June 19, 2025 • 21 mins
In this Bible Story, Elijah puts the God of the universe on display against the false Gods of Baal. 450 prophets of Baal and King Ahab gathered to challenge Elijah and the One True God. In front of the whole nation, God sent fire and rain down from the skies to prove his power and might. The blighted and unfertile land finally received rain. This story is inspired by 1 Kings 18. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.
Today's Bible verse is 1 Kings 18:39 from the King James Version.
Episode 123: For three years the famine in Israel continued and King Ahab was desperate to find Elijah. One day, when his servant Obediah was out searching for water, Elijah appeared to him. Elijah tells him to send for the king and challenges king Ahab to bring all of his “prophets” of Baal and Asherah for a showdown on Mount Carmel.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. And when all the people saw it,
they fell on their faces, and they said, the Lord,
he is the God. The Lord, he is the God.
First Kings, eighteen thirty nine. Lord, I want you to
know that you can trust me with challenging and difficult assignments.
(00:23):
When I am faced with having to stand strong in
my faith and to stand on the side of godliness,
I will not waver to gain the acceptance of the masses,
like the King and prophets in First Kings eighteen Instead,
I will stand side by side with you, Lord, awaiting
your directions and guidance. I confess to day that I
(00:46):
am not afraid to be the only one. I am
not afraid to be the only one to operate with integrity.
I am not afraid to be the only one who
follows your word when others choose compromise. I am not
afraid to declare your might. He works in a world
who wants me to take credit for what I have.
When there's doubt in the lives of your children, I
(01:09):
will rest in your power to speak boldly and to
point them back to you so that they can flourish
once again. I hear the sound of rain in the distance,
and I thank you in advance for refreshing the dry
areas in my life. In Jesus's name, Amen, thanks for
(01:33):
making prayer a priority in your life. To hear the
Bible come to life, Stay tuned for the Bible in
a Year brought to you by Bible in a Year dot.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Com Elijah on Mount Carmel. In our last story, we
learned about the faith full provision of God in Elijah's life.
(02:03):
A great drought filled the land of Israel, yet God
continued to meet Elijah's needs.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
The drought was.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
A symbol of Israel's spiritual state. They had strayed away
from the Lord and worshiped other gods. As a result,
they were destitute. In this story, Elijah showcases the mightiness
of God against the false gods of Israel. Elijah stands
in direct opposition to the prophets of bel in a
(02:32):
cosmic battle of nature inspired by the Book of First Kings.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the
Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous time together,
we saw God provide miraculously for Elijah in the midst
of a drought that was devastating Israel. God's people were
experiencing the judgment of a righteous and holy God from
whom their hearts had turned as they worshiped Bail, the
(03:01):
false gods of the Pagans. The Lord had used this
period of need and provision in Elijah's life to strengthen
and deepen his faith as he prepared for many battles ahead.
And today we'll hear how the clash between God and
the prophets of Bail and Asherah leads to an amazing
display of God's power at a place called Mount Carmel.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
The country of Israel was scorched and forsaken. For three years,
the soil received no reign, the land was parched, and
the people of Israel were lost in a daze of
thirst and misery. King Ahab was forced to govern Israel
in dire circumstances. Deep down, though he would not admit it,
(03:46):
he knew that it was the Lord who kept the
rain from falling. One morning, the Lord spoke to Eliza.
The Lord spoke as if giving a commission and a warning.
Go to King Ahab. He said, tell him that rain
is coming. So Elijah took off. Ahab had been seeking
(04:06):
out Elijah for quite some time, for he knew that
Elijah was someone who could entreat of the Lord to
send rain. Elijah knew he would not receive a warm
welcome from the king. Meanwhile, back in Samaria, a deathly
famine was spreading throughout the land. King Ahab sent his
most faithful servant, Obadiah, to search for sources of water.
(04:31):
Obadiah was a faithful follower of the Lord and had
a proven past of bravery in the midst of great distress.
