1Ki 18:25-29 | KingComments | STEP | Then Elijah acts. He takes the initiative and explains ‘the rules of the game’ for the confrontation between God and Baal. The prophets of Baal may first choose from the two bulls and bring their sacrifice first. They also get the most time to call to their god. Elijah gives them every advantage. He can only do that because he trusts God completely. He does not know the outcome, yet still he does, because he knows God’s will. That brings him to the faith to give this testimony. Baal is the god of the weather and therefore also of the rain. He must be persuaded to give rain again. Fire from heaven on the sacrifice must make clear Who is God. Elijah knows the history of the fire on the sacrifice. He knows the history of Abraham where the fire comes from heaven ( ). He also knows of the fire on the altar and the fire in judgment on Nadab and Abihu ( ). He knows the fire of blessing when the fire strikes the innocent sacrifice and the people can go free. Elijah has let fire come from heaven on enemies ( ), but does not do that on the people. He loves the people. Therefore the fire does not come on the people, but strikes the sacrifice, as it turns out shortly.

‏ 1 Kings 18:25-29

Elijah Determines the Test

Then Elijah acts. He takes the initiative and explains ‘the rules of the game’ for the confrontation between God and Baal. The prophets of Baal may first choose from the two bulls and bring their sacrifice first. They also get the most time to call to their god. Elijah gives them every advantage. He can only do that because he trusts God completely. He does not know the outcome, yet still he does, because he knows God’s will. That brings him to the faith to give this testimony.

Baal is the god of the weather and therefore also of the rain. He must be persuaded to give rain again. Fire from heaven on the sacrifice must make clear Who is God. Elijah knows the history of the fire on the sacrifice. He knows the history of Abraham where the fire comes from heaven (Gen 19:24). He also knows of the fire on the altar and the fire in judgment on Nadab and Abihu (Lev 9:24 ; Lev 10:1-2). He knows the fire of blessing when the fire strikes the innocent sacrifice and the people can go free. Elijah has let fire come from heaven on enemies (2Kgs 1:10-14), but does not do that on the people. He loves the people. Therefore the fire does not come on the people, but strikes the sacrifice, as it turns out shortly.

Baal Is Called On

Baal’s prophets prepare everything in the way Elijah has indicated. Then the spectacle breaks loose. That must have been impressive. Eight hundred and fifty prophets are a lot. At a distance stands the lonely Elijah. A little further on stands the mass of the people, still silent. It does not matter to them from whom the rain comes, from Baal or from God.

Elijah is not silent. When the prophets have been trying to get their god to take some action for a long time without any result, Elijah starts to ridicule their foolish attempts with biting mockery. The prophets of God have always mocked the idols (Isa 44:12-20). Elijah ridicules their god by assuming he is occupied and has no time to answer. He is a god who cannot do two things at the same time. It may also be that he has gone aside, that is to say that he is on the toilet to do his needs and then of course he can’t hear them. He cannot do that either when he is travelling, because he is a very limited god with only a small area as his terrain.

On the other hand is the God of Elijah, our God, the all-powerful God, the God of the universe, Who created heaven and earth and maintains everything. He is also the all-present God, Who is present everywhere, and the all-knowing God, Who is involved in all things, and to Whose attention nothing escapes.

According to their heathen customs, the prophets cut themselves to arouse the compassion of their god. What a god who should be brought to action with such actions! But all the toil and self-chastisement of the prophets is answered with total silence on the part of Baal. Of course Baal remains dead, for there is only one living God. What a defeat for the prophets of Baal.

In this manner they continue until the time of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice or the evening grain offering. The whole chapter lights up against the background of the cross. It is the ninth hour. At that hour Christ died as the real grain offering and burnt offering on the cross. It is the moment that Daniel receives an answer to his prayer, as well as Ezra, and as Cornelius, the first convert from the Gentiles (Dan 9:21; Ezra 9:4-5; Acts 10:3). When the gods are silent and the people are silent, the God of Elijah answers.