7

Elijah stood on Mount Carmel. He stood there so remarkably strong in his confidence in the Lord. He appeared to be so much larger than life.

Around him was gathered the entire nation of Israel, along with the prophets of Baal and the prophets of the groves were also there.

But it was that one solitary figure who stood out. King Ahab was present, but, by contrast with Elijah, he was a completely insignificant figure.

The dominant figure was: The Man of God! The prophet of the Lord. Elijah. Every eye was focused on him. Everyone was listening with the utmost interest. They were waiting. Waiting to see what he would do. To hear what he would say.

He had challenged the people. "How long halt ye between two opinions?" But the people had remained silent. Unresponsive. Unmoved. Watching. Wondering. Waiting.

Elijah! So totally dominant! So supremely confident. What was his secret? He was totally in tune with the Lord. He had heard the Word of the Lord. In faith he was moving in complete obedience to the Lord. He knew that he was in the center of the will of the Lord.

Strong! In the Lord! Strong! In the power of His might.Moving confidently to the final preparation for the Lord's glorious intervention. The dynamic vindication of His Word!

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

Elijah was so very conscious that he stood there alone. The dramatic situation on Mount Carmel contributed to that awareness. He was so unmistakably isolated!

The entire nation stood there. Elijah had given the people the opportunity to speak up. To take a stand with him for the Lord. To identify themselves with Elijah in his commitment.

But no one had spoken. Not a single person had responded. "The people answered him not a word!" We do not know why they did not respond. Their silence inevitably accentuated the isolation of the prophet.

That sense of being "alone" was not unique to the prophet. So many of the Lord's people have shared that same experience. For a variety of reasons, they have found themselves isolated.

This is particularly the case when God's servant is called to take a strong stand, an uncompromising stand on a vital issue of the faith, for example. Or on a moral issue. Especially when so many others want to avoid it.

Such a stand demands real courage. Deep conviction. It requires that we know why we are taking that stand. That we are willing to be unpopular because the issue is crucial! The glory of the Lord is at stake.

Paul speaks of his experience. "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge" (2 Timothy 4: 16).

That is: standing alone. Personal isolation. Many have, and will, experience that situation. Even today.

It is so important that we ask the question: Why? That we examine our motivation. Why did Elijah stand alone? He so clearly answered that.

“Ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim!”

He stood alone; to be totally loyal to the Lord! To be faithful to His Word. To live in the center of His will. And from that position FROM THAT POSITION to call the nation to repentance. To revival.

Why was Paul willing to stand alone? Willing to find himself totally isolated

He tells us. "For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus'' (Acts 21: 13).

"Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20: 24).

For: the Lord Jesus. For: His will in his life. In obedience to His Word. To prove faithful in proclaiming His Gospel. For that: he was willing to stand alone!

Too often today people will take a stand. But, far too often, it is over issues which really do not count. The sad situation is that people will jeopardize fellowship over secondary issues. Causing division over doctrinal theories or interpretations which are not of primary importance.

There is an inevitable result of such conduct. We lose sight of the central issue, as God defines the central issue! Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ is not glorified. Precious souls are left to perish in hell! Think of that! We must focus on those issues which are of central importance to the Lord

Not just so that we can "win" our "point!" Or an argument. Convincing ourselves that we proved our brother "wrong"! That is not love! That is not Christlike! That is certainly not the will of God!

Elijah knew why he must stand alone. So did Paul. So must we. The focus must never vary. Always: The glory of the Lord! Always: to call the lost to the Saviour. Always: to build our brother up. Never anything else. Never!

Elijah stood alone. Isolated. So did Paul. Yet not alone! Paul's testimony is inspiring.

“Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion” (2 Timothy 4: 17).

To stand alone for the right reason is to have the Lord stand with us! "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8: 31).

Elijah: alone! The prophets of Baal: four hundred and fifty. Elijah knew that he and the Lord had the prophets of Baal outnumbered! He was confident in the Lord!

"Let them therefore give us two bullocks, and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under."

This was a most critical part of the Lord's challenge. His call to His people through Elijah. The expression of His grace. His offer in grace to receive His people back. The opportunity for them to share in genuine spiritual revival.

Elijah was describing the preparations for sacrifice. In his mind the importance of the sacrifice was quite clear. The significance of this sacrifice was vital. To Elijah. To the Lord!

The Lord Himself had established the sacrificial system. He had given the details to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The directions as to how the sacrifice was to be offered. But something more important. WHY the sacrifice was so essential.

