From 1 Kings 18-20
In Israel’s history the people kept forgetting the LORD. They forgot and abandoned him. They disobeyed and did not remain faithful. The LORD had to send numerous prophets to call them to repentance. To turn back to the LORD. In a similar manner to this story at Mt Carmel, the LORD at one point declares he will act in history. Israel will know he is the LORD.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
Ahab as I discussed yesterday has led Israel into idolatry. Today we will read about a significant battle between Elijah, the LORD’s prophet, and the prophets of Baal.
20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. (1 Ki 18:20–21)
Note Elijah refers to the peoples and the prophets limping. Generally people limp if they are nursing some sort of injury. The injury itself is not always noticeable, the limp is. Its strange that the followers of Baal are known for their limping because in a sense they are advertising something is wrong with them. There is. They don’t follow the LORD.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” (1 Ki 18:22–24)
Elijah sets the terms of the contest. They are to set up a standard animal sacrifice. The god who answers with fire is the true god. They stupidly agree. Only a miracle can show who the one true LORD is.
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. (1 Ki 18:25–26)
No voice, no one answered. Silence. They limped around the altar announcing to all something was wrong with them. Only a miracle can show who the one true LORD is and their gods have not answered.
27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. (1 Ki 18:27–29)
Elijah gets stuck into them. Perhaps their god is relieving himself or any other number of excuses. Elijah’s insults reveal he is actually quite confident the LORD will respond to his request. The LORD’s name depends upon it. Again as the scripture says, ‘there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.’ Silence. Their gods are not real.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. (1 Ki 18:30–35)
Overkill. Elijah compounds the difficulty for the sacrifice to be burnt up. Elijah again demonstrates he is quite confident the LORD will respond to his request.
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.” (1 Ki 18:36–39)
The LORD answers Elijah and performs a miracle. The sacrifice is burnt up and consumed! And so is the wood, stones, dust and water around the trench. The miracle enabled the people to believe Elijah’s god is the one true God, he is the LORD.
40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there. (1 Ki 18:40)
The prophets of Baal were not so lucky.
Following the conflict between Elijah and the prophets of Baal the LORD ends the drought and sends rain. Elijah fearing Jezebel, runs for his life and flees Mt Carmel and the LORD will reassure him that he has other followers in Israel. Elijah will then recruit his successor Elisha who will follow him around learning the ropes.
The story then takes us back to Ahab, the king of Israel. Ahab is at war with his neighbour Syria. The LORD has assured him Syria will be defeated and they are, repeatedly. But Ahab, doesn’t follow the LORD’s instructions to the letter. He is condemned for keeping the Syrian king Ben-Hadad alive.
Story of Israel
In Israel’s history the people kept forgetting the LORD. They forgot and abandoned him. They disobeyed and did not remain faithful. The LORD had to send numerous prophets to call them to repentance. To turn back to the LORD. In a similar manner to this story at Mt Carmel, the LORD at one point declares he will act in history. Israel will know he is the LORD.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.” (Eze 37:11–14)
The whole house of Israel is dead. Spiritually dead. They need to be raised to new life. Spiritual life. So the LORD promises he will raise them to new life and bring them into the promised. He is predicting the return from exile. When they return he will put his Spirit within them and they shall know he is the LORD. The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.
Story of Jesus
After Jesus died and rose again, the apostles spoke about the miracle of the resurrection. Paul describes his gospel message thus.
[The gospel of God] 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, (Rom 1:1–4)
Just like the fire that came down and consumed the sacrifice proved that Elijah’s god was the one true LORD God. The miracle of Jesus resurrection proves he is the Son of God. The true King who represents his people. Do you believe in God who raised Jesus to life (Rom 4.24-25)? Do you believe he is Lord (Rom 10.9-10)?
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2014. All Rights Reserved.
