Sermon Tone Analysis

Fire of the Lord

1 Kings 18   |   Shaun LePage   |   October 15, 2006

 

 

I.

Introduction

A.   Fire is fascinating (light a candle).

It is, of course, one of the classical elements along with Earth, Air, and Water.

It has played a significant role in human society throughout history.

It can be both helpful and destructive—depending on how it is used.

Because of it’s great power, fire has represented something significant in almost every religion ever conceived by man.

In Roman mythology, Vulcan is the god of fire.

In Greek mythology, Prometheus is the Titan chiefly honored for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mortals for their use.

B.    In the Bible, fire most often represents the presence and judgment of God.

For example, God’s presence is represented in the “pillar of fire” that led the Israelites through the desert after their Egyptian slavery.

C.   In 1 Kings 18, fire represents God’s answer to prayer.

As you and I pray, one thing is for certain.

We want God to answer.

We don’t want to treat God like Santa Claus and just pretend He’s answering us, but the whole time we know we’re going to have to buy the gifts ourselves.

We want to pray to a real God who sends real answers.

D.   Let’s understand the context of 1 Kings 18 so we can appreciate it better.

1.

In 1 Kings 16 we’re told that Ahab became king of Israel after his father Omri died (the kingdom had divided into the northern and southern kingdoms, so “*Israel*” refers to the 10 northern tribes).

Like his father, Ahab was an evil king.

First Kings 16:30 tells us he was more evil than all the kings before him.

He married Jezebel—a non-Jew, unbeliever—and made her his queen.

They then tried to mix the worship of YHWH—the true God—with Baal worship (Baal was the false god of the Sidonians).

Ahab actually built a temple for Baal in Samaria.

He also “*made the Asherah*”—a pole for the worship of Baal’s queen or female counterpart.

2.     In the next chapter—1 Kings 17—along came Elijah.

God’s prophet.

A great man of prayer.

He showed up in front of Ahab one day and made two big announcements.

First, YHWH—translated in 1 Kings 17:1 as “*LORD*”—is alive and well and still “*the God of Israel*” despite the fact that Ahab has decided that God should share that role with Baal.

Secondly, Elijah announces that there will be “*no rain or dew*” for an indefinite period of time.

Then he left.

God told him to go hide himself in a ravine—a cave.

Obviously, Ahab wasn’t going to be too happy with Elijah and would probably try to kill him.

So, YHWH sent Elijah off to a safe place and waited for the land to get real dry.

He waited for Ahab and Jezebel and all the people to get real thirsty.

For more than three years, God didn’t allow a single drop of water to fall from the sky.

Drought and famine came and He had Israel’s attention.

Then he brought Elijah out of hiding.

God sent him to confront Ahab and the entire nation.

II.

Body—1 Kings 18:17-40

A.   17: “*When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is this you, you troubler of **Israel**?” *

1.     Isn’t that amazing?

Ahab accused Elijah of being the “*troubler of **Israel*.”

Ahab was the one who was doing evil in the sight of God, and his false worship was the reason God sent the drought, but Elijah—just a messenger boy for God—is somehow the “*troubler of **Israel*.”

2.     That’s always been the way God’s people are treated.

When we say there is only one God, and only one way to heaven, and only one authority (the Bible), somehow we’re troublemakers.

We’re accused of being narrow-minded, hateful troublemakers.

But, don’t be offended when people call you a troublemaker and accuse you of giving a bad name to Christianity and ruining America.

Just remind them that you didn’t make all this up—which is basically what Elijah told Ahab.

B.    18: “*He said, “I have not troubled **Israel**, but you and your father’s house /have,/ because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and you have followed the Baals*.”

1.     Elijah put the blame where it belonged.

Any time anyone “*forsakes the commandments of the Lord*” there is trouble.

2.     Ahab “*followed the Baals*.”

“Baal” simply means “master or lord.”

It was originally a generic term, but obviously became a proper name for this false deity of the Sidonians—Jezebel’s people.

There were many gods referred to as “baal” throughout history.

In fact, Baal worship is still going on in the world today.

The Palestinian National Authority (an administrative organization that governs the Palestinian neighbors of modern Israel) printed and circulated a postage stamp in 1998 that shows an image of Baal.

In the time of Elijah, Baal was supposedly the most powerful of the gods.

An ancient carving of Baal shows him holding lighting and people believed the thunder was his voice—he was the storm god who controlled nature, sent rain and caused the land to be fertile.

In reality, he is nothing.

He is a false god with no power and no voice—as Ahab and Jezebel and the entire nation of Israel found out the hard way.

C.   In v.19, Elijah lays out his God-given plan: 19: “*Now then send /and /gather to me all **Israel** at **Mount Carmel**, /together /with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table*.”

1.     Elijah’s plan was like a rumble.

Everyone was supposed to come: He insisted that “*all **Israel*” be there along with the 850 false prophets “*who eat at Jezebel’s table*.”

These false prophets were treated like royalty while Elijah was treated like a “*troublemaker*.”

2.     The location of this rumble was “*Mount Carmel*.”

Scholar Thomas Constable writes, “Elijah probably chose this mountain, as God led him, because it stood between Israel and Phoenicia geographically, neutral ground between Yahweh’s land and Baal’s.

Furthermore the Phoenicians regarded Carmel as Baal’s sacred dwelling place.

Storms with lightning and thunder were common on Mount Carmel, and Baal worshippers viewed them as manifestations of their deity.

The name “Carmel” means “the garden land,” and it was famous for its fertility.

In the minds of many, Baal had the advantage in this contest” (1 Kings study notes, Soniclight.com).

This is probably why Ahab just followed Elijah’s orders.

D.   20-21: “*So Ahab sent /a message /among all the sons of **Israel** and brought the prophets together at **Mount Carmel**.

21 Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long /will /you hesitate between two opinions?

If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.”

But the people did not answer him a word*.”

1.     Silence.

Elijah asked, “*How long will you hesitate between two opinions?*”

Do you see what was going on here?

They hadn’t chosen Baal over the true God exactly.

They were trying to worship both.

They were on the fence—trying to have a mixture of YHWH worship with Baal worship.

2.     Why?

Who knows?

Maybe they thought Baal could give them some things YHWH wouldn’t.

Maybe they thought it was narrow-minded to think there was only one, true God.

Maybe they thought YHWH wouldn’t care.

But Elijah made it clear—you can’t have both.

To “*hesitate between two opinions*” is not an option forever.

The people remained silent because they didn’t want to choose.

I believe God wanted the people to choose Him all by themselves.

To turn away from Baal worship, get rid of the false prophets and turn back to true, Biblical worship—that’s what would have most pleased God.

But… “*not a word*.”

E.    22-24: “*Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.

23 “Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire /under it;/ and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire /under it./

24 “Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”