This week the focus chapter is as you can see, 1 Kings 18. The big event chronicled in here is the battle between the LORD God, and the foreign god (Baal) that Israel is now worshipping.
How did they get here? Let’s back up a bit.
The Kingdom of Israel is now divided. Most of the tribes go to the north and keep the name Israel. The southern tribes are only Judah and Benjamin and go by the name Judah. In about 35 years since the succession, Ahab becomes the 8th king of Israel, and was described as doing “evil in the LORD’s sight, even more than any of the Kings before him. …he married Jezebel, [a foreigner]…and he began to bow down in worship to Baal….Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him. (1 Kings 16:30-33) 1 Kings 17 introduces a new character, “Now Elijah”, the prophet of God was sent to Ahab to give him a message. The message is “there is going to be a drought”. A serious one. Now we arrive at chapter 18. Ahab and Jezebel and all of their kingdom are 3 years into the drought and the famine had become very severe.
Remember, Ahab and Jezebel have blamed their suffering and desperation on Elijah, after all he is the one who delivered the bad news, 3 years ago. Now he’s back and he has a new message for Ahab.
Here it is.
Gather your people, Ahab. Round up 450 prophets of Baal and throw in another 400 prophets of Asherah. Let’s go up to Mount Carmel. Elijah basically said, “we’re settling this now”. What are they “settling”? The matter is of which God (big G or little g) are they (Israel, God’s chosen people) worshiping? The people and prophets of Baal all agreed to the challenge and set up their altar to make an offering to their god. Elijah also set up his altar to worship his God.
Baal’s prophets called out to their god. They shouted, they danced, they worked themselves into an emotional frenzy, as I imagine it, to have Baal accept their offering by raining down fire on their altar. Oh let us not forget that Elijah taunted, trash talked, and basically made fun of their god as this was going on. Rather bold of Elijah I would say. Was it arrogance or was it confidence in an all powerful God?
Elijah’s turn. He prayed, with adoration and honor and made a request that aligned his will will with God’s. Immediately God answered. Fire came down from heaven. The offering was burned up.
And the people saw it and said…
After the people declare their allegiance, Elijah prays again, asking God to fulfill His promise to restore the land with rain. God does. The rest of the story follows with the punishment of the prophets of Baal, Ahab, and Jezebel.
Each of these major characters in this reading lead me to examine my life in a different way.
- Elijah is just like me and God uses Him in a mighty way.
- Am I willing? Obedient? And CONFIDENT in my God?
- Ahab (and Jezebel) show me what pride, arrogance, selfishness, and disregard for a HOLY God look like.
- Do I test and try the patience of God? Am I angry at the messenger? Do I lead people away from God by my words and deeds?
- God is who He says He is.
- How will I declare my faith in my LORD today, and every day?