1 Kings 18:21-40 After the Refining : God gets the victory

The story line of great movies.

The team went through crisis. Most of the Marshall University football team dies in a tragic airplane accident. And from nothing they seek to reestablish themselves.

An inner city fighter arises from the streets to become champion.

A hockey team overcomes inner struggles and lack of great athletes to with a gold metal against their seemingly invincible rivals.

Over and over the ones that are counted out by everyone, arises out of difficulties to win the victory.

And so we can excited by stories from the Bible. The insignificant become great. The little guys overcome.

Of course, the difference here is radical. While the seeming situation was desparate, there was never any real problem. If God is one their side, they will win. God will get the victory. There is no other result. And the struggle itself was purposely. The people needed to be transformed. The people needed to gain a perspective of faith. The Lord would win – the trials and tests were for the benefit of the people involved. The Lord always gains the victory. There can be no other result.

So it is in the story of Elijah. Set aside in a corner, God was at work in his life. Refining Elijah. And after the refining it was time to act. To take radical steps forward by faith. And of course as he does so, God gets the victory. In the lives of Israel. In the life of Elijah. The result was never in doubt.

And so it is also with us. We go through the fires. We face the tests. We endure and are transformed by the Lord. And then it is time to act. It is time to see God get the victory. The result is never in doubt.

Last week we finished with Elijah standing before the people. A people who still refused to choose God.

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.

Today we see that the result is not in doubt. God gets the victory. He always does.

I. God gets the victory – Even in a seemingly ‘unfair contests’

A. Though outnumbered v 22

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.

B. Though the other gods seem to be favored * v 23-24a

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.” …

1. Storm god

2. Rain

3. Lighting bolt images

C. Though people expect their god to win

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 24 … And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”

D. Though other gods given opportunities and time * v 25, 26

1. First chance

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.”

2. Given plenty of time

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.

II. God gets the victory – Because of the futility of a ‘non’ God

A. Useless to pray to it v 27

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.”

B. Useless to sacrifice to it v 28

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.

C. Useless to give it time v 29a

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, …

D. A non living thing never responds v 29b

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 29 … but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

III. God gets the victory – He is the only ultimate answer

A. People become receptive when their gods fail v 30a

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. …

B. The need is to return to the Lord v 30b-32

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 30 … 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.

C. God reveals Himself as God * * v 36-37; 32-35, 38

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.”

1. God does the impossible

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 32 … 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.

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.

D. People are restored v 39

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.”

E. False gods are rejected v 40

(ESV) 1 Kings 18 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.