Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
1 Kings 18 – Praying through the Bible #112 – A Prayer of Battle Between Gods
Before the Battles of the Bulge, Iwo Jima or Normandy; before Gettysburg, Antietam or Shiloh; there was another famous battle, not between armies, or nations. It was a battle between Gods: Baal and Yahweh.
The false god, Baal, had the One True God, Yahweh, outnumbered. Baal has 450 prophets. How many does Yahweh have? One. Elijah (1 Kings 18.22). With God, one has always been enough. Are you willing to be the one?
Drought has lasted three plus years. Each side of this war is to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. Then each side will call on the name of their God. “The God who answers with fire, He is God” (18.24). Instead of sending out champions, like David and Goliath, each God will be their own champion. Simple enough, especially since Baal is the god of weather.
Baal’s prophets pray morning to noon, “Baal, answer us!” Nothing. Baal’s prophets danced, hobbling around the altar. Nothing. Elijah sarcastically mocks: “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!” (18.27). What do Baal’s prophets do? Shout louder, as if Elijah is right. Maybe their god does have ADD, or as some versions say, is busy “relieving himself.” Desperate, they also cut themselves with knives and spears, until blood gushes over them, to get their god’s attention. Nothing.
Elijah’s turn, meaning, it’s Yahweh’s turn. He repairs an old altar. God’s prophet takes 12 stones. Israel is still loved by God, despite their apostasy. Then he makes a trench around the altar large enough to hold 4 gallons. Next he arranges the wood, cuts up the bull, and places it on the altar. As if Baal’s failure was not blatant enough, Elijah commands four water pots be poured on the offering, three different times. This sacrifice will be water-soaked, making it impossible to fake a miraculous fire. When evening comes, Elijah prays, “Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things. Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back” (18.36-37). You know what happened next? “Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench” (18.38). All the people fell down on their faces and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!” (18.39). The battle is decisive. God sends the rain.
What gods are fighting in our lives? Are we willing to let God be victorious as His one?
Prayer Challenge: It doesn’t matter if we stand alone or with 1000’s, when we pray what God commands, “Your word I have done,” God will answer.
Comments