And I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not allow My holy name to be profaned anymore. But the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. - Ezekiel 39:7
When we concluded last Sunday’s message, Elijah was going to meet King Ahab. Along the way, he had encountered Ahab’s servant Obadiah, who was also a believer in God. The 2 men had spoken with each other and Obadiah had expressed his reservations in announcing Elijah’s arrival to the king. Nevertheless, he ultimately did so and Elijah and Ahab met.
This morning we will pick up the story there and read about an epic confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. We will also learn how the 3 year drought ended, how Elijah fled from the evil Queen Jezebel, and identify 3 men who God commanded him to anoint. This message is titled, “Elijah’s Courage and Cowardice”.
I. CONFRONTATION ON CARMEL (1 Kings 18:17-40)
When Ahab and Elijah met, Ahab accused Elijah of being a “troubler” to Israel. Elijah answered that Ahab and his household were the real troublers because they had forsaken the Lord and followed the Baals. Elijah asked Ahab to gather the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah who ate at Jezebel’s table together with him at Mount Carmel.
Ahab summoned all of these false prophets, along with the people of Israel, to Mount Carmel. Elijah asked the people assembled there not to waver between two alternatives but to choose and follow either Baal or the Lord as the true god. He challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest to determine which god was genuine. Both he and they would prepare an ox to be sacrificed, both would lay it on wood, both would call out to their god, and the god who answered by consuming the offering with fire would be declared the true god. The prophets of Baal agreed to the terms and the challenge began.
They went first. After preparing an ox and placing it on wood atop an altar, the false prophets of Baal began crying out for him to pour fire down upon their offering. They did so from morning until noon, but nothing happened. Elijah began mocking them, suggesting that they shout louder because Baal might be away traveling or perhaps be asleep. In their desperation, as the afternoon wore on, they began cutting themselves as they continued crying out until evening. Still, Baal did not answer and nothing happened.
Now it was Elijah’s turn. He took 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, and built an altar with them. He prepared an ox and placed it on the wood. However, he also dug a trench around the altar. Then he had the people pour water on the ox and wood 3 times so that both were drenched, and the surplus water flowed into and filled the trench. Finally, Elijah cried out to the LORD to reveal Himself to the people as the true God, and the LORD immediately and spectacularly sent fire down from heaven consuming the offering, wood, altar, and all of the water in the trench.
The people fell on their faces and declared the LORD as the true and living God. Following Elijah’s command, they seized all of the prophets of Baal. They brought them down to the brook Kishon and Elijah slew them there.
II. RAINING AND RUNNING (1 Kings 18:41-19:8)
Elijah told Ahab to eat and drink in celebration, for he had heard the sound of a heavy rain that would finally end the crippling drought. As Ahab did so, Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel. God told him to look toward the sea, but when he did, Elijah saw nothing in the sky. This happened 7 times. On the 7th time, when Elijah looked, he saw a small rain cloud in the distance. He told Ahab to hurry in his chariot to Jezreel before the heavy downpour came. The clouds grew dark, the winds blew, and a torrent of rain showered down. God strengthened Elijah so that he actually outran Ahab’s chariot back to Jezreel.
Ahab told Jezebel his wife that Elijah had killed the prophets of Baal. She sent a messenger to Elijah swearing that she would find and kill him the very next day. Fearing for his life, Elijah fled to Beersheba in extreme southern Judah, left his servant there, and then continued another day into the wilderness alone. He sat under a juniper tree and wailed for God to take his life. An angel attended to him, telling him to arise, eat, and drink the bread and water that God had provided. The angel also said that he’d need this nutrition for the long journey ahead. Elijah obeyed, regained his strength, and then traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb.
III. GOD’S STILL, SMALL VOICE (1 Kings 19:9-21)
When he arrived at Mount Horeb, Elijah hid in a cave. The LORD spoke to him asking why he was hiding there. In self-pity, Elijah defended his righteousness and contended that Israel had forsaken God, murdered His prophets, and that he alone was left running for his life. Of course, this was a bit of an exaggeration, as Obadiah had rescued and provided for 100 of the LORD’s prophets. People tend to be overdramatic when they are feeling sorry for themselves.
