The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 424

speeohlees. His courage has soon evaporated. He who would accuse Elijah cannot defend himself. Though anointed king, he is weak and helpless (2 Sam. iii. 39) and owns hie subject his superior. How soon have they changed places I Ahal.: has been hunting for the prophet's life, has been vowing vengeance upon him if found. Now he has found him, and he trembles before him. And this because conscience has ma.de him e. coward. He knows in his inmost heart that Eiija: 1 has spoken the truth ; that God is on his side; and he is afraid of him, just as Saul, giant and king though he was, was afraid of the stripling David. And men am still afraid of a. true saint of God. They regard him with almost a superstitio~1s dread. Sometimes it is fanaticism they fellol'; but sometimes it is the holines.i which condemns their sinfulness (Luke v. 8). V. The king obeys the prophet's commancla. Elijah might be kin<> from the comma.nds he issues. "Send and gather to me ''-observe "to ~e "-" n.ll Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal," &c. Did A11ab know why they were wanted 'I Did Elijah then tell him of the ordeal by fire? It is extremely improbable. It is probable that, though Ahab hoped for rain, still he antieipn.tecl no good to his or Jezebel's prophets from this meeting. He would have disobeye,l this command if he dared. But he has found his master, and it is in the uncouth, untutored Gileadite. We are reminded of Herod and John, of Ambrose ancl Theodosius, of Savonarola and Lorenzo de' Medicis, of Mary of Scots and John Knox. At Elijah's bidding, his posts go throughout the land. The prophet has had a triumph already. Truth and the consciousness of right, and the power of God's presence, have proved greater than sceptre and crown. Vere. 21-40.-Israel's Conversi011,. It has been remarked elsewhere that in the history of the Israelitish people we may see pourtrayed the trials and expe- riences of a Christian soul. And not only is that true of this history as e. whole, bnt it also holcls good of various periods of that history, of various crises in the nation's life. It holds good of that great crisis recorded in this chapter. For from the conversion of Israel ou the day of Carmel, we may gather some lessons as to the true doctrine of conver- sion, the conversion of e. man from sin to righteousness, from the power of Sa.tau unto God. From the turning of their heart back again (vor. 37), we mn.y learn something as to the change to be wrought in our own. Let us consider, therefore- !. What it was. 2. How it was accomplished. 8. What were its results. I. WHAT IT WAS, It was- 1. .d change of mind, It was e. ,uravo,a, a change of thought and view. Of course it was more than this, but this it was pre-eminently and primarily. On that day of the Lord's power (Pae.. ex. 3) the views of king and people were altered. The king and conrt-e.nd Ahe.b we.a not without his ministers and courtiers to witness the ordeal-had many of them believed in Baal, and served him. It is true some had wavered (ver. 21) between Bae.I and Jehovah; but the people as a whole had held Ba.al to be Lord and God, prince of nature, source of life, not to the exclusion of Jehovah, but along with Him. The first thing for them to learn, oonsequently, was that an "idol is nothing in the worlu;" thn.t Bo.al was no morn the.n a log (eh. xv. 12), a senseless stock, powerless for good or evil. It is clea1· that Elijah's first object was to demonstro.te before this great convocation on Carmel the absolute impotence and nothingness of thoir idol deities. He bud been proving for three years past and more that Baal had no dominion over tho clouds; that he could not dische.rge that primary function of a God, viz., to control the course of nature, and give his votaries rain from bee.van and fruitful seasons (Levit. xxvi 4; Dent. xi. 17; 1 Sam. xii. 17; I Kings viii. 86; Psa. lxviii. 9; Jer. v. 24; Joel ii. 23; Amos iv. 7; Acts xiv. 17). And now ho offers to prove that Baal has as little power over the fire, the.t recognized emblem and property of Goel (Gen. iii. 24; Exod. :rix. 18; Levit. ix. 24; Dent. iv. 36); only known to men, according to an e.ncient tradition, because it had been stolen from hea.ven. He will also prove that the Lord whom he se_rves can give both fire and rain; ancl by these facts he will gain their understanclinge, the assent of their minds to the 486 THE FIRST DOOK OF KINGS. [clI. xvm. 1-46.