1 1. And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and 2 I will send rain upon the earth. 2. And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. sick that there was no breath in him." The results were two. (1) The mother's faith was confirmed that Elijah was a man of God, and she kept him from the searching eyes of his enemies. (2) Elijah's own faith was strengthened for his further work. And now the time had arrived for him to come forth from his hiding-place and enter upon his work for the salvation of the people. EXPLANATORY. 1. The Work of the Famine Done. — Vers. 1, 2. 1. The word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year. Not the third year from the commencement of the drought, but in the third year of his sojourn with the widow. The whole period of drought was three years and a half (Luke 4:25; Jas. 5:17); of this, probably about one year was passed by Elijah in the torrent-course of Cherith, which, without fresh rains, must have dried up in that space, and two years and a half at Sarepta. - · Cook. Go, shew thyself unto Ahab. As the interdict had been placed on the land in Ahab's presence, by direct announcement to him, so it was fitting that it should be removed in the same way. — Cook. Had Elijah now conferred with flesh and blood, this would have seemed to him like a command to plunge into the raging waves of the sea, or to walk into a lion's den. He had to present himself to a wicked and idolatrous king, a tyrant armed with despotic power, whose personal enmity against him had been increasing for at least three years and a half, and had been doubly aggravated by the distress of the country, of which Elijah was reputed to be the author. During all this time, Ahab, had been intent upon apprehending him. If the wrath of a king be as messengers of death, what had Elijah to expect from such a king as Ahab? And yet he receives the brief and positive direction, "Go, shew thyself unto him!' But let no one suppose that our Lord ever expects what is above human nature from any of his children, without imparting, at the same time, sufficient grace and strength for the purpose. He leads none of his children into the valley of the shadow of death without becoming to them their rod and staff. Thus Elijah, on this arduous path of faith, was supported by the promise," I will send rain upon the earth." He could depart from Zarephath as a messenger of joy, and carry a blessing with him; he could be cheered by the assurance of his commission to announce the return of rain, and by the hope that many would at length give up their hateful idolatry and humble themselves before the God of their fathers. - Krummacher. 2. A sore (or grievous) famine in Samaria. The whole country around the capital. The effect of a three years' drought would be to reduce the entire people to the verge of starvation. The severity of the famine was no doubt mitigated, as on a former occasion (Gen. 41:57), by the importation of corn from Egypt.- Pulpit Com. All was dry, and parched, and barren, and the face of the earth seemed to have been burnt up by the wrath of God. No traces of the products or the labors of the field were to be seen; cultivation had ceased. All seemed solitary. Men had no business to bring them abroad, and they remained at home musing in their cottages, or crouching about the market-places, which trade had by this time almost forsaken. Even the birds had abandoned the land which afforded no nour ishment, except only the screaming fowl that fed on dead creatures, and they found no lack. Even the cattle had disappeared. The shepherd, tending his sheep and goats, was seen no longer; and the herds of neat cattle, which once enlivened the scene, had altogether disappeared, for there was no more pasture. - Kitto. The agony of distress had now risen to such a pitch that throughout the land there was one earnest, plaintive cry for life. to be They THE MORAL EFFECTS OF THE FAMINE. (1) It would lead the people to distrust Baal. He, the source of life, was unable to supply their wants when Jehovah forbade the rain and dew to come. (2) It would make them realize their sin in departing from God. would here read such places in their Bible as Deut. 28. There is nothing like the terrible results of sin to make men feel the evil of sin. (3) It would lead the people, therefore, to a repentant and humble state of mind. (4) It would enable even Ahab to resist the influ ence of Jezebel for a time, so that he would no longer persecute God's people. (5) It 3. And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly : 4. For 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.) 5. And 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. would lead the people to seek for some remedy. Some would seek help from nature, as Ahab did. Some would call upon God. The minds of all were being prepared for a return to true religion. — P. II. The Vain Search for Help.