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Elijah and the prophets of Baal

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When Ahab became King of Israel he did more evil than all the Kings before him.
King Ahab not only turned away from God to worship Baal, but encouraged the whole nation to do the same
People who refused to worship Baal were persecuted or driven out of the country. Every prophet of God who could be found was put to death.

01  Elijah and Baal
02  Elijah and Baal
03 Elijah and Baal

Suddenly, one day, the King heard a voice burst out like a thunderclap and a stranger stood before him.
‘As the Lord God of Israel lives there will not be dew or rain until I say so.’ Elijah the prophet had arrived with a message from the Lord God.
People stood in stunned silence as Elijah turned and left. A prophet of God had not been heard for a long time, but they paid little attention to Elijah or God’s warning.

04  Elijah and Baal
05  Elijah and Baal
06  Elijah and Baal

For three years no rain fell in the land of Israel. The grass disappeared from the hills. The cattle grew lean. Nothing grew in the field and people had less and less to eat.
In every home people were suffering from hunger. Unless rain fell soon there would be no food at all. They began thinking about Elijah’s warning.
When the King saw the land turning to desert and his animals dying of hunger, he sent messengers to find Elijah.

07 Elijah and Baal
08 Elijah and Baal
09 Elijah and Baal

They all returned with the same response, ‘Elijah is nowhere to be found.’ The King sent messengers to every city and country around.
The messengers began to fear for their lives as the King became furious at their failure to find the prophet.
God then spoke to Elijah, ‘Go and show yourself to Ahab and I will send rain on the earth.’

10 Elijah and Baal
11 Elijah and Baal
12 Elijah and Baal

Elijah set off and saw Obadiah the King’s servant. The prophet said, ‘Go and tell your Ahab that Elijah has returned.’ Obadiah hurried back to the king.
King Ahab listened to Obadiah’s report and set off to find Elijah.
Elijah was not afraid and waited calmly for the King to arrive.

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14 Elijah and Baal
15 Elijah and Baal

The king cried angrily, ‘Are you the one who has been troubling Israel?’
Elijah answered, ‘I am not troubling Israel. You are! You have disobeyed the commandments of the Lord
‘You have worshiped the false god Baal.’

16 Elijah and Baal
17 Elijah and Baal
18 Elijah and Baal

Ahab could not answer the prophet of God.
The King listened as Elijah told him gather all the people of Israel and all the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Ahab agreed.
From every corner of the kingdom people came to Mount Carmel wondering what was going to happen.

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20 Elijah and Baal
21 Elijah and Baal

Elijah wanted to let the people see that the Lord God had overwhelming power.
‘How long will you waver between two opinions?’ Elijah asked. ‘If the Lord is God follow Him. If Baal is god then follow him.’
The people listened but would not reply.

22 Elijah and Baal
23 Elijah and Baal
24 Elijah and Baal

Elijah proclaimed, ‘I am a lone prophet of the Lord but Baal has 450 prophets.
‘Let them prepare a sacrifice and I will do the same. We will not light the fire. They will call on Baal and I will call on the Lord and one who answers with fire, let Him be God.
The people agreed to the contest.

25 Elijah and Baal
26 Elijah and Baal
27 Elijah and Baal

Elijah stood by as the prophets of Baal prepared their sacrifice and called on their god from morning until noon.
The prophets leaped and danced. ‘Oh Baal, hear us!’ But there was no answer from Baal.
At noon Elijah mocked the prophets. ‘Cry louder. Maybe Baal is talking or away on a journey. Maybe he’s asleep and needs to be woken.’

28 Elijah and Baal
29 Elijah and Baal
30 Elijah and Baal

The prophets of Baal cried louder than ever, leaping around in a wild frenzy begging their god to answer. They even cut themselves with knives that Baal might take pity on them.
The people watched but Baal did not answer. Elijah then called the people near him as he prepared his sacrifice.
First Elijah took twelve stones and rebuilt a broken altar of the Lord.

31 Elijah and Baal
32 Elijah and Baal
33 Elijah and Baal

He put the wood in place and laid the sacrifice on the altar.
Next he made a trench all around the altar of the Lord and made a strange request.
He told the people to fill twelve large jars with water …

34 Elijah and Baal
35 Elijah and Baal
36 Elijah and Baal

… and throw it all over the sacrifice until it was soaked and the trench was filled to the brim.
The people watched as Elijah came to the altar and prayed, ‘Lord God of Isreal, let it be known today that You are God and I am your servant who has done all these things at your command.
‘Hear me O Lord, so that these people will know you are the Lord God and turn back to you.’

37 Elijah and Baal
38 Elijah and Baal
39 Elijah and Baal

Suddenly the fire of the Lord fell.
The altar, the sacrifice, the water, even the dust of the ground was consumed by the fire.
The people fell on their faces and exclaimed, ‘The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!’ The whole nation worshipped the Lord as the only living God.

40 Elijah and Baal
41 Elijah and Baal
42 Elijah and Baal

Only then did Elijah begin to think about rain. He went up to the top of Mount Carmel and fell on the ground to pray. Then he told his servant to go and look out to sea for a rain cloud.
The servant reported there was nothing. Elijah kept praying and sent the servant seven times to look for rain. The seventh time the servant reported ‘There is a small cloud the size of a man’s hand rising out of the sea.’
Elijah sent his servant to King Ahab to tell him the rain was coming. The people had repented and turned back to God and the Lord blessed them with rain and food once more. (Acts 3:19).

43 Elijah and Baal
44 Elijah and Baal
45 Elijah and Baal


Elijah and the prophets of Baal
Elijah has a contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
1 Kings 16:29 - 17:1, 18:1-46
27Jun2017

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