1 Kings 18:7-15

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Elijah and Obadiah Meet - Focus: Partial Commitment

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. Partial commitment has tell-tale symptoms.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. God will test our commitment to Christ.

QUESTIONS

  1. Describe the meeting between Elijah and Obadiah.

  2. What were some of the tell-tale signs of Obadiah’s partial commitment?

  3. Why did Elijah meet Obadiah on the road and ask him to announce his presence to the king?

  4. Did Obadiah trust Elijah?

  5. How many times in this passage did Obadiah say that he would be killed if he aligned himself with Elijah? Was he killed?

ANSWERS

  1. Suddenly Elijah met Obadiah on the road, and it appeared that it wasn’t a pleasant meeting. Obadiah was out looking for grass for the king’s horses because of the severe famine. Elijah was coming from Zarephath. As a secret believer, Obadiah recognized Elijah and asked if it was really he. Elijah affirmed that it was. An international search did not produce Elijah, for God had hidden him from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. The ensuing conversation shows Obadiah’s reluctance to identify with Elijah. However, in the end, Obadiah agrees to take Elijah’s message to Ahab.

  2. Obadiah compromised his position as a believer because he could have left the employment of the king. He did not have a clear conscience. He had a loss of courage, being afraid of the king’s wrath. He exhibited a rest-on-your-laurels mentality, telling Elijah how much he had done for the Lord. He did not trust Elijah.

  3. Elijah was testing Obadiah’s commitment. Would he become an out-and-out believer or would he remain a secret believer? Would he risk his life to announce the arrival of Elijah? His commitment was being tested.

  4. No. See 1 Kings 18:12.

  5. See 1 Kings 18:9, 12, 14. No, he was not killed.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Ask yourself these questions concerning partial commitment: a. Do I have a guilty conscience about my commitment? b. Do I show a loss of courage, running scared? c. Do I exhibit a rest-on-my-laurels mentality? Do I try to justify my commitment by telling people what I have done for the Lord?

  2. If your commitment has been tested lately, how has it been tested?

CHALLENGE

  1. Do you trust fellow-believers? Can they trust you?

KEY VERSES

  • “How have I sinned, that I will be delivered to be killed? Haven’t you heard what I did?” 1 Kings 18:9,12,13

  • “Then Elijah said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to [Ahab] today.’” 1 Kings 18:15

1 Kings, Old Testament, TalksRon Reid1 KINGS 18:7-15