It was to make atonement for sin! To make possible man's reconciliation to God!

That sacrificial system pointed forward. The focus was on: "The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" (John 1: 29).

The impact of this is important. We must not pass too quickly over it.

To the Lord, the sacrifice was essential! It was essential because the people were sinners. Their sin was greatly accentuated, aggravated, by their worship of Baal and the Asherah.

Elijah knew that. He had stated it to Ahab earlier. Now he was including the entire nation. They had all forsaken the commandments of God! They had all run after Baal. They were all guilty before God!

There was only one way in which they could approach in worship. That was as atonement for their sin was made. So that they could experience forgiveness. Cleansing from sin. Reconciliation to God.

This principle is of the utmost importance in understanding the stand which was taken by Elijah. But, it is also vital for us today!

What is required for us to be able to come to the Lord? To find a way of access open to us? To enable us to be acceptable to Him?

The people of Israel had to be brought to terms with this issue. Obviously they had forgotten this central and vital principle. As the result, they had greatly offended the Lord. They had brought on themselves His judgement .

They are not alone in that. Many today have done exactly the same. They have become flippant in their attitude. So very careless about all that the Lord says is essential. They too pay a very high price for such foolishness!

Elijah pointed Israel to the altar of sacrifice. Even as he would point us to the altar of sacrifice. To the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only means by which we can approach God. The only way by which we can find access. There is no other way to be acceptable to Him!

"And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the Name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let Him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken."

This was the key. Prayer for acceptance. Not only the acceptance of the offering. But, also, the acceptance of the one bringing that offering.

"Call on the name of your gods!" Call on Baal! Call on him to accept your sacrifice of atonement! Call on him to demonstrate that he can forgive! That he will forgive. That he has forgiven! Let your god demonstrate that you are reconciled! That you are acceptable

Elijah knew that he was completely secure in this challenge. Baal was an idol. An inanimate object! It had ears but it could not hear! It could not hear the prayers of those prophets. It had eyes. But it could not see the sacrifice which they offered. It was totally incapable of responding.

There is another spiritual fact involved here. Baal was an inanimate object. But it represented a spiritual reality. Behind that idolatrous object were: spiritual forces of evil!

“What say I then? That the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?”

“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils!'' (I Corinthians 10: 19, 20).

The prophets of Baal were preparing to offer their sacrifice: To devils! To demons! To unclean spirits! They were having fellowship with devils. With the vile spiritual forces of evil!

Think of' it. The sacrifice was supposedly offered to make atonement for sin! To seek forgiveness! It was offered to: the very spiritual forces of evil which enticed them into that very sin! To the devil who had deceived them! Deluded them! Enslaved them!

There could be no atonement. Not there! No forgiveness. No cleansing! No release. Nothing! Nothing but; more terrible bondage! The slavery to sin which bound them would increase and deepen. That was all they could expect there!

“I will call on the Name of the Lord!” The Lord of infinite love! The Lord of abounding grace! The Lord who above all wanted to be able to forgive! To cleanse! To reconcile! To restore! To make them fully acceptable!

What a contrast. There could be only one answer. Only One who would answer!

Think of it today! What do the world, the flesh, and the devil offer? Nothing! Nothing but bondage to vile sin. Nothing but total slavery to all that is depraved. Never hope! Never release! Never forgiveness.

The Lord points to the cross. To the fullness of His love in His Son. To that allsufficient sacrifice. The guarantee of forgiveness. The assurance of total cleansing. Restoration. Acceptance. Life in all its fullness.

Now, the people of Israel responded! "And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken!"

Now: they would have proof! Something tangible. Something they could see. We have no idea what they expected to happen. They did expect: something!

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

Elijah had issued the challenge. He stood there before that entire company strong in the Lord. Confident in the commitment of the Lord. Assured of the involvement of the Lord. Elijah and the Lord. Compelling the prophets of Baal to comply!

He also had the people of Israel agreeing, that should be done! "It is well spoken!"

The prophets of Baal found themselves with no choice. The spiritual authority of Elijah left them with no choice, just as that same spiritual authority had left Ahab with no choice.

There was also the authority inherent in the people of Israel. They were expecting the prophets of Baal to comply with these requirements.

Elijah's challenge was clear. Go to it! Demonstrate to the nation your right to claim their allegiance. Let them see the authenticity of the worship of Baal!

“And they took the bullock which was given them., and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, 0 Baal, hear us.”

