Why did Elijah, the prophet of God, ridicule the prophets of Baal

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OwenHeidenreich

Guest
#1
#1
So I'll explain this part. He has all the people in town gather, including the prophets of baal and King Ahab. He says, get two bulls. you choose one, and i'll choose one. We'll cut them to pieces and the God that sets fire to it is the living God.

The prophets called on their god, Baal. 1 Kings 18:27
" At noon Elijah began to taunt them. 'Shout louder!' he said. 'Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.'"

So this is pretty funny that he says that "maybe he is traveling" but i just cannot see a prophet of God actually making fun of somebody. That does not seem Godly or loving at all.

I guess I'm just confused on why he did that, is it a sin, is it a mistranslation?
 
JimJimmers

JimJimmers

Senior Member
#2
Apr 26, 2012
2,589
73
48
#2
Well, The Psalms does say that God will laugh at evil men, so I could see it. These men had killed many of God's people, and evidently burned their own children with fire. From the way it was mentioned, it was not a sin.
 
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megaman125

Guest
#3
#3
OwenHeidenreich said:
So this is pretty funny that he says that "maybe he is traveling" but i just cannot see a prophet of God actually making fun of somebody. That does not seem Godly or loving at all.

I guess I'm just confused on why he did that, is it a sin, is it a mistranslation?
Click to expand...
One thing to keep in mind is that everyone in the Bible aside from Jesus is shown to have sin and imperfection. Here however, I'm not sure if that's one of these cases. The words could have been said to get the people to open their eyes and see they were worshiping a false god, perhaps the words were there to sound intentionally illogical and silly, to reflect how illogical it is to worship Baal.

JimJimmers said:
Well, The Psalms does say that God will laugh at evil men, so I could see it. These men had killed many of God's people, and evidently burned their own children with fire. From the way it was mentioned, it was not a sin.
Click to expand...
Not to mention, shortly after this passage the prophets of Baal started cutting themselves.
 
D

danschance

Guest
#4
#4
Perhaps Elijah's satire/mockery is showing his confidence that their god is useless and also it shows that he had confidence in God. I don't see it as sin at all. If he said kind respectful things about a false god, it might be misperceived as belief in that god. I think it makes a clear statement about how the God of Elijah was clearly superior to their god.
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#5
#5
God uses the simple things to confound the wise. Can you imagine the state that Elijah was in. Knowing the truth and not many believing him. God will ridicule those that oppose Him at times. When God sent an angel that killed 180,000 Assyrians was that not ridicule.
 
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OwenHeidenreich

Guest
#6
#6
the reason why i was baffled was because i asked myself, "could i imagine jesus laughing at these people who did not know the truth?" and i could not imagine jesus being like "look at you fools. you guys dont know anything! LOL PWNED" (exaggeration)
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#7
#7
OwenHeidenreich said:
the reason why i was baffled was because i asked myself, "could i imagine jesus laughing at these people who did not know the truth?" and i could not imagine jesus being like "look at you fools. you guys dont know anything! LOL PWNED" (exaggeration)
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I kinda have to agree. Jesus got in the face of the then church and called them hypocrites. It was no laughing matter. But, when man rises against Him, I think He laughs. We are created in His image and we laugh at stupid things. I don' see why He can't laugh. Do you?
 
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nathan3

Guest
#8
#8
Those priest where bad. And at Elijah's request. They were all killed. and Fire is what one of the miracles the 2 witnesses will do.

Those events are facts to the letter as its written. He was right in mocking them. Because, they worshiped a god that did not exist .

But we have a God in heaven that is real .
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#9
Nov 24, 2012
30,708
3,650
113
#9
OT prophets were not your Hollywood stereotypes, neither were they politically correct. I think it was Jeremiah after having to eat cow dung had to lay on one side for a year and then was told to lay on the other side for about a half year.
 
