The conflict Elijah was involved in forms the basis for James' call to brethren and sisters to make a choice.

It is all too easy for us to sit on the fence. Elijah called for commitment to that which was right. So did James. Are we willing to make a stand for that which we know to be right even if it is not convenient to us?

V.33 Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel took place near the end of a three-and-a-half year drought.  So, from where did he get the four barrels of water? 

Some have suggested that the water was hauled up from the Mediterranean.  Looking at a map, this might seem feasible. But, having been up Carmel more than once, I can attest that this would have been a long, arduous task. 

I rather think that Yahweh provided the water, miraculously, through a spring.  This would be in keeping with Yahweh's previous (and future) provision of water in dry places, and all the water/Word symbolism that it carries.

V.4 - Jezebel (348) means chaste. What a deceptive name perhaps echoing future religious apostasy and wolves in sheeps clothing. She was killing off the the Lord's prophets but two caves each containing 50 prophets may hint a future jubilee when Jews and Gentiles are rescued from sin and death.

V.21-24 - Here we have the challenge, God vs Baal (sin). Wood was put on the altar with two bulls. V.27 - at noon Elijah taunts the false prophets as Baal was Bel-marduk the sun god. V.29 - Midday passes and the prophets of Baal continue to fail up till the time of the evening sacrifice.  V.30-35  Elijah rebuilds the altar and digs a trench surrounding  large enough to hold two measures of seed (some good some bad and/or some Jew some Gentile?), lays the bull on the wood, and pours water (baptismal burial of sin?) over it three times in the midst of a drought so even the trench is filled. Perhaps we have echos of the sacrifice of Christ and victory over the power of sin. V.38 - fire from the Lord consumes the sacrifice. etc. V.44 - we read the seventh time the servant reported there was a rain cloud which would end the drought bringing refreshment (and a day of rest).

18:4 The way that Obadiah, in caring for God’s children, hid the by fifty is the basis for Jesus – Luke 9:14 – sitting the 5,000 in companies of 50 so that he could provide for them.

18:30  In calling for the people to "come near" Elijah is wishing to involve the people who could not decide who to worship. Standing afar off and observing from a distance is no way to recognise the proof of God’s involvement. Likewise for us. If we live on the edge of ecclesial life we will not appreciate the greatness of our God.

When the people drew near to Elijah and witnessed the proof of God's existence (v30,38) Elijah thought his 3.5 year lesson was over. When they obeyed him and killed the prophets of Baal, he thought they were fully ready to reform. Thus he told Ahab that the drought was over. There was no more need for this punishment, and Elijah prayed for rain to return. Thinking Ahab was a reformed man, he told him to go ahead to his palace and await him. I think both Ahab and Elijah were ready to turn the people of Israel around.

So when Ahab arrived, he went straight to his wife and told her the news. Baal is false! The LORD is the true God - I saw the proof! And in his childish mind he might have honestly thought Jezebel would see reason. And as Elijah waited in the entrance of Jezreel, his hopes would have been the same. This explains his depression in the next chapter, as he says to God "LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!".

18:9-14            Given the way in which Obadiah pleaded with Elijah about the task he was given – and then he went – we must conclude that Obadiah was a very faithful  man.

18:1 The command to Elijah to show himself to Ahab marks the beginning of Ahab’s judgement – Elijah has been hidden at God’s instruction –1Kin 17:3

Vs.3,4 Obadiah was in a difficult situation being governor of Ahab’s house.  If he had worshipped Yahweh openly, he would have been in trouble with Ahab and Jezebel.  And so, Obadiah worshipped Yahweh in secret.  He did what he could, surreptitiously, to help the prophets of Yahweh.

V.12 Elijah had not been around for the time of the famine.  Obadiah was afraid that Yahweh might sweep Elijah away again, and leave Obadiah facing the music with Ahab alone.

V.21 It is good to examine ourselves too.  Do we serve Yahweh, or do we serve ourselves, as the world does?  Having one foot in the spiritual camp, and the other foot in the world, does not count.  It is an either, or situation. 

