The Prophets of Baal Defeated - So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only.
The account of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is recorded in 1 Kings 18. After Israel had gone more than three years without rain as a judgment for their idolatry, the prophet Elijah confronts the evil king Ahab and challenges him to a spiritual showdown. The king was to have all Israel gather at Mt.
Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of the false god Baal and the 400 prophets of the false. What Does Elijah Challenge the Baal Prophets to Do? King Ahab of Israel came to meet Elijah on Mount Carmel, and Elijah called him out for his sin. "You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals," said Elijah.
"Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. The situation was grim. Elijah went into hiding because Ahab blamed him for a devastating drought.
Jezebel hated Israel's God so much that she massacred most of His prophets, save for Elijah and 150 who hid in a cave with help from Obadiah (1 Kings 18:4), and replaced them with prophets of Baal. At this most unlikely point in history, Elijah staged a confrontation with Ahab. Ahab's nemesis was Elijah, who braved threats of death to carry the word of G-d to the people.
The climax was a momentous confrontation on Mount Carmel, where Elijah challenged the royal prophets of Baal, the god of storms, to a test that would establish for the children of Israel who was the fraud and who was the real thing (I Kings 18:20). Elijah mocks them, suggesting that their god might be deep in thought, busy, or traveling. Elijah's Prayer and God's Response After the prophets of Baal fail, Elijah repairs the altar of the LORD, using twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel.
He prepares the sacrifice and drenches it with water to eliminate any doubt of trickery. It was one of the celebrated 'high places' where altars to the god Baal were commonplace and sacred wooden 'Asherah poles' (representing fruitful trees) were set up to worship the Sidonian fertility goddess, Asherah. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on their 'home ground' and claimed this 'holy place' for the one true God.
Following the fire from heaven, Elijah ordered the people to seize the prophets of Baal, and they were executed (1 Kings 18:40). This marked a significant moment of repentance and return to God for many Israelites. The prophets of Baal prayed all day, but nothing happened.
Then Elijah prayed to God, and fire came down from heaven, burning up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and even the water around the altar! Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon.
"Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the.