During King Ahab’s reign, Baal worship reached new heights. His wife, Jezebel, had “massacred the prophets of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:4) and put in their place 850 heathen prophets of Baal and Asherah. Obadiah, Ahab’s servant, had hidden 150 prophets in caves. And there was also the prophet Elijah, who God had preserved. Elijah was a highly unusual, totally sold out man of God. He marched to a different drummer. He knew what he stood for and had a strong sense of purpose. He wasn’t moved by peer pressure but was committed, uncompromising, firm, and assured.<\/p>\n
Because of Ahab and the people of Israel’s idol worship, it had not rained for over 3 years in the land. But at the end of those 3 years, the Lord told Elijah to go to Ahab and that it would rain. So Elijah, 1 man, challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to offer a sacrifice on Mount Caramel. They would call on their gods, while he would call on God; and they would see whether God or Baal would answer with fire. The prophets of Baal tried for hours to call upon their gods, but there was no answer. Then Elijah drenched his sacrifice in water and called on the Lord. Fire came from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the stone altar, the dust, and even the water. And afterwards it rained.<\/p>\n
The prophets of Baal probably thought of themselves as progressives who were throwing off the restraints of a repressive society. But they were in fact, deeply committed to immorality and were leading the whole nation into moral decay. The people of Israel were a halting, stumbling multitude as they faltered between 2 very different worldviews. If asked, they no doubt would have said they believed in the God of Israel; but all of them were bowing their knees to false gods. Their devotion was mixed, diluted, making them wishy-washy and unsteady. They had no solid commitment to either God Almighty or the many man-made material gods. They were committed to nothing and therefore open to everything, which is why Elijah challenged them (and us) to choose whether they would follow God or Baal.<\/p>\n
To falter between 2 opinions literally means, “to limp along on or between 2 twigs.” Elijah’s challenge today is still uncomfortable but awesome because it speaks so clearly to the church around the world. So many are trying to play both sides of the fence, keeping a foot in both worlds. Pastor A. W. Tozer said it well:<\/p>\n
Whoever is on God\u2019s side is on the winning side and cannot lose; whoever is on the other side is on the losing side and cannot win. Here there is no chance, no gamble. There is freedom to choose which side we shall be on but no freedom to negotiate the results of the choice once it is made. By the mercy of God we may repent a wrong choice and alter the consequences by making a new and right choice. Beyond that we cannot go.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
“LORD, we choose You again this day, no compromise, no turning back, no hopping back and forth between You and the world.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
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1 Kings 18 KJV<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1<\/sup>\u00a0And it came to pass\u00a0after\u00a0<\/em>many days, that the word of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.\u00a02<\/sup>\u00a0And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And\u00a0there was\u00a0<\/em>a sore famine in Samaria.\u00a03<\/sup>\u00a0And Ahab called Obadiah, which\u00a0was<\/em>the governor of\u00a0his\u00a0<\/em>house. (Now Obadiah feared the\u00a0LORDgreatly:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a04<\/sup>\u00a0For it was\u00a0so\u00a0<\/em>, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the\u00a0LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)\u00a0\u00a05<\/sup>\u00a0And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.\u00a0\u00a06<\/sup>\u00a0So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7<\/sup>\u00a0And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said,\u00a0Art<\/em>thou that my lord Elijah?\u00a08<\/sup>\u00a0And he answered him, I\u00a0am:\u00a0<\/em>go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah\u00a0is here\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a09<\/sup>\u00a0And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?\u00a010<\/sup>\u00a0As\u00a0<\/em>the\u00a0LORD\u00a0thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said,\u00a0He is\u00a0<\/em>not\u00a0there;\u00a0<\/em>he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.\u00a011<\/sup>\u00a0And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah\u00a0is here\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a012<\/sup>\u00a0And it shall come to pass,\u00a0as soon as\u00a0<\/em>I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0shall carry thee whither I know not; and\u00a0so\u00a0<\/em>when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the\u00a0LORD\u00a0from my youth.\u00a013<\/sup>\u00a0Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the\u00a0LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the\u00a0LORD\u2019S\u00a0prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?\u00a014<\/sup>\u00a0And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah\u00a0is here:\u00a0<\/em>and he shall slay me.\u00a015<\/sup>\u00a0And Elijah said,\u00a0As\u00a0<\/em>the\u00a0LORD\u00a0of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.\u00a016<\/sup>\u00a0So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17<\/sup>\u00a0And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him,\u00a0Art\u00a0<\/em>thou he that troubleth Israel?