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enoch1nine

Guest
#11
#11
crossnote said:
OT prophets were not your Hollywood stereotypes, neither were they politically correct. I think it was Jeremiah after having to eat cow dung had to lay on one side for a year and then was told to lay on the other side for about a half year.
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I don't say any of this to offend or challenge you crossnote, but just to clear up a common misconception.
You might not have known this unless you lived in a third world country, or been around cows a lot.

He didn't have to eat cow dung. Dung is used to make the fire. It is harder to get burning, but once it does it burns slow and not as hot as some wood. It's like simply changing the temperature on your oven. Since bread is cooked in a pan, it is not exposed to the flames and gases from the burning dung, not that it would taint the bread in the first place, there's no sanitation concern unless the unburnt dung touches the uncooked bread. There is no smell from the burning dung, but gathering unburnt cow dung is much more pleasant than gathering unburnt human dung. It was Ezekiel and he was given cow dung in place of man's dung.
It's the smell of the preparation of his fuel that was made more pleasant for him.

He used it to cook his bread, he didn't make a poop sandwich like most people think lol.

As to post #1 and Elijah's ridicule of Baal primarily, but also of the worshipers,
they weren't worshiping another God, because there aren't any. They were worshiping God the wrong way, in the wrong name, as if He were a brutal king, a "Baal", instead of a loving Savior, "Yahweh". As a wife beater instead of a loving husband. It's the same as worshiping God in the name of "antichrist" instead of the name of "Jesus"
We should also ridicule that "bad guy" idea of God.
 
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megaman125

Guest
#12
#12
OwenHeidenreich said:
the reason why i was baffled was because i asked myself, "could i imagine jesus laughing at these people who did not know the truth?" and i could not imagine jesus being like "look at you fools. you guys dont know anything! LOL PWNED" (exaggeration)
Click to expand...
It's not that these people didn't know the truth, it's that they did know the truth and rejected it.
 
G

Grandpa

Senior Member
#13
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,189
113
#13
OwenHeidenreich said:
So I'll explain this part. He has all the people in town gather, including the prophets of baal and King Ahab. He says, get two bulls. you choose one, and i'll choose one. We'll cut them to pieces and the God that sets fire to it is the living God.

The prophets called on their god, Baal. 1 Kings 18:27
"At noon Elijah began to taunt them. 'Shout louder!' he said. 'Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.'"

So this is pretty funny that he says that "maybe he is traveling" but i just cannot see a prophet of God actually making fun of somebody. That does not seem Godly or loving at all.

I guess I'm just confused on why he did that, is it a sin, is it a mistranslation?
Click to expand...
If you have a problem with Elijah taunting them you should keep reading and see what he does to them after that...


Evil doesn't like to be laughed at. Evil is prideful. Evil perishes in the presence of God. And apparently evil is no contest against God.
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
#14
#14
Grandpa said:
If you have a problem with Elijah taunting them you should keep reading and see what he does to them after that...


Evil doesn't like to be laughed at. Evil is prideful. Evil perishes in the presence of God. And apparently evil is no contest against God.
Click to expand...
If we look at what these prophets did (like sacrificing babies to their Gods, and other horendous activities which would make us Cringe.) I think we can understand why he did what he did to all of them after he was finished.
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#15
Nov 24, 2012
30,708
3,650
113
#15
enoch1nine said:
I don't say any of this to offend or challenge you crossnote, but just to clear up a common misconception.
You might not have known this unless you lived in a third world country, or been around cows a lot.

He didn't have to eat cow dung. Dung is used to make the fire. It is harder to get burning, but once it does it burns slow and not as hot as some wood. It's like simply changing the temperature on your oven. Since bread is cooked in a pan, it is not exposed to the flames and gases from the burning dung, not that it would taint the bread in the first place, there's no sanitation concern unless the unburnt dung touches the uncooked bread. There is no smell from the burning dung, but gathering unburnt cow dung is much more pleasant than gathering unburnt human dung. It was Ezekiel and he was given cow dung in place of man's dung.
It's the smell of the preparation of his fuel that was made more pleasant for him.