So the LORD told Elijah to step out of the cave and watch as He passed by. A great and powerful wind blew up, so strong that it broke the rocks, but God was not in the wind. Next came an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire either. Finally came the sound of a gentle breeze. Elijah wrapped his face in his cloak and listened to the still, small voice of the LORD.
For the 2nd time God asked Elijah why he was hiding there and Elijah offered the same answer as before. Seemingly ignoring his self-misery, God told Elijah to get up and go back to Israel. God isn’t impressed with our “pity parties”. Along the way he was to stop in Damascus and anoint Hazael as king over Aram, then Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet in his place. God would use these 3 men to bring judgment upon Ahab and the kingdom Israel, yet would preserve 7,000 faithful people who had refused to worship Baal.
Elijah obeyed the command of the LORD. He went and found Elisha while he was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen. Elijah threw his cloak (or mantle) upon Elisha, symbolizing his anointing of the new prophet. Before departing, Elisha asked if he might say goodbye to his parents. He sacrificed and prepared a pair of oxen for them all to eat together. After the meal, Elisha got up and left with Elijah and became his servant.
CONCLUSION
I have always been struck by the dramatic change in Elijah’s character from chapter 18 to chapter 19. He acted with tremendous courage as he appeared before King Ahab who was intent on killing him. He boldly challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel, mocked their frivolous and futile cries, and then valiantly executed all of them. He was, in these moments, a warrior for the LORD.
Then, when threatened by Jezebel, he was suddenly overcome with fear. He cowardly fled and hid in a cave, crying that all was lost and that he was the last godly prophet alive. He was filled with self-pity and timidity. What happened to him? Jokingly, I have heard some pastors suggest that these passages prove that dealing with just 1 evil woman is more scary than dealing with hundreds of wicked men. But seriously…
While we are fickle - brave at times and terrified at others, confident at times and uncertain at others, strong at times and weak at others - beloved, we can always trust in the constancy of God. He is unchanging, the same all the time. He doesn’t have good days and bad days. He is always good, always mighty, always faithful, always wise, always truthful, and always ready to save. If you have placed your faith in Him as Lord and Savior, He is your Constant.
When we concluded last Sunday’s message, Elijah was going to meet King Ahab. Along the way, he had encountered Ahab’s servant Obadiah, who was also a believer in God. The 2 men had spoken with each other and Obadiah had expressed his reservations in announcing Elijah’s arrival to the king. Nevertheless, he ultimately did so and Elijah and Ahab met.
This morning we will pick up the story there and read about an epic confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. We will also learn how the 3 year drought ended, how Elijah fled from the evil Queen Jezebel, and identify 3 men who God commanded him to anoint. This message is titled, “Elijah’s Courage and Cowardice”.
I. CONFRONTATION ON CARMEL (1 Kings 18:17-40)
When Ahab and Elijah met, Ahab accused Elijah of being a “troubler” to Israel. Elijah answered that Ahab and his household were the real troublers because they had forsaken the Lord and followed the Baals. Elijah asked Ahab to gather the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah who ate at Jezebel’s table together with him at Mount Carmel.
Ahab summoned all of these false prophets, along with the people of Israel, to Mount Carmel. Elijah asked the people assembled there not to waver between two alternatives but to choose and follow either Baal or the Lord as the true god. He challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest to determine which god was genuine. Both he and they would prepare an ox to be sacrificed, both would lay it on wood, both would call out to their god, and the god who answered by consuming the offering with fire would be declared the true god. The prophets of Baal agreed to the terms and the challenge began.
They went first. After preparing an ox and placing it on wood atop an altar, the false prophets of Baal began crying out for him to pour fire down upon their offering. They did so from morning until noon, but nothing happened. Elijah began mocking them, suggesting that they shout louder because Baal might be away traveling or perhaps be asleep. In their desperation, as the afternoon wore on, they began cutting themselves as they continued crying out until evening. Still, Baal did not answer and nothing happened.
Now it was Elijah’s turn. He took 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, and built an altar with them. He prepared an ox and placed it on the wood. However, he also dug a trench around the altar. Then he had the people pour water on the ox and wood 3 times so that both were drenched, and the surplus water flowed into and filled the trench. Finally, Elijah cried out to the LORD to reveal Himself to the people as the true God, and the LORD immediately and spectacularly sent fire down from heaven consuming the offering, wood, altar, and all of the water in the trench.
