The Way of KingsSample

Showdown on Mount Carmel

I have to be honest, today’s story is one of my favorite stories in all of Scripture.

It ticks so many “manhood” boxes. It is a story of confrontation and defeating the bad guy, not without its tense and questionable moments, but in the end, the good guy wins, and the bad guys are put in their place (actually, that’s a really dark part of the story).

This story has overconfidence, perhaps even arrogance, as Elijah mocks the prophets of Ba’al, who is perhaps sleeping or otherwise engaged. The language here actually suggests that Ba’al is using the bathroom! Hilarious! But the basis of the taunts is that Ba’al, if real at all, is doing merely human things and not the things of a god.

It does not take much imagination to picture Elijah sitting back against a log and smiling to himself as he taunts the prophets of Ba’al, knowing that their actions would result in nothing.

Then, with a confidence born of deep faith, he calls on God to show the people that Yahweh is the one true God. Simple fire will not suffice. It must be a fire that consumes and consumes what should not even burn.

God showed Himself that day.

Let us not miss the point of this. This was not a validation of Elijah or even a refutation of the false god Ba’al.

This was about the people turning back to God.

All throughout Scripture, that is the driving motivation for God’s actions. He is after our hearts and stops at nothing to turn people's hearts toward Him. From Eden to Golgotha and all the mountaintops between, God has been going to great lengths to call people back to Himself.

This kind of story—Elijah and his great and deep faith—offers us so much to take hold of. Men, is your faith that deep? Are you willing to stand up to uneven opponents with your faith in God? Or perhaps your heart is the one that needs to turn back to Him.

What has God been doing to call you back to Himself?

Prayer: God of the incredible act of salvation, thank You for the lengths You have gone to turn hearts back to You. Help me to be a man of deep and bold faith. Amen.

Reflection: What act of faith could you perform today?