He used it to cook his bread, he didn't make a poop sandwich like most people think lol.

As to post #1 and Elijah's ridicule of Baal primarily, but also of the worshipers,
they weren't worshiping another God, because there aren't any. They were worshiping God the wrong way, in the wrong name, as if He were a brutal king, a "Baal", instead of a loving Savior, "Yahweh". As a wife beater instead of a loving husband. It's the same as worshiping God in the name of "antichrist" instead of the name of "Jesus"
We should also ridicule that "bad guy" idea of God.
Click to expand...
I stand corrected on Jeremiah for Ezekiel. I have lived amongst third world people. The particulars you brought up was apart from the point I was making. Thanks
 
4enlightment

4enlightment

Banned
#16
May 15, 2013
4,307
27
0
#16
OwenHeidenreich said:
So I'll explain this part. He has all the people in town gather, including the prophets of baal and King Ahab. He says, get two bulls. you choose one, and i'll choose one. We'll cut them to pieces and the God that sets fire to it is the living God.

The prophets called on their god, Baal. 1 Kings 18:27
"At noon Elijah began to taunt them. 'Shout louder!' he said. 'Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.'"

So this is pretty funny that he says that "maybe he is traveling" but i just cannot see a prophet of God actually making fun of somebody. That does not seem Godly or loving at all.

I guess I'm just confused on why he did that, is it a sin, is it a mistranslation?
Click to expand...

2 Kings
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

Matthew 21:12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.

God was just letting us know that they were flesh and blood.
 
Agricola

Agricola

Senior Member
#17
Dec 10, 2012
2,638
88
48
#17
I imagine something like this.

Ball HAHA.jpg
 
Dude653

Dude653

Senior Member
#18
Mar 19, 2011
12,323
1,039
113
#18
I wrote this a few years ago,,this seems a good place to share it..

The pagans had built
AN Alter to Baal.
But their god was false
And surely would fail.

Elijah told them
I have a challenge for you.
Let's put it to a test
And see which God is true.

The prophets of Baal
Shouted and danced.
But their efforts were vane
And had not a chance.

They danced and they raved.
They danced until dark.
But they couldn't get fire
Not even a spark.

Elijah just watched
And mocked their frustration.
Where is your god?
Is he on vacation?

My God will show up
And put your god to shame.
Soak it with water
And I'll still get a flame.

He prayed to Jahova
His faith not conflicted.
And got fire from heaven
Just like he'd predicted.

They fell on their faces
Because they had been shown
That their worship belonged
To Jahova alone
 
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notconformed2theworld

Guest
#19
#19
I laugh at false gods too...like allah or that Nirvana guy. Its not a sin he wasn't really making fun of them but of their god.
But the point is Elijah was able to change the hearts of non believers this story was based on faith and ministry. We need to pray that we don't miss the mark when we read God's word.
 
A

allaboutlove

Senior Member
#20
Jun 11, 2013
480
4
18
#20
Dude653 said:
I wrote this a few years ago,,this seems a good place to share it..

The pagans had built
AN Alter to Baal.
But their god was false
And surely would fail.

Elijah told them
I have a challenge for you.
Let's put it to a test
And see which God is true.

The prophets of Baal
Shouted and danced.
But their efforts were vane
And had not a chance.

They danced and they raved.
They danced until dark.
But they couldn't get fire
Not even a spark.

Elijah just watched
And mocked their frustration.
Where is your god?
Is he on vacation?

My God will show up
And put your god to shame.
Soak it with water
And I'll still get a flame.

He prayed to Jahova
His faith not conflicted.
And got fire from heaven
Just like he'd predicted.

They fell on their faces
Because they had been shown
That their worship belonged
To Jahova alone
Click to expand...
Haha i love this great job..
 
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