also the experience of Moses against Pharaoh. Before leaving the people out of captivity, Moses had to face one of the most powerful men in the world at that time. By God’s command, Moses was not allowed to negotiate; instead he was sent to demand Pharaoh’s cooperation.

We also read of Joshua leading the inexperienced Israelites into the promised land where they would encounter fierce opposition and battle-hardened opponents. And, of course, one of the most famous stories in this category is that of young David who faced Goliath. These are just a few of the stories that could be referred to as we consider how often God does His work through what appear to be insurmountable obstacles.

Currently, we are looking at the ministry of Elijah, the prophet sent to confront king Ahab. The writer of First Kings introduces Elijah through three short stories, which demonstrate his character. As we saw last week, Elijah spent a considerable amount of time with a widow. During that period, he manifested the power of God in unmistakable ways. Eventually, as we will see today, Elijah was ordered to confront Ahab concerning his wickedness. Here, therefore, we have another example of God sending a single man to confront a powerful and ruthless ruler. Once again, God’s servant will be outnumbered and face an opponent of almost unlimited resources.

We will return to our study of the book the first Kings; our focus this morning will be on chapter 18, and the first 19 verses. This passage finds the king desperately trying to preserve his livestock. The drought predicted by Elijah has become severe. During this time, Ahab comes face to face with Elijah.

01. Ahab’s Search (vv. 1-6)

1 Kings 18:1 Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly; 4 for when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) 5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to kill some of the cattle.” 6 So they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself.

The writer does not say how long Elijah stayed with the widow, but at some point the LORD commanded the prophet to go again to Ahab. God says that He is planning to send rain after the lengthy drought. The reference to “the third year,” appears to be made in regard to the time that has passed sense Elijah was called by the LORD.

Elijah is told specifically to show himself to Ahab. The point is, I believe, that a definitive confrontation is on the horizon, and the king needs to understand exactly who has caused the drought and who has the power to end it. Therefore, rather than simply allowing Ahab to hear that Elijah has come out into the open, the prophet is commanded to make himself known in the presence of the king.

The second verse confirms that Elijah departed to do as the LORD instructed. And then the writer makes this note: “now the famine was severe in Samaria.” Based on the previous reference, there has been no rain in this region for three years. As I noted last week, a drought of this magnitude would result in massive destruction, including the starvation of people and animals.

At this point, Obadiah is introduced into the story. It appears that he was the chief servant in the household of Ahab. The text states that this man “feared the LORD greatly.” This is an interesting fact to discover. Ahab, as we know, was thoroughly corrupt and we might not expect to find a Godly man in such an important position. But this situation emphasizes the truth that God does have His people in all kinds of places. The faith described in the Bible centers primarily on the inner disposition of a man, not on his outer appearance. This is one of the great and wise advantages to the gospel. The conformity God requires is of the heart, and external things mean very little in terms of our acceptability before Him. Obadiah, therefore, could be a true worshiper of Jehovah and not be “discovered,” so to speak.

This man is distinguished by an act he performed to save the lives of 100 prophets of God. To protect these men from Jezebel, Obadiah hid them in caves and provided bread and water to keep them alive. And keep in mind this was done during the intense dropped, just when basic necessities like bread and water would have been particularly scarce. This action would have put Obadiah in great jeopardy, of course.

As the story continues, Ahab orders Obadiah to join him in searching for water and grass, so that some of the animals might be kept alive. The fact that the king took responsibility for a major part of this survey indicates the severity of the circumstance. His kingdom is at stake. Even with his great power and influence, he cannot make rain fall from the sky. As I noted, therefore, the situation has become critical, just as God intended, of course. And now it is time for Elijah to appear on the scene. The stage has been set for a major clash between Ahab and the prophet of God.

During the many years that I have been involved in the ministry, I have learned something significant about the way in which God brings pressure to bear on people. When we think of God punishing someone or even disciplining one of His own children, we typically expect to hear about something obvious—sickness, injury, or the loss of something important. I have observed, however, that this is not the routine way in which God conducts Himself. It is far more likely that God will change a circumstance here or there and the consequences of that change bring tremendous force against the one who has sinned. God knows exactly where to apply pressure and it is often something quite subtle.

Take this story, for example. God did not strike down the king, nor did He send a plague. The LORD simply withheld rain. In this instance, there were no earthquakes and no grand demonstrations of God’s power. Instead, He took something routine, yet something essential, and changed it for a period of time. The result was catastrophic and threatened the survival of this kingdom. Something as simple as a prolonged dry spell brought Ahab to the point of desperation.