One time, when the wicked Jezebel tried to kill one
hundred of the Lord's prophets, Obadiah hid them safely in
caves night and day.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
He tended to their.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Needs and kept them safe. Obadiah was well known for
his compassion and bravery. Ahab commissioned Obadiah to find springs
of water. Obadiah in one way, and Ahab went the other.
As Obadiah was on his search, he saw Elijah walking
towards the palace. Obadiah stopped dead in his tracks, quivering
(05:11):
with excitement and fear. He fell at Elijah's feet and said,
is that really you Elijah. Elijah smiled. He was happy
to see a friendly face. He helped Obadiah to his
feet and said, yes, my friend, I have come to
see the king. Go and tell him I am here.
Obadiah shook his head and grabbed Elijah by the shoulders. No,
(05:35):
he shouted, If I go and tell Ahab you are here,
he will harm me for letting you get away. He
has been searching for you for months. He blames you
for the drought. Obadiah composed himself and forced a smile.
If I go and tell the king you are here
and you do not show up, he will surely kill me.
Elijah tried to reassure Obadiah that all was well, but
(05:58):
Obadiah shook his head again and said, Ahab's wife, Jezebel,
began an inquisition of God's prophets. I had to hide
them in caves. You are not safe here, Elijah. Elijah
planted his feet firmly in the ground and took Obadiah's hand.
He looked him in the eye and said, I swear
by the Almighty I will be there shortly.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Take courage.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Obadiah clenched Elijah's hand and let out a sigh. A
slight grin came upon his face, a grin that could
only come from a man with true faith in God.
He nodded his head and left to go tell King
Ahab of Elijah's return. Elijah did not get far before
Ahab and his men came out to meet him.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
The king came with.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
A large crowd behind him. Rumors of Elijah being the
cause of the drought had spread throughout Israel.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Elijah could feel.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Their glares burning through his skin. Ahabs sat upon his camel.
He was a taller man, muscular and handsome, yet three
years of drought and conflict had aged him rapidly. Weariness
could be seen from under his eyes. Ahab glared down
at Elijah. Ah it is the trouble maker Elijah, Ahab said,
(07:13):
with a slight slur. Ahab was unsteady, involatile. He and
his wife Jezebel already proved they were capable of intense violence.
Yet something in Elijah gave him boldness to speak truthfully.
I have made no trouble, Elijah exclaimed. He projected his
voice so every one present could hear. He pointed to
(07:34):
Ahab and said, you and your family have brought this
on yourself. You worship the God's bail and Asherah. They
have brought you only pain. Elijah held his arms open wide.
Some in all of Israel to join me at Mount Carmelle.
Bring with you the four hundred fifty prophets of bail
and the four hundred prophets of Asherah. We shall see whose.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
God is worthy to be praised.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
The next morning, Ahabs summoned thousands of people to watch
Elijah stand against the eight hundred fifty prophets of Bail
an Asherah. Elijah looked at the sea of people. He
loathed that there had to be a spectacle to show
them the error of their ways. Elijah found a large
stone to stand on so he could be seen by
every man and woman present. He raised his hand into
(08:23):
the air and shouted, you waver and hobble between two masters.
First you serve God, and then you serve Bel and
Asherah no longer. If the Lord is worthy, follow him. However,
if bel shows himself to be God, then follow him.
The people were silent at Elijah's words. They waited. They
(08:45):
needed proof, they needed a show. It was truly ironic.
Beil was supposed to be the god of fertility and weather,
Yet the heavens closed and gave no rein all the
people's prayers to beil were never answered. Elijah stood among
the people and said, here Bell has four hundred fifty prophets.
(09:05):
The Lord has only me bring two bulls forth. The
people brought two bulls and killed them for a sacrifice.
Elijah continued saying, the prophets of Bell may choose whichever
bull they think is best. We will lay our bulls
on the wood for sacrifice. Elijah lifted his staff in
the air and yelled, call upon the name of your God,
(09:27):
and I shall call on mine. Whoever answers with fire
upon the altar shall be the true God. Elijah's words
rolled like thunder. He stepped down, His eyes did not
leave the false prophets. His righteous anger burned deep. Elijah
allowed the prophets of Bell to go first. They prayed
(09:49):
from morning until noon. They shouted, sang, and danced around
the altar. Elijah watched them as they hobbled on one leg,
fell on their faces towards the ground, enchanted in ancient dialects.
