1 Kings 18: Mountaintop Showdown

For sheer drama, few scenes can match the one that transpires on windswept Mount Carmel, where the forces of good and evil collide head-on. The incident recorded in chapter 18 is no myth. On this day, a prophet single-handedly takes on a king and nearly a thousand powerful priests.

Elijah has already made a grand entrance, stalking the terraced streets of affluent Samaria in black camel's hair, a striking contrast to the priests of Baal in their white linen robes and high-pointed bonnets. Three years before, he had proclaimed a simple, unpopular message of doom: "There will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word" (17:1) That message was a direct affront to followers of Baal, who believed their god could control the weather. His message delivered, Elijah disappeared. For the next three years he was the most wanted fugitive in Israel, for he alone had the power to bring rain. And now, in this scene, the prophet Elijah returns to Samaria.

Israel faces a crossroads. Other kings have introduced idolatry into the Jewish religion, but King Ahab and his notorious wife Jezebel want to go much further. Queen Jezebel has just launched a murderous campaign to eliminate all true prophets of God and replace them with pagan priests. The prophet Elijah, whose very name means, "The Lord is my God," is a thorn in her side. So, Elijah proposes a showdown, the ultimate contest, to prove who is the true God. On one side stands a resplendent array of 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah; on the other side stands a lone, bedraggled prophet of God.

Elijah lets the pagan prophets have the first turn. As they dance around an altar beseeching their gods, he sits back, enjoys the show and taunts them into a frenzy. "Maybe your god is traveling, or sleeping," he yells. The priests slash themselves with swords until their blood runs. When Elijah's turn comes, he works the crowd like a master magician. Just when it seems Elijah is perpetrating a fraud, the miracle happens: Fire falls from heaven. In the final analysis, it is no contest at all.

Elijah lives during one of the greatest outbreaks of miracles in Biblical history, as God is sounding a final warning to the rebellious northern kingdom. As Israel's rulers and then its priests grow more and more corrupt, 1 and 2 Kings train the spotlight on prophets like Elijah. These prophets channel God's power through their words and deeds. Over time, the significance of the prophets equals and even surpasses that of the kings.

Life Question: Do you think people's faiths would be strengthened today if there were more miracles like that which occurred on Mount Carmel?

Sometimes God seems silent, and sometimes he works slowly and mysteriously. But occasionally God does step in directly, even spectacularly, with a display of power that is simply awesome. That said, the Bible is filled with spectacular miracles, and yet the Israelites time and time again break their covenant and fall away from God's plan. I would imagine that the same would hold true in today's society. A miracle does not strengthen faith. I think it has to be something that comes from your heart and is nurtured by a constant, healthy relationship with Christ. A lightning bolt can't bring you closer to Christ...