02. Obadiah’s Fear (vv. 7-16)

7 And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” 8 And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’“ 9 And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? 10 As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they would say, ‘He is not here,’ he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. 11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”‘ 12 And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth. 13 Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water? 14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here” ‘; and he will kill me.”

After departing from Ahab, Obadiah meets Elijah and recognizes him. In an act of homage, Obadiah fell on his face before the prophet. Obviously, these men already knew one another and, as later words from Obadiah indicate, he was aware of some aspects of Elijah’s unusual ministry. Elijah immediately announces the reason for his arrival: “Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’” That short message will be sufficient to signal a coming confrontation between Elijah and Ahab.

Obadiah, however, jumps to an erroneous conclusion. He assumes that the presence of Elijah means the soon coming of God’s wrath. In particular, he fears that the prophet’s arrival means personal judgment for him (“How have I sinned?”). Obadiah knows that the king has been searching for Elijah near and far; the king has even been requiring an oath from those kingdoms and nations in which he has searched if, in fact, they claim Elijah is not within their borders. Under the circumstances, Obadiah does not want to be the man who brings news of Elijah’s return. The reason behind his fear, however, is a bit unusual. As mentioned before, Obadiah seems to have some knowledge of Elijah’s unique ministry. Therefore, he thinks that as soon as he tells Ahab that Elijah has returned, the prophet will disappear and he will be killed.

Take note of how Obadiah expresses this concern: “As soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the LORD will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me . . .” Obadiah was apparently aware of previous incidents in which Elijah seemed to disappear, moving from one place to another rapidly. He worries that after hearing the report about the Elijah’s return, the same thing will happen and the king will be angry when the report turns out to be false.

At this point, Obadiah offers his record of service to Jehovah as reason that he should not be put into this precarious position (v. 12). He had feared the LORD from his youngest days. Obadiah also makes reference to the incident mentioned earlier by the writer. He wonders if Elijah was aware of how he had protected God’s prophets from Jezebel. In light of his longstanding devotion and recent risking of his life for the sake of God’s servants, Obadiah believes he should be shown a measure of favor. “But,” he repeats, “if I do what you say and tell Ahab, ‘Behold, Elijah is here,’ he will kill me.”

I find this reaction from Obadiah puzzling. He seems excessively interested in preserving his own life, although he is described as a man devoted to the LORD. I imagine that the evil disposition of Ahab had something to do with Obadiah’s fear. He knew that the king was a man given to rage and the punishment of others for his disappointments. It would not be a stretch, therefore, to imagine Ahab lashing out at Obadiah simply because of his anger if Elijah were not where the king expects him to be.

We have heard the phrase, “shooting the messenger.” It refers to the fact that communications, especially in times of battle, were often conveyed by human envoys. An enemy desiring to propose terms of surrender, for example, might send that word by one of his subordinates to the leader of the other side. More than once, the messenger, who merely delivered the words of his superior, was punished or even executed by the man to whom he was sent. The anger of the leader receiving the proposal could not be vented on his enemy immediately, so it was sometimes vented on the poor envoy. This is what Obadiah fears.

Knowing what the LORD said earlier, Elijah assures Obadiah that he will in fact be present:

15 And Elijah said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.

Elijah binds himself by oath. Obadiah’s concerns are without foundation, therefore. The prophet will meet Ahab because that is what the LORD has ordered him to do. Obadiah then takes the message to Ahab and the king comes to meet Elijah.

03. Elijah’s Accusation (vv. 17-19)

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Finally, Ahab and Elijah come face to face once again. The king’s perspective is typical of those who engage in wickedness while never taking note of their responsibility for distressing circumstances. Elijah, who has made declarations on behalf of the LORD, is described as a “troubler.” The prophet, in fact, is merely the messenger from God. Ahab is, therefore, accusing Jehovah of troubling the nation! Had he not been confronted over his transgressions, the king would have no such opinion; but when he is challenged regarding what he has done to the people, he lashes out seeking to blame someone else.

Elijah, of course, knows the truth. Ahab is only the last in a line of men who have led the nation in disobeying God’s laws, even to the point of facilitating the most destructive kinds of behavior. “You are the troubler of Israel,” Elijah counters, “you and your father’s house.” Idolatry, the most vile of all offenses, is the chief characteristic of Ahab’s rule. That which offends God most has come to permeate the entire nation—and that, thanks to Ahab.