For hours, he suffered the incoherent babbles of these false prophets. Finally,
as the sun was at its highest in the sky,
(10:11):
Elijah began to mock them. He yawned and folded his arms.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
You may have to.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Shout louder, Elijah scoffed. Perhaps he is lost somewhere day dreaming,
or perhaps he is relieving himself out back. It could
also be that he is away on a journey or
a sleep. Maybe if you shout louder, you could wake
him up. The prophets continued their shouts, as was the custom.
The prophets took out their blades and swords and began
(10:38):
to cut themselves on the altar. Blood gushed from their
arms and legs, spilling out onto the floor. They writhed
in pain, rolling around in their own gore. The sun
was beginning to set, and Elijah could take no more
of their nonsensical idol worshiping clouds slowly crept into the sky,
making their way over the people below.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Elijah drew people towards the altar.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
He set up twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes
of Israel, and dug a large trench around the altar.
The people filled the trench with three gallons of water.
They poured more water over the wood. Again, Elijah said, so.
They drenched the wood again with water. Again Elijah repeated, so, again,
(11:24):
they dumped more water over the wood and offering. Elijah
knelt before the sopping wet altar. The whole area was silent,
listening in on Elijah's prayers to God, Lord, God of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, prove yourself today, answer me and answer
these people. Make them understand your deliverance. As Elijah was speaking,
(11:48):
a great flash of lightning fell down from heaven. The
altar erupted into flames, sending ash and debris flying into
the air. The offering, the wood, and the stones were
grounded into a powder, and the water evaporated into the
intense heat.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Of the flames.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
The might of God had descended upon the altar. The
same God that sent fire spilling from heaven against the
Egyptians had proved himself to be just as present as before.
The people of Israel fell on to their faces and
began to repent before the Lord.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
The Lord. He is God, The Lord is God, they shouted.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Elijah looked at the bleeding and babbling prophets and pointed
to them, take these prophets away. Do not let a
single one of them escape. So the mob of people
took them. The false prophets were dragged into the Kishan
valley and slaughtered for their wickedness. Their blood painted the
valley red. That day, Bell did not answer them. Thunder
(12:50):
began to roll in through the clouds. Elijah looked up
to Heaven and then looked down again to King Ahab.
Elijah smiled and said, you better go home and eat.
Seems to be a rainstorm coming. So Ahab and the
people of Israel retreated back into their homes, but Elijah
climbed to the top of Mount carmel Ahab stayed awhile and.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Watched as Elijah.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Climbed there, high above the city. Elijah bowed among the clouds.
Thunder surrounded him in every direction. Thick black clouds covered
the skies. Elijah preyed on his knees to God, with
his face held high to Heaven. Elijah turned back to
a servant and said, go and tell Ahab to retreat
(13:35):
on his chariot before the rain catches him.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
The winds became.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Violent, and soon it was difficult to stand upright. Elijah
tucked his cloak into his belt and began running. The
Lord gave him special strength to run faster than the rain,
and Ahab's chariot behind him. The rain began to consume
the dry and thirsty valley.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
As we opened today's scripture, Israel is still plagued with drought.
Rain had not fallen for three years. King Ahab, a
wicked king, ruled the land in this challenging time, and
rather than turned to God, AaB continued in his wickedness,
letting the worship of false gods destroy the land. The
people had suffered greatly for their unfaithfulness, just as God
(14:24):
through Elijah had told King Ahab it would. But now
it was time for the rains to return. Now is
a time for revival. So the Lord spoke to Elijah
and told him to go to Ahab, saying God would
send rain. So Elijah went off to see the king. Meanwhile,
Ahab was desperately looking for solutions to his big problem.
(14:47):
He sent his servant Obadiah to look for grass and
water for the animals. The king took a search party
in one direction, and Obadiah went the other way. Now,
unlike the king, Obadiah feared God and had protected God's prophets.