-Vers. 3-6. Ahab was a great and renowned king. He lived in splendor; he was surrounded with magnificent palaces and temples in his two capitals. He was a great warrior. He had a most beautiful, though artful queen. No wonder he hesitated to yield to an unknown prophet. He therefore made one more effort on a large scale to obtain food and water without the aid of God, and the true way out of his trouble, repentance, confession, and forsaking his sin. — P. 3. Ahab called (rather, had called) Obadiah. Obadiah's name indicates his religious character. It means "servant of Jehovah." - Cook. Which was the governor of his house. That is, he was in charge of the royal household, a kind of lord high chamberlain, or mayor of the palace. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. That is, he was deeply and devoutly religious. "Fear" does not mean in such connections as this that he was "afraid of "God, but he revered and served God. A loving, trusting awe and reverence. P. Ahab could scarcely have been ignorant of Obadiah's faithfulness to Jehovah. Cook. It is quite probable that it was because of his religion that he occupied this post of trust. Ahab could depend on his fidelity and conscientiousness. — Pulpit Com. Obadiah was religious (1) in a time of general declension. He went against wind and tide. (2) In a very difficult place, the very centre of idolatry, a frivolous, idolatrous, licentious court. (3) He was very religious. Only a man of strong religious convictions could maintain his religion under such circumstances. But the very difficulties made a strong man stronger, and a good man better. 4. For it was so. The writer now gives an instance in proof of Obadiah's character. When Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord. It is extremely probable that this work of extermination was begun as an act of reprisals for the drought denounced by Elijah. Ver. 13 almost implies that it had taken place during his absence. Spence. Prophets of the Lord. Not men endowed with the extraordinary gifts of the prophetic office, but who were devoted to the service of God, preaching, praying, teaching, etc. (1 Sam. 10: 10).– J., F. and B. An hundred prophets. That we find so large a number still in the land, notwithstanding the exodus (2 Chron. 11:16), and the steady growth of impiety, shows that God had not left himself without witnesses. Spence. Hid them by fifty in a cave. Probably the division into two companies was partly for the sake of security, and partly for the sake of convenience. The greater the number to be fed, the greater the chance of detection. Compare also Jacob's precautions (Gen. 32: 7, 8). It has been suggested that these caves were in the sides of Mt. Carmel; there are large caves under the western cliffs. Stanley. But this is mere guess-work, as Palestine, being of limestone formation, abounds in caverns (see Stanley, S. and P., pp. 151, 152).—Pulpit Com. Bread and water. That is, food and drink. - 5. Go... unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks. Rather, "to all springs of water and to all torrent-courses." The ": "fountains " or 'springs" are the perennial streams; the "brooks" are the torrent-courses, which become dry in an ordinary summer. Ahab hoped that even in the latter there might be occasional moist places where fodder might be found. Cook. To save the horses and mules alive. It has been inferred from Ahab's concern for his stud that he viewed the sufferings of his subjects with comparative indifference, or at least regarded them as of altogether secondary importance. But this is a too hasty conclusion. His subjects were, for the most part, as well able to find water for themselves as he was for them, and he might safely trust to their instinct of self-preservation to do their best to meet the emergency. But the dumb cattle, confined to the stall, could not act for themselves. Hence this expedition in search of fodder. — Pulpit Com. 6. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7. And 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? 8. And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 9. And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 10. As 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. II. And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy Lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 12. And 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. 6. So they divided the land between them. They separated, so as to lose no time in the search. As Elijah, in coming into Zarephath, would naturally approach from the north, and it was Obadiah that met him, probably Obadiah undertook to search the northern part of the country and Ahab the southern.. Todd. Ahab went one way. The point of departure was probably the city of Jezreel, for Ahab seems to have been residing there at that time (ver. 46). - Todd. This personal inspection by the king and one of his chief officers marks the extreme straits to which the Israelites were now reduced. Rawlinson. The difference, however, between an Eastern and an European monarch must not be overlooked. None (of the emirs of Arabia or the chiefs of Central Asia) think it beneath them to lead an expedition in search of grass or water. — Kitto. III. Obadiah Meets Elijah. - Vers. 7-16. 