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HOW LONG DANCE YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS?

04-10-11

(1 Ki 17:1)  And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

1.      (Luke 4:25)  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine [a type of Great Tribulation] was throughout all the land;

2.      (James 5:17)  Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

(1 Ki 18:17-19)  And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah [the prophet], that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel [he who has caused this famine of water for over three years]? And 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 [i.e., many gods]. Now [Elijah says to Ahab] therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel [Heb: fruitful place], and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

1.      Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary: Ahab = The son on Omri and the seventh king of Isreal. Under the influence of Jezebel his wife, Ahab gave Baal equal place with God. Ahab also built a temple to Baal in which he erected a “wooden image” [imagine “totem pole”] of the Canaanite goddess Asherah [The wife of Baal in Canaanite mythology; she is referred to biblically as “groves”]. At Jezebel’s urging, Ahab opposed the worship of Jehovah, destroyed His altars, and killed His prophets. He [Ahab] reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years (873-853 B.C.).

2.      (1 Ki 16:33)  And Ahab made a grove [Heb: Asherah (or Astarte) a Phoenician goddess]; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

(1 Ki 18:20-24)  So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them [the people] therefore give us two bullocks [two young bulls. A bullock was the High Priest’s designated sacrifice]; and let them [the prophets of Baal] choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

1.      halt ye = Heb: 6452. pacach, paw-sakh'; to hop, i.e (fig.) skip over (or spare); by impl. to hesitate; also (lit.) to limp, to dance:--halt, become lame, leap, pass over.

(1 Ki 18:25-26)  And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they [the false prophets] leaped [Heb: danced] upon the altar which was made.

1.      leaped = Heb: 6452. pacach, paw-sakh'; to hop, i.e (fig.) skip over (or spare); by impl. to hesitate; also (lit.) to limp, to dance:--halt, become lame, leap, pass over.

(1 Ki 18:27-29)  And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice [3pm], that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

1.      (Lev 19:28)  Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print [“nor tattoo” NKJV] any marks “or put tattoo marks” NIV] upon you: I am the LORD.

2.      (Deu 14:1)  Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes [“shave the front of your head” NKJV] for the dead.

3.      (Gen 1:26a)  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…..

4.      (Gen 1:27)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

(1 Ki 18:30)  And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down [symbolic of the people’s apostasy (NT, by not reading the Bible which is worship at the altar)].

1.      (Acts 15:16,17)  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue [Gk: remaining] of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. [Amos 9:11,12]

(1 Ki 18:31-35)  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed [i.e., uncrushed OT seed: (revelations covered by the pod): God the Father and God the Son]. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time [4x3=12]. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water [a biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit].

1.      (Mat 13:33)  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven [yeast, i.e., false doctrine: Mat 16:5-12; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1], which a woman took, and hid [deception] in three measures of meal [crushed NT seed (revelations uncovered)] [God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, and by extension the Bible], till the whole was leavened.

2.      (1 Cor 5:6)  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

3.      Commentary: The latter applies to the numerous versions of God’s Word, The Holy Bible, which are leavened lumps fit for stumbling, rather than enlightening lamps fit to guide our feet.

(1 Ki 18:36,37)  And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice [3pm, is also the time of the sacrifice and death of Jesus on the altar of the cross], that Elijah the prophet came near, and said [in the following prayer], LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

(1 Ki 18:38-40)  Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

1.      (Rev 21:8)  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone [Gk: sulphur]: which is the second death.

Amen