1 Kings 18:33-35

1 Kin. 18:33-35. Elijah's sacrifice, in the time wherein it was offered, was attended with the greatest obstacles to its being consumed by fire. God, who has more ends than one in what He does, probably did not only intend by this to show His power beyond that of Baal, but to represent what came to pass with respect to the sacrifice of Christ, the great antitype of all the ancient sacrifices, Whose last Suffering was attended with such circumstances as seemed to tend in the highest degree to hinder His going on to offer Himself, in the heavenly flames of Divine charity, and voluntarily presenting Himself to suffer the flames of Divine wrath. Such was God's hiding of His face from Him, and dealing with Him in some respects as if He had been an enemy, which was a great trial of His love to the Father, and tending like floods of water to quench the fire of Divine love in His soul, and to prevent that great degree of it which was necessary to carry Him through the extreme sufferings that were before Him; and also the extraordinary view which Christ had then given Him of the unworthiness of mankind for whom He died, the hateful nature of their sin that He was about to expiate by His extreme sufferings, and their great enmity against Him, which was then set before Him and exercised towards Him, in the contempt and cruelty of His enemies. And some of them the very persons that he was about to die for; and the ingratitude of His own disciples, that had already received the saving benefits of His death, in their coldness towards Him in the times of His agony, - their being unwilling to watch with Him one hour - their all forsaking Him when He was apprehended - Peter denying Him with oaths and curses. These were like floods of great waters that were then thrown upon Him to quench His love, and to prevent His going on to endure those extreme torments in the fire of God's wrath; as was also that extraordinary view that was given Him beforehand of the cup He was to drink, which made His soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. But "many waters could not quench His love, nor could the floods drown it." (Song of Solomon 8:7).

1 Kin. 19:20-21