1 Kings 18:16-29 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Kings 18:16-29. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Kings 18:17-18 (NIV)
17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”
18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the LORD’s commands and have followed the Baals.
On verses 16-18: Ahab meets Elijah and contemptuously calls him “you troubler of Israel”. Ahab was blaming the famine on Elijah, thinking, “This famine is all your fault, all because you prayed.” Elijah retorts the root cause of the famine was not Elijah but rather Ahab and his family, and how they had led Israel to abandon the LORD’s commands and fall headlong into idolatry.
What can we learn from this? Before you blame your problems on someone else, ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and examine your life to see if you have any role to play in the problem you are complaining about. Don’t just play the blame game; rather if you have contributed to the problem, take ownership of your part.
1 Kings 18:19-29 (NIV)
19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.
22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the LORD’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
23 Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.
24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire–he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”
25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”
26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “O Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
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.”
28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.
29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
On verses 19-29: Here we see one of the most dramatic showdowns in the Bible. It’s between Elijah, the only prophet of the Lord left in Israel, versus 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah (Baal’s female counterpart), all supported by Queen Jezebel. With all of Israel watching, Elijah tells the Israelites to stop wavering in their faith, but to choose once and for all whether to follow the Lord or to follow Baal (v21). He asks for two bulls, lets the prophets of Baal choose one, slaughter it, and prepare it on the altar, while Elijah does the same, to see which god answers by fire when they call on his name (v22-24). The prophets of Baal call on Baal’s name all day and night but there is no response, no matter how loudly or long the prophets shouted and no matter how much they slashed themselves (v28-29).
What can we learn from this? No matter how much you sacrifice or how loudly you pray, if you are worshiping an idol, your faith will be of no use. When it comes to matters of faith and eternity, it’s not enough to sincerely believe. The object of your faith — that is, the thing you’re putting your faith in — must also be true and reliable. You can be 100% sincere and passionate in your belief, but if what you believe isn’t true or correct, still nothing will happen. Your experience will be like the prophets of Baal — “no one answered, no one paid attention” (v29). So if you’ve been praying for a long time without avail, you may need to ask yourself, “What exactly am I putting my faith in?” Place your faith in the Lord. He alone is fully trustworthy.
Father, may I not be quick to blame others for the problems I see around me, but may I be willing to take responsibility for the part I play. Thank You that my faith is in Someone who does answer, who does pay attention, and who hears my cry. That Someone is You, Jesus. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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