Introduction:
A. The story is told of a man who was solo skydiving for the very first time.
1. He had taken all the lessons and now it was time for his first solo jump.
2. He leapt out of the plane and as he was falling he panicked and couldn’t remember how to open his parachute.
3. As he was falling rapidly to the earth he suddenly encountered another guy who was going UP!
4. Seizing the opportunity he shouted, “Hey buddy, do you know how to work a parachute?”
5. The guy who was going up shouted back, “No! Do you know how to light a propane stove?”
B. Throughout the Bible we see that God has chosen fire to be a symbol of His presence.
1. As we will see today, God is going to reveal Himself in an amazing way through fire.
2. Today, we will see that no one knew how to start a fire like Elijah!
3. Today, we will see how this courageous prophet stood all alone against the false prophets of Baal and Asherah.
4. As God’s people today, we find ourselves standing against the current of culture, both secular and religious.
5. Will we have the courage to stand strong and stand alone if necessary?
6. That’s one of the things we want to learn how to do from Elijah.
C. Let’s review what led up to the showdown at Mt. Carmel.
1. Back in 1 Kings 17:1, God sent His prophet Elijah to King Ahab to announce that: “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
2. Then God told Elijah to hide himself by the brook at Cherith.
3. Then after the Cherith brook dried up, God sent Elijah to a widow’s home in Zarephath.
4. In both those places, Elijah had to trust God completely, and God never failed to provide what Elijah needed.
D. Months and years passed as the earth dried up in the drought.
1. Ahab searched Israel and the surrounding nations looking for Elijah, but the prophet could not be found.
2. Meanwhile, Elijah was trusting God and waiting for God to show him the next step.
I. The Story
A. That next step is where we begin today’s story in 1 Kings 18:1-2: After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria…
1. Finally, after three long years, God spoke to His servant and sent him back to King Ahab.
2. The encounter between Elijah and Ahab must have been something to behold.
3. Remember, Elijah was the most wanted man in the land because he had predicted the drought and controlled it.
4. The land was devastated by the drought which caused a widespread famine.
5. You’ve seen pictures of drought stricken times and places; they are not pretty.
6. We have had a very dry summer, but can you imagine 3 years without rain?
B. The Bible says: 17 When he (Ahab) saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” (1 Kgs. 18:17)
1. The noun form of the Hebrew verb that means “to trouble, or to bring calamity” is here translated “troubler.”
2. There are occasions when this Hebrew word is used to mean “viper or snake.”
3. So in other words, Ahab was saying, “Is that you, you sorry snake in the grass?”
4. Ahab left no doubt about how he felt about Elijah.
5. Ahab believed that Elijah was responsible for all the trouble in the land.
6. So King Ahab approached Elijah with fire in his eyes as he spit out his condemnation: “You troubler of Israel. You snake!”
C. Now think of the courage required by Elijah to go to Ahab – He knew he was a wanted man.
1. Yet none of this seemed to faze Elijah, he was not intimidated.
2. On the contrary, he had the audacity to shift the blame back to where it belonged.
3. The Bible says: “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. (1 Kgs 18:18)
4. In other words, Elijah boldly told Ahab, “Don’t blame me for what’s happened. God brought this drought of judgment because of people like you. You’re the reason there hasn’t been rain. God has held back the rain because you have forsaken him and turned to idols.”
5. Elijah didn’t back down one inch – he stood toe to toe with King Ahab.
D. Ahab had to be shown that the God of heaven is supreme, and Elijah was ready to prove it.
1. So Elijah proposed a plan and issued some orders.
2. The Bible says: Elijah said: 19 “Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18:19-20)
3. The audience that gathered on Mount Carmel to witness the showdown was comprised of two groups.
a. One group was the general public, people from all over Israel.
b. The other group was the prophets and priests of the false gods, Baal and Asherah, which numbered 850.
4. Elijah had two goals in mind.
a. First, He wanted to win the people of Israel back to the one true God.
b. Second, He wanted to remove the false prophets and priests from the land.
E. The Bible says: 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. (1 Kgs 18:21)
1. Elijah confronted them with the truth: “Listen. How long will you remain lukewarm?” How long will you hesitate and vacillate? You can’t have it both ways. If the Lord is God, then follow Him. If Baal is God, follow him. Get on one side or the other. It’s decision time.”
2. But the people didn’t say a word – they didn’t answer Elijah’s challenge, nor did they argue with him.
3. The easiest thing to do in the hour of decision is to remain uncommitted – to sit on the fence.
4. And that’s what they did. The people were silent.
F. But Elijah wasn’t deterred.
1. Elijah stood there all alone, vastly outnumbered, but absolutely invincible in God’s hands.
2. Arrayed before him were the idol-worshiping, undecided people of the land.
3. Standing by were 850 priests and prophets of Baal and Asherah.
4. No doubt there were idol shrines erected here and there across the summit of Mt. Carmel, as there were on most of the mountain peaks of Israel at the time.