They built the altar to Baal. They placed the wood in place for the fire. They killed the bullock and placed it on the altar. Then they began praying. "0 Baal, hear us!" And they continued to pray, over and over again. Repeatedly. Pleading. Begging. Entreating.

Did they really think that Baal would respond? Did they expect the devils, the unclean spirits, to intervene to get them off the hook?

The people were watching intently. Waiting. Their attitude insisted: Prove to us the value of your claims concerning Baal.

Elijah was watching. Confident in the Lord. He knew that the forces of evil were beaten. Defeated by the Lord. Rendered ineffective by the faith of the man of the Lord.

"But there was no voice, nor any that answered." The passing hours only greatly accentuated the futility of all such false worship.

That sense of utter futility greatly aggravated their attitude. It drove them into a frenzy. "They leaped upon the altar which was made!"

That is the way it is, inevitably, whenever we look to anyone but the Lord for help. Particularly when we look to the forces of evil for help. They were crying out to devils to hear their prayer! The only interest of those forces of evil was: to totally destroy those who prayed to them!

Those forces of evil could do nothing more. They had been bound! Defeated by the faith of the man of God! Elijah was wielding "power over all the power of the enemy!"

“And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened!”

Elijah had waited patiently as the morning hours had passed. He had observed the frantic antics of the prophets of Baal. He himself had a deep inner peace and assurance.

At noon he began to goad the prophets of Baal. Further accentuating their utter futility. Mocking their foolish prayers. Louder! Cry Louder! Obviously you are not getting his attention! “If he is a god?!”

But what kind of god? A god like themselves. In their delusion they had fashioned a god like themselves.

“He is talking!” Shout louder to attract his attention Or he is off hunting somewhere! Pursuing game! Or, could it be that he is in battle? Chasing his enemy?" A god like them! Preoccupied with the very things which preoccupied them.

"Maybe he has gone off on a journey somewhere without telling you? Shout louder so that he can hear you! But then, possibly he is asleep. You will need to shout all the louder to wake him up!"

Every aspect of the words of Elijah struck home. What kind of god was this: Baal? They had been crying out to him all the morning. He was ignoring them. He did nothing. There was no response whatsoever.

Mocked! Possibly some of those Israelites wanted to join in, mocking the utter futility of those false prophets.

But it was not only Elijah who mocked them. They were being mocked by the very forces which they had served. Their most desperate prayers were being ridiculed by the demons to whom they were praying!

That was the spiritual reality. That is always the spiritual reality.

The Lord Jesus died for us on the cross. He took our place. Bore all that should have come on us.

There at the cross He was mocked and ridiculed. He was despised and rejected. By man and by devil.

Why? Because He hung there for us, in our place. Viciously attacked by all the vile forces of evil. They mocked Him in the most vile manner. Ridiculed Him. They heaped on Him the worst abuse of which they were capable. He took it all: For us. For our Salvation.

The victim of the vilest mockery. And, thank God, He is: The Victor! Victorious for us.

The forces of evil can never again mock His redeemed people. The Lord Jesus bore it all for us. He set His redeemed people free from it all. Now we are "more than conquerors through Him!"

But, what of those who are still in sin? The forces of evil still mock them. They still ridicule them.

Why would anyone want to remain in that condition? Being viciously mocked and ridiculed? Particularly by the very forces of evil to which they have given their allegiance?

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

The devil does reward his servants so well! Goaded on by mockery and ridicule. Extremely frustrated by their very obvious futility. Totally abandoned by those vile forces of evil which they had served so faithfully for so many years.

They resorted to screaming! Shrieking! Throwing themselves into their prayer with total frenzied abandon.

They snatched for knives and lancets. They made deep gashes in their own bodies, until their blood gushed out. They were driven to the most desperate measures.

This conduct was common practice with such heathen prophets! As common as it was inevitable! As they in utter desperation tried to convince their god! If only such desperate measures would get the god's attention! If only they could convince that god that they were serious. Why could not their god see how deadly serious they were?

They had faithfully served the spiritual forces of evil. But now those evil forces acted as they always did. They abandoned their horribly disfigured and desperately tortured victims!

Not only that. Those spiritual forces of evil may have been in control for years. But they were no longer in control. The Lord was in absolute control. His faithful ambassador spoke His Word with authority. Nothing could be done to reverse what the Lord had begun to accomplish.

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

Nothing! They were left utterly destitute! No fire! No voice! No answer! No one that took any notice!

