1 Kings 18:20-40

1 Kings 18:20-40

Elijah wanted to make a statement in the midst of the Israelites. They had drifted so far from God that mere words were never going to convince them that He truly was their God. Although God had performed great miracles through him and even sent word of coming judgment if they continued to disobey God and worship Baal, Ahab and the Israelites would not turn from their evil ways. So Elijah gave them a challenge, a challenge that would pit their “god,” Baal, up against God (Yahweh, the Lord of Israel). He hoped to convince them that they were following after a false god that was of no use to them and that their actions were in direct disobedience to the God who had given them the land in which they lived in the first place.


So the 450 prophets of Baal chose a bull and prepared a sacrifice for Baal, making it presentable for him. In the same way, Elijah selected a bull for himself and also prepared a sacrifice for God. The prophets of Baal went first and cried out to Baal, asking him to bring down fire on their sacrifice. There was no answer. Elijah encouraged them to continue on if they truly believed that Baal was a real god, and the prophets continued to yell and shout, cutting themselves (allowing their blood to spill out on the sacrifice). But there was still no answer. It seems as if this went on for hours, and it was all useless.

After their failed attempt, it was Elijah’s turn to call out to his God (their God!). But he took it one step further. Instead of just piling the wood on the altar, he poured 12 large jugs of water over it. Of course, water would make the wood wet, which would make it harder to burn. That was Elijah’s point. He wanted to show them God’s power, even to accomplish what might seem as impossible. After he was satisfied that the sacrifice was ready, he called out to God. Imagine what this moment must have felt like. This was the moment of truth. If God failed to come through for Elijah (which Elijah knew He would not do), what would come of Elijah? He would have to abandon all he had ever taught. He would be a mockery in Israel, and he would have probably been killed. The Law of Moses stated that if anyone preached false prophecies (found to be a false prophet), then they were to be killed. This was to keep the threat of their false teachings from spreading. So this was the moment of truth for Elijah, but he exhibited great faith. He knew that God would come through for him, but not only for him, also for His children who had turned their backs on Him. It makes me wonder, do I have that kind of faith? Do I really believe that God is that powerful and that He is exactly what He claims to be? It is a question that we should ponder regularly as a type of “spiritual check-up.” God does not lie, and we can trust that He will always come through for us, but that does require a lot of faith!

So Elijah called out to God, and the fire came down. The sacrifice was consumed by fire, and the people recognized their God. They fell down and worshipped Him, recognizing their mistakes. The question was, would it last? Elijah did all he could to make this moment of truth last for the Israelites. He had the false prophets taken to a nearby town, where he killed every one of them (again keeping line with the Law of Moses). Elijah did not want to take the chance that their false teachings would spread any more. Once again, Israel found themselves at a crossroads. They could remain committed to God, obeying His Law, or they could continue to follow in the ways of Ahab. God had used Elijah to reach out to them, getting their attention, but now it was up to them continue in the faith.

Matt Brewer