Is Religion Good for Society?
When preparing this message, I came across a survey conducted by the NCLS (or National Church Life Survey) that was released in November 2019. This survey has been conducted among 20 different denominations every five years since 1991, and surveys several thousand Australians.
Among the questions asked were things like:
"Have you been to church in the last year?"
"Does your mother, your father, your spouse, or children go to church?"
But here's the question that stood out:
“Do you think that religion is good for society?”
And to be honest, the results surprised me.
~40 percent said that they thought religion is good for society. And on the surface that's awesome, right?
Only about 20 percent did not think so.
The remaining 40 percent had no definite thoughts on the question.
At the time of the survey (these numbers have probably shifted some since then), that 20 percent figure of people who didn't think religion was good for society corresponds pretty close to the number of Australians who identified themselves as “atheists.” So really, that result on the survey makes sense, and while I don't love seeing that, obviously, I can deal with that. What I want to focus on was the two 40 percent figures — which if we combine them, means that 80 percent of Australians seemed to be either neutral or positive toward “religion.”
That seems encouraging, right? 80% of the country is either just indifferent to religion or think that it's a benefit toward society. That's pretty solid!
It'd be easy, as a Christian, to be really encouraged by that. When I first read it, I thought, "Oh wow! Perhaps Australians are pretty open minded to the Gospel. That's great!"
But here's the thing that troubled me. It's with the survey question itself. It's that word religion that I believe skewed the results. One commentator said that the question was "a massive lie that most respondents seem to have swallowed." Pretty strong language.
I'd imagine that whoever wrote that question probably had in mind a modern/secular, view of “religion.” Giving them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they just meant generally harmless things that many religions share. Things like going to church, a mosque, synagogue, or temple from time to time, occasionally praying, reading Scripture, and so on.
But where this question starts to take a turn is when we consider that “religion” can involve (for the sake of the argument I'm going to be extreme here) things like child sacrifice. It's not really a stretch to say that some “religions” contain very bad stuff. I don't know that given that question, I could answer that “religion,” in the general all-encompassing definition is necessarily good for society. Christianity, of course, but definitely not “religion” as such.
And yet, we saw that 40 percent of Australians said “Yes.” I know what you are thinking. "Well, you're just focusing on Australia. What does that have to do with us?" Maybe you are right.
So let's zoom out. There is a widespread view in today’s world that “religion” is simply a matter of taste. That it's just an aspect of “culture,” like music, or food. In this age of unchecked open-mindedness, no one should be critical of another person’s “religion,” any more than we should judge people for liking certain foods - even if it is pineapple on pizza, which is objectively wrong. There's a place and time for pineapple and there's a place and time for pizza. I don't need an acidic fruit co-mingling with bread and cheese. Hawaiian pizza isn't even Hawaiian. It came from Canada. Anyway, I'm done.
Getting back on track, there's this thought in societies who have a bunch of different cultures that everyone is supposed to be completely open-minded and should just welcome and appreciate the many “religions” that belong to the different cultural backgrounds of our people. We should just let people believe what they want to believe and if it isn't hurting anyone, what's the harm? Because unless that's a belief in Christ, it is hurting someone - themselves. I'm sure you've all heard opinions and phrases like that before, because it's very widely believed.
See I bring all of this up, because last week, Pastor Josh did an amazing job of setting the stage for this encounter of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. This narrative which actually poses a fundamental challenge for a world that could ask such an insane question like, “Do you think that religion is good for society?”
That's because today we're not talking about a story of “religious tolerance.” We're not even talking about a story of “freedom of religion.”
The story we're talking about is much, much, more important than that.
Preparation of the Altars
It's in our text today that the people of Israel and the prophets of Ba'al meet the God of Israel. That sentence alone gives me chills. They meet the God of Israel on Mount Carmel. Wow.
"Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken." Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it." - 1 Kings 18:19-25 (ESV)
Archeology of Baal Altars
And let's stop right there, because there's something pretty interesting I want to share. Archeologists have uncovered some of the temples and altars to Ba'al, and found that under these altars to Ba'al there are little wind tunnels. They theorize that some of these altars to Ba'al, they would put a little fire under them in the tunnel, and then they'd allow the wind to pass under this altar, igniting the fire, and they would act like it was this fire from Ba'al consuming the offering on the altar.
