1 KINGS 18:1-15 TEXT: v4 HIDDEN IN A CAVE
(For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets,
and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
[Already observed] God's people are described as being a hidden people:
They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. (Psalm 83:3)
This is one of the most comforting/encouraging terms given to us
This does not mean that God's people are to walk in the shadows and
stay out of view - we are not recluses with nothing to say/do
Elijah here was at the very forefront of the action
See him confront the wicked King Ahab and get an idea of his impact
when this wicked king calls him the one who troubled Israel (v17)
Any impressions that Elijah was a wallflower must be surely dispelled
when he retorted: I have not troubled, but thou and thy father's house
In the incident here in this early part/chapter, we read of some of
God's people being hidden - both the narrative (v4) and also in
the statement by the one who did the hiding (v13)
I think in the incident recorded here that we a lovely picture book portrayal of what is clearly stated elsewhere:
[i] That God's people are truly His hidden ones (Psalm 83:3)
[ii] That our life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I love these picture book portrayals where God providentially arranges
for certain things to come to pass, have them recorded, so that we may
learn these truths in a very enjoyable and memorable fashion
3 main thoughts emanate out of this passage
1) A VICIOUS ENEMY SOUGHT TO SLAY THE PEOPLE OF GOD:
A/ Indeed, there were two vicious enemies who were gunning for them
Ahab and his cruel wife, Jezebel (She was worse than him!)
Ahab was the apostate King of Israel and Jezebel was his heathen wife
They were both tyrants who ruled with a rod/iron and were prepared to do whatever it took to get their evil and selfish ways
Later on, there would be the murder of Naboth for his vineyard
Now they were very anxious to get their hands on the Lord's prophets
B/ Why should this be?
Because God's people are the fly in their ointment
God's people are living testimonies that God's book is true
If God's Book is true…where does that leave the wicked and their sin?
It is a foolish idea that getting rid of the witnesses removes the crime
God's justice system is not like that of any other - it is not
dependent on human witnesses etc., - God's all seeing eye is
sufficient to judge
Nevertheless, foolishly, Ahab/Jezebel sought to remove God's people
You can see something of their murderous ways in v 14 where their
faithful and trusted governor of their house lived in fear for
his life
It cannot be taken for granted that the toleration we enjoy now will
ever continue unabated and secure
Paul warned: For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own
lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (2
Timothy 4:3)
Where will this leave faithful Bible folk who have a mandate to cry aloud and spare not?
Ans:- This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (Galatians 4: 29)
Always been thus and so it will always be and more so as time progresses:
C/ Let's look at their names and try and glean something from them:
[i] Ahab = "My Father's brother" - A very strange meaning for a name
His father was King Omri who was a very wicked man - perhaps his
father's brother was a companion in wickedness and in his honour,
Omri's son was named?
Omri's own name means "Pupil of Jehovah"
but he failed to learn anything at the feet/God or at least, he did not
continue in the things that he learned and it is evident that his son
only learned wickedness from his father - and (possibly) his
father's brother also
What declension lay in this family:
But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him. (16:25)
And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. (16:30)
What a family! Steeped in very wickedness against God
[ii] Jezebel = "Chaste" which could not be further from the truth
She was Zidonian/heathen by birth and a woman given to vanity and
cunning and eventually murder (Naboth) and here the Prophets of God are
living in the very fear of their lives
What would this woman not do if she found them holed up in a cave
in groups of fifty? The blood would run down the mountainside
D/ Let us remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood
We see beyond these mere puppets that they were to the hand of Satan himself - the great arch murderer from the beginning
We spoke of the travesty of giving this woman a name meaning chaste
I remind you of Satan's ability to transform himself from being a vile Being into an angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14)
Remember: Satan wants, plans for and seeks your destruction
2) ONE WHO FEARED GOD GREATLY, SUCCESSFULLY HID THEM AND MET THEIR EVERY NEED IN THEIR TIME OF TRIAL:
A/ If Satan has his agents at work, the Lord has his - again two/number
[i] Elijah = "My God is Jehovah" This was a good name for a good man
However, Elijah is not the one who did the hiding in our text
Elijah himself had been hidden in the previous chapter by the Brook/Cherith - and Ahab/Jezebel were earnestly looking for him
[ii] At this stage, the real hero was a man called Obadiah
Obadiah = the servant/Jehovah (Do not confuse/the minor prophet)
He is described/passage as one who feared the Lord greatly (v3)
The word great is variously translated in other parts/Bible
MIGHTILY:
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the
munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power
mightily. (Nahum 2:1)
What defensives just be in place to prevent such attack
Could be no slacking anywhere in the defences or else dahsed/pieces
SORE: And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. (1 Samuel 17:24)
Picture the depths/fear - they were hardened, trained soldiers - yet they fled in absolute terror
These extreme words describe the depth of Obadiah's respect/God
B/ Both these men, together, give us a wonderful picture of Christ;
Your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
[i] The Lord Jesus, in His role as Mediator, became acknowledged Jehovah to be His God - My God, my God why has Thou forsaken me?