For this they had served Baal! For this they had worshipped all that was vile! For this they had given their lives over to the depraved forces of evil! For: what?

They were left holding the bag. Their total futility so obvious for all to see. They had no power. They had absolutely nothing to offer the people. Nohing!

They were not on their own. Many today share with them. All those who live for the pleasures of the world. All who yield to the lusts of the flesh. All those who are in bondage to evil. They all will ultimately share this same utterly humiliating experience.

The world, the flesh and the devil offer: hell! The lake of fire. That. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him."

He did not have to indentify the obvious facts. They knew them. They had seen all that the prophets of Baal could do for them. All day they had witnessed the stark futility. The complete hopelessness. The desolate and desperate emptiness.

Elijah had an alternative to offer them. A glorious alternative. He would introduce them to: the Lord!

The Lord, Who wanted to recognize the sacrifice of atonement. Who waited to hear the confession of need. Who extended His love and grace so freely to them. Who desired for them that they would experience His loving forgiveness, reconcilation, revival, and acceptance.

Elijah was confident. He had every reason to be both confident and enthusiastic. He knew that the Lord was present. Involved. The Lord was seeking to reveal His glory in love and grace. That was Elijah's privilege: to share that revelation.

It is our privilege. To share with others the glory of all that the Lord is seeking to do. Even today! All else will fail. The Lord will never fail.

The world leaves people empty. The Lord reaches out in love to fill with His abounding grace.

The devil leaves his victims utterly destitute. The Lord offers life, life abundant. Life in all its fullness.

The flesh robs people of everything that is of value. The Lord enriches beyond measure all those who will come to Him!

“And he repaired the altar of the LORD which was broken down.” It had been broken down and neglected for so long. Forsaken. Elijah called the people back to spiritual basics. To share in the rebuilding of the true altar of the Lord. The altar of faith.

This was essential to offering the sacrifice which was acceptable to God.

Back to the basics. Back to the Word of God. To the essential requirements of the Word. The requirements of: repentance. Confession of sin. Faith in Christ. Back to total submission to all that the Lord requires of us.

Back, to rebuild the altar. Torn down by evil. By compromise. By disobedience and unbelief.

Rebuilt by faith. Humble faith. Faith in the Lord and in His Word.

“And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the Word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name."

But he wanted to participate in more than rebuilding the altar. He wanted to participate in rebuilding the nation as the true people of God. Rebuild. Renew. Restore. Revive. All according to the leading of the Word of the Lord.

This was the deep heart desire of the Lord! Jeremiah expressed it so dramatically.

''The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it .... 0 house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD" (Jeremiah 18: 4, 6).

Ezekiel also. Following the vision of the valley of dry bones. "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, 0 My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel" (Ezekiel 37: 12).

Elijah had used the two names; Jacob, and Israel. Jacob meant schemer. Selfcentered. Selfserving.

Israel means: "For as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed" (Genesis 32: 28).

That was Elijah's goal. It was the Lord's goal. To restore them to the true nature of: Israel.

The objective for the Lord today is still the same. To restore people to the image and likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. It is our privilege to share this glorious goal.

“He made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid them on the wood.”

Elijah was ready almost! The people were watching. Waiting. Wondering.

“He ... said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.”

“And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it he second time. And be said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

“And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.”

It is not difficult to imagine the reaction of the people. Especially the prophets of Baal. Could they see in this development a glimmer of hope? True, they had failed themselves. Surely this must mean that Elijah would also fail.

Everything was totaIly saturated with water. The sacrifice. The wood. The stones. The trench around the altar was filled with water!

What could all this mean? It meant only one thing. Elijah was totally confident in the Lord. Unshakably sure that the Word of the Lord would not fail.

He did all this for only one reason. To obey the Lord and thus to glorify Him. This was not foolish bravado. This was not even Elijah's idea. He continued to move along in quiet strong confidence. He was walking in the center of the will of the Lord.

It is the Lord's will that we continue to share in that strong quiet confidence. That daily we enjoy this strong assurance of faith. That in total trust in Him we faithfully follow His Word. Even when others do not understand.

Elijah was assured. Strong in quiet confidence. Everything that he said and did, was in obedience to the Word of the Lord.

The sacrifice of atonement would be accepted. The Lord waited in deep love and grace. Eager to be able to forgive. To reconcile. To restore. To revive His people.

He wanted His people to be true to the name: Israel. To be: a prince with God!

He wants us to be true to the Name of Jesus today. In all the fullness of all that that glorious Name means.