Joshua presented the same kind of proposition to Israel just before they crossed into the Promised Land: choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Josh 24:15).

V.28 The practice of cutting oneself was forbidden under the law (Deut 14:1).

V.40 The Kishon was a winter torrent that made its way down the foot of Carmel and emptied into the Mediterranean Sea at the north-eastern corner of the Bay of Acre.

V.44 Elijah told Ahab to make sure his chariot was ready to go immediately.  The rain would come in torrents, quickly turning the parched, dusty earth into mud, which would impede the progress of the chariot wheels.

18:22  Elijah’s confidence is seen here, being on his own he is willing to challenge the prophets of Baal – but – 1Kin 19:4 – he soon will lose his confidence. Isn’t it interesting that whilst he is not afraid of all the prophets of Baal one woman’s anger quelled his faith.

1Kin 18:4,12-14 - persecuted prophets hiding in caves (Heb 11:32,37,38).

1Kin 18:1,29,30- V.1 - the meeting to offer a sacrifice takes place in the third year so we have a possible echo of Christ's sacrifice; V.29 - Elijah's sacrifice would be accepted at about 3 pm (i.e. the 9th hour) which is when Christ died (Luke 23:44-46); V.29 - the word "offering" [Heb. "alah" (5927) means "to ascend"].

1Kin 18:44 - this can remind us of how Christ will come on a cloud and bring spiritual refreshment on the seventh millenial day of rest (Acts 1:9-11;Luke 21:27).

1Kin 18:45 - "Jezreel" (3157) means "God will sow, God sows" - God would sow for only He can provide rain.

Jeremiah's answer was directed against his countrymen for three reasons.(1)He attempted to correct their willful mistake, concerning the calamities that had befallen them, and the true purpose and meaning of them(V.21-23). (2)He attempted to confront the idolatrous Jews with the LORD'S reply to their rebellious answer to Him(V.24-28). (3) He attempted to give the idolarous Jews a sign that all the prophecies of doom upon them would be accoplished in due time(V.29-30).

“We will not listen to the word God has told you, neither will we do it.”  This in effect was the terrible message the Jews who went into Egypt told Jeremiah (Jer 44:16-19).  They fully deserved the obliteration that God prophesied on them (Jer 44:26-30).

Vs.16-18 The men of Judah turned their backs on Yahweh.  They attributed their misfortune to the cessation of their worship to the Queen of Heaven.  This return to idolatrous worship in Egypt, the epitome of idolatry, is encapsulated in Prov 26:11. 

The Queen of Heaven referred to the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar whose son Tammuz was mourned by the women of Jerusalem (Eze 8:14).  This mother and child idolatry had its beginnings in Babylon after the flood. 

After Nimrod died, his wife Semiramis gave birth to Tammuz.  Nimrod was considered a sun god, and Tammuz was deemed to be the re-incarnation of Nimrod. 

This miraculous birth of Tammuz gave rise to the cult of mother and child in which both the mother and child were worshipped.  Semiramis was elevated to become the Queen of Heaven. 

When the people of Babel were scattered in their linguistic groups, they took these beliefs with them.  There are forms of mother and child worship all over the world today. 

In the western world, the Madonna and Child is the form in which Mary is the Queen of Heaven and Jesus is the miraculous child.

It is no wonder that Yahweh vents His anger on such blasphemous worship and vows to completely destroy it (Rev 17:5; 18:2,3,21).

44:4 Remember ‘rising early’ is not just being good at getting up in the morning. It is an attitude of mind – a desire to get on with the work in hand.

44:7 Whilst Judah was rebelling against God in going to Egypt they were the ones who suffered – ‘against your souls’. Maybe it would help us in our struggle against sin to appreciate that when we sin that we are the losers.

44:3 In saying that they had worshipped gods ‘they knew not’ Jeremiah reminds them of the very criticism of God through Moses in Deut 29:26, 32:17

Vs.17,18 Human logic, employing cause and effect, suggests that prosperity is directly linked to the circumstances which surround it.  However, Yahweh works outside the realm of human logic (Isa 55:9). 

