ELIJAH THE PROPHET - PART TWO

 

THE CONFRONTATION ON MOUNT CARMEL

 

After three and a half years of waiting on the Lord Elijah is told to go and show himself to wicked King Ahab. The Lord tells Elijah that then it will rain upon the earth. At this time there was a severe famine in Samaria the capital area of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

 

At this same time King Ahab called upon Obadiah (means servant of Jehovah) to assist him in going through the land to see if they can find water and grass to keep the horses, mules, and cattle alive. Obadiah was truly a servant of Jehovah. When wicked Queen Jezebel went on a rampage killing the prophets of God Obadiah hid two groups of fifty each in a cave and fed them.

 

God had his man right there in the house of His enemy. Obadiah was a godly man serving in the ungodly king’s home! This is an amazing story. You would have thought that Obadiah would have quit that job and gone somewhere else. Obadiah was right where the Lord wanted him. He heard the voice of the Lord and was God’s inside man to save the hundred prophets. God often will put us in uncomfortable places for a purpose! That was where Obadiah was. He is a great example of God working outside the box of human understanding.

 

Obadiah and Ahab divided the land between them and each went his own way. Obadiah met Elijah as he was on his search for water and grass. Obadiah recognized Elijah and fell on his face before Elijah. Elijah told him to get up and go tell Ahab that Elijah was coming to meet him.

 

Obadiah asked Elijah what sin he had committed that Elijah would want to send him to deliver this message. Obadiah was afraid Ahab would kill him if Elijah didn’t show up. “Don’t you know that I’m the guy who hid the hundred prophets in the cave? Ahab will slay me if you don’t show up!” Elijah assured Obadiah he’d show up so Obadiah went and told Ahab to go meet Elijah.

 

When Ahab sees Elijah he asks, “Are you he who troubles Israel?” Elijah replies, “I have not troubled Israel, but it is you and your father’s house that have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed Baal.”

 

Elijah hasn’t been seen for 3 ½ years but Ahab knows there has been no rain because of Elijah’s prayers. Our tough bird Elijah is not afraid to tell Ahab that he has refused to obey God. Elijah challenges Ahab to gather 450 prophets of Baal and 450 prophets of the idols (who eat at Jezebel’s table) and meet him at Mount Carmel.

 

Ahab asks no questions but does what Elijah has demanded. Ahab and 900 false prophets meet Elijah at Mount Carmel. In addition there was a large gathering of the people waiting there when Elijah arrived. Elijah glares at the crowd and tells them, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal is god, then follow him!” The crowd was silent answering not a word.

 

Elijah declares he is the only prophet of the Lord that remains in Israel but Baal has 450 prophets. He tells the prophets of Baal to get two bulls and to choose one for themselves and to prepare it for sacrifice. Elijah will take the other bull and prepare it for his sacrifice. Elijah tells them to prepare their bull first and put it on wood with no fire.

 

Elijah will prepare his bull in the same way--cut up upon the wood with no fire. “You call on the name of your gods”, he tells them, “and I will call on the name of my God. The God who answers by fire, he is God.” All the people said, “You have spoken well.”

 

The prophets of Baal proceed to prepare their bull as they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “Oh Baal answer us!” There was no voice nor any that answered. They prayed vehemently and began to cut themselves upon the altar but there was no answer.

 

At noon Elijah began to mock them sarcastically, “Cry with a loud voice, for he is a god, perhaps he is meditating or is on a long journey. Maybe he is sleeping!”

 

They shouted louder and cut themselves with daggers until their blood gushed out upon them. When midday was past they prophesied until it was time for the evening sacrifice, but there was no answer or any to listen. At his time Elijah told them to move aside so that he could prepare his burnt offering. Notice Elijah said, “To prepare my burnt offering.” He knew that the Lord was going to answer him in a big way.

 

Elijah takes 12 stones according to the number of the tribes and rebuilds the broken down altar of the Lord. Then he built a trench around the altar, put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. He then told some men to get four jugs of water and pour it on the burnt offering and the wood. This he had them do three times until the water filled the trench. There was a drought…this was precious water!

 

Elijah is a man of faith. There has been a 3 ½ year drought and Elijah is pouring all this water on the altar. Nobody said a word--they did as Elijah asked.

 

At the time of the evening offering Elijah prayed, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

 

The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, stones, and even the dust and water that was in the trench. When the people saw this they fell on the ground face down and cried out, “The Lord, he is God, the Lord he is God!”

 

Elijah told them to seize the prophets of Baal and bring them down to the brook of Kishon. There Elijah slew them all.

 

After that bloody event Elijah told Ahab to go and eat and drink because the rushing sound of heavy rain was in his ears. Ahab does what Elijah says with no argument--he had seen enough to silence him.

 

As Ahab went to eat and drink Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel and put his face upon his knees. I’ve been on top of Mount Carmel and as you look to the east you can see the Mediterranean Sea. Elijah told his servant to go look toward the sea. His servant looked and told Elijah he saw nothing. Elijah had to tell him to go look seven more times.

 

On the seventh look the servant said he saw a small cloud that looked like a hand rising from the sea. Elijah told his servant to go and tell Ahab to get on his horse and get down before the rain stopped him. The heavens became black with clouds and wind and it started to rain heavily.

 

Ahab rode through the storm towards Jezreel. The hand of the Lord was upon Elijah and he ran swiftly before Ahab into Jezreel.

 

SUMMARY

After 3 ½ years of waiting on the Lord Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal and Jezebel on Mount Carmel. I appreciate the discipline of Elijah to wait for the Lord to speak and tell him to move. We could all use this type of discipline and obedient spirit. We are always in a hurry and have to do things right away--not Elijah.

 

Isn’t it interesting that this most difficult time was a 3 ½ year period of drought and difficulty? This is a type and shadow of the final 3 ½ years of the tribulation period. A period that will test and refine God’s people.

 

Obadiah was obedient to the Lord in a job most of us would have quit. God had him there for a reason. He saved 100 prophets from the wicked hand of Jezebel. God’s ways are above our ways. Even in a difficult situation God has a plan to use us if we allow Him.

 

The people saw how the fire came down from the Lord but only gave lip service. They acknowledged that the Lord was great but their actions did not reflect their words. Their hearts were not right. There was no change in them or the king after this great event. Only God knows what is in the heart of man.