Elijah stayed at least two years and in the third year, the LORD told him to move on. This time to an even more unlikely place, to King Ahab. You will recall that his last words to the king were that it wouldn’t rain for three years. That time was now up, and God told him to return to Ahab. And that God would send rain. He did as commanded and when he arrived there was a severe famine (v1,2). Someone said that here is a time to hide and a time to present oneself, but it must be at God’s command and in His time.
Amazingly, wicked Ahab and Jezebel had a godly housekeeper. His name was Obadiah. God has His people in some of the most unexpected places. While Ahab and Jezebel were killing the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah was protecting one hundred prophets, and hiding them in caves, fifty to each, and fed them with basics of bread and water (v3,4).
There were thirteen men with the name Obadiah in the Old Testament. His name means ‘Worshiper of Yahweh’ or ‘Servant of Yahweh’. You may know that there was a prophet in the Old Testament, who prophesied against Edom, and there was a priest in the days of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:5).
Ahab instructed Obadiah to go into the country to the springs of water and brooks to find grass for the livestock to save having to slaughter them. It seems that Ahab was more concerned about his animals than his relationship with God. They split the land up, Ahab went one way, and Obadiah went the other (v5,6), and on his way met Elijah. He recognised Elijah and fell on his face before him. I’m not sure if that was fear or not in view of the following conversation (v7-14).
Elijah told Obadiah to go and tell Ahab that he had returned. Obadiah was very afraid and asked if he had sinned because Ahab would have expected him to take Elijah prisoner to him. He told Elijah that Ahab had an ‘all-points arrest warrant’ out for you. He had sent men to all parts of the country to find you and made them swear an oath that they couldn’t find you. “Now you tell me to say to Ahab that you are here. He will kill me.” He relayed to Elijah that he had feared the LORD from his youth and how he hidden the prophets from Jezebel when she sought to put them to death.
Elijah assured Obadiah that he would present himself to Ahab that very day, and Obadiah would be safe (v15,16). Obadiah trusted Elijah and went to meet Ahab. Elijah met Ahab, Ahab spoke and said, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” What a cheek! Ahab was the worst king Israel had had, and he has audacity to suggest that Elijah is the cause of the trouble. He blamed someone else rather than himself. In a way Ahab’s trust in Baal had brought about Elijah’s prayer to God to withhold rain, so, he might’ve thought that Baal was withholding rain because of Elijah, what a petty idea.
Elijah replied, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table” (v17-19).
Elijah was not speaking at his own whim; he was speaking on behalf of God. He was simply obeying God (v36). He told Ahab to gather all Israel to him on Mount Carmel as witnesses to what was to take place. The prophets of Baal were eating at Jezebel’s table, and it was important for them to come to Carmel. They were in privileged positions and supported by the wicked queen, she was making Baal the main deity as opposed to Almighty God.
Now follows what turned out to be one of the clearest exhibits of who was really God. It also includes one of the most amusing episodes.
Probably against Jezebel’s wishes, Ahab sent for all Israel to gather on Carmel (v20,21) in accordance with Elijah’s instructions. Elijah attended and spoke to the people, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” However, the people made no reply.
Elijah couldn’t be fairer than that, but he had no doubts as to who would win. He was confident in his God. He stood alone against the prophets of Baal who probably hated him. They and their god had already been proved powerless with the continuing famine. The people were, no doubt, hovering between the two as they were suffering the drought. Many of them would have been frustrated by the inaction of this so called god. Elijah recognised that there were two opinions and, therefore, the challenge was issued. He wanted to assure them that there was a true God, and they would not need to ‘falter’ anymore. They couldn’t serve both, they needed to serve the true God or continue serving the useless god of Baal. Either the people were afraid, or they were unsure because they said nothing.
Elijah proposed a contest (v22-24) “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” “All the people answered and said, “It is well spoken””
Elijah was not the only one left, there was Obadiah and the one hundred prophets he had hidden, but he stood alone on this occasion. Maybe he was keeping Obadiah’s confidence and didn’t want to expose him. He even gave the prophets of Baal the opportunity to choose the two bulls and to have the one they wanted and give the other one to Elijah. He gave them every advantage. He even chose answering by fire – Baal was supposed to be the sky god, hence the fire coming from lightning from the sky. He knew from history that God was able to send fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice (see Joshua 6 and 2 Chronicles 7).
He gave them first choice and first opportunity. He told them to prepare the bull and call down fire from their god to burn up the sacrifice (v25-27). Well, they cried from morning to noon, probably up to six hours, with no response. Their cries of ‘O Baal hear us’ fell on deaf ears. They started to jump around and even on to the altar. What difference that would make, I can’t imagine?