When Ahab's wife, Jezebel, a very wicked woman, was hunting
them down to kill them. When Obadiah encountered Elijah, he
(15:09):
was thrilled to see him, but when Elijah told him
to go tell the king he was coming, Obadiah was
terrified because Ahab was evil and violent, and if he
returned without Elijah, he was sure to have his head.
In other words, Obadiah compromised. But Elijah reassured Obadiah that
the Lord would protect him, so he did finally go
(15:32):
away to tell the king. When Ahab and Elijah finally
met up, rather than acknowledge his fault in the drought,
Ahab deflected the blame. He called Elijah a troublemaker. But
Elijah told Ahab that he was the troublemaker, that he
had brought judgment upon Israel. The worship of all the
(15:52):
false gods would certainly bring ruin upon God's people. Elijah
told Aheb to summon the four hundred and fifty the
prophets of Bail and four hundred prophets of Asherah to
Mount Carmel. It was time for a showdown. It would
be a battle of the gods. Now I want you
to picture this scene. Thousands of people gathered on a
(16:14):
mountain for a battle of belief. A battle of faith
between eight hundred and fifty false prophets against one lone
man standing for God, the man Elijah. Elijah was full
of faith. He was confident. He knew God would come
through just as he promised, and he knew the people
had a choice to make. So in One Kings eighteen
(16:37):
twenty one, this is what Elijah says to the people,
how long will you go limping between two different opinions?
If the Lord is God, follow him? But if bail,
then follow him. And the people did not answer him
a word. In other words, they refused to make a decision.
(17:00):
He then had two bulls brought, one for God and
one for the false idols. The prophets of Bail could
choose the bull they saw fit. Then each bull would
be killed and laid on the wood and be sacrificed.
The challenge was a simple one. Each party would call
them their deity to bring fire upon the altar and
consume the animal, and they would see which God answered,
(17:21):
because the God who is God, would answer with fire.
The prophets of Bail, of course, failed because their God
was a nonexistent god. He was indifferent because he did
not exist. They began to cut themselves and bleed on
the altar, and to cry out and to shout, but
to no avail. The gods that Israel had given their
(17:44):
lives to, turning from the Lord to follow after these
bales were powerless and silent. Just a word of application here.
The false gods of our own age are powerless to
meet the deepest needs of the human hearts. Never give
your energy, or your devotion, or your faith to what
does not really exist. In the end, as is always
(18:08):
the case, the false gods would never come through. And
then it was Elijah's turn. A mere fire wouldn't do.
The people needed a sign that they could not reject
or ignore. So he had gallons of water dumped on
the altar, drenching the bull and the wood. Why did
(18:28):
he do this? I like what someone said. A god
who cannot burn wet wood is not a god at all.
So the wood is wet. But Elijah pray to prayer
to remind everyone that God is God, the God of
their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And when he called
(18:50):
upon the Lord in prayer to show his power, a
great explosion took place. A great fire like a nuclear attack,
fell from heaven and consumed everything east, woods, stone, and water.
The people then fell on their faces praising God. Elijah
then had every last prophet of bail put to death.
(19:10):
He knew that their evil deception could not remain in
the land. The cancer had to be cut out. Our
passage closes with rain gathering in the skies. Elijah tells
King Aheb to run back to Jezreel before the rain came,
and Ahab takes his chariot and rode away. God then
strengthened Elijah with supernatural strength, and he sped to outrun
(19:33):
Aheb's chariot and arrive in Jezreel ahead of the king,
ready to serve as God's counsel to a king who
needed to turn the nation back to God. Would Ahab
change his ways and what would happen to Elijah, who
had killed Jezebel the Terrible Queen's prophets we'll find out
in our next reading. Dear Lord, we are reminded from
(19:57):
this powerful story just how much we need revival in
our world today. We ask that you would send the
fire to your people and your churches, the fire of
your spirit, that it would ignite us in true devotion
to you. May we tear down the false idols of
this world, and may we worship you and You only
(20:18):
with our whole hearts. Lord, help us not to limp
between two opinions, believing one thing one day and another
thing the other. But may our strength and our convictions
be strong as we walk with you in Jesus' name. Amen,
Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com
(20:42):
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(21:03):
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God bless you.