God has not left Himself without testimony to His extreme displeasure. He has withheld rain for three long years. The amount of suffering cannot be calculated. Nevertheless, Ahab has shown no signs of discernment, and certainly no evidence of repentance. He is blinded by his self-righteousness and conviction that there is no authority to which he must be accountable. Therefore, once again, he hurls that accusation at Elijah, as if the prophet is responsible for bringing this misery upon the land.

The courage and determination of Elijah are illustrated when he demands a confrontation. He intends to face the people and the prophets of the false gods. The implication, of course, is that only one side will survive; only one side will be proven to be the most powerful.

Application

This story puts before us one obvious point of application, which has to do with the inevitable outcome of sin. Some point, accountability is required. The duration of sinful behavior may vary, that is, you may follow a sinful pattern for your entire life or there may be a much shorter period of disobedience on your part, but the one unavoidable truth related to all said and is that accountability will come.

Ahab the king, no matter what he gained and no matter how clever he may have been, was destined to be called to account. In this case, his sinful conduct lasted throughout his entire reign over Israel. Like those before him, the amount of destruction, both temporal and spiritual, is beyond estimation. In time, however, Elijah appeared to challenge the king in a way he had never experienced.

Ahab’s life illustrates two fundamental facts about the nature of sin. First, sin never rests. It eats away at you, doing all it can to tear down your resistance. Second, the longer a pattern of sand is allowed to exist, the greater the chance that you will never escape its grip. These are facts about sin that have led to much misery and collateral damage in the lives of countless numbers of God’s people. Like the king in this story, so many Christians have believed they could master sin only to become a slave to sin.

Ahab continued in disobedience before the LORD assuming he could live as he pleased. We have come to the point in the story where that idea is being revealed as nothing but self-deception.

I would encourage every person here today to consider the character of your life. Regardless of your age, you are accountable for your thinking and behavior. At present, you may be in a situation where a particular sin has recently gained control over you. Or you may be a pattern of sin that has gone on for months or even years. Whenever the case, understand that sin will not let up and it will not abandon its goal of destroying your testimony as a Christian. Understand also, that God holds you accountable.

Do not, therefore, allow another day to pass before you confront this sin with the Word of God and the help of the Holy Spirit. With all your heart, seek repentance and God will grant it. Let the example of Ahab alert you to the truth that God does not overlook sin.

A second point application suggested by the story has to do with blaming another for your transgressions. When Elijah stood before the king, Ahab referred to him as the “troubler” of Israel, as if the prophet were responsible for the hand of God that was pressing down on the nation. It was not the sin of the Elijah for which the displeasure of the LORD was being manifested. It was, as we know, the sin of Ahab. He is the one that turned away from the laws of God and encouraged idolatry.

When the man of God came, however, Ahab accused him of being the cause of God’s judgment. The king was so overcome by sin that he was ready to blame a righteous man for his wicked behavior. God, of course, keeps perfect records, so Ahab’s ploy was easily recognized for the lie it was.

Let me emphasize that you will gain nothing by trying to blame someone else for your sin. You cannot excuse your disobedience by pointing to a word or action of someone else. Even when that person may have sinned themselves, you may not seek to excuse your disobedience as if you were somehow forced to act contrary to God’s holy standard.

This routine of excusing sin by pointing to someone else or some other circumstance is quite common in the church. We gossip about someone else’s gossip. We repeat information that harms someone’s reputation and we justify ourselves by pretending there’s nothing wrong about sharing facts if they’re true.

I can assure you that this kind of behavior is not acceptable in the eyes of God. I can assure you that He wants you to accept responsibility for your sin and He does not want you to engage in the destruction of another person in order to take the focus off yourself. If you do behave this way, you have only compounded your sin.

Conclusion

The last thing I talked about in the sermon was the practice of blamed another for our sin. There is one instance in which this kind of behavior is acceptable before the LORD. That one instance, of course, has to do with the transfer of our guilt to our Savior, as our Substitute, He was blamed for our sin, so to speak, and He suffered the just penalty for our seven on the cross.

This sacrament this morning before just the opportunity to meditate on that truth. And as we do, we must thank Him for His sacrifice on our behalf, and we must ask Him to sustain us in this life, to deliver us from all temptation, and to continue His work of perfecting us by His Spirit.

Matt. 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”