Year 1, Week 49, Day 5 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 49, Day 5

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 1 Kings 17-18.

Today’s reading introduces us to Elijah. 1 Kings 17 opens with Elijah declaring a drought: “Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Then the LORD tells Elijah to disappear for while. 1 Kings 18 describes the reemergence of Elijah as he announced the return of rain, but also challenged to Ahab a contest with the prophets of the false gods: “Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table” (1 Kings 18:19). Elijah and Elisha will be dominant figures until 2 Kings 12, as we will notice that with the absence of many godly kings, the role of the godly prophets emerges. The kings were to know and implement God’s Law to the nation, but with their own moral decline, God raised up the prophets to speak God’s Word.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is what the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal revealed about the LORD: “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God” (1 Kings 18:39). On the one hand, the contest seems unequal, for Elijah, one prophet of God was up against 450 prophets of Baal. But on the other hand, the advantage would rest on Elijah as he served the true and living God. The whole contest was to demonstrate the difference between the LORD and the false gods. The LORD will be seen as superior in every way.

First, the LORD is not limited by geography. The contest occurred at Mt. Carmel. It seems the Mt. Carmel was a particularly important location in the worship of Baal (we glean this not from a specific Scripture, but from other ancient history and archaeological research. If this is the case, then this contest unfolded on Baal’s home turf. But Baal’s home field advantage would not distract from the superiority of God.

Second, the LORD is not limited by the number of true followers. Baal’s prophets number at 450, Elijah is the sole representative. It is intriguing to conjecture that the LORD’s power must have been waning for the number of His supporters was far less than that of Baal’s. The LORD’s poll numbers were not showing strong, but the LORD’s superiority would never be determined by the size of His followers. The LORD alone is His own majority.

Third, the LORD is not limited by physical laws and conditions. Wet wood does not burn, but Elijah wants to make a point when he says: “And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 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. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water” (1 Kings 18:33b-35). Elijah increased the odds against the LORD, but not really. The LORD reigns over all that He made and He is greater than the laws of nature that He put in place. It must always be understood: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14a).

But with the false gods, things are very different. While the LORD needs no help, has no limitations, and is not restricted by anything, the gods of Baal, are a different matter. Baal is either not very reliable or capable: “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” (1 Kings 18:26). Elijah’s words possess harsh implications: “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” (1 Kings 18:27). Elijah’s words about their god being busy, preoccupied, out of town, or asleep was really something of sarcasm, suggesting the absurdity of a god who can’t respond. Baal had all the restrictions, limitations, and conditions of a created thing, not the true Creator of all things. But the prophets did not get Elijah’s point and merely increased the intensity of their activity, which did not give Baal much of a boost: “And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 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” (1 Kings 18:28-29). Their activity is pathetic and tragic. But those activities are fueled by a lack of understanding of a profound truth concerning the LORD: “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24-25).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe