1 Kings 18:1 – 15 “After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.” So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria, and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace.
(Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD, for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”
So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” “It is I,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’”
But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death? As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you. And now you say, ‘Go tell your master that Elijah is here!’
I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth. Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water. And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord that Elijah is here!’ He will kill me!”
Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”
Consider Obadiah! Even in the face of all the evil that Jezebel and Ahab are pouring into the northern kingdom, there are still true believers who fear the One True Living God and who will serve Him no matter what. Obadiah is in charge of Ahab’s palace and at risk constantly; yet, when Jezebel has begun whole – sale slaughter of the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah has successfully hidden 100 prophets of the Lord in two caves, 50 to a cave, and has managed to keep them supplied with food and water. Has Obadiah been diverting resources from the palace to sustain these men of God?
Now Obadiah and Ahab have split up and are traveling throughout the land searching for grazing and water to keep their livestock alive. It’s fascinating to think that Ahab is doing this himself; you would think that Ahab would dispatch herdsmen for this task. Evidently, Ahab has so abused his helpers that Obadiah is the only one he can count on apart from himself.
When Elijah meets Obadiah and orders Obadiah to tell Ahab that he is coming, this news leaves Obadiah shaking in his sandals. Ahab has been searching throughout the region for Elijah and has demanded that surrounding nations swear that they were not harboring him. The supreme irony is that for much of the time Ahab has been searching, Elijah has been living quietly in Ahab’s father – in – law’s kingdom of Sidon in the town of Zarephath. But who would think that a poor widow and her son would be able to help anybody? It is the very obscurity of this widow that has helped protect Elijah.
The obscure position of the widow of Zarephath foreshadows the birth of Jesus Christ to a young couple in a small Judean town during a Roman census. Later, that same couple move to another village where Jesus quietly grows up as the son of a local carpenter. In Jesus’ day, nobody is anticipating that the Messiah will come from such circumstances.
APPLICATION: Today, there is a flood – tide of evil engulfing much of the world. Nations that have previously stood for righteousness appear to be crumbling morally. But consider Obadiah’s position. Obadiah was the palace administrator and knew everything that was happening in the palace, including every detail of Jezebel’s demon worship. Obadiah could easily have shrugged his shoulders and could have chosen to “go along to get along.” But Obadiah feared the Lord and managed to save 100 men of God when Jezebel was trying to slaughter them. Then Obadiah kept these men supplied with food and water in the midst of a terrible drought. Surely, there must have been others who quietly assisted Obadiah so that his support for these men did not become obvious. Although Ahab might have valued Obadiah sufficiently to withhold punishment, Jezebel would have gleefully murdered him had she known.
The name “Obadiah” means “servant of God” in Hebrew, and here Obadiah is clearly living up to his name. For those of us facing evil in our time, the decision is clear: either we serve God or we have failed in the purpose for which God has intended us. Sometimes we might feel that the evil we are facing is so overwhelming that resistance is useless; however, if we refuse to face evil, who will do so? We must also continue to support all those in positions of authority who are serving in the tradition of Obadiah. Obadiah’s efforts remained unnoticed by anyone apart from God. Who knows how many righteous men and women are quietly laboring in the tradition of Obadiah? Let us never forget that God always has a remnant and let us persistently support that remnant with prayer and fasting.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, only You know those who are laboring on Your behalf. Protect, guide, comfort, and keep the righteous wherever they are working and help us to take courage and to stand for righteousness as well. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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