Let us pray. And when all the people saw it,
they fell on their faces, and they said, the Lord,
he is the God. The Lord, he is the God.
First Kings, eighteen thirty nine. Lord, I want you to
know that you can trust me with challenging and difficult assignments.
(00:23):
When I am faced with having to stand strong in
my faith and to stand on the side of godliness,
I will not waver to gain the acceptance of the masses,
like the King and prophets in First Kings eighteen Instead,
I will stand side by side with you, Lord, awaiting
your directions and guidance. I confess to day that I
(00:46):
am not afraid to be the only one. I am
not afraid to be the only one to operate with integrity.
I am not afraid to be the only one who
follows your word when others choose compromise. I am not
afraid to declare your might. He works in a world
who wants me to take credit for what I have.
When there's doubt in the lives of your children, I
(01:09):
will rest in your power to speak boldly and to
point them back to you so that they can flourish
once again. I hear the sound of rain in the distance,
and I thank you in advance for refreshing the dry
areas in my life. In Jesus's name, Amen, thanks for
(01:33):
making prayer a priority in your life. To hear the
Bible come to life, Stay tuned for the Bible in
a Year brought to you by Bible in a Year dot.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Com Elijah on Mount Carmel. In our last story, we
learned about the faith full provision of God in Elijah's life.
(02:03):
A great drought filled the land of Israel, yet God
continued to meet Elijah's needs.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
The drought was.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
A symbol of Israel's spiritual state. They had strayed away
from the Lord and worshiped other gods. As a result,
they were destitute. In this story, Elijah showcases the mightiness
of God against the false gods of Israel. Elijah stands
in direct opposition to the prophets of bel in a
(02:32):
cosmic battle of nature inspired by the Book of First Kings.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the
Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous time together,
we saw God provide miraculously for Elijah in the midst
of a drought that was devastating Israel. God's people were
experiencing the judgment of a righteous and holy God from
whom their hearts had turned as they worshiped Bail, the
(03:01):
false gods of the Pagans. The Lord had used this
period of need and provision in Elijah's life to strengthen
and deepen his faith as he prepared for many battles ahead.
And today we'll hear how the clash between God and
the prophets of Bail and Asherah leads to an amazing
display of God's power at a place called Mount Carmel.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
The country of Israel was scorched and forsaken. For three years,
the soil received no reign, the land was parched, and
the people of Israel were lost in a daze of
thirst and misery. King Ahab was forced to govern Israel
in dire circumstances. Deep down, though he would not admit it,
(03:46):
he knew that it was the Lord who kept the
rain from falling. One morning, the Lord spoke to Eliza.
The Lord spoke as if giving a commission and a warning.
Go to King Ahab. He said, tell him that rain
is coming. So Elijah took off. Ahab had been seeking
(04:06):
out Elijah for quite some time, for he knew that
Elijah was someone who could entreat of the Lord to
send rain. Elijah knew he would not receive a warm
welcome from the king. Meanwhile, back in Samaria, a deathly
famine was spreading throughout the land. King Ahab sent his
most faithful servant, Obadiah, to search for sources of water.
(04:31):
Obadiah was a faithful follower of the Lord and had
a proven past of bravery in the midst of great distress.
One time, when the wicked Jezebel tried to kill one
hundred of the Lord's prophets, Obadiah hid them safely in
caves night and day.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
He tended to their.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Needs and kept them safe. Obadiah was well known for
his compassion and bravery. Ahab commissioned Obadiah to find springs
of water. Obadiah in one way, and Ahab went the other.
As Obadiah was on his search, he saw Elijah walking
towards the palace. Obadiah stopped dead in his tracks, quivering
(05:11):
with excitement and fear. He fell at Elijah's feet and said,
is that really you Elijah. Elijah smiled. He was happy
to see a friendly face. He helped Obadiah to his
feet and said, yes, my friend, I have come to
see the king. Go and tell him I am here.