5. Nevertheless, Elijah wasn’t afraid – he was God’s man, and he had a plan that they would be unable to ignore or forget.
6. His plan would provide undeniable proof that the Lord God was the one true God.
G. The Bible says: 22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire —he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” (1 Kings 18:22-24)
1. Elijah’s plan was an ingenious one. It was shrewd, but fair and simple.
2. Baal was worshiped as the god of the sun (which is the fire of the universe), such a god would surely be able to start a simple fire.
3. Elijah’s plan would provide a reasonable test of the power of the rival deities.
4. The people who were silent before now spoke up saying, “Good idea, Elijah. Let’s do it.”
H. The Bible continues: 25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “O Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. (1 Kgs. 18:25-26)
1. The prophets of Baal followed Elijah’s plan and carried out his instructions.
2. But when they called upon Baal, nothing happened.
3. From early morning until noon they cried out, “O Baal, answer us.” But nothing happened.
4. So try to picture the prophets going through their usual incantations and dances with growing desperation as the time passed without a response from their god.
5. They were jumping up and down in frenzy, crying out, begging and pleading, trying to attract Baal’s attention – it must have been something to behold.
I. Now if you don’t think there is any humor in the Bible, just take a look at what happened next.
1. The Bible says: 27At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” (1 Kgs. 18:27)
2. Can’t you picture it? Elijah was standing over there, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, as he watched the prophets of Baal jumping around like a pack of wild animals.
3. After enduring several hours of this nonsense, Elijah said, “Hey maybe you’re not calling loud enough…maybe he is hard of hearing, or is busy or sleeping or traveling.”
4. The “traveling” suggestion has some other possible overtones, including, “Maybe your god is using the celestial men’s room.”
J. So how did they respond to Elijah’s taunting? The Bible says: 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention. (1 Kgs.18:28-29)
1. So the prophets of Baal shouted until they were hoarse, danced their altar dances until their feet hurt, and then mutilated their bodies with bloodletting.
2. They did this from morning until evening, but their god did not respond.
3. Picture them finally giving up; falling down in the dust, panting, bleeding in total exhaustion, and utter humiliation.
K. At that dramatic juncture, Elijah stepped forward – it was his turn, and he knew that God would come through with an ultimate demonstration of power.
1. The Bible says: 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”
34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.
“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. (1 Kgs. 18:30-35)
2. So the first thing Elijah did was rebuild the altar of the Lord, which had been destroyed during this period of idolatry.
3. Using twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, Elijah built an altar for the glory of his God.
4. Then Elijah told the people to fill four large jars with water.
a. The term here for jar could also be translated barrel.
5. The main point was that it was a lot of water that soaked the wood and filled the trench.
6. If you are wondering where did they get the water during a time a drought?
a. Mt. Carmel sits right next to the Mediterranean Sea that had plenty of water in it.
L. So, once all the preparations were completed, it was time for Elijah to make his request of God.
1. The Bible says: 36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” (1 Kgs. 18:36-37)
2. Elijah’s prayer was a simple one, but it was a prayer of faith.
a. There was no pleading or screaming. No shouting or frenzied dancing.
b. His prayer was just a plainly spoken request that God would prove to all that He, alone, is Lord.
3. The contrast was stunning, and the response was immediate.
M. The Bible says: 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (1 Kgs. 18:38-39)
1. I can only imagine what this experience must have been like.
2. God answered Elijah’s prayer with an immediate and spectacular display.
3. I’m sure there was a blinding flash and a thunderous sound.
4. The water in the trench was vaporized, like a drop of water dropped on a hot frying pan.
5. Nothing was left of the offering or the altar but a pile of ashes.
N. This miraculous display turned the hearts of people back to God.
1. The pendulum of allegiance immediately swung to the God of Elijah.
2. The Bible says: 40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. (1 Kgs. 18:40)
3. Some may read that verse and say, “What an extreme response!”
4. But what we need to realize is that the prophets of Baal were an immoral, hostile, and anti-God malignancy in the land of Israel.
5. Like the surgeon who treats a malignant tumor with immediate radical surgery, Elijah called on the people to act immediately to rid this deadly spiritual influence.
II. The Application
A. What an unforgettable story! One of my favorites in all the Bible!
1. Certainly this story leaves many lasting lessons for us all.
2. Let me suggest three lessons we should apply to our lives?
B. First, We learn that riding the fence will give you more than splinters.
1. Having a divided allegiance is never acceptable to God.
a. Elijah asked the people of Israel: “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?”
2. The strongest words that were given to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation were given to the church at Laodicea.
a. The reason was clear: they were uncommitted. They were neither hot nor cold.
b. Jesus said: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16)
3. Elijah told the people of Israel to get off the fence of indecision – either they were for God or against Him, they couldn’t be both.
4. Do you find yourself in the same predicament?
a. You want to say that God is the most important person in your life, but you are easily swayed and drawn away from that allegiance.
b. You want God’s blessing, but you also want people’s approval.
c. You want God’s protection and provision, but you struggle to trust and let go.
d. You want God’s delivering power, but you cradle and nurse an addiction to something else.
