The Contest on The Contest on Mount CarmelMount Carmel

Romans 11:1-4Romans 11:1-4Pg. 836 (pew Bible)Pg. 836 (pew Bible)

Yahweh vs. BaalYahweh vs. Baal

1 Kings 181 Kings 18

BAALBAAL• Baal was primarily a weather-god and Baal was primarily a weather-god and

hence responsible for the harvest;hence responsible for the harvest;

• Yahweh, on the other hand, may have Yahweh, on the other hand, may have been popularly thought of as a god from been popularly thought of as a god from the desert regions of Sinai. the desert regions of Sinai.

– D. A. CarsonD. A. Carson

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

• Israel is Divided into Two CampsIsrael is Divided into Two Camps• Ahab is the King of IsraelAhab is the King of Israel– Obadiah is the King’s StewardObadiah is the King’s Steward– Jezebel (pagan idolater wife)Jezebel (pagan idolater wife)

• Elijah is God’s ProphetElijah is God’s Prophet• Three Years of Drought Three Years of Drought

BackgroundBackgroundObadiah & ElijahObadiah & Elijah

1 Kings 18:7-161 Kings 18:7-16

Mt. CarmelMt. CarmelKing Ahab & Prophet ElijahKing Ahab & Prophet Elijah

The Spat Between the TwoThe Spat Between the Two1 Kings 18:17-201 Kings 18:17-20

1 KINGS 18:201 KINGS 18:20

• So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. mount Carmel.

1 KINGS 18:211 KINGS 18:21

• And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? How long halt ye between two opinions? – if the LORD be God, follow him: if the LORD be God, follow him: – but if Baal, then follow him. but if Baal, then follow him.

• And the people answered him not a word. And the people answered him not a word.

YAHWEH BAALYAHWEH BAAL KING JESUS KING JESUS MATERIALISMMATERIALISM

1 KINGS 18:221 KINGS 18:22

• Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. men.

Don’t be surprised when Don’t be surprised when you FEEL like you are in you FEEL like you are in

the minority!the minority!

1 KINGS 18:231 KINGS 18:23• Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let

them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: wood, and put no fire under:

Here’s the Issue:Here’s the Issue:Is there more than one true Is there more than one true

living God?living God?

DECIDING WHO IS GODDECIDING WHO IS GOD

1 Kings 18:241 Kings 18:24• And call ye on the name of your gods, and I And call ye on the name of your gods, and I

will call on the name of the LORD: and the will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.God that answereth by fire, let him be God.

• And all the people answered and said, It is And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. well spoken.

The Most Important ?sThe Most Important ?s

1.1. Is there a God?Is there a God?2.2. Has this God revealed Himself?Has this God revealed Himself?

3.3. Is it the God of the Bible?Is it the God of the Bible?

1 KINGS 18:251 KINGS 18:25

• And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. name of your gods, but put no fire under.

1 KINGS 18:261 KINGS 18:26

• And they took the bullock which was given And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. saying, O Baal, hear us.

• But there was no voice, nor any that But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. which was made.

NO RESPECTNO RESPECT• The complete absence of political correctness.The complete absence of political correctness.

1 Kings 18:271 Kings 18:27• And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah

mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. sleepeth, and must be awaked.

No RespectNo Respect

I am not going to respect a religion I am not going to respect a religion that teaches you used to be a that teaches you used to be a

cockroach.cockroach.

No RespectNo Respect

I am not going to respect a religion I am not going to respect a religion that teaches that if you give your that teaches that if you give your

life as a suicide bomber you get 10 life as a suicide bomber you get 10 virgins in heaven.virgins in heaven.

No RespectNo Respect

I am not going respect a religion I am not going respect a religion where people are starving to death where people are starving to death

but the cows are eating well.but the cows are eating well.

