Israel was back in the pits again. They were being ruled by evil king Ahab and the ueber-evil queen Darth Jezebel. It was a bad time to choose a career in the prophetic department as prophets were being hunted down and killed and the worship of the One true God was fading into the shadows. Faithlessness became the order of the day. The chosen people was down again on their vicious “on again off again” covenant relationship with God. They sorely needed a break.

This is the story of Elijah calling down fire from heaven to prove to the backslidden people of Israel that they needed to repent and turn back to God. And while this account seemed  like a showdown of magical power (it certainly looked that way to the superstitious Palestinians), I can’t help but notice two major points why this is all the more spiritually fascinating.

First, this is a classic case where God indulged the people for open display of power just to prove his point. I mean God didn’t need such a showdown. The last time I remember God delivering a physical pound for pound catfight against false religion was when He publicly mocked all the Egyptian deities by lashing out 10 plagues before the Exodus. He didn’t need to go down to a level of having to duel with lesser deities so He can prove His superiority. The miraculous crossing of the Red Sea a few decades earlier was spectacular enough and great enough to prove that He indeed is God. However, it seems that every generation needs a fresh revelation from God, a re-reminding of who He is, a public, visible, tangible proof that God is God.

The second point is a bit melodramatic for me. We all know from the story that Baal’s prophets prayed and danced and chanted for almost a day imploring on the false gods to hear and answer back. Nothing happened. They bruised and cut themselves that blood was literally spilled over the place and still no answer came. They sacrificed and labored and did everything they could. Their gods were nowhere to hear them.

Then Elijah uttered 60 words in prayer (depends on the version you use) and God answered with roaring, burning fire fresh from the heavens. No sweat, no chanting, no dancing around, no blood was spilled, just 60 words of prayer and the heavens responded with such glorious power. So smooth and so quick was the answer that in my mind I could picture out fire tearing up the sunny skies, consuming the entire offering in the altar that was flooded with water barely minutes ago.

Minutes ago, Baal’s prophets were chanting their prayers. Minutes ago, people were probably murmuring unbelief. Minutes ago, an entire nation was wandering far from the heart of the Father. Not now, not anymore because right now, all you hear are the rustling of robes as everyone fell to their knees crying silent cries of repentance.

What about us? Do we wait for some spectacular display of power before we repent?

Tags: backsliding, fire, Israel, Prayer, prophet, repentance, sacrifices
Posted in Random