Take a deep breath and then blow. That’s the way to put out the fire on a candle or on a dozen candles at one time. But not all fires are put out that easily. There are times when a forest fire gets out of control, and all the planes dumping water, trucks hauling water, and firefighters and volunteers cannot put it out. But here is one of God’s wonderful stories that is different from any you have read before.
Build an altar, said Elijah, a man of God. Place some wood on top and then your slaughtered animal. Then pray to your god to send fire from the sky to burn it up.
And the people who worshipped the god Baal did what Elijah said. Hundreds of them were all praying to Baal to send fire from the sky to burn up their sacrifice. They kept praying for hours, and they prayed louder and louder, but there was no answer from their god. They jumped up and down in a frenzy as they prayed. They even tried cutting themselves till they bled. But there was no fire and no answer. Was Baal not listening?
The truth is that they were praying to a god who really had no power to save them. Of course there was no answer. God had silenced him.
Do you pray too? Are you praying to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? Or do your prayers go to a god who cannot save you? Our God hears the prayers and cries of His children, and He gives good things to those who ask Him. And He gives better than what we ask or think to ask for. He knows exactly what we need, and He knows you need Him.
Then it was Elijah’s turn. He built an altar of twelve stones. Then he laid wood on the altar, and on top of that he placed a slaughtered bull that was cut in pieces. Around the altar he dug a trench, and then he asked for four barrels of water to be poured all over the sacrifice. Then he told them to pour more water on it the second time and then the third. Twelve barrels of water were poured over the sacrifice, and everything was soaking wet and the trench all around the altar was full of water too.
Now Elijah’s prayer was surprising. There was no doubt about the God he was praying to: “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 I have done all these things at Thy word.”
That was a good beginning, wasn’t it? He was not trying to be a famous man, but just to let God’s power shine out. Listen to what else he prayed: “Hear 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.”
THEN THE FIRE OF THE LORD FELL!
It burned up the sacrifice and the wood! But it didn’t stop there. It burned up the stones and licked up all the water that was in the trench! And when the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, He is the God; the Lord, He is the God.”
Now here is the question: What stopped the fire? Why didn’t it burn up those people who worshipped Baal too? It was not burned out. It must be that God stopped the fire. He loved those people who worshipped Baal, and He was willing to turn their hearts to Himself. But would they listen? Would they turn to the only true God? Elijah said to all the people, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him” (1 Kings 18:2121And 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. (1 Kings 18:21)).
What about you? The Lord loves you too. There is time for you to turn to Him . . . right now . . . today. Will you listen? Will you turn?
Think About God’s Word!
1. What was Baal’s answer when people prayed to him?
Project: How does Daniel 10 show us that God has heard our prayer even when we don’t hear His answer?