seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Kings 18:1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3 and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4 While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5 Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.” 6 So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.
7 As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”
8 “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’”
9 “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10 As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11 But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ 12 I don’t know where the Spirit of the Lord may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshiped the Lord since my youth. 13 Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. 14 And now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.’ He will kill me!”
15 Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.”
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Here's the link to the commentary I read.While Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water: This man Obadiah was a brave man who stood for God and His prophets in a difficult time.
This may be the same Obadiah whose prophecy against Edom is recorded among the Minor Prophets. It is a little difficult to be certain, because there were 13 Obadiahs in the Old Testament. The Hebrew name Obadiah means “Worshipper of Yahweh” or “Servant of Yahweh.”
How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me: Obadiah knew that King Ahab conducted an exhaustive search for Elijah to punish him for the drought that his prayers imposed on Israel. Obadiah feared that if he announced that he met Elijah, and the prophet disappeared again, Ahab would punish Obadiah for letting Elijah get away.
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Asa is still ruler of Judah. They are worshipping God in Judah.
Elijah is a prophet sent from God. Elijah is the one everyone is looking for because they blame him for the draught, they are all suffering from.
Ahab is the king of Northern Israel. They worship Baal and are living in a horrible draught that Ahab blames on Elijah.
Obidiah is Ahab's top guy. Obidiah is actually a good guy stuck taking orders from a bad guy. Obidiah worships God, not Baal.
How did Jezebel get involved?
Well, Ahab is married to Jezebel.
Jezebel has no love for the church or its' preachers, priests, teachers, or prophets. She enjoyed having them put to death.
Meanwhile, Elijah is hiding the priests, preachers, teachers, and prophets in a couple of caves. Elijah has been bringing them food and water.
Now, because of the draught, Ahab has everyone looking for Elijah. I think Ahab figured if he put Elijah to death, the draught would go away.
Everyone was looking for Elijah. I guess there was a huge reward for his capture.
Meanwhile, Ahab needs some green grass for his beautiful horses that were necessary for his "reported" 2000 chariots. Ahab and Obidiah split up and went out looking for any green pastures they could find for the king's horses.
That's when Elijah popped up in Obidiah's path. Elijah wanted Obidiah to introduce him to Ahab. Elijah had a message for Ahab from God.
Obidiah knew that Ahab hated Elijah. Jezebel hated Elijah too. If Obidiah told Ahab he knew where Elijah was, and then Elijah wasn't there... Ahab and Jezebel would take their disappointment out on Obidiah. They would kill him.
Obidiah wanted no part of that. So, Elijah told Obidiah the introduction wasn't necessary.
Elijah said he would introduce himself to Ahab.
"No problem, Obidiah. I'll do it myself"
