By Roy E. Ciampa, Ph.D., S. Louis and Ann W. Armstrong
Professor of Religion, Samford University
SERVE WITH LOYALTY
1 Kings 18:20–26, 31–39
Only the true God is worthy of our worship as He is the true provider of life and all other good gifts. People who fail to recognize that their idols are false gods pay a high price. Idols gaslight people like an imposter convincing someone’s children that they are their children, alienating them from their real parents, asking them for things to which they are not entitled and promising things they are powerless to provide. Idols also lead us to act in ways that are harmful to ourselves and to those around us.
We shouldn’t waver in our loyalty to God. (20–21)
Compromise has been a perennial problem with the people of God. We are tempted to hedge our bets and live partly as though what God says is true, and partly as though it might not be true, and we should be looking out for ourselves and finding our security in something other than our faith in God. Elijah knew that sometimes we need to have our double-minded and halfhearted commitment pointed out before we recognize our need to go “all in” and live a life of serious faith in our Lord.
Other gods will always be proven to be false gods. (22–26)
Elijah was outnumbered 450 to 1, but he knew that didn’t matter since Baal wasn’t a real god and had no real power, and God didn’t need more than one prophet to represent Him.
Elijah proposes that they prepare two offerings, and that each side appeal to its god/God to respond by accepting their offering by consuming it without any human help. Elijah wants to make it clear that the contest isn’t between prophets but between two supposed gods, one of which Elijah knows to be the only true God and the other he knows to be a powerless imposter. The prophets of Baal seem to have no objection to Elijah’s plan. The group of 450 prophets must have thought they had strength in numbers and that Baal would surely respond to show everyone that he is real and powerful.
The prophets of Baal spent half of the day calling on him and dancing around their altar. Later, in desperation, they cut themselves in their attempts to get his attention. Of course, there was no response since what false gods do best is … nothing.
God proves He is the one true God. (31–39)
Elijah was a prophet appointed by God for this task, and he makes it clear in verse 36 that he is only doing what God has instructed him to do, and in this case God decided to reveal Himself in a powerful way to try to turn Israel back from the idolatry that was destroying the nation.
Elijah built the altar out of 12 stones to represent the 12 tribes of Israel that God had redeemed (v. 31), and he built it knowing God would do amazingly more than what his idolatrous “competitors” were asking Baal to do. Three times Elijah ordered that water be poured on the altar. He knew God could burn up not just a normal offering but one that was completely soaked in water.
At the end of the day there was no question about the reality and power of the God of Israel, or about the authority of His prophet, Elijah. But this wasn’t just about God’s reputation and that of Elijah, but also about the salvation of those who were watching.
God acted “so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God and that you have turned their hearts back.” And God did more than was asked of Him, consuming everything on the altar and turning many people back to Himself in the process. The one true God, revealed to us in the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ our Lord, is worthy of our loyalty, service and worship on days of miracles and on every other day as well.
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