Kind of like some of those televangelist scandals - Peter Popoff in the 80s came to mind when I was reading this, when he we exposed to be using a small radio in his ear and falsely claimed God revealed information to him about people in his audiences, when all along it was just some phony stuff going on.
The point is that the prophets of Ba'al were phony as well, but instead of radios in their ears it was feigning fire from heaven to consume altars.
So Elijah makes it abundantly clear in these opening verses, "No fire on the altars." They responded, "it is well spoken." "Okay then, choose a bull for yourselves and call upon your god. Also, NO FIRE ON THE ALTAR."
Let's continue now, in verse 26:
"And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention." - 1 Kings 18:26-29 (ESV)
Sanctified Sarcasm
What a scene.
They put on this performance after setting up their altar. Dancing around it, "Oh Baal hear us! Oh Baal answer us!" I love that phrase, "they limped around the altar they had made."
The problem with chanting, "Oh Baal hear us," is pretty simple, I think, but it's a pretty big problem for the prophets in that there isn't an "Oh Baal" in existence to hear anyone or anything, let alone them.
So they escalate - they start cutting themselves with knives, throwing themselves on the altar. I like to think of Elijah as just sitting back, maybe drinking a root beer float like, "oh this is getting to be pitiful. How pathetic."
And here's where we enter maybe one of my favorite parts of this passage, as Pastor John Miller put it, "sanctified sarcasm." That's awesome.
I think if you asked my family, at least those close to me - they would tell you that I can be pretty sarcastic at times. And I'd like to just point out to them this morning having read this passage that it's biblical. So there.
No, instead he starts to mock the prophets. One of the funniest parts in all of Scripture in my opinion.
1. The first thing he says to them: "Maybe your god is musing..." or some translations put it as "talking." The original Hebrew word here, ?????? (sîa? | see-aakh), means "occupied, or in deep thought." So Elijah is saying, "Maybe your god is just busy thinking..." as if they're saying, "Oh Baal hear us!" And Baal is going, "No leave me alone, I'm thinking, I'm thinking..."
2. The second thing he says, "maybe your god is just relieving himself." And that means what you think it means. How great, right? I love what Charles Swindoll said in his book on Elijah:
"Baal may have stepped into the celestial men's room."
"Maybe your god's going to the bathroom right now! Maybe he's preoccupied. Did you try knocking?" Some other Old Testament scholars believe that phrase meant he's gone hunting, but I like the first one more. Either way, Elijah's mocking intent is pretty clear.
3. The third thing Elijah says is, "you know maybe he's just on a journey..." Again, the original Hebrew for the word "journey" ??????? (dere? | deh-rekh) - We could translate Elijah as saying, "maybe he's on vacation. He went on holiday. That's why he's not showing up."
4. Lastly, Elijah says, "oh no! I've got it! He's just sleeping, you just need to wake him up. Try yelling louder!"
I love the humor of Elijah in this passage. It reminds me of a quote from Charles Spurgeon, brilliant theologian and preacher, when he was criticized for telling a joke in a sermon, he said this:
"If you only knew how many others I kept back!"
I almost wonder how many others Elijah kept back before saying, "Okay. Enough is enough." He wasn't sitting on the side biting his nails. No anxiety. No, he was enjoying it. I love this quote from Martin Luther:
"The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn."
The devil cannot stand ridicule. And that was what Elijah was doing, until enough was enough. His ridicule was as if Elijah was saying, "Have you had enough? Are you finished?" But this flagrant idolatry led them to self-abuse, as idolatry always does for all of us. Until enough is enough.
Enough is Enough
"Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lordthat had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name," and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood."And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering 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 said, "The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God."
Again, another incredible scene. What astounds me is the level of absolute confidence Elijah had in the God of Israel. And notice this, when they saw the fire come down from heaven - they repented real quick. They watched this fire consume the altar; consume the sacrifice.
"The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God."
The prophets of Baal were finished.
Let's look again at verse 21:
"And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word." - 1 Kings 18:21 (ESV)
That's the question we need to ask today. That's the real question that should have been asked in that survey.
How long do you want to sit on the fence? How long do stand staring at a fork in the road before making a decision?
"And the people did not answer him a word."
