Justin Houtz

1 Kings 18, 1 Thessalonians 1, Ezekiel 48, Psalm 104

DateVersionReading Plan
October 15, 2024ESV (2016)M’Cheyne Plan 2024

1 Kings 18

Many days following Elijah’s encounter with the woman from 1 Kings 17, the LORD came to him and told him to show himself to Ahab, king of Israel, and that He would send rain upon the earth. Parallel to this (and perhaps occurring before the LORD’s call on Elijah), Ahab commissioned Obadiah to go through the land and try to find grass to save the horses. While searching for grass, Obadiah encountered Elijah who ordered Obadiah to tell Ahab of his location. “Obadiah feared that this would result in his death, since Ahab had been searching relentlessly for Elijah in order to silence him once and for all. If Obadiah revealed Elijah’s presence, the king would undoubtedly respond.” (BBC) Elijah told Obadiah the he would surely show himself to Ahab that day and proceeded to meet Ahab.

When Ahab and Elijah met, Ahab accused him of being a troubler. Elijah responded that it was actually Ahab who had troubled his father’s house, abandoning the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals. Elijah then called for the gathering of all Israel to himself at Mount Carmel along with prophets of Baal and Asherah.

Once gathered, “Elijah accused them of wavering between two opinions; [that] they should choose either the LORD or Baal. Then the contest began. Two bulls were to be killed and laid on kindling wood. Elijah would represent the LORD, whereas four hundred and fifty of Ahab’s prophets would represent Baal. The God who answered by fire would be acknowledged as the true God.” (BBC) Elijah told the prophets of Baal to prepare their offering and call upon Baal to answer in burning the offering. They called and limped around (even cutting themselves as was the custom) but there was no answer. Elijah then told the people to come near to him and he conducted the offering to the LORD. The fire of the LORD came down and consumed the offering and licked up the water that was on the trench. When the people saw it, they fell to their faces and said, ““The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.” Elijah then commanded the prophets of Baal to be seized and then slaughtered them at the brook Kidron.

Elijah then advised Ahab to eat and drink because the rain was coming and he would have to leave Mount Carmel. “He ascended to the top of Mount Carmel, bowed down on the ground with his face between his knees, and fervently asked the Lord to fulfill His word by sending rain. He continued in prayer until his servant reported a tiny cloud on the horizon. That was enough for Elijah. He immediately sent word to Ahab to make haste for Jezreel, a city in Issachar where the royal family lived at times (21:1).” (BBC) After some time, the sky grew black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain. The LORD hand was on Elijah who then gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. The CSB Notes provide some helpful additional notes on these events:

Two final miraculous events on this day were: (1) the coming of the rain as a result of Elijah’s prayer, and (2) Elijah’s supernatural strength in leaving the scene and passing Ahab’s chariot before the storm. Typically, the act of preceding the king’s chariot could have been a friendly overture. It was an act of honor to the king and an honor to the runner to be permitted to run before the king. But if this was Elijah’s intent, it was lost on Ahab and Jezebel. (CSB Notes)

1 Thessalonians 1

Paul, along with Silvanus and Timothy, greeted the church in Thessalonica with greeting typical of Paul throughout his letters (e.g., Rom 1:7; Phil 1:2). “It summarizes his gospel message: God’s work through Christ (“grace”) brings people into a harmonious relationship with God and one another (“peace”). (FSB)

Paul gave thanks to God for them and that he constantly remembered them in his prayers, remembering them; their work of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul acknowledged that God had indeed chosen them, evidenced by the gospel coming to them not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. They had received this word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit to become an example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. By this we see that Paul’s missionary strategy had been successful. “He evangelized the major cities with the expectation that the gospel would spread from there into the surrounding areas. The Thessalonians’ predominantly Gentile background is evident from the false worship of lifeless idols, from which they turned to serve the living and true God.” (CSB Notes) The BBC offers an additional insight as to the turning from false worship:

Notice that they turned to God from idols, not from idols to God. It wasn’t that they had become fed up with their idols and then decided to give God a chance. No, they turned to God and found Him so satisfying that they dropped their idols.

This turning to the true God among the Thessalonians also entailed waiting for His Son from heaven, Jesus, who was raised from the dead and is certain to return to deliver us from the wrath to come.

Ezekiel 48

The FSB provides a helpful conclusion to the Book of Ezekiel in the allotment of land, its portions, territories and borders:

Ezekiel outlined the borders of the land in 47:15–20 and assigned the holy district for the temple, priests, and Levites in 45:1–6. Here Ezekiel describes the divisions of the land by tribe and specifies how the portion of land allotted for the city will be subdivided. The passage resembles the division of the land after the conquest in Josh 13–19 where twelve tribes were allotted territory. The tribe of Levi (including the priests) originally received no land inheritance (Num 18:20–24; Josh 13:14). In Ezekiel’s vision of the restored land, the priests and Levites also receive an allotment (see Ezek 48:8–15 and note). (FSB)

The final instructions are of the exits of the city along with its gates named after the twelve tribes of Israel. From that time on, the name of the city shall be, The LORD is There. In Hebrew, this is “yhwh shammah, or ‘Yahweh is Here’—symbolizing Yahweh’s promise to dwell among His people.” (FSB)

Psalm 104

Psalm 104 begins and closes with the psalmist commanding his soul (nephesh in Hebrew) to bless (praise) Yahweh (vv. 1, 35; compare 103:1, 22). The opening verses of Psa 104 offer praise for the full breadth of creation. (FSB)

Praise Yahweh for his power and his gifts; for the rain, the sun and moon, for wine and food—all that he has provided for both people and animals. I will praise God all my life (The Bible: A Reader’s Guide)

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