1 Kings 18:20-4120So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 22Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 24And 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. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 25And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 30And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 31And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32And 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 measures of seed. 33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of 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. 37Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. 40And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. 41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. (1 Kings 18:20‑41)
On a certain day the people of Israel came together on a wide mountain, to prove if the big idol, called Baal, could answer prayers and help them, and if God in heaven could hear them.
King Ahab brought many men to pray to the idol, but there was only one man, Elijah, to pray to God, Elijah said for two animals to be brought; one for Baal; one for the Lord, and they should pray Baal to send fire to burn the offering to Baal and he would pray God to send fire to burn the offering to God.
The men who worshiped Baal made an altar, placed wood on it, then the meat, and prayed for Baal to send the fire. They called long and loud, “O, Baal, hear us”, but there was no answer by voice or by fire.
Elijah wanted them to see how foolish it was to pray to an idol they had made, which could not see or hear, so he said that they should call louder, that perhaps Baal was on a journey, or busy, or perhaps asleep!
They called still louder, and even cut themselves with knives, thinking to please the idol. Did the idol hear? No, an idol cannot see or hear. They prayed all day but no fire came.
At last Elijah called the people to come close to an altar of stones he made. He placed wood on it, and the meat on top. Then he asked for water to be brought and to be poured over the meat and wood. And this was done three times. You know how hard it is to burn wet wood or anything even damp. But Elijah also filled the trench he had dug around the altar, with water, so all was wet as could be.
Then he prayed to God to send fire that the people would know that He was the true God. Did God hear this prayer? Yes, fire came from above, such a fierce fire that it burned not only the meat and the wood, but even the stones were destroyed, and the water in the trench dried up.
When the people saw the fire come down and burn all, they knelt on the mountain saying, “The Lord, He is God.” They had known of God’s power to the people of Israel for so long, yet they had turned to idols!
Notice what Elijah said to them: “How long halt ye?... If the Lord be God follow Him.” verse 21.
Halt means to stop and wait. We have heard of God’s great power and still more, we know of the Lord Jesus. Why should we wait to believe and follow Him?
How many stones were in the altar made by Elijah? (1 Kings 18:31,3231And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32And 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 measures of seed. (1 Kings 18:31‑32)). (About idols, Psa. 115:3-103But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. 9O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. 10O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. (Psalm 115:3‑10)).
ML 03/12/1939