Podcast 70, Story of Elijah, Pt 4

Elijah is no longer playing the crowd. He is now in deadly earnest. Though he is clearly speaking to everyone (to King Ahab, to the Canaanite Baal worshipers, to the 450 priests of Baal, to the ten northern tribes of Israel), he is also speaking as a prophet to the world and to all the tribes of Israel, declaring that only Jehovah is the true God. He is reestablishing God’s authority. How exciting it is to listen to the prayer of a prophet.

1 Kings 18:36-37

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

In a moment, Elijah has turned the tide of a fallen people. In a moment he conquered a nation who had fallen away for their true God. And in a moment he established the high position of the only true God. The Lord does not disappoint.

1 Kings 18:38-39

Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

The battle of the Gods is over. But Elijah is a warrior. He did not pack his bags and go home. He not only wanted to restore his people to the worship of the true God, he also wanted to destroy idol worship among Israel. To do that he had to show the complete annihilation of the enemy which he did in a most spectacular way. 

1 Kings 18:40

And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

Remember there were actually 850 prophets, not just the 450 priests of Baal. We may assume that Elijah had them all killed. Following the drama, Elijah did what he was sent to do in the first place. He was sent by the Lord to announce to the king that the drought was over. 

One may ask the question, “Why didn’t Elijah announced the good news immediately? Why did he carry out the elaborate drama? If he had would it have had the same effect on the king and on Israel? The answer is certainly not. Everyone had to be taught that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the one and only true and living God. An idol is merely a mute hunk of stone or wood or metal and nothing more. An idol is nothing. An idol is not a living thing. They are worshiping a false God who can do nothing for them, not even bring rain. Elijah proved it to them. Only now does Elijah tell the king that it going to rain. 

1 Kings 18:41

And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

Mute Baal, the pagan idol of rain, was defeated and his priests killed. Even Ahab had to recognize that Jehovah was the true God of the House of Israel