The glorious thing for us today, on this side of the cross, and in this point in redemptive history, is that we have the benefit of learning not only from this passage in Scripture, but from Christ. He says something very similar in Matthew 6:24:
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other..." - Matthew 6:24a (ESV)
He continued, "you can't serve God and money." But swap money for anything else that you hold above God, or devote the vast majority of your time and effort to, and it remains true.
You can't serve God and mammon.
You can't serve God and an idol.
What are you shouting to that can't hear your cries?
If you're a Christian I invite to you explore yourself. Who or what is sitting on the throne in your heart? Is it wealth? Maybe it's your reputation? Maybe it's just yourself? Or is it Jesus? Accepting Jesus is more than just getting fire insurance. It's living for Him and living for Him only.
I think that it's so easy to be here this morning and think about how foolish those prophets of Baal were. It's so easy to see the error of their ways, but in preparing for today, this question kept popping into my mind, "How many times are we found between two opinions?"
We live in a culture that advocates for welcoming and accepting any and all religions, but in a magnificent display of irony has claimed things like, "if we could just take Christianity out of the schools, or out of government, then things will be okay."
It makes me ask: Really, that's the solution? Removing Christianity or making it the problem? That sounds and awful lot like what Ahab tried to do with Elijah, doesn't it?
As we go about our days, and weeks, the question is what are you putting on the altar? What are you offering to God?
Is your marriage on the altar?
Are your finances on the altar?
Is your career on the altar?
This applies to everything:
I was talking with a mentor of mine, and he made the incredibly wise statement that the most valuable thing we have is our time. There's no amount of money or success that can give us more time. Is your time on the altar?
Are your talents on the altar?
I could sit here and list things until all of you eventually and inevitably leave to go eat lunch somewhere, leaving me sitting here like a lunatic spouting off item after item. So this boils back down to that one question: are you between two different opinions? Charles Swindoll said it wonderfully:
"Divided allegiance is as wrong as open idolatry."
It's similar to:
"Choose this day whom you will serve." - Joshua 24:15 (ESV)
The Sound of Rain
"Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there. And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain." So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." And he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go again," seven times. And at the seventh time he said, "Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.'" - 1 Kings 18:40-44 (ESV)
Some end up reading what happened to the prophets of Baal and think, "What an insane response!"
My question is this: is it?
What had happened on Mount Carmel was deeply serious. The consequences for these pagan prophets was massive, but mirrors what had happened to the prophets of Yahweh at the hands of Jezebel (18:4,13). The difference being that this was carried out by the Law of the Lord (Deut. 13).
Charles Swindoll puts it like this:
"The prophets of Baal were an immoral, hostile, and anti-God malignancy in the hand of Israel. Elijah knew he had to cut away all evidence of such a godless menace."
Again - very strong language, but I think it's articulate and expresses the situation accurately.
But what's more is that we see King Ahab mentioned again for the first time since verse 20. Only now do we learn and can be positive that he was there and witnessed the event that unfolded on Mount Carmel.
Then in verse 41 Elijah tells him to "go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of rushing rain."
West Texas and the Smell of Rain
Growing up in Texas, there were a lot of times that we would be in a draught - and something that I'll never forget is the smell of rain - before it rained. The plains in West Texas are incredibly windy and incredibly flat.
This photo is taken somewhere in the town that I grew up, Amarillo (A PHOTO WAS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREENS OF THE HORIZON IN AMARILLO, TEXAS). You can see just how flat it really is. The point where you can't see anymore is the point where the earth literally curves away from you.
The amazing thing about this area though, is that the sunsets are unbelievable, but what else is unbelievable is the sky when storms would roll in. (A SECOND PHOTO WAS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREENS OF STORM CLOUDS ROLLING IN OFF IN THE DISTANCE)
When clouds would be off in the distance and then the wind blow, it would bring with it a scent that I can still vividly smell. Sitting here right now I can smell it if I think about it. Then eventually the rain itself would follow.
Elijah and the Coming Rain
Elijah didn't mention the smell of rain to Ahab, but he did refer to the sound of rushing or heavy rain. And this interesting that he's hearing this rain, because it wasn't raining. The rain that he had predicted hadn't come - yet. Instead in the Spirit, he prophetically could hear this heavy rain.
And what's further, and I love this, is that we see Elijah's words persuading Ahab as he went off to eat and drink. And I don't want us to miss this moment, because Ahab listened to Elijah and believed him. Remember the first time when Elijah showed up, he gave a negative prediction - that there wouldn't be so much as dew or rain - Ahab didn't believe a word of what he was saying. Instead viewed Elijah as the reason the negative things were happening.
