Chapter 171. 1 Kings 18:20-40 Elijah on Mount Carmel.
WHEN all the priests of Baal had come to Mount Carmel, and the children of Israel had likewise assembled there, Elijah came to them and said to the people, “How long do you halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him, but if Baal, then follow him.”
The people did not answer a word. They had had Baal and his priests for several years, and famine had been the consequence. No doubt their consciences were touched by the question. Elijah reminded the people that he was the only one remaining of the prophets of the Lord, while there were four hundred and fifty of Baal’s. Then he asked the priests for two bullocks and desired them to dress one for themselves, and he himself would dress the other, neither of them putting fire under their sacrifices, “And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let Him be God,” said Elijah. All the people answered, “It is well spoken.” This was a fair request. The priests of Baal claimed that their god represented the sun and fire. Therefore he ought surely to answer them by fire. But Baal could not hear, there was neither voice nor answer, although the priests called to him from morning till noon, crying, “O Baal, hear us!” They leaped upon the altar they had made. Elijah laughed at them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is talking or has something else to do, or is on a journey; perhaps he is asleep, and must be awakened.” The poor blind priests continued their calling, cutting themselves with knives till the blood gushed out, but their god was silent! O, how different from the true God who could say, “Before they call I will answer.” “Whose ear is ever open unto their cry.” “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify Me.” Our God is a living God, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, and who delights to answer the prayers of His children.
When evening came Elijah called all the people. “Come near unto me,” he said tenderly. They had seen what Baal was, now they should learn that the Lord is God!
The people came near to the prophet, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down; then he took twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, although they were then divided. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and dug a trench around it. After Elijah had laid wood on the altar and cut the bullock in pieces and laid him on the wood, he called on the people to fill four barrels with water, and to pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. Up to this time the people had silently looked on, but now they helped the prophet and did his bidding. Three times they did the same thing, till the water ran around the altar, and the trench was filled with it.
At the time of the evening sacrifice the prophet came near and prayed, saying, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word. Hear me, O Lord hear me, that the people may know that Thou art the Lord God, and that Thou hast turned their hearts back again.”
The Lord did not keep Elijah waiting for his answer, but He sent down His fire to consume the burnt offering; the wood also was burnt, and the stones and dust; the water in the trench was all dried up. When the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and said, “The Lord, He is the God; the Lord, He is the God.”
When the people had turned back again to the God of their fathers, Elijah told them to take the priests of Baal to the brook Kishon and slay them there, for God had commanded Moses that such should be put to death because they would turn the people away from the Lord their God (Deut. 13:1-5).
Elijah’s heart must have been glad indeed to see what an influence his bold faithfulness to the Lord had had upon his brethren, the children of Israel. May we who know the Lord as our Saviour be as faithful! The results, whether we see them or not will surely be for the Lord’s glory and the blessing of those around us.
ML 01/21/1917