I King 18:36-40 NCV
At the time for the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah went near the altar. “Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,” he prayed. “Prove that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant. Show these people that you commanded me to do all these things. Lord, answer my prayer so these people will know that you, Lord are God and that you will change their minds.” Then fire from the Lord came down and burned the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the ground around the altar. It also dried up the water in the ditch. When all the people saw this, they fell down to the ground, crying, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!” Then Elijah said, “Capture the prophets of Baal! Don’t let any of them run away!” The people captured all the prophets. Then Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley, where he killed them.
Thou Hast Turned Their Heart Back Again
[I Kings 18:37b KJV].
Elijah was a man of God and a prophet. He challenged the people of Israel to make up their mind who to worship: Baal or the God of Israel. The people did not respond. He challenged the King Ahab, all the people of Israel, 450 priests of Baal worshipers and 400 prophets of the groves (worship idols) to go up to Mount Carmel to set up both altars, Baal’s and Elijah’s [I King 18:19-20]. Elijah’s goal was to turn the people of Israel’s hearts back to God again. This was the true character of a prophet: to help the people to worship God only. The false prophets, 850 of them seem like a winner because of the numbers, 850 against one person Elijah. Elijah had the courage to stand alone and he put his faith in God. The false prophets had done their work of praying to the Baal all day and no fire came at all. It was now Elijah’s turn to pray to the only God of Israel. When he prayed the fire came down.
When the people saw the fire from the Lord came down and consumed (burned) the altar, the people of Israel changed their mind to worship the true God and not the Baal. I want you to notice something here. It took a “fire from the Lord” to get people’s attention that God, alone was greater than Baal and to show the people of Israel that 850 false prophets were wrong to worship Baal and other idols. It just took Elijah’s challenge for people to see the power of God and God helped the people of Israel to change their hearts back to God. Soon after, 850 false prophets were killed under the Law of Moses. So God alone is to be worshipped. This story reminds me of a short song: He is Lord.
He is Lord, He is Lord, He has risen from the dead and He is Lord. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue (language) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. [God loves you and so do I].