5. God is calling us today to make a choice and take a stand.
6. It is time to truly be committed to God and to get all in with the Lord.
7. We must stop hiding our love for and commitment to Christ. It is time to decide and to act.
8. When we see our nation moving with this ungodly cultural drift, we need to speak up.
9. When we see a brother or sister in Christ making poor spiritual choices, we need to address it.
10. Neutrality in the hour of decision is not what God demands from us.
11. We must stop riding the fence and take a stand for God.
C. A second lesson we learn from today’s story is that prayer is powerful because God is powerful.
1. The prophets of Baal failed not because they didn’t pray or didn’t believe, but because they prayed to the wrong person and believed in the wrong person. Baal had no power.
2. The God we pray to is all-powerful – His power is beyond our imagination.
3. I like the story told of a 24 year-old Canadian named Danny Simpson.
a. He was sentenced to 6 years in jail for robbing a bank at gun point. He got only $6000.
b. The interesting thing about the story is that the gun he used in the robbery has ended up in a Canadian museum.
c. The gun he used in the robbery is an antique 45 caliber Colt semi-automatic made in 1918.
d. The pistol is worth up to $100,000.
e. If Danny had known the value of the gun he held in his hand, then he wouldn’t have robbed a band and ended up in jail.
4. If only we had a better estimation of the power of our God and power of the prayers we offer to Him.
5. God has placed great power in our hands through prayer.
6. Unfortunately, rather than being the first thing we turn to, prayer is often our last resort.
7. I’m personally convicted and challenged by my own prayer life. I ask myself these questions, and I would encourage you to ask yourself the same questions.
a. How committed am I to pray?
b. How much time do I deliberately set aside for prayer?
c. How ready am I to pray when someone mentions a need?
d. Do I drop everything and turn to prayer when it is needed?
7. James reminds us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
a. Elijah was a man just like us and look at what happened when he prayed to the Lord!
D. A final lesson we learn from today’s story is that even one person can make a difference.
1. It is amazing what one life totally devoted to God can do.
2. Elijah was a man standing all alone.
a. He was overwhelmingly outnumbered by a hostile king, the king’s wicked wife, 850 pagan prophets, and countless numbers of unbelieving Israelites.
b. Nevertheless, all of them were silenced and brought under the control of this one dedicated man of God.
3. The story is told of a 4th-century Christian monk, named Telemachus.
a. Telemachus lived in a remote village, tending his garden and spending much of his time in prayer.
b. One day he heard the voice of God telling him to go to Rome, so he obeyed, heading out on foot.
c. Weeks later, he arrived in the city at the time of a great festival.
d. The little monk followed the crowd surging down the streets into the Colosseum.
e. He saw the gladiators stand before the emperor and say, “We who are about to die salute you.”
f. Then he realized these men were going to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowd Telemachus cried out, “In the name of Christ, stop!”
g. As the games began, he pushed his way through the crowd, climbed his way over the wall, and dropped to the floor of the arena.
h. When the crowd saw this tiny figure rushing to the gladiators and saying, “In the name of Christ, stop!” they thought it was part of the show and began laughing.
i. When they realized it wasn’t part of the show, the laughter turned to anger.
j. As Telemachus was pleading with the gladiators to stop, one of them plunged a sword into his body.
k. He fell to the sand. As he was dying, his last words were, “In the name of Christ, stop!”
l. Then a strange thing happened - The gladiators stood looking at the tiny figure lying there.
m. A hush fell over the Colosseum. In dead silence, one by one, everyone left the Colosseum.
n. The year was 391AD, and that was the last battle to the death between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum.
o. Never again in the great stadium did men kill each other for the entertainment of the crowd.
p. That change was brought about by one tiny voice that could hardly be heard above the roar, one voice that spoke the truth in God’s name.
4. Each one of us who live a life dedicated to the Lord can have a profound influence on others.
5. You may be the only person in your family, your workplace, or your school who is a Christian, but you can have an influence, nonetheless.
6. You may be the only person who stands up and refuses to go along with something that is wrong, but don’t underestimate the influence you can have.
7. It takes courage to be the only boy or girl, man or woman sticking out in a crowd.
8. When we stand up and stand alone for God, He can do amazing things through our lives.
9. Elijah is certainly a good example of what God can do through a totally dedicated life.
10. Jesus is even a better example. What will we allow God to do through each one of us?
E. What showdown on what mountain is God preparing you for and calling you to?
1. Will you trust God?
2. Will you stand up and even stand alone?
3. When you take your stand…
a. Don’t waiver.
b. Don’t forget to pray.
c. Don’t forget that God can make a difference through you!
Resources:
Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility, by Charles Swindoll, Thomas Nelson, 2000.
When Standing Up Means Standing Alone, Sermon by Pat Cook, SermonCentral.com
How You Can Have the Power of God, Sermon by Kenneth Squires, SermonCentral.com
