the story of Elijahs challenge to the prophets of baal. it may not be christian of me im not sure, but i really can not help but Giggle when elijahs confidence shows through and he addresses what the "Problem might be that thier god isnt showing up, "if youve never read this, please take a minute and read it you may enjoy it and if you look closely youll see a true story that builds our faith in the power of God, and Him acting because someone stands firm in confident faith, honors Him, and then calls upon Him. remember just a slight pretext, Jezabel had recently slaughtered the prophets and elijah had been on the run....
1 kings 18 "Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 24And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress itfirst; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. <<<(makes me chuckle every time) 28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32And 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 measures of seed.33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34And he said, Do itthe second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did itthe third time. 35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.37Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and thatthou hast turned their heart back again. 38Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he isthe God; the LORD, he is the God. 40And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there."
when you read the o.t. there are so many stories where God does miraculous things for people who Honor and obey His word, even when they sin such as David, who took part in a murder, adultery, conspiracy, lusting after bathsheba in his Heart which led to the act......David is one of the most Highly regarded biblical Heroes in scripture, and also one of the most flawed. its not suprising really that Gods promise of the mercy and the eternal Kingdom becomes clearer in davids writings, so full of mercy, he needed Gods mercy. and you never hear anyone speak bad about david, why? because He repented in sacloth and ashes and pleaded with the Lord to take His sin and His guilt and restore Him...david Believed so His transgressions cut Him.
so many lessons to be seen on some of the old stories, i hope you enjoyed this story, God shows up when We Know He is there, that will never fail to be true. God bless...Just meant to encourage someone to look into some of those wonderful miraculous stories that get little discussion.if your already familiar with this one, God bless and do you have any favorite stories in the ot?
1 kings 18 "Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 24And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress itfirst; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. <<<(makes me chuckle every time) 28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32And 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 measures of seed.33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34And he said, Do itthe second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did itthe third time. 35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.37Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and thatthou hast turned their heart back again. 38Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he isthe God; the LORD, he is the God. 40And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there."
when you read the o.t. there are so many stories where God does miraculous things for people who Honor and obey His word, even when they sin such as David, who took part in a murder, adultery, conspiracy, lusting after bathsheba in his Heart which led to the act......David is one of the most Highly regarded biblical Heroes in scripture, and also one of the most flawed. its not suprising really that Gods promise of the mercy and the eternal Kingdom becomes clearer in davids writings, so full of mercy, he needed Gods mercy. and you never hear anyone speak bad about david, why? because He repented in sacloth and ashes and pleaded with the Lord to take His sin and His guilt and restore Him...david Believed so His transgressions cut Him.
so many lessons to be seen on some of the old stories, i hope you enjoyed this story, God shows up when We Know He is there, that will never fail to be true. God bless...Just meant to encourage someone to look into some of those wonderful miraculous stories that get little discussion.if your already familiar with this one, God bless and do you have any favorite stories in the ot?