Chapter 170. 1 Kings 18:1-201And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. 3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: 4For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. 6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? 8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 10As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. 11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth. 13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. 15And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day. 16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 18And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 20So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18:1‑20) Obadiah.
WHILE Elijah remained in the widow’s house at Zarephath, and there was fed and cared for by the Lord, the famine was great in the land of Israel. The people who had forsaken God were reminded of their dependence upon Him. They knew, or should have known, that, as long as they were faithful, God would send them rain and the blessings connected with it, but they were hardened and indifferent and their wicked king Ahab led them further from God and to the worship of the idol Baal.
God, however, loved this wayward people and if one means did not bring them back, He must try another. He commanded Elijah to go to Ahab to tell him that God would send rain upon the earth. The prophet obeyed without fear, although he knew that Ahab wished to kill him. He had learned, when alone with God at the brook Cherith, and in the widow’s house, something of the goodness and power of God and could come back to Israel in boldness and faith.
The lack of rain had dried up everything in the land; the grass was burned up and the cattle and horses were dying of hunger. The king called Obadiah, the governor of his house, and said to him, “Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks; perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.”
Obadiah went one way, and Ahab another looking for grass for the cattle. Obadiah was not like his master, but he feared God greatly. When the wicked queen Jezebel had commanded all the priests of the Lord to be killed, he had secretly hidden one hundred of them by fifties in a cave. There he brought them bread and water that they might not die. He exposed himself to the anger of the queen for the Lord’s sake, and the Lord did not forget the work of his servant.
While on his way, Obadiah met Elijah. When he saw him and recognized him, he fell on his face to do him reverence and said, “Art thou my lord Elijah?” The prophet told him to go and tell Ahab he had come. Obadiah was afraid at first. He did not know God as Elijah did. He had not been alone with Him as the prophet had, and could not have learned His blessed ways and, heart of love in Ahab’s house where he lived. And it is just so with the child of God; there may be the fear of God in his heart (and that is the beginning of wisdom), but the knowledge of God’s heart can only be learned in His presence, apart from the world and its ways.
Elijah reassured Obadiah and promised he would not be carried away while Obadiah had gone to call Ahab as the governor feared, but would wait and surely show himself to Ahab that day.
Obadiah went and soon brought back the king who, when he saw the prophet, said to him, “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” He had no sense of his guilt before God, and felt only hatred. toward God’s messenger. Elijah answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but thou, and thy father’s house, because ye have forsaken the Lord and turned to Baal. Send for the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at the queen’s table.” Ahab dared not disobey God’s command and went tb do as he was bidden.
Obadiah’s devotion to the Lord under such trying circumstances, may well encourage us to seek for occasions to give the cup of cold water to the thirsty ones of the Lord’s people, and if like this servant of old, we are weak in faith, may we in the secret of God’s presence seek for strength, and a greater knowledge of Himself.
ML 12/31/1916