The Prophets of Baal Defeated

 

1 Kings 18:20-29

July 13, 2021

 

The Prophets of Baal Defeated

^`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.”   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.

 

If God asks you the question that He had Elijah ask the people of Israel, how would you answer?  “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”  All of us will have to replace the name Baal for what we are putting our faith in, a retirement plan, self, the military, the government, your mass property, and even the amount of stock and bonds you have in an account.  

 

I do not know what you are placing your faith in but to be sure if it is not the God who can answer by fire from heaven, it is a misplaced faith.  And as you read, ask the Lord to open your eyes to see if you are limping between two different opinions.

 

Since a very young age I’ve worked and it is a blessing to work, and at the age of 79, I’m still working, yesterday I put about 7 yards of mulch on my flower bed and then trim trees in the yard.  I am so thankful that the LORD has allowed me to be able to work at this age.  As I said often, I’ve always worked hard, it took a long time to learn how to work smart, but Jan and I made it our goal to give a tithe of what the Lord had blessed us with, and to not be a slave to the lender.  We waited for God to provide before we bought most things.  But as I got blessed in my business life, I often took credit for God’s many blessings in my life.  The Holy Spirit who encourages us also points out the foolishness of our ways, and I can tell you that it was all God, he gave me the skills and the insights I need to live a life of taking care of this body, He refers to it as a temple, to help others in need, and to support ministry that was sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.  To support with a tithe and offerings for our local church and to work hard and save my money.

 

We live in a time not one of us could imagine, and the little gods of money and material can be gone in a moment, but the promises of God still stand. This morning I read this account from an anonymous Confederate soldier, a devout young man who fought in the American Civil War. The lines of this poem express the soul of a man who has learned to view his times of adversity from a different perspective:  “I asked God for strength, that I might achieve; I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for health, that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity, that I might do better things. I asked for riches, that I might be happy; I was given poverty, that I might be wise. I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.  I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life; I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among men, most richly blessed.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice