Few figures of the Old Testament have the power of identification that Elijah has. He seems to be a classic example of a prophet.
In some ways he is the Simon-Peter of the Old Testament. His bold, forthright faith epitomizes what we would like to be in our highest wishes.
Elijah comes on the scene when Ahab and Jezebel had taken the Northern Kingdom to its lowest ebb of idolatrous Baal worship. Elijah, whose very name means "Yahweh is my God," comes to stand in the gap and turn the tide.
The Verses
1-15 For three years there had been famine, as Elijah had predicted. Ahab summoned Obadiah to help out. Obadiah was faithful to God and had safely hidden hundreds of God’s prophets.
Obadiah and Elijah meet. Obadiah expresses fear when asked to go to Ahab to tell him of Elijah’s presence.
Doing what the Lord wants you to do can sometimes be a fearful thing, as it sometimes defies human logic.
16-19 Elijah confronts Ahab and reveals that it is Ahab who has brought trouble to the land by worshiping Ba’al instead of God.
This is one of the most spectacular chapters of Scripture. The meeting between Elijah and Ahab is again dramatic. Note the 3 times it is announced, “Behold, Elijah is here” (vs. 8, 11, 14).
The contest is sensational as Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal (vs. 21-24). It is Elijah versus 450 prophets of Baal.
John Knox was right — “One with God is a majority.” The prophets of Baal used every kind of incantation to bring fire down upon the offering in the name of Baal. Elijah looks on with a bored and skeptical eye. He uses the rapier of irony and sarcasm.
They yell louder and become more frantic but to no avail.
Like all false gods, their god was without any real power whatever. The Bible does not deny that the devil still has some power (Ephesians 6:12; 1 Peter 5:8). Satan is much weaker than God is. Jesus, by his death, has already defeated the devil completely (1 Corinthians 15:55; Hebrews 2:14).
20-46 Elijah, after the prophets of Baal retire in defeat, repairs the altar of 12 stones, showing that the nation Israel is one.
He then arranges the wood and the sacrifice.
When barrel after barrel of water is brought up from the blue Mediterranean to Mount Carmel and poured on the altar, Elijah utters one of the great prayers of Scripture, brief but effective (vs. 36, 37).
After slaying the prophets of Baal, he announces the approach of a rainstorm from out over the Mediterranean Sea.
God told the Israelites to kill those who led them to worship other gods. We would not do that today, but, in Colossians 3:5 and 3:8, Paul uses a similar description. He is explaining how, with God’s help, Christians must end their own wrong desires.
Only the grace of God will allow you to do that.
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