The Prophets confront Idolatry
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Some background on 1 Kings 18
about 100 years after king David; the kingdom had been divided into a northern and southern kingdom
Ahab was the king of the northern kingdom of Israel
married to Jezebel who was a Baal worshiper
Under Ahab and Jezebel:
Baal worship became state-sponsored.
Altars to Baal and Asherah were built.
The worship of Yahweh was actively suppressed.
Many prophets of the Lord were killed (1 Kings 18:4).
in chapter 17, we are introduced to Elijah(no background or history), and the first thing that happens with him is that he prophesies about a drought coming due to the ungodliness of King Ahab.
During the drought, Elijah meets a woman and her son. The woman was planning on cooking the last of her bread for her and her son to eat and then die.
13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.
14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’ ”
15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.
After the drought, Elijah confronts Ahab. 1 Kings 18:1 “1 After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.””
Elijah now becomes our main character in this face off with the false prophets. In verse 17, Ahab confronts Elijah and he knows immediately that he is the prophet of God.
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?”
18 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.
I love his answer. Ahab thinks that Elijah is the problem while in reality, he is the problem. Ahab had brought trouble to Israel. He let in idol worship.
What are ways that we could compromise today like Ahab did?
remember the drought? we are 3 years in and now it is time to confront the false prophets
19 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.”
Here is the challenge issued by Elijah. Bring all the false prophets. So that is what Ahab did. I don’t believe Ahab would back down from a challenge like this. So Ahab did that and they all came 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.
Stop riding the fence. The people would ride this fence. The knew worship for Yahweh yet they continued to worship Baal.
Let’s think about things that people continue to do or justify happening that is clearly against God?
So now it was 1 against 450. The odds in a worldly sense are against Elijah. But he stands firm. He even gives them the upper hand.
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.
He let’s them chose their bulls. He says, “okay, there are more of you guys, so you go first.”
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.”
Now, their god is a created god. We could speculate that it was some sort of demonic force. It may have even been powerful. Or it could have been something non-existent altogether. But what we do know is that they called upon their god and nothing happened.
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.
Nothing but silence. But they limped around the altar, maybe some sort of ritualistic dance. But surely there is a reason that nothing is happening. Elijah gives me some suggestions.
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.”
Maybe he is taking a nap and needs to be woke up. Maybe he is deep in thought. Maybe he isn’t home. Or, my favorite, maybe he is busy using the restroom. At least that is how I am taking it. But surely, a god would not be limited in this area. He would have been able to answer them. This is because he is not the one true God. The God that Elijah served.
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.
If you remember, the goal was to have each prophet come and put an offering to their god on the altar and whichever god took the offering with fire was the one true God. Elijah gave them the pick of the offering and let them go first. Nothing happened. Now he takes his offering and puts it on the altar and soaks it in water and has water trenched up all around it. This oozes confidence in God.
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.”
The primary duty of the prophet was to call people back to God. On a scale of 1-10, how do you think Elijah did with this? I think in the immediate context, it is a 10. This is what people today would call a revival.
After these events, God sent rain. The promise had come. The events that happened in between only brought great glory to God because of the coming rain.