Elijah's Prayer
Next we see Elijah going up near the summit of Mount Carmel, bowing himself down on the earth and putting his face between his knees. He felt the responsibility of making good what he had originally told king Ahab.
So he begins to pray a concentrated, persistent, and as we'll see, answered prayer. The prophet who believed God's promise, who had such great confidence in the God of Israel (he could hear the sound of rushing rain), is now giving himself to earnest prayer. Just as the real crisis in Israel was deeper than a physical lack of rain, I don't think it's much of a stretch to think that Elijah's prayer on the mountain was about more than merely water. Elijah would have understood that the rain, when it came, would signal so much more than just the end of a drought. How earnestly Elijah prayed, as he understand the gravity of the moment. He pleads. He waits.
Can you imagine the anticipation?
"And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." And he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go again," seven times." - 1 Kings 18:43 (ESV)
Elijah understood that it's God that's in control in our lives. We can't just snap our fingers and bend His will or His time to ours. So he prays.
He tells his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." Or just simply, "Go look!"
So he runs. He looks. He runs back. "There's nothing there..."
"Go back." Elijah starts praying again. His servant runs off. He looks. He runs back. "There's nothing there."
"Go back." Elijah - back to prayer. His servant runs back out there. He looks. He runs back. "Just a second. Let me catch my breath. Okay. There's nothing there."
"Go back." "Are you serious?" Okay, maybe he didn't say that.
I kid, but in all honesty, I know if it were me in Elijah's place, each time hearing those words, "there's nothing there," disappointment would hit me like freight train.
"There's nothing there."
"Go back." Prayer.
"There's nothing there."
"Go back." More prayer.
"There's nothing there."
"Go back."
"There's nothing there."
"Go back."
In the New Testament, Jesus tells us:
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7 (ESV)
The original Greek reads like this:
"Ask, but keep on asking. Seek, but keep on seeking. Knock, but keep on knocking."
When our prayer is in God's will, we're not to ever give up.
Like Jesus said in the parable of the friend at midnight, Luke 18. He had a friend drop in his house at midnight who needed bread, so he went to his neighbors house and started pounding on the door, "I need bread! I need bread! I need bread!" The guy said, "Go away! My kids are sleeping." Finally because of his persistence the friend got up and gave him the bread because of his persistence. I'm sorry, but at my house that bread would have been launched out of that open door with some serious speed, with a loving sentiment of "don't knock on my door again."
Aren't you all glad I'm not God?
When you cry out to God, He's going to give you what you need. That might not be what you're specifically asking for, but He's going to give you what you need.
"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." - Luke 18:1 (ESV)
I can't describe what these verses and this passage documenting Elijah's prayer mean to me, and the hope that they give me. For years I have prayed certain, specific prayers for family members, and for friends, and I'm not stopping.
Do you have people that you're praying for? Maybe it's a coworker you want to come to Christ. You pray for them but as you look, nothing. They just get more heathen. More hostile. You go home and you pray, "Oh Lord, please change my boss's heart." You go to work, look, and yep - nothin'. Maybe it's a neighbor you have, and you're praying for them to come to church. Nothing. Don't stop praying.
Seven times Elijah told his servant to "go back."
No matter what we tend to think, God is never early.
No matter what we tend to think, God is never late.
Then Elijah hears, "A little cloud like a man's hand is rising up from the sea."
What if Elijah had stopped praying for rain after the third time his servant said, "There's nothing there."
What if Elijah had stopped praying for rain after the fifth time his servant said, "There's nothing there."
What if you stopped praying for your friend, your family, your coworker after the fifth, "There's nothing there." Don't give up.
Elijah was set. Rain's coming. He told the king to eat and drink because rain was on its way, and there it was, confirmation that God was stepping in. The drought was over.
Three years of no rain - it must have felt like an eternity to those people.
It would make sense how someone could say that God was moving slowly - maybe too slowly for their preference. Right before Cassy and I moved here, in January of 2018, Amarillo had experienced its worst drought in history - just about three and a half months without a drop of rain. The relief when that rain came, I'll tell you what.
Three years of no rain.
But now God's not moving slowly, if anything it's the opposite - a heavy rain is coming and they need to get off of the mountain.
