Fire & Blood
Rocktober: The Bible is Metal • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
God shows His supremacy over false gods and human pride
Intro: Recap last week. Continuing in our series “The Bible is Metal.”
Hook: Candle demonstration.
Transition Statement: While we cannot do everything, our God can. He will do whatever it takes to kill the false idols in our lives.
I. God’s Anger
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
Context: Ahab and his wife Jezebel had done a lot to turn the northern kingdom of Israel from their God. Jezebal worshipped pagan gods, and through their marriage, Ahab had followed.
And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
They had torn down altars and built altars to Baal. Jezebel had killed hundreds of religious leaders.
Now, who was Baal?
Baal was a popular pagan god in this area. He was the god of storms and fertility. He was a warrior and mythology tells of him winning many battles over other gods to become the chief of the gods. More than likely, when we talk about these false gods, like any false god, we are not just speaking of made up entities, rather they are demons that have manifested themselves as these gods to be worshipped and turn people from God.
This isn’t unique to this time, Allah, god of Mormonism, the hindu gods all are demonic manifestations of a false god that leads people to hell.
If that’s offensive, then I guess I’m offensive.
Elijah isn’t just witnessing God’s people turn from Him to worship statues and false images, but turning their worship to that which is demonic.
There are supernatural things at play here, and in our lives as well as people turn their attention to demon inspired teaching and philosphy.
We see evidence of this in the fact that Elijah felt he was the only prophet remaining, up against 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah.
All of this tension has led to a climax in the conflict. Elijah was ready to square up against this terror against God and His people.
II. The Challenge
So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 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. Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 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. 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.” 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.”
Elijah first makes an appeal to the people. He describes them as limping between two opinions. He implies that they have been two-timing God and could not keep going in that way.
It should be shocking that the people were silent at this challenge. They were so lost, scared, and confused that they had no response to Elijah’s truth.
He sets up a challenge, God vs. god. Prophet vs. Prophets. Kingdom vs. Kingdom. Then he said, you go first.
When you are siding with the almighty and with the truth, you don’t have to be afraid to stand with Him against anything. God gives us a boldness to take on any other power because we are with Him.
It became obvious that Elijah represented an entirely different kingdom with a different agenda.
III. Your Kingdom
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. 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.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 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.
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. 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,” 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. 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.” 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. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
Read ^.
Paraphrase v.
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. 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.” 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. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 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.
The victory was absolute and assured.
God, in one of the most metal ways, makes himself known to His people and reveals His power.
The false prophets, in an act of war, were slaughtered.
No matter what we face, or how we think the world is against us, we serve a God who is powerful, just, and will defend us. Stand for him even when we feel like we are standing alone.