• It would have seemed likely to the people It would have seemed likely to the people that Yahweh was out of his depth [expertise] that Yahweh was out of his depth [expertise] where agriculture was concerned, so it made where agriculture was concerned, so it made good sense also to worship Baal, the good sense also to worship Baal, the acknowledged expert in such matters. Elijah acknowledged expert in such matters. Elijah swept away such syncretistic thinking. The swept away such syncretistic thinking. The people must make a decision: Yahweh or people must make a decision: Yahweh or Baal.Baal.

– D. A. CarsonD. A. Carson

NO Syncretism AllowedNO Syncretism Allowed

the combination of different forms the combination of different forms of belief or practiceof belief or practice

JEALOUS AND NOT SINNINGJEALOUS AND NOT SINNING

Exodus 34:14Exodus 34:14• For thou shalt worship no other god: for the For thou shalt worship no other god: for the

LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: God:

1 KINGS 18:28-291 KINGS 18:28-29

• And they cried aloud, and cut themselves And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. till the blood gushed out upon them.

• And it came to pass, when midday was past, And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. any that regarded.

1 KINGS 18:301 KINGS 18:30

• And Elijah said unto all the people, Come And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. LORD that was broken down.

Desiring to influence Desiring to influence more toward Yahweh more toward Yahweh he calls for a crowd.he calls for a crowd.

Remember the 12 Tribes are Remember the 12 Tribes are DividedDivided

Northern KingdomNorthern KingdomSouthern KingdomSouthern Kingdom

1 GOD—1 PROMISE—1 NATION1 GOD—1 PROMISE—1 NATION

1 Kings 18:311 Kings 18:31

• And Elijah took And Elijah took twelvetwelve stones, stones, according to the number of the tribes of the according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

1 KINGS 18:32-331 KINGS 18:32-33• And with the stones he built an altar in the And with the stones he built an altar in the

name of the LORD: and he made a trench name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. measures of seed.

• And he put the wood in order, and cut the And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

Eliminating All DoubtEliminating All Doubt

1 Kings 18:331 Kings 18:33And he put the wood in order, and cut the And he put the wood in order, and cut the

bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the

wood. wood.

Eliminating All DoubtEliminating All Doubt

1 Kings 18:341 Kings 18:34And he said, Do it the second time. And they And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the did it the second time. And he said, Do it the

third time. And they did it the third time. third time. And they did it the third time.

Why are we doing all this?Why are we doing all this?

Why is Elijah going to these great Why is Elijah going to these great lengths?lengths?

1 KINGS 18:361 KINGS 18:36

• And it came to pass at the time of the And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, the prophet came near, and said, LORD God LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in known this day that thou art God in IsraelIsrael, and that I am thy servant, and that I , and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. have done all these things at thy word.

Why did Jesus perform Why did Jesus perform miracles?miracles?

Luke 5:24Luke 5:24But that ye may know that the Son of But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive man hath power upon earth to forgive

sins, (he said unto the sick of the sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. up thy couch, and go into thine house.

1 KINGS 18:371 KINGS 18:37

• Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. that thou hast turned their heart back again.

Now Elijah shows us how to pray!Now Elijah shows us how to pray!

1 KINGS 18:381 KINGS 18:38

• Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. that was in the trench.

Is this the ultimate miracle?

Is this the ultimate miracle?Is this the ultimate miracle?

Turn to John 14:31Turn to John 14:31

But that the world may know that I love the Father; But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I

do. Arise, let us go hence. do. Arise, let us go hence.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION1 Kings 18:211 Kings 18:21• And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, And Elijah came unto all the people, and said,

How long halt ye between two opinions? How long halt ye between two opinions? – if the LORD be God, follow him: if the LORD be God, follow him: – but if Baal, then follow him. but if Baal, then follow him.

• And the people answered him not a word. And the people answered him not a word.

YAHWEH BAALYAHWEH BAAL KING JESUS KING JESUS MATERIALISMMATERIALISM FAITH IN CHRIST GOOD FAITH IN CHRIST GOOD WORKSWORKS