7. As Obadiah was in the way. North-west from Jezreel; probably on the slopes of the Carmel range, along which Elijah would come from Zarephath. Obadiah's meeting Elijah was a divine leading for the strengthening of the one and the proving of the other. That Elijah, journeying on his weary way, should meet the very man who was the only true friend of the prophet at the court, was no more accidental than that Obadiah, going forth in search of provender for the cattle, should find the man who was to test severely his faith and his fear of God. - Lange. And he knew him. He recognized the prophet at once by his peculiar clothing (cf. 2 Kings 1: 7, 8). As governor of Ahab's household, he must have seen Elijah when he first prophecied the famine to the king. Art thou that my Lord Elijah? Rather an exclamation, "Thou here, my Lord Elijah! " whom the king has sought for everywhere in vain. 8. Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. The last two words are not in the Hebrew, and the sentence is much more graphic without them. Cook. 9. What have I sinned? Obadiah thinks that to execute this commission will be fatal to him. He fears that if he goes and returns with the king, Elijah will in the meantime have disappeared (ver. 12).-Spence. When the best man finds himself in trouble, he may well consider how he has brought the trouble upon himself.-H. C. Trumbull. Even those who fear the Lord, and walk by faith, are sometimes in the hour of peril overcome by an agony of fear, which bows them down as reeds before a whirlwind. Peter, who first threatened with the sword, became suddenly terror-stricken before a damsel. It is good for us to recognize our human weakness, for this knowledge preserves us from over-security, and leads us to pray: Lord, strengthen our faith. — Lange. 10. There is no nation or kingdom whither my lord hath not sent. This is expressed in the style of oriental hyperbole. What Obadiah means is, "all the surrounding nations." Ahab had sought the prophet in order to compel him to recall the plague that afflicted his land and people (Keil), and to punish him. Todd. 12. The spirit of the Lord shall carry thee. It was only in some such way as this that Obadiah could account for Elijah's escape from Ahab's vigilant search, and he feared a repetition. For he could not imagine that Elijah would be willing to face the king, his mortal enemy.-P. He shall slay me. As if he were false to the king. I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth. Hence the more strong and deep his piety, and the assurance that he was a true servant of God. 13. Was 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? 14. And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. 15. And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. : 16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, 1 Art thou he that 2 troubleth Israel? 18. And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in 3 that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. 11 Kings 21: 20. 2 Josh. 7:25. Acts 16: 20. 32 Chron. 15: 2. SERVING GOD FROM OUR YOUTH. Youth is the best time to begin God's service. (1) It is easier to begin then, when there is less evil and a less fixed character to change. (2) If we do not begin in youth, we are not likely to begin at all. (3) The whole of life is not too long for God's service. (4) By beginning in youth, we can form a more symmetrical character. (5) We need a whole life of service of God here in order to best fit us for heaven. P. 13. Was it not told my lord? Obadiah's motive in thus affirming his fidelity to the true religion, and in narrating what he had done for the one hundred prophets, was to show Elijah that, if he hesitated to do his errand, it was not from any want of faithfulness to Jehovah or unwillingness to serve his prophets, even at a great risk to himself. Todd. But it was from fear that Elijah would not be found when the king should go to meet him. 15. I will surely shew myself... to-day. The reply of Elijah convinced him that he fully intended to meet the king; and being satisfied of this, he reasoned no more about motives and consequences, but set forth in search of his master. It seems that he was not long in finding him, and soon the king and the prophet confronted each other face to face. - Kitto. 16. And Ahab went to meet Elijah. Very readily, it would seem. Anything was better than suspense and famine. And Elijah's very return contained in it a promise of rain. - Cook. It would give him an opportunity of easing his own conscience and relieving the accusations of the people, by laying the blame on the prophet. 