He can cause prosperity or poverty at will, regardless of the prevailing environment.  He asks those who believe Him to trust Him, even though our human observation might persuade us to act contrary to His will (Prov 3:5,6).

44:28 God never leaves Himself without a witness. So a remnant will return to the land – to show that God is in control, not for any goodness of those who returned.

V.9 It is hard to believe the recent events that occurred in Judah and Jerusalem did not sufficiently impact the remnant of Judah.  This is especially true as Jeremiah was with them.  He had been the prophet of record for Yahweh, in Jerusalem, during that past few decades. And, his words had proven true: as the old saying goes: There’s none so blind as those who will not see.

V.16 The same attitude of disbelief and rebellion pervades the world today. God is dead, so society has declared. The God of Heaven has been replaced with other gods.  In the western world, it is the god of Humanism that prevails.

But, all false gods will crumble when Yahweh shakes the earth in that great day (Joel 3:16). That day is coming shortly.  It is time to put our own houses in order.  Let us make sure that we have both feet in Christ’s camp (Matt 6:24).    

44:5 Repeatedly we are told that the people did not ‘incline their ear’ In so saying that prophet is reminding Israel that they were not behaving as the faithful son –Prov 4:20

3:6  Partnership in work is how unity and fellowship develop – but remember always that God is the one who really does the work.

SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY

v.10-17 - In the ecclesia built on Christ, each member should be mature, spiritually sensitive, and doctrinally sound. However, the Corinthian ecclesia was filled with "wood, hay and stubble", members who were immature, insensitive to one another and eagerly accepting wrong doctrine. (v.1-4) No wonder they had so many problems. To overcome this kind of situation, our goal should be to let God's desires be our desires. Being controlled by our own desires will stunt our growth in the truth.

FUTILE

1Cor 3:20 - This word means "pointless" and "purposeless" (Strongs #3152)

The new testament writers, especially Paul used it to depict the meaninglessness that pervades the thoughts of all of Adam's race. Paul characterizes the "thoughts of the wise" (3:20) as being "futile".

Paul describes the Gentiles as living "in the vanity (futility) of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God" Eph 4:17

Salvation from such futility comes only from the indwelling Spirit of Christ in our lives. Rom 8:8,10,11,26,27

3:9 In speaking of the brethren and sisters as ‘God’s building’ Paul is introducing a concept that he will return to in this 1Cor 3:16,17, 1Cor 6:19and his second letter 2Cor 6:16.

3:9The focus on being ‘God’s building’ should remove the party spirit. It helps to realise whose we are.

Vs.18,19 It is easy to believe worldly rhetoric because it sounds so convincing.  However, worldly wisdom cannot bring salvation.  Any practical advice, offered by the world, should be evaluated against the Word, and approved by it, before acceptance.

3:3 When there is debate amongst us we often justify our position by an assertion that what we are talking about is important. However as soon as we enter into strife we are not, and cannot in any way, claim we are spiritual. It is right and proper to debate real issues but the issue must be Scripturally important else we are doing no better than elevating our proud selves.

The difficult verses in v10-15 are actually explained just a few verses further on in the next chapter. This highlights once again that it is no use taking a chapter in isolation. It's part of a carefully worded argument. Paul meant something specific with what he had written, and it is not open to interpretation. And actually, it's this that the verses are talking about.

In 4:4 Paul says "He who judges me (or what I'm saying) is the LORD", corresponding to the fire which tests a building, burning away anything not gold, silver or precious stones. In 4:5 "(God) will bring to light the hidden things ... and reveal the counsels of the hearts" referring to non-God-derived doctrine which will not stand the test. And concluding "then each one's praise will come from God" referring to v13 about those whose wisdom is of God, and will stand up to the fiery test. So Paul is contrasting those who think from the heart, with those who think from the word. Which of the two are we?

3:6 Against the partisan spirit of the brethren in Corinth Paul is showing that life in Christ is one of working together and God is involved also