CROWNED | 1 Kings Chapter 18
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
Week 4 / Day 18
Written by Paul Kuykendall
INTRODUCTION
Last week, in chapter 13, we read about a prophet who came to the King of Israel with a message from God in the power of God, and he was invited to a meal with the king. But he was ultimately killed by God.
This chapter gives us the story of another prophet who is sent to the King of Israel with a message from God in the power of God, and he ended up being threatened with death by the Queen. But he was provided a meal by God.
READ
Go ahead and read 1 Kings 18.
REFLECT
1 Kings 16 told us that:
“Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.” 1 Kings 16:33
He was married to a Phoenician princess named Jezebel. The very name carries a negative connotation when we hear it today. She was evil. She promoted the worship of her pagan gods, making them the “official” deities of Israel. She facilitated that move by killing as many of the prophets as she could.
With the death of the prophets and most, if not all, of the Levite priests who lived in Israel moving in voluntary exile to Judah, the people were left with little else to do but worship these idols.
People who serve under a monarchy don’t tend to be free thinkers, going against the rule of the king.
Ahab and Jezebel were adept at misusing their power, suppressing any desire the people may have had to worship God.
But not everyone abandoned their faith in God. Right in Ahab’s palace was a man who honored God and did all he could, risking death, to push back against the tide of evil that was taking over the nation.
“Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly. For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.” 1 Kings 18:3-4
I can’t help but think about the pressure that comes against the Church and believers to bow to the “politically correct” ideologies that are promoted by media and entertainment today.
You can sense that atmosphere among the people when Elijah asked them, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
It appears the people were not completely won over by Jezebel’s Baal god, but they were intimidated to the point of not resisting the movement to completely replace the worship of Yahweh with the man-made idol.
That’s where Elijah steps in with a challenge from God to the make-believe god of Baal. There will be a contest to determine who is real, Baal or Yahweh, the living God. Really, all Baal has to do is show up. But that’s asking a lot from someone who only exists in people’s imagination.
The contest rules are simple: two sacrifices, two altars, wood for the burnt offering, but no fire. The god who provided the fire would be God.
450 prophets of Baal go first. They chant and pray to their idol all morning till noon, and nothing happens. They become more animated, dancing around the altar still chanting and praying.
At this point, Elijah begins to mock them and suggests they pray more loudly. Baal may be busy, sleeping, or gone on a trip. The dark and evil powers behind this false religion begin to manifest themselves as the prophets of Baal begin to mutilate their own bodies to appease their god. This continues all afternoon.
Finally, it's time for the evening sacrifice, and Elijah calls the people up close. He began by repairing the altar of the Lord that was broken down. He used 12 stones to build the altar. The 12 stones indicated that God still considered Israel and Judah as one people. His people! He made a trench around the altar and had water poured over the wood, the sacrifice, and the altar until the trench filled.
At the exact time of the evening sacrifice prescribed in the law of Moses, Elijah called on God to reveal Himself to these people so they would know He was the Lord God and that He would turn their hearts back to Him. Suddenly, the fire fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”
I would like to tell you that everyone repented, began to honor and obey God, and lived happily ever after, but that is not the case. Israel’s kings would continue to usurp the place of God and build idols for the people to worship until the time when the Assyrians would destroy the kingdom and take many of the people away from their homeland.
But you see, God is a teacher, not a tyrant. He taught Ahab and all of Israel that He is the one true God who is able to take care of them, but He didn’t force them to follow Him. He continued to show mercy despite their rejection.
Elijah went to the top of Mt Carmel, prayed seven times, and finally a small cloud rose from the sea. Elijah told Ahab he had better get his chariot moving and get down the mountain before the rain stopped him.
Not only was the sudden and abundant rain a miracle, but it was so remarkable that Elijah tucked his robe around him and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot to the city of Jezreel, approximately 17 miles. Elijah had a full day!
So, what stands out in this chapter that we can apply to our lives and experience with God?
First of all, we see clearly how patient God is when we fail to acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives. He could have brought sudden and severe judgment on Israel, but He is faithful to His covenant promises and wants, above all, for His children to live under His blessings.
Secondly, when we get off track and let sin drive a wedge between us and God, He is faithful to send us warnings and messages of reconciliation. God performed great miracles before these people who did nothing to deserve them. He gave them every opportunity for repentance and removed any excuse they might have had not to repent.
RESPOND
Has God been dealing with you about something in your life that needs to change? Something that needs to come under the authority and grace of God. I encourage you to repent, trust God, and let Him show you His blessings that you are forfeiting by doing what you want rather than what He wants for you.
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