Obadiah shook his head and grabbed Elijah by the shoulders. No,
(05:35):
he shouted, If I go and tell Ahab you are here,
he will harm me for letting you get away. He
has been searching for you for months. He blames you
for the drought. Obadiah composed himself and forced a smile.
If I go and tell the king you are here
and you do not show up, he will surely kill me.
Elijah tried to reassure Obadiah that all was well, but
(05:58):
Obadiah shook his head again and said, Ahab's wife, Jezebel,
began an inquisition of God's prophets. I had to hide
them in caves. You are not safe here, Elijah. Elijah
planted his feet firmly in the ground and took Obadiah's hand.
He looked him in the eye and said, I swear
by the Almighty I will be there shortly.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Take courage.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Obadiah clenched Elijah's hand and let out a sigh. A
slight grin came upon his face, a grin that could
only come from a man with true faith in God.
He nodded his head and left to go tell King
Ahab of Elijah's return. Elijah did not get far before
Ahab and his men came out to meet him.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
The king came with.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
A large crowd behind him. Rumors of Elijah being the
cause of the drought had spread throughout Israel.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Elijah could feel.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Their glares burning through his skin. Ahabs sat upon his camel.
He was a taller man, muscular and handsome, yet three
years of drought and conflict had aged him rapidly. Weariness
could be seen from under his eyes. Ahab glared down
at Elijah. Ah it is the trouble maker Elijah, Ahab said,
(07:13):
with a slight slur. Ahab was unsteady, involatile. He and
his wife Jezebel already proved they were capable of intense violence.
Yet something in Elijah gave him boldness to speak truthfully.
I have made no trouble, Elijah exclaimed. He projected his
voice so every one present could hear. He pointed to
(07:34):
Ahab and said, you and your family have brought this
on yourself. You worship the God's bail and Asherah. They
have brought you only pain. Elijah held his arms open wide.
Some in all of Israel to join me at Mount Carmelle.
Bring with you the four hundred fifty prophets of bail
and the four hundred prophets of Asherah. We shall see whose.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
God is worthy to be praised.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
The next morning, Ahabs summoned thousands of people to watch
Elijah stand against the eight hundred fifty prophets of Bail
an Asherah. Elijah looked at the sea of people. He
loathed that there had to be a spectacle to show
them the error of their ways. Elijah found a large
stone to stand on so he could be seen by
every man and woman present. He raised his hand into
(08:23):
the air and shouted, you waver and hobble between two masters.
First you serve God, and then you serve Bel and
Asherah no longer. If the Lord is worthy, follow him. However,
if bel shows himself to be God, then follow him.
The people were silent at Elijah's words. They waited. They
(08:45):
needed proof, they needed a show. It was truly ironic.
Beil was supposed to be the god of fertility and weather,
Yet the heavens closed and gave no rein all the
people's prayers to beil were never answered. Elijah stood among
the people and said, here Bell has four hundred fifty prophets.
(09:05):
The Lord has only me bring two bulls forth. The
people brought two bulls and killed them for a sacrifice.
Elijah continued saying, the prophets of Bell may choose whichever
bull they think is best. We will lay our bulls
on the wood for sacrifice. Elijah lifted his staff in
the air and yelled, call upon the name of your God,
(09:27):
and I shall call on mine. Whoever answers with fire
upon the altar shall be the true God. Elijah's words
rolled like thunder. He stepped down, His eyes did not
leave the false prophets. His righteous anger burned deep. Elijah
allowed the prophets of Bell to go first. They prayed
(09:49):
from morning until noon. They shouted, sang, and danced around
the altar. Elijah watched them as they hobbled on one leg,
fell on their faces towards the ground, enchanted in ancient dialects.
For hours, he suffered the incoherent babbles of these false prophets. Finally,
as the sun was at its highest in the sky,
(10:11):
Elijah began to mock them. He yawned and folded his arms.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
You may have to.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Shout louder, Elijah scoffed. Perhaps he is lost somewhere day dreaming,
or perhaps he is relieving himself out back. It could
also be that he is away on a journey or
a sleep. Maybe if you shout louder, you could wake
him up. The prophets continued their shouts, as was the custom.
