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Elijah at Mount Carmel
1 Kings 18:38
‘Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench’.Full bible text
1 Kings 18 verses 20 to 40
20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and 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 seahs[a] of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and 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 seahs[a] of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
About this painting
During the reign of King Ahab, Baal worship increasingly gained the upper hand. Ahab's wife Jezebel led the people in this.
The prophet Elijah the Tishbite prays to God to send a drought so that Israel (here: the northern ten-tribe kingdom) will see that Baal worship angers God, and the people will return to the worship of the true God. Elijah announces the drought to King Ahab and hides by the Brook Cherith.
For three years, there is no rain in Israel.
Afterward, Elijah is to return to Ahab and instruct him to take the people to Mount Carmel. There, Elijah will present the people with a choice:
“How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him!’
And so it happens. Two sacrifices are offered, one on the rectangular altar hewn from the rock for Baal, and one on the altar, built of 12 stones, repaired by Elijah, for the LORD. The God who will consume the sacrifice offered to Him by fire from heaven is the true God!
Baal was called the sun-god. His worshipers believed he sent thunder and lightning.
But Baal does not respond, even though the priests of Baal cry out to him for hours, even injuring themselves.
Then Elijah prepares the sacrifice and has 12 jars of water poured over it. God answers his prayer with fire that consumes the sacrifice, the altar, and the water!
“The LORD, He is God!”
The priests of Baal are killed by Elijah, according to God’s command in Deuteronomy 13 verses 1 to 5.
This history is a warning not to be double-minded in worshipping God.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6 verse 24.
The history of the people of Israel shows a recurring pattern of falling away from God and returning to Him. The drought was a disciplinary measure in God’s hand to bring Israel back to Him; to serve Him with a “complete heart.” This disciplinary measure demonstrates God’s gracious love for His people.
Elijah’s actions are reminiscent of John the Baptist, who also called for repentance when he announced the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah, who would come after him, would “baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
And he (that is: John the Baptist) will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” Luke 1:16-17
Jesus, the Messiah, then also called for repentance: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4 verse 17.
Regarding His mission, He said: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15 verse 24.
‘I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed,..’ Ezekiel 34:16
The prophet Elijah the Tishbite prays to God to send a drought so that Israel (here: the northern ten-tribe kingdom) will see that Baal worship angers God, and the people will return to the worship of the true God. Elijah announces the drought to King Ahab and hides by the Brook Cherith.
For three years, there is no rain in Israel.
Afterward, Elijah is to return to Ahab and instruct him to take the people to Mount Carmel. There, Elijah will present the people with a choice:
“How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him!’
And so it happens. Two sacrifices are offered, one on the rectangular altar hewn from the rock for Baal, and one on the altar, built of 12 stones, repaired by Elijah, for the LORD. The God who will consume the sacrifice offered to Him by fire from heaven is the true God!
Baal was called the sun-god. His worshipers believed he sent thunder and lightning.
But Baal does not respond, even though the priests of Baal cry out to him for hours, even injuring themselves.
Then Elijah prepares the sacrifice and has 12 jars of water poured over it. God answers his prayer with fire that consumes the sacrifice, the altar, and the water!
“The LORD, He is God!”
The priests of Baal are killed by Elijah, according to God’s command in Deuteronomy 13 verses 1 to 5.
This history is a warning not to be double-minded in worshipping God.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6 verse 24.
The history of the people of Israel shows a recurring pattern of falling away from God and returning to Him. The drought was a disciplinary measure in God’s hand to bring Israel back to Him; to serve Him with a “complete heart.” This disciplinary measure demonstrates God’s gracious love for His people.
Elijah’s actions are reminiscent of John the Baptist, who also called for repentance when he announced the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah, who would come after him, would “baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
And he (that is: John the Baptist) will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” Luke 1:16-17
Jesus, the Messiah, then also called for repentance: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4 verse 17.
Regarding His mission, He said: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15 verse 24.
‘I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed,..’ Ezekiel 34:16