ELIJAH SERIES: HALTED BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS

In 1 Kings 18, the three-year drought prophesied to King Ahab by Elijah in 1 King 17 ended, and God instructed Elijah to go and meet with King Ahab.  

On the way to meet the king, Elijah encounters Obadiah, the governor of Ahab’s house and worshipper of God. Obadiah told Elijah how he hid one hundred prophets in two caves and fed them when Jezebel was killing off the prophets of God, how King Ahab had searched the land for grass for his horses and mules, and searched the neighboring nations for Elijah. When told by Elijah to say to King Ahab that he was here, Obadiah was reluctant to do so for fear Elijah would disappear and then King Ahab would kill him. However, Elijah assured him that he would appear before King Ahab.  

When Elijah and King Ahab met, Ahab said, “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” and Elijah responded, “I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.” He further told Ahab to gather Israel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah that eat at Jezebel’s table, to Mount Carmel.

When the people arrived at Mount Carmel, Elijah said to them, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” After receiving no response from Israel, Elijah challenged the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. They both were to offer a bull sacrifice, pray to their God and anticipate their offering to be supernaturally consumed by fire.

The prophets of Baal went first. As the day progressed from morning to evening, Elijah taunted and mocked the prophets of Baal as they continued in their futile prayers and pleas, leaping on their altar and cutting themselves while awaiting their God to respond.

Finally, when it was time for the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah first repaired the altar of God, which Israel had allowed to go to waste. Then he made a trench about the altar and placed the wood on the altar with the cut pieces of the bull on it. He ended by having four barrels of water poured over the prepared sacrifice three times. Elijah prayed, and fire descended from the Lord, consuming the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and the water in the trench. The people responded by bowing down and saying, ‘The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.” Hence, after irrefutable proof was displayed, those assembled were no longer halted between who was the true God. And without delay, Elijah had the people take the prophets of Baal down to the brook Kishon and execute them.

Elijah instructed King Ahab to go and eat before the heavy rain started. Meanwhile, Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel, bowed down, put his face between his knees, and prayed. He told his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” The servant went but saw nothing, to which Elijah had the servant do this seven times. On the seventh time, the servant reported he saw what appeared to be a cloud that looked like a man’s hand rising out of the sea.

Elijah sent word to King Ahab via his servant to get off Mount Carmel before the rain started. However, while King Ahab rode in his chariot back to Jezreel, the heavy rain came. The spirit of the Lord came upon Elijah, and he, on foot, outran the king in his chariot to their destination.

For a more detailed account of this chapter, I recommend reading it. From this chapter, here are my thoughts:

• God has a set timing for events to occur.
• Wait on God for directions concerning your next move.
• There are those who care for the survival of their livestock more than the survival of people
• There will be consequences when there is a failure to keep God’s covenant.
• When leaders make the wrong decisions, people suffer.
• You can hold a position without compromising your integrity.
• God has people strategically planted to protect and care for the needs of His people.
• People will label you a troublemaker when you speak the Word of the Lord.
• It is difficult to admit you were wrong when people’s lives have been put in jeopardy.
• To implement the change of wrongdoing, confrontation  is necessary
• Followers of God must be monotheistic.
• Double-mindedness is not acceptable when serving God.
• While others are in a frenzy, you can remain calm because you know whom you trust.
• With confidence in God, you can do the unthinkable.
• Restore the things of God.
• God and He alone is the giver of rain.
• God stands behind His Word.
• Pray until something happens.
• God can give you supernatural abilities to overtake and outrun those depending on human strength.

If you are interested in Jezebel’s reaction to the slaying of the prophets of Baal and Elijah’s fearful response, revisit this blog next week.

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