The prophets took out their blades and swords and began
(10:38):
to cut themselves on the altar. Blood gushed from their
arms and legs, spilling out onto the floor. They writhed
in pain, rolling around in their own gore. The sun
was beginning to set, and Elijah could take no more
of their nonsensical idol worshiping clouds slowly crept into the sky,
making their way over the people below.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Elijah drew people towards the altar.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
He set up twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes
of Israel, and dug a large trench around the altar.
The people filled the trench with three gallons of water.
They poured more water over the wood. Again, Elijah said, so.
They drenched the wood again with water. Again Elijah repeated, so, again,
(11:24):
they dumped more water over the wood and offering. Elijah
knelt before the sopping wet altar. The whole area was silent,
listening in on Elijah's prayers to God, Lord, God of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, prove yourself today, answer me and answer
these people. Make them understand your deliverance. As Elijah was speaking,
(11:48):
a great flash of lightning fell down from heaven. The
altar erupted into flames, sending ash and debris flying into
the air. The offering, the wood, and the stones were
grounded into a powder, and the water evaporated into the
intense heat.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Of the flames.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
The might of God had descended upon the altar. The
same God that sent fire spilling from heaven against the
Egyptians had proved himself to be just as present as before.
The people of Israel fell on to their faces and
began to repent before the Lord.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
The Lord. He is God, The Lord is God, they shouted.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Elijah looked at the bleeding and babbling prophets and pointed
to them, take these prophets away. Do not let a
single one of them escape. So the mob of people
took them. The false prophets were dragged into the Kishan
valley and slaughtered for their wickedness. Their blood painted the
valley red. That day, Bell did not answer them. Thunder
(12:50):
began to roll in through the clouds. Elijah looked up
to Heaven and then looked down again to King Ahab.
Elijah smiled and said, you better go home and eat.
Seems to be a rainstorm coming. So Ahab and the
people of Israel retreated back into their homes, but Elijah
climbed to the top of Mount carmel Ahab stayed awhile and.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Watched as Elijah.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Climbed there, high above the city. Elijah bowed among the clouds.
Thunder surrounded him in every direction. Thick black clouds covered
the skies. Elijah preyed on his knees to God, with
his face held high to Heaven. Elijah turned back to
a servant and said, go and tell Ahab to retreat
(13:35):
on his chariot before the rain catches him.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
The winds became.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Violent, and soon it was difficult to stand upright. Elijah
tucked his cloak into his belt and began running. The
Lord gave him special strength to run faster than the rain,
and Ahab's chariot behind him. The rain began to consume
the dry and thirsty valley.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
As we opened today's scripture, Israel is still plagued with drought.
Rain had not fallen for three years. King Ahab, a
wicked king, ruled the land in this challenging time, and
rather than turned to God, AaB continued in his wickedness,
letting the worship of false gods destroy the land. The
people had suffered greatly for their unfaithfulness, just as God
(14:24):
through Elijah had told King Ahab it would. But now
it was time for the rains to return. Now is
a time for revival. So the Lord spoke to Elijah
and told him to go to Ahab, saying God would
send rain. So Elijah went off to see the king. Meanwhile,
Ahab was desperately looking for solutions to his big problem.
(14:47):
He sent his servant Obadiah to look for grass and
water for the animals. The king took a search party
in one direction, and Obadiah went the other way. Now,
unlike the king, Obadiah feared God and had protected God's prophets.
When Ahab's wife, Jezebel, a very wicked woman, was hunting
them down to kill them. When Obadiah encountered Elijah, he
(15:09):
was thrilled to see him, but when Elijah told him
to go tell the king he was coming, Obadiah was
terrified because Ahab was evil and violent, and if he
returned without Elijah, he was sure to have his head.
