Men of the Bible Series - Elijah shows his people the evidence and lets them decide.
21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God.” All the people answered, “That sounds good.”
1 Kings 18:36-39 At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things. 37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back.”
38 Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell face down and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”
Elijah was seriously outnumbered yet he dared to confront the people of Israel about their decision to worship Baal. Elijah asked them to makeup their minds about the issue, after all if God is God and he is everything that we know that God is, then why in the world are you playing around with something else that was created to take his place?
Gather around people and get ready for the biggest showdown since the God of Israel took on the gods of Egypt. The worshipers of Baal really believed that Baal had a chance and that he would start the fire on their sacrifice but after about 3 hours Elijah began to mock their god and reduce him to human behaviors, insinuating that he may not be anywhere close by (not omnipresent) or that he may be napping.
There was only one offering that was burned that day and it was burned even after all the water was poured on the altar, Elijah made sure that it was clear that the fire on Gods altar was not started by any other means.
Numbers 14:11 “How long will these people despise Me? How long will they not trust in Me despite all the signs I have performed among them?
We are just as bad off much of the time. We seek self worth, value, healing, purpose in life and the forgiveness of our sins in so many other ways that we have created. We need help and we run off looking for it in various ways that are displeasing to God.
I need take a look at the evidence all around me and say “Yahweh, He is God!" every minute of my life. That would keep me consistent in my daily walk and trusting in God alone.
Lord help me to grow in my faith and to have allegiance to you alone.
You might like to read: Men of the Bible blog series.