17. Art thou he? Rather, "Art thou here, O troubler of Israel?" That is, "Can it possibly be that thou dost venture to present thyself before me, thou that troublest Israel by means of this terrible drought?" Ahab hopes to abash the Tishbite, and expects perhaps to have him at his feet suing for pardon. He is found at last; he is in his power; surely he trembles at the punishment in store for him; and one strong, stern speech will bring him on his knees before his incensed master. So he accuses him of " troubling Israel."- Cook. He had no word to say of his own sin; he forgot the iniquity of the people of the land, in which he had been the leader; he took no note of the hand of Jehovah in the calamity, and spoke as if the whole matter had been a mere personal difference between him and Elijah. He cast the entire blame of it upon the prophet; much as if one suffering under a painful disease should blame the doctor for producing it, because, knowing the habits of the patient, he had predicted that it would come. There is a point at which the mercury in the thermometer is itself frozen, and marks no lower degree of cold; and there is a point in the sinner's career when his moral sense becomes torpid and takes no further note of guilt. Ahab had, I fear, reached that stage in reference to his idolatry, and so he charged Elijah with causing that which was the result of his own sin. - Taylor. 18. I have not troubled Israel. Elijah was in no sense the cause of Israel's calamity. He merely announced the punishment. The light-house and the fog-bell are not the cause of the wrecks on the rocks against which they warn. The alarm-bell does not set the house on fire. The jailor is not to blame for the confinement of his prisoners. But thou, and thy father's house, etc. The cause of the calamity was their own sins. God had warned them clearly of the danger (Deut., chaps. 28-30). To have let their sins go unpun ished would have been to bring moral ruin on Ahab, and on all the people. The punishment was for their salvation. It was a small potion of bitter medicine to save from death, and to bring health and happiness.. Our piety should be deep and strong. 3. Great fear of God is needed to conquer great temptations. 4. 5. Strong faith will be seen in eminently good works. Circumstances are no excuse for not serving God faithfully. (If men can be saints in 6. The grace of God has its chosen vessels in most unlikely places. 7. We need not leave our post because its circumstances are uncongenial. 8. We should so act as to make those who hate the Gospel honor and value its profes sors. 9. (Those who serve God among evil men have opportunity to bear testimony for God, and to help his children.) II. AHAB. 1. Warnings and chastisements may be abused so as to harden the heart instead of softening it. 2. A hardened heart cares for earthly trifles, and neglects God's best gifts. 3. Ungodliness is closely linked with selfishness. 4. 5. The wicked take trouble in avoiding the effect instead of correcting the cause. 6. Ungodliness is the fountain whence flow all streams of wickedness. SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS. REVIEW briefly the circumstances of the last lesson, and the one incident of Elijah's two years at Zarephath. SUBJECT, - NO WAY OF ESCAPE FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN EXCEPT BY REPENTING AND FORSAKING THE SIN. I. THE WORK OF THE FAMINE DONE (vers. 1, 2). The object of the famine to lead the people to a repentant and humble state of mind. All that it could accomplish in this direction had been done by it. God would test its effects upon them. MARK the hard duty laid upon Elijah. It could be done because God was with him. Illustration. If there is one truth that I have grasped more strongly than another, it is this: Only be sure of your duty, and there must be an infinite store of force in God which you can lay hold of to do it with, as an engineer lays hold of a force in nature, and drives his engine right through the granite bases of an Alp. If you are sure that it is God's will you should do it, then "I can't” must be a lie on the lips that repeat, “I believe in the Holy Ghost." "So nigh to grandeur is our dust, So nigh is God to man, When Duty whispers low, Thou must,' As St. Theresa said, in answer to some objections, when she set about founding a muchneeded orphanage with only three half-pence in her pocket, "Theresa and three half-pence can do nothing; but God and three half-pence can do all things." I was but the three half-pence, but I might be used to redeem these men. - Ellice Hopkins, Work among Workingmen. II. THE VAIN SEARCH FOR RELIEF WITHOUT REPENTANCE (vers. 3-6). III. OBADIAH AND ELIJAH (vers. 4, 7-16). OBADIAH'S CHARACTER AND WORK (see Practical). Illustration. Ahab, idolater though he was, knew so much of true religion as to know that one faithful to God would be most likely to be faithful to him in a place where there |