The Rain
"And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." - 1 Kings 18:46 (ESV)
Oddly enough, a darkening sky with clouds must have been one of the most welcoming sights that the people could have possibly had. The smell of rain in the air, the sun starting to get blocked out as the clouds rolled in. Praise the Lord. God answers prayer.
A sight that we often take for granted, or even sometimes complain about here in Middle Tennessee. The next time clouds roll in, think about this sight from Elijah's perspective.
The end of a long, tortuous era. The end of the prophets of Baal. Physical evidence that the one, true God of Israel was and is at work.
When a righteous man or woman pleads the promises of god asking specifically with earnestness and humility in expectant faith with persistence, God abundantly answers.
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." - Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)
Elijah prayed, "Let it be known that you alone are God in Israel. That these people may know that you are the Lord God."
My prayer for all of us today, in this world of, again, unchecked open-mindedness, is that you have a heart on fire for God. The one God. Yahweh. I don't know about you, but I feel the Holy Spirit at work, and I pray that for each and every one of us that we make the decision today to live for the glory of God. Not for the praise of man, not for the applause of man, or for the approval of man, but for the glory of God.
That's what Elijah wanted. "I want them to know that you alone are God in Israel and that I am your servant."
What an example. Elijah, this man that I know many of hold as a player in the "spiritual big-leagues," just wants to be God's servant. That's what life is all about - to serve the Lord.
"I want them to know that you alone are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word."
Elijah had a desire for the glory of God. Elijah viewed himself as a servant of God. Elijah was obedient to the Word of God.
God moved in consuming the altar, He moved in bringing rain, after Elijah moved in obedience.
Maybe God is speaking to you over some area that you're divided over, that you're hobbling between. God's will here, your will here. We need to resolve in our hearts, myself fully included, that "I will live for the glory of God, I will serve God, and I will obey God."
All these traits that we looked at in Elijah this morning, and there was a lot - can all be described as this: He was a god-centered individual. If, one day, far in the future, God willing, I pass away - what an amazing thing it would be to be able to have have written on my tombstone "God-Centered Individual" and it be true.
Rebuilding the Altar in Your Heart
It's my encouragement to all of us to repair the altars in our hearts. And like how Paul says in Romans 12:1, "to present [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual worship." What a wonderful opportunity we have to allow God into all aspects of our lives, our relationships, careers, finances, time, and talents. We're presented so many times throughout each and every day, and you'll be presented with it today, to serve the Lord or the world. Choose this day to serve the Lord. To rebuild the altar.
What a marvelous joy it is to know the one and only God of Israel. The same God that heard and answered Elijah's prayers, the same God that brought the rain, is the same God that is with us today. What a marvelous joy the foundation before us upon which we can rebuild the altars in our heart, that He is with us every step of the way. When we find ourselves between two opinions, He's with us. If we stumble and find ourselves turned toward the way of the world, He's with us. When we turn toward Him and serve Him, He's with us. It's in those things that we can be thankful and that we can remember Christ's death on the cross that every single one of us deserves. How wonderful that it's through His sacrifice that we even have the ability to be unified as one body in Christ, in which we can stand firm. A body that the world cannot divide, cannot conquer, because the victory is already His.
References
De Vries, Simon J. 1 Kings. 2nd ed. Vol. 12. Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004.
House, Paul R. 1, 2 Kings: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. Vol. 8. The New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 1995.
Kendall, R. T. These Are the Days of Elijah: How God Uses Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things. Minneapolis, MN: Chosen, 2013.
Miller, John. “Meet Me on the Mountain.” Revival Christian Fellowship. Speech presented at the Revival Christian Fellowship Worship Service, November 3, 2013. Viewed online June 6, 2022.
News Channel 10. “Amarillo Continues the Longest Dry Spell in History.” https://www.newschannel10.com, January 25, 2018. https://www.newschannel10.com/story/37354117/amarillo-continues-the-longest-dry-spell-in-history/.
Provan, Iain W. 1 & 2 Kings. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1995.
Ryken, Philip Graham. 1 Kings. Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing Company, 2011.
Swindoll, Charles R. Essay. In Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility: Profiles in Character, 80–86. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2000.
Woodhouse, John. Essay. In 1 Kings: Power, Politics, and the Hope of the World, edited by R. Kent Hughes, 507–8. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018.