The people fell on their faces and declared the LORD as the true and living God. Following Elijah’s command, they seized all of the prophets of Baal. They brought them down to the brook Kishon and Elijah slew them there.
II. RAINING AND RUNNING (1 Kings 18:41-19:8)
Elijah told Ahab to eat and drink in celebration, for he had heard the sound of a heavy rain that would finally end the crippling drought. As Ahab did so, Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel. God told him to look toward the sea, but when he did, Elijah saw nothing in the sky. This happened 7 times. On the 7th time, when Elijah looked, he saw a small rain cloud in the distance. He told Ahab to hurry in his chariot to Jezreel before the heavy downpour came. The clouds grew dark, the winds blew, and a torrent of rain showered down. God strengthened Elijah so that he actually outran Ahab’s chariot back to Jezreel.
Ahab told Jezebel his wife that Elijah had killed the prophets of Baal. She sent a messenger to Elijah swearing that she would find and kill him the very next day. Fearing for his life, Elijah fled to Beersheba in extreme southern Judah, left his servant there, and then continued another day into the wilderness alone. He sat under a juniper tree and wailed for God to take his life. An angel attended to him, telling him to arise, eat, and drink the bread and water that God had provided. The angel also said that he’d need this nutrition for the long journey ahead. Elijah obeyed, regained his strength, and then traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb.
III. GOD’S STILL, SMALL VOICE (1 Kings 19:9-21)
When he arrived at Mount Horeb, Elijah hid in a cave. The LORD spoke to him asking why he was hiding there. In self-pity, Elijah defended his righteousness and contended that Israel had forsaken God, murdered His prophets, and that he alone was left running for his life. Of course, this was a bit of an exaggeration, as Obadiah had rescued and provided for 100 of the LORD’s prophets. People tend to be overdramatic when they are feeling sorry for themselves.
So the LORD told Elijah to step out of the cave and watch as He passed by. A great and powerful wind blew up, so strong that it broke the rocks, but God was not in the wind. Next came an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire either. Finally came the sound of a gentle breeze. Elijah wrapped his face in his cloak and listened to the still, small voice of the LORD.
For the 2nd time God asked Elijah why he was hiding there and Elijah offered the same answer as before. Seemingly ignoring his self-misery, God told Elijah to get up and go back to Israel. God isn’t impressed with our “pity parties”. Along the way he was to stop in Damascus and anoint Hazael as king over Aram, then Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet in his place. God would use these 3 men to bring judgment upon Ahab and the kingdom Israel, yet would preserve 7,000 faithful people who had refused to worship Baal.
Elijah obeyed the command of the LORD. He went and found Elisha while he was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen. Elijah threw his cloak (or mantle) upon Elisha, symbolizing his anointing of the new prophet. Before departing, Elisha asked if he might say goodbye to his parents. He sacrificed and prepared a pair of oxen for them all to eat together. After the meal, Elisha got up and left with Elijah and became his servant.
CONCLUSION
I have always been struck by the dramatic change in Elijah’s character from chapter 18 to chapter 19. He acted with tremendous courage as he appeared before King Ahab who was intent on killing him. He boldly challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel, mocked their frivolous and futile cries, and then valiantly executed all of them. He was, in these moments, a warrior for the LORD.
Then, when threatened by Jezebel, he was suddenly overcome with fear. He cowardly fled and hid in a cave, crying that all was lost and that he was the last godly prophet alive. He was filled with self-pity and timidity. What happened to him? Jokingly, I have heard some pastors suggest that these passages prove that dealing with just 1 evil woman is more scary than dealing with hundreds of wicked men. But seriously…
While we are fickle - brave at times and terrified at others, confident at times and uncertain at others, strong at times and weak at others - beloved, we can always trust in the constancy of God. He is unchanging, the same all the time. He doesn’t have good days and bad days. He is always good, always mighty, always faithful, always wise, always truthful, and always ready to save. If you have placed your faith in Him as Lord and Savior, He is your Constant.