Around noon, having given them every chance, Elijah began to mock them and their antics, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
Can you imagine the scene? Elijah was really enjoying himself by now. They had cried out for several hours, now he tells them to cry louder, he’s busy, out for a walk, or even asleep. All these things are not a description of the One True God. Almighty God never slumbers or sleeps; He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. Elijah couldn’t resist the opportunity to emphasise the difference.
These false prophets were beside themselves; they were sincere followers of Baal, and they were being embarrassed before the people. They cut themselves with knives and lances. Note it says it was their custom. What a god, who expects his devotes to cut themselves to drawing blood! (v28,29) Midday was passed and they prophesied until the time for the evening sacrifice, around twelve hours and there was still no voice, no-one answered, and what’s more, no-one even paid attention.
Not a surprise really – Psalm 115:8…. Says, “Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.”
There was no-on there to answer. What god requires us to mutilate ourselves? Certainly not Almighty God.
If this was still the same day, it was now evening. Elijah had been very patient, probably enjoying himself at their futility. He called the people to him. He repaired the altar of the LORD which had been broken, probably some time ago. This was not the altar which the prophets of Baal had built but a previous altar which had fallen in disuse. He took twelve stones for the twelve tribes, sons of Jacob, renamed by the LORD as Israel (v30-35). With the stones he built an altar to the LORD. This was no haphazard act, but there was a reason for it, and a message for Israel. He made a trench around it. Put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. He told them to fill four water pots with water and pour it on the sacrifice this was done a further two times, and the water ran round the altar and filled the trough with water.
Elijah showed his confidence in God by thoroughly drenching the sacrifice, and that God could burn up a wet sacrifice whereas Baal couldn’t even ignite a dry one.
The time of the evening sacrifice was come, and Elijah prayed to the LORD before the people, “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.” (v36,37)
It is probable that the northern kingdom had not offered the evening sacrifice for some years, hence rebuilding the altar. Jeroboam had ceased to be associated with worship in the temple in Jerusalem around fifty years before.
Elijah wanted the people to know who God was and that he was His servant and that their hearts be turned back to the LORD. This was not simply a show, but a spiritual act for their good. Elijah wanted them to know that this was God’s doing, and he desired their hearts to be turned back to him. It was not just a contest, nor a comparison, but a proof that God was Almighty and the Only True God.
“Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.” (v38)
Not only did the LORD’S fire burn up the sacrifice, but it also burned up the stones, the wood, the dust and licked up the water. What a spectacle! Some of these would normally be expected to be non-combustible, but that’s the power of God. He can do far more than we ask or think.
“Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!” And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So, they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.” (v39,40)
The fire of the LORD fell apparently immediately whereas the prophets of Baal had pleaded for hours without an answer. The people were convinced and fell on their faces and exclaimed that The LORD IS God. It was indisputable, the evidence was clear. In a way, they had no choice. They did and said all the right things, but history showed that it didn’t last.
People today, still act like this, sadly, but there is little or no sincerity. Many talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.
One might say it was unnecessary for Elijah to take the prophets of Baal and execute them. They had been misleading the people and tragic results had ensued. Even the prophets themselves had cut themselves to shedding blood earlier that day. They had been responsible for punishing the prophets of the LORD and so the punishment as laid down by Moses was carried out on them. (See Deuteronomy 13; 17; 18)
We are not told that Ahab or Jezebel bowed down and acknowledged God as the LORD. Certainly, unlikely that Jezebel did in view of her next words. In fact, it appears that Jezebel didn’t even attend in view of the next few verses. However, Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” Ahab obviously listened and had food and drink. Elijah knew that rain would come now that Baal had been defeated. It was the worship of Baal that had caused the drought. Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed down before the LORD. He told his servant to go and look toward the sea. He did so but there was nothing. Elijah was persistent for he knew God would answer him, and seven more times he told the servant to go and look, six times there was nothing, but the seventh time the servant returned with the news, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” (v41-44)
He had only seen a very small cloud but, he was sure that the rain would come, enough to stop chariots. We must trust God even when the signs are very small. This was not going to be a very little shower, but a downpour.
Sure enough the sky blackened, cloud and wind and very heavy rain. Ahab rode away in his chariot and headed for Jezreel, some fourteen miles away. Something happened to Elijah, the hand of the LORD came upon him and gave him supernatural strength and ability to run ahead of Ahab to Jezreel (v45,46). It seems that that was where Jezebel was and maybe God wanted Elijah to be there when she was told of the debacle at Carmel for her god, Baal. Maybe she she thought it wasn’t worth going or she expected victory over Elijah, or even defeat, and wanted to avoid the ignominy.
