If you are struggling to connect with God in the everyday then this chapter is about why that might be and what we can do about it. It’s comforting to know that we are not alone – in fact, we are in highly exalted company.
Elijah was one of God’s giants, a prophet par excellence. All other prophets lived in his shadow; miracles would happen wherever he turned up.
Elijah raised the dead, defied kings, defeated God’s enemies and thunderously proclaimed God’s truth to a people who had lost their way. Yet we suspect that the greatest lesson he learned as he followed God was about encountering him no on the ‘mountain tops’ of life, but in the valleys.
We join the story in 1 Kings 18. Israel had reached a low point. King Ahab had married a foreigner, Jezebel. This wouldn’t be controversial today but in Israel it was against God’s law. God knew they would easily be led into idol worship and this is exactly what happened. Queen Jezebel’s idol of choice was called Baal. Over time she turned not only Ahab but the nation of Israel against the Lord.
Elijah announced it was one against four hundred and fifty. The whole tone behind this declaration was, ‘and I like the odds.’ He invited Baal’s prophets to ‘battle’. This battle involved preparing a bull to be sacrificed. They would then take turns to invite their gods to send fire from heaven on the bull. Whichever god answered with fire – he was the real God.
Baal’s 450 prophets prepared their bull. They danced and cried out to Baal all morning. Nothing happened.
Then it was Elijah’s turn. He repaired the altar of the Lord and prepared his bull. To make a statement, he then dug a trench and ordered the people to drench the bull in water, not once or twice but three times.
Fire fell; it even licked up the water – Elijah triumphed!
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