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 18:31,32). (About idols, Psa. 115:3-10).
ML 03/12/1939