\u00a018<\/sup>\u00a0And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father\u2019s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the\u00a0LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.\u00a019<\/sup>\u00a0Now therefore send,\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel\u2019s table.\u00a020<\/sup>\u00a0So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21<\/sup>\u00a0And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the\u00a0LORD\u00a0be\u00a0<\/em>God, follow him: but if Baal,\u00a0then\u00a0<\/em>follow him. And the people answered him not a word.\u00a0\u00a022<\/sup>\u00a0Then said Elijah unto the people, I,\u00a0even\u00a0<\/em>I only, remain a prophet of the\u00a0LORD; but Baal\u2019s prophets\u00a0are\u00a0<\/em>four hundred and fifty men.\u00a023<\/sup>\u00a0Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>on wood, and put no fire\u00a0under:\u00a0<\/em>and I will dress the other bullock, and lay\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>on wood, and put no fire\u00a0under:\u00a0<\/em>24<\/sup>\u00a0And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the\u00a0LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.\u00a025<\/sup>\u00a0And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>first; for ye\u00a0are<\/em>many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire\u00a0under\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a026<\/sup>\u00a0And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But\u00a0there was\u00a0<\/em>no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a027<\/sup>\u00a0And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he\u00a0is<\/em>a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey,\u00a0or\u00a0<\/em>peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a028<\/sup>\u00a0And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.\u00a0\u00a029<\/sup>\u00a0And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the\u00a0time\u00a0<\/em>of the offering of the\u00a0evening\u00a0<\/em>sacrifice, that\u00a0there was\u00a0<\/em>neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a030<\/sup>\u00a0And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0that was\u00a0<\/em>broken down.\u00a031<\/sup>\u00a0And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:\u00a032<\/sup>\u00a0And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the\u00a0LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.\u00a033<\/sup>\u00a0And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid\u00a0him\u00a0<\/em>on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.\u00a034<\/sup>\u00a0And he said, Do\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>the second time. And they did\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>the second time. And he said, Do\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>the third time. And they did\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>the third time.\u00a035<\/sup>\u00a0And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.\u00a0\u00a036<\/sup>\u00a0And it came to pass at\u00a0the time of\u00a0<\/em>the offering of the\u00a0evening\u00a0<\/em>sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said,\u00a0LORD\u00a0God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou\u00a0art<\/em>God in Israel, and\u00a0that\u00a0<\/em>I\u00a0am\u00a0<\/em>thy servant, and\u00a0that\u00a0<\/em>I have done all these things at thy word.\u00a037<\/sup>\u00a0Hear me, O\u00a0LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou\u00a0art\u00a0<\/em>the\u00a0LORD\u00a0God, and\u00a0that\u00a0<\/em>thou hast turned their heart back again.\u00a038<\/sup>\u00a0Then the fire of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>in the trench.\u00a039<\/sup>\u00a0And when all the people saw\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>, they fell on their faces: and they said, The\u00a0LORD, he\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>the God; the\u00a0LORD, he\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>the God.\u00a040<\/sup>\u00a0And 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.\u00a0 41<\/sup>\u00a0And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for\u00a0there is\u00a0<\/em>a sound of abundance of rain.\u00a0\u00a042<\/sup>\u00a0So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,\u00a043<\/sup>\u00a0And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said,\u00a0There is\u00a0<\/em>nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.\u00a044<\/sup> And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man\u2019s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare\u00a0thy chariot\u00a0<\/em>, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.\u00a0\u00a045<\/sup>And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.\u00a046<\/sup>\u00a0And the hand of the\u00a0LORDwas on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
During King Ahab’s reign, Baal worship reached new heights. His wife, Jezebel, had “massacred the prophets of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:4) and put in their place 850 heathen prophets of Baal and Asherah. Obadiah, Ahab’s servant, had hidden 150 prophets in caves. And there was also the prophet Elijah, who God had preserved. Elijah […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6771"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6771"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6771\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16258,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6771\/revisions\/16258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}