And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
The verse records that Ahab built a house or temple for Baal in Samaria and reared up an altar for Baal inside it, thereby publicly establishing Baal worship in the capital. In doing so he openly replaced the worship of Jehovah with heathen idolatry and helped lead Israel into widespread apostasy. He did this in connection with taking to wife Jezebel, an idolatrous woman devoted and given to idolatry. She was the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, who was high priest of Baal, and Ahab then served Baal and worshiped him.
The act exposes Ahab's weakness in moral power, his selfish and unprincipled nature, his lack of a high sense of sacred things, and his being without a high standard of right-doing. His selfish nature could not appreciate God's mercies to Israel, nor his own obligation to God as guardian and leader of the chosen people. It shows the controlling influence of Jezebel, a woman of decided character and positive temperament whose determined spirit molded Ahab and his character. She gained more power over him than God had, and his marriage to her brought disaster on himself and on the nation. By that union they both became special agents of Satan to lead God's people into idolatry and terrible apostasy, she leading him into Baal worship and through him leading Israel into idolatry.
The building of that altar formed part of Israel's departure from the living God under Ahab's blighting rule, corrupting their ways before Him and provoking the Lord. His adoption and advancing of Baal and Ashtoreth worship dishonored God among the nations, helped lead the nation into widespread apostasy, and led it to forfeit God's protecting care, so that the widespread apostasy called for judgments to fulfill God's purposes for Israel. The verse marks a daily lessening of the fear of God and loss of reverence and godly fear until none dared openly oppose the prevailing blasphemy. The dark shadow of apostasy covered the whole land, and blind blasphemous idolatry became conspicuous everywhere in multiplied idolatrous temples, consecrated groves and temples where the works of men's hands were placed to be worshiped, images of Baalim and Ashtoreth everywhere to be seen, and altars of Baal and priests of Baal sacrificing to the sun, moon, and stars. The air was polluted with the smoke of sacrifices offered to false gods, and hill and vale resounded with the drunken cries of a heathen priesthood.
It shows Israel's ingratitude in giving God no thanks for His benefits, ascribing all the bounties of Heaven to the favor of their gods instead of to God the Giver. Those bounties were the running brooks, the streams of living waters, the gentle dew, and the showers of rain which refreshed the earth and caused the fields to bring forth abundantly. Though this idolatry made the days when Elijah and Elisha acted their part dark and troublous, when wickedness had reached a fearful pass, God still sent His prophets to the nation with messages of warning and still had men He used in fighting the battles of Zion. He chose Elijah as a preacher of righteousness, ruled and guided by the Holy Spirit, who working under God's direction accomplished a grand and noble work. Yet neither king nor people heeded him but regarded him as a messenger of evil, and when God at last sent drought upon the land as judgment the people did not discern its object or humble their hearts, but at Jezebel's instigation blamed the prophets of Jehovah for the calamity and put many holy men to death for their testimony.
The apostasy set up in Samaria is being repeated in the present age, for the age of Elijah had its Ahabs and its Jezebels and the present age has them too and is as verily one of idolatry. Though there may be no outward shrine and no image for the eye to rest upon, thousands follow the gods of this world after riches, fame, pleasure, and pleasing fables that permit men to follow the inclinations of the unregenerate heart. Having a wrong conception of God and His attributes is as truly serving a false god as the worshipers of Baal did. Many who claim to be Christians have allied themselves with influences unalterably opposed to God and His truth, and are thus led to turn away from the divine and to exalt the human. For those living at the end of the world this record has special significance, bringing inspiration and courage to stand for the right in the midst of apostasy.
The verse records that Ahab built a house or temple for Baal in Samaria and reared up an altar for Baal inside it, thereby publicly establishing Baal worship in the capital. In doing so he openly replaced the worship of Jehovah with heathen idolatry and helped lead Israel into widespread apostasy. He did this in connection with taking to wife Jezebel, an idolatrous woman devoted and given to idolatry. She was the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, who was high priest of Baal, and Ahab then served Baal and worshiped him.
The act exposes Ahab's weakness in moral power, his selfish and unprincipled nature, his lack of a high sense of sacred things, and his being without a high standard of right-doing. His selfish nature could not appreciate God's mercies to Israel, nor his own obligation to God as guardian and leader of the chosen people. It shows the controlling influence of Jezebel, a woman of decided character and positive temperament whose determined spirit molded Ahab and his character. She gained more power over him than God had, and his marriage to her brought disaster on himself and on the nation. By that union they both became special agents of Satan to lead God's people into idolatry and terrible apostasy, she leading him into Baal worship and through him leading Israel into idolatry.
The building of that altar formed part of Israel's departure from the living God under Ahab's blighting rule, corrupting their ways before Him and provoking the Lord. His adoption and advancing of Baal and Ashtoreth worship dishonored God among the nations, helped lead the nation into widespread apostasy, and led it to forfeit God's protecting care, so that the widespread apostasy called for judgments to fulfill God's purposes for Israel. The verse marks a daily lessening of the fear of God and loss of reverence and godly fear until none dared openly oppose the prevailing blasphemy. The dark shadow of apostasy covered the whole land, and blind blasphemous idolatry became conspicuous everywhere in multiplied idolatrous temples, consecrated groves and temples where the works of men's hands were placed to be worshiped, images of Baalim and Ashtoreth everywhere to be seen, and altars of Baal and priests of Baal sacrificing to the sun, moon, and stars. The air was polluted with the smoke of sacrifices offered to false gods, and hill and vale resounded with the drunken cries of a heathen priesthood.
It shows Israel's ingratitude in giving God no thanks for His benefits, ascribing all the bounties of Heaven to the favor of their gods instead of to God the Giver. Those bounties were the running brooks, the streams of living waters, the gentle dew, and the showers of rain which refreshed the earth and caused the fields to bring forth abundantly. Though this idolatry made the days when Elijah and Elisha acted their part dark and troublous, when wickedness had reached a fearful pass, God still sent His prophets to the nation with messages of warning and still had men He used in fighting the battles of Zion. He chose Elijah as a preacher of righteousness, ruled and guided by the Holy Spirit, who working under God's direction accomplished a grand and noble work. Yet neither king nor people heeded him but regarded him as a messenger of evil, and when God at last sent drought upon the land as judgment the people did not discern its object or humble their hearts, but at Jezebel's instigation blamed the prophets of Jehovah for the calamity and put many holy men to death for their testimony.
The apostasy set up in Samaria is being repeated in the present age, for the age of Elijah had its Ahabs and its Jezebels and the present age has them too and is as verily one of idolatry. Though there may be no outward shrine and no image for the eye to rest upon, thousands follow the gods of this world after riches, fame, pleasure, and pleasing fables that permit men to follow the inclinations of the unregenerate heart. Having a wrong conception of God and His attributes is as truly serving a false god as the worshipers of Baal did. Many who claim to be Christians have allied themselves with influences unalterably opposed to God and His truth, and are thus led to turn away from the divine and to exalt the human. For those living at the end of the world this record has special significance, bringing inspiration and courage to stand for the right in the midst of apostasy.