~ The Inevitable Outcome ~
THE FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY prophets of Baal dance in a frenzy around their altar of sacrifice, more and more energetically as the day progresses. Baal does not respond. Fire does not fall from heaven. Elijah begins to mock and taunt them. “Shout louder. Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” (1 Kings 18:27) They cut themselves, as is their practice, until their blood spatters and flows everywhere, dancing ever more wildly. Continuing in “Frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.” (1 Kings 18:29)
All civilizations have their gods; they always have had. They have gods in the image of things that fly, or crawl, or walk or swim, and they pray to them. They pray for blessing, for crops to grow, for children to be born, for wars to be won. “But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” (Psa. 115:4-8) The results, or more to the point, the lack of results, are completely predictable.
This scene takes place at the top of Mt. Carmel, a place where Israelites have worshiped their God in the past. But the altar had long been ruined. Now, as the battle of the gods begins, Elijah repairs it in full view of the Baal worshipers while they dance on. “Elijah took twelve stones. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it.” (1 Kings 18:31-32) He then prepares the animal sacrifice and places it on the wood. He tells those watching to help, saying, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” (1 Kings 18:33b) The water pours over the animal, saturating the wood and drains off into the trenches around the altar. “Do it again. Do it a third time.” (1 Kings 18:34) Now the water has thoroughly saturated the surface of the wood, gathers in pockets of the tissues of the animal, and completely fills the trenches.
We get the impression that some amount of time goes by. Perhaps Elijah is letting the dramatic tension build. The gyrations of the Baal worshipers continue to capture the attention of all present, but still he waits—for just the right time; there is a time in the evening in the rituals prescribed for sacrifice in Judaism. At just that time, “Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.’” (1 Kings 18:36)
He prays simply and confidently. He knows already what is going to occur, for God himself has set him on this mission. “Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” (1 Kings 18:37) He doesn’t pray again. He doesn’t begin to prophesy, to call out louder, to pace back and forth before the altar, or to raise his hands to heaven.
He doesn’t have to wait, for his God is real, and his God answers. “Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.” (1 Kings 18:38) God has fully accepted this sacrifice. Scripture says that at this point, “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (1 Kings 18:39) Of course, these are the same people that were absolutely silent earlier (cf. 1 Kings 18:21) when Elijah challenged them about which god they believed in, Baal, or Yahweh. With this great miracle, suddenly they find the will to speak their choice.
Jesus speaks of God as just, and fair, and providential in the affairs of men. He is also all-powerful, and determinant of the fate of all men. He says, “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” (Luke 12:5 ) Jesus also performed powerful miracles, far more so than Elijah, the greatest of which is the eternal salvation of the human soul and spirit. Yet he asks this question, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
The fate of nations, as well as the fate of individuals, rests on not just faith, but especially also fealty in and to the god they say they believe in. God is not looking for our awestruck wonder at his miracles, though they should indeed inspire us in this way. He is looking for the people, for the person, who will walk in faith and obedience day in and day out, never forgetting that, ‘The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!’ And, he is neither mute, nor unable to see or hear. He is, in fact, above all, sees and hears and knows all. And he records everything. He is, after all, the ultimate judge.
Q. Do I walk faithfully each day despite the highs and lows of circumstance?
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