So Elijah's name points us to Christ
[ii] But the one who did the actual hiding of these prophets was Obadiah
He typifies Christ in His name also (The Servant of Jehovah)
We do not need to dig deep to see this played out:
That it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have
chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my
spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. (Matthew
12:17-18)
Jesus Christ, the Elect Servant of Jehovah, has undertaken to hide the
people of God and keep them safe and secure from all alarms
B/ Not only Obadiah's name but his actions here that typify this truth
[i] Obadiah took one hundred prophets - no doubt it was a literal 100,
but it is also a nice round figure and therefore a complete figure
Every last one who is in Christ is hid with Christ in God
Every child/God is one of God's hidden ones - even the weakest
Some of these prophets would hardly have slept for fear - others would have slept like a baby etc., but they were all safe
[ii] Obadiah took them in two distinct groups (50/50)
Is there a significance in that? If so, is it not that both the OT and
NT saints were treated the same and all are hidden in Jesus Christ
Saints in all ages (including ours) have sung with pleasure/conviction:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
Right from Abel onward, we have all fled to him for refuge and sung:
Hiding in thee,(x2) Thou blest Rock/Ages I'm hiding in Thee
[iii] Obadiah kept them well supplied with their needs (v4)
This was no mean feat in a day of sore famine (v2) This famine had
raged for 3½ years (17:1) - affected everyone/everything (v5)
But every single day, 100 grown men got their required rations
My God shall supply all your need [How?] according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
The Lord Jesus gave us a great promise:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
Maybe life is a cave with bread and water doesn't appeal to you
Maybe singing "What though the world its gifts deny…" isn't your favourite hymn - please remember: This world is not your home
Better to meet in a cave with God than in a palace with Ahab/Jezebel
Had Paul these prophets in mind when he wrote:
Of whom the world was not worthy
they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of
the earth. (Hebrews 11:38)
We must endure hardness as good soldiers/Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3)
but we will not endure any spiritual loss, but enjoy spiritual gain
[iv] Obadiah did so under the very nose of their enemy:
Perhaps they did not know that their highest official was a true follower/Jehovah - one who feared the LORD greatly (v3)
Barnes suggests that Ahab did know, but still held him in respect
(This would remind us of Herod and John/Baptist's relationship)
Did not the Lord Jesus do His great work under the very nose/enemy?
Indeed a million times more…while Satan was tempting him sore in
the wilderness and at other times, our Saviour was keeping His people
safe
Right even when Antichrist stalks this earth - God will have a faithful
remnant and each one, individually, hidden secure in Jesus Christ
[v] Obadiah did so at the risk of his life:
Even if Ahab knew what he was…unlikely that he knew what he did
Obadiah knew his life was at risk (v14) but still went ahead
The Lord Jesus, of course, did more than risk His life. But he actually gave His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28)
He has sealed our place of refuge with His own precious blood
3) THEIR ENEMY WAS SOON DISPATCHED AND THEY COULD COME OUT OF HIDING AGAIN:
A/ Ahab/Jezebel are both history - both died violent deaths for having
lived by the sword, it was poetic justice that they should die by the
same
B/ Satan likewise one day will be history - His end is in sight
He is the World's biggest loser! He awaits a horrible but deserving fate
One day he will be destroyed with the brightness of the Saviour's coming
C/ It took a long time for better days to come for these prophets
But for us - the Saviour promises a "little while"
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37)
Our cry would be: Lord, hasten the day and keep us faithful until then!
THE END