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Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 Kings 18:27

At noon; when they had long tried all means in vain. Elijah mocked them; derided them and their gods, which were indeed, and had now proved themselves to be, ridiculous and contemptible things. By this example we see that all jesting is not unlawful, but only that which intrencheth upon piety and good manners. See Poole "Ephesians 5:4". Either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey; he is employed about some other business, and hath not leisure to mind you; for being a god of a... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 Kings 18:28

They cried aloud; as if Elijah had spoken the truth, and their god needed rousing. Cut themselves; mingling their own blood with their sacrifices; as knowing by experience, that nothing was more acceptable to their Baal (which was indeed the devil) than human blood, and hoping hereby to move their god to pity and help them. And this indeed was the practice of divers heathens in the worship of their false gods, as is manifest both from Scripture, as Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 Kings... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 Kings 18:29

They prophesied, i. e. praised, and prayed unto, and worshipped their god; for so the word prophesying is used, 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Samuel 19:20; 1 Chronicles 25:2,1 Chronicles 25:3; Matthew 7:22; 1 Corinthians 11:4; 1 Corinthians 14:5,1 Corinthians 14:6, &c. Of the evening sacrifice, Heb. of the sacrifice; which being here opposed to the time of their offering, which was the morning, 1 Kings 18:26, must needs be meant of the evening sacrifice; of which see Exodus 29:39, &c.; which is... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - 1 Kings 18:1-18

ELIJAH’S CONTEST WITH AHAB AND BAALCRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.—1 Kings 18:1. After many days … in the third year—in Luke 4:25, James 5:17, the drought is said to have lastes for the space of three years and six months.” In the natural order of things, rains fall regularly in March and October—“the early and latter rains.” Their censation might be dated either from the March when the last rain fell, or from the October when the rain first failed to fall. The later reckoning would make the... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - 1 Kings 18:19-40

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.—1 Kings 18:19. Prophets of Baal, &c.—Soothsayers and oracle príests. Groves—Asherah. Baal and Astarte were the male and female divinities. Jezebel was the patroness of the prophets of this female divinity. 1 Kings 18:21. How long halt ye, &c.—From the root סָעַף, to divide, dissever. In Psalms 119:118, the same word is rendered by “vain thoughts,” i.e., double-minded, ambiguous. The Vulg. translates here, Usquequo claudicatis in duas partes? To go from... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:21

1 Kings 18:21 Most of us are so conscious of some lurking weakness, and so fearful of ourselves, that we are reluctant to pledge ourselves to any definite course of action. The fact is plain, we do not like to make up our minds. And yet there is this awful law working itself out in the case of every one of us, that, whether we like it or not, our minds are being made up day by day. The Jews in the time of Ahab found it most convenient to go with the fashion of the time and worship Baal; and... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:22

1 Kings 18:22 I. The lesson of Elijah's history is the blessing and the glory of a constant will. It was this which made Elijah so great; it is this only which can make us great, for this is at the root of all true greatness. All actions of a seeming greatness which do not spring from this are nothing better than delusions and hypocrisy. Just so far as the will is truly purified by God's Holy Spirit and rules over all within us, just so far do we, as renewed men, rise up to the greatness of our... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:26

1 Kings 18:26 The conduct of the priests of Baal is in many respects well fitted to put to shame the disciples of Christ. I. Notice first their zeal. They were willing to suffer and cut themselves with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out. The zeal and self-devotion with which idolaters will act on their mistakes ought to put us to the blush for the lukewarmness and cowardice which we often display in acting on our truths. The men who cheerfully acted on the precepts of a sanguinary... read more

Charles Simeon

Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae - 1 Kings 18:21

DISCOURSE: 345DECISION OF CHARACTER1 Kings 18:21. 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.IF a heathen should visit this country in order to ascertain what our religion was, and whether it was such as it became him to embrace, he would be altogether at a loss what judgment to form respecting it. From what he saw and heard in our churches, he would form a most favourable conclusion: he... read more

Charles Simeon

Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae - 1 Kings 18:24

DISCOURSE: 346ELIJAH’S CHALLENGE TO THE PROPHETS OF BAAL1 Kings 18:24. 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.UNBOUNDED is the dominion which God exercises over the minds of men: “the hearts of kings are in his hands, and he turneth them whithersoever he will.” The heart of Ahab was exasperated against Elijah in the highest degree; insomuch that he... read more

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