“……fire came down from the LORD. It burned the sacrifice…… even boiled the water in the hole round the altar until it had all gone…… the people saw this… fell flat on the ground…. shouted, ‘The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!’” 1 Kings 18:38-39 EASY
Elijah Sticks His Neck Out!
Can you begin to imagine what it felt like, when Elijah was put in the position by the Lord, of predicting there would be no rain until he, Elijah, said so? (1 Kings 17:1) And who knows whether it was worse or better when he then told Ahab, the King, 3 years later that it was going to rain again! (1 Kings 18:1) And it ALL depended upon God sending His fire to light a sacrifice that had been soaked by some of the precious water that they still had left….
What a Challenge!
Elijah set up, what we would probably call a competition, between himself and 450 prophets of Baal (yes I said 450…. a little one-sided!) – who Ahab, the King, followed. They would build an altar with their sacrifice on it and then pray that Baal would send his fire to light it. Then Elijah would do the same. Whichever one, either Baal or Jehovah (the Israelites’ God), lit the sacrifice – they would be declared the Lord God.
The Fire Falls!
Put simply – the prophets of Baal got nowhere, and suffered many taunts about their god being asleep etc. But Elijah, actually took yet another step of faith and had water poured over the altar and sacrifice as well!
God Answers
Elijah called upon the Lord – and He answered by fire and consumed the sacrifice. (I would encourage you to read this for yourself in 1 Kings 18:20-39). And ALL the people fell on the ground and shouted, ‘The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!’
Sticking My Neck Out
It makes me wonder about how willing I am at ‘sticking my neck out’ in situations and being obedient in what my Father asks of me…?
How about you…?
Have a great weekend with Jesus! 🙏❤️