In other words, Obadiah compromised. But Elijah reassured Obadiah that
the Lord would protect him, so he did finally go
(15:32):
away to tell the king. When Ahab and Elijah finally
met up, rather than acknowledge his fault in the drought,
Ahab deflected the blame. He called Elijah a troublemaker. But
Elijah told Ahab that he was the troublemaker, that he
had brought judgment upon Israel. The worship of all the
(15:52):
false gods would certainly bring ruin upon God's people. Elijah
told Aheb to summon the four hundred and fifty the
prophets of Bail and four hundred prophets of Asherah to
Mount Carmel. It was time for a showdown. It would
be a battle of the gods. Now I want you
to picture this scene. Thousands of people gathered on a
(16:14):
mountain for a battle of belief. A battle of faith
between eight hundred and fifty false prophets against one lone
man standing for God, the man Elijah. Elijah was full
of faith. He was confident. He knew God would come
through just as he promised, and he knew the people
had a choice to make. So in One Kings eighteen
(16:37):
twenty one, this is what Elijah says to the people,
how long will you go limping between two different opinions?
If the Lord is God, follow him? But if bail,
then follow him. And the people did not answer him
a word. In other words, they refused to make a decision.
(17:00):
He then had two bulls brought, one for God and
one for the false idols. The prophets of Bail could
choose the bull they saw fit. Then each bull would
be killed and laid on the wood and be sacrificed.
The challenge was a simple one. Each party would call
them their deity to bring fire upon the altar and
consume the animal, and they would see which God answered,
(17:21):
because the God who is God, would answer with fire.
The prophets of Bail, of course, failed because their God
was a nonexistent god. He was indifferent because he did
not exist. They began to cut themselves and bleed on
the altar, and to cry out and to shout, but
to no avail. The gods that Israel had given their
(17:44):
lives to, turning from the Lord to follow after these
bales were powerless and silent. Just a word of application here.
The false gods of our own age are powerless to
meet the deepest needs of the human hearts. Never give
your energy, or your devotion, or your faith to what
does not really exist. In the end, as is always
(18:08):
the case, the false gods would never come through. And
then it was Elijah's turn. A mere fire wouldn't do.
The people needed a sign that they could not reject
or ignore. So he had gallons of water dumped on
the altar, drenching the bull and the wood. Why did
(18:28):
he do this? I like what someone said. A god
who cannot burn wet wood is not a god at all.
So the wood is wet. But Elijah pray to prayer
to remind everyone that God is God, the God of
their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And when he called
(18:50):
upon the Lord in prayer to show his power, a
great explosion took place. A great fire like a nuclear attack,
fell from heaven and consumed everything east, woods, stone, and water.
The people then fell on their faces praising God. Elijah
then had every last prophet of bail put to death.
(19:10):
He knew that their evil deception could not remain in
the land. The cancer had to be cut out. Our
passage closes with rain gathering in the skies. Elijah tells
King Aheb to run back to Jezreel before the rain came,
and Ahab takes his chariot and rode away. God then
strengthened Elijah with supernatural strength, and he sped to outrun
(19:33):
Aheb's chariot and arrive in Jezreel ahead of the king,
ready to serve as God's counsel to a king who
needed to turn the nation back to God. Would Ahab
change his ways and what would happen to Elijah, who
had killed Jezebel the Terrible Queen's prophets we'll find out
in our next reading. Dear Lord, we are reminded from
(19:57):
this powerful story just how much we need revival in
our world today. We ask that you would send the
fire to your people and your churches, the fire of
your spirit, that it would ignite us in true devotion
to you. May we tear down the false idols of
this world, and may we worship you and You only
(20:18):
with our whole hearts. Lord, help us not to limp
between two opinions, believing one thing one day and another
thing the other. But may our strength and our convictions
be strong as we walk with you in Jesus' name. Amen,
Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com
(20:42):
app and make prayer and Bible study a priority in
your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with
someone you love, share it with a friend, pass it
on because this podcast can make a huge difference in
people's lives. I'm hearing wonderful stories of the impact of
God God's Word as a result of listening to Bible
(21:03):
in a Year. And if you want more biblical resources,
resources from God's Word that will enable you and assist
you in your walk with God, then be sure to
visit Jack Graham dot org. That's Jack Graham dot org.
God bless you.
Host
Jack Graham
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