The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 437

Vere. 30-35.-The Preparation. As the time of the evening saorifioe approached, Elijah left the priests of Baal prophesying in despair. Satan, if permitted, could have brought :fire down (see Job i. 12, 16; Rev. xiii 13, 14) ; but God restrained !iim. The people were now convinced that Baal was not able to hear hie priests ; so they ~rew round Elijah, and observed the order in which he proceeded with his preparation. I. HE REPAIRED THE ALTAR OF THE LORD. 1. Then there had been an altar of the Lord on Carmel. (1) Some great man, as Abraham or Samuel, had built an altar there. Its relics remained a memorial of the piety of earlier times. Influence for good or evil is posthwnous. (2) This mount was, in consequence, reputed as holy. Perhaps this determined Elijah in his choice. Holy places were formerly more important than they are under this spiritual dispensation (see Mal. i. 11 ; John iv. 20-24; 1 Tim. ii. 8). 2. But this altar had been "broken down." (1) Not only bad it fallen into decay, but it had suffered from the band of violence. Probably this was one of the sad evidences of the wicked zeal of Jezebel. It was significant of the apostasy of the times (see eh. xi.x. 14; Rom. xi. 2, 8). Idolatry wa.s in favour at court; courtiers therefore favoured it; so did the multitude who followed the fashions. (2) Such influences still are potent. Idolatrous fashions in dress. In furniture. Even in religion. 3. Elijah would not use the altar used by the priests of Baal. (1) The service of Jehovah must be pure. It must not be contaminated by the remotest connection with idolatrous abominations. Let us search our hearts (see 2 Cor. vi. 15-18). (2) In repairing the disused altar of Jehovah, Elijah showed that his was no new religion, but that of the fathers of the nation. So he significantly rebuked the apostasy. 4. Twewe stones were employed in the repairs. (1) This was" according to the number of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name." This was done to show that, though ten of the tribes had separated from the house of David, still, in worship there sbould be no division (see Gen. xxxii. 28; Exod. xxiv. 4; Josh. iv. 5, 20). (2) "The twelve stones being for the twelve tribes were the mystical body of Him who was their sacrifice and altar both, or who offered His own body, and suffered in it, and who was promised to be accepted in the name t,,N,i!") Israel, i.e. (1~ 1) pleasing to, right with, or upright before (?N) the Lord" (see Matt. iii. 17). But (3) It was also prophetic of the healing of all schisms in the mystical body of Christ in the happy time to come (see Ezek. xxxvii. 21, 22). (4) All this the prophet did" in the name of the Lord" (ver. 32). By His direction; therefore with notable significance. For His glory. And since God so expressly authorized such a deviation from the Levitico,l law, does H not indicate that that law bad its principal value in its typical teaching, and that when the antitypes came it should pass away? (See Col. ii. 22; Heh. viii. 13.) II. HE PREPARED THE SACRIFICE. 1. "He put the wood in order.'' (1) Why did he not dispense with the wood? The celestial :fire certainly did not need it, for it fell upon the sacrifice before it touched the wood, e.nd was so fervent that nothing could stand before it. Stones and dust could no more resist ~t tl_inn wood. Had the wood been intended for fuel, would the prophet have overflowed it with water? (2) The order was usual in sacrifices. It was observed for typical purposes. The holocaust was a type of Christ, our Sacrifice, who, when consumed in the holy fu·es of the Godhead on the altar of Calvary, was laid on the wood of the Cross. 2. Ho poured water upon the sacrifice. (1) He poured it in great quanti_ty o.nd with much deliberation, for in preparing the altar he dug a trench to receive the over- flow (vers. 32-35). The water probably co.me from a deep well-spring in the mountain side rather than from the Kishon. The Mediterranean seems out of the question. Josephus states the well to have been the souroe. (Ant. viii: 13). (2) [t was connyed in four bo.rrels, and these were :filled and emptied three trmes, thus making twelve, Here e,gain we meet with the nwnber of the tribes of Israel. cu. xvm. 1-46.] THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 447