“Will you listen to me now?” Elijah had been talking to ahab and talking to him and he hasn’t wanted to listen to anything that Elijah had had to say. Well, now Elijah had just won the challenge and killed all his false prophets. Will he listen now? Read 1 Kings 18:41. Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” 1 Kings 18:41 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.18.41.NASB After 3 years of no rain, Elijah tells him that there will be rain. In fact, he tells Ahab that he should get ready for it and enjoy a feast. No…

Don’t let sin linger. We know things are wrong and too often we let it hang around. Not so with Elijah. Read 1 kings 18:40. Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. 1 Kings 18:40 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.18.40.NASB Remember all those prophets who were trying to get their god to bring down fire? Well since they failed, the people saw that they were not worshipping the true God. What did Elijah do? He didn’t let them hang around to try and lead people astray…

Proof. Well, the people needed proof that God is who he says he is, so they got it. Read 1 Kings 18:38-39. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord , He is God; the Lord , He is God.” 1 Kings 18:38‭-‬39 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.18.38-39.NASB Even with all that water, the fire of God falls, the offering is burned up and the water is all completely gone. God has proven Himself…

Why do we want God to answer our prayers? Is it so we can just get what we want or are we interested in making sure that God gets what he desires as well? Elijah was thinking about threat when he prayed in 1 Kings 18:36-37. At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord , the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O Lord , answer me, that this people…

Unusual. Elijah has been working with an audience to rebuild the altar of God and then prove that God is still the one true God. But now, he does something very unusual. Read 1 Kings 18:33-35. Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. The water flowed around the altar and he…

The Name of the Lord. Elijah had an audience and he got busy. He built an altar in the Name of the Lord. So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord , and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. 1 KINGS 18:32‭-‬33 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.18.32-33.NASB Elijah set up the altar exactly the way that was described in the books of the law. But more than that, he built that alar in the Name of the Lord. This was to…

Symbolism. Elijah had a huge audience and now everyone was watching him. So he sets about making a demonstration that people will remember. Read 1 Kings 18:31-32. Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord , and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. 1 KINGS 18:31‭-‬32 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.18.31-32.NASB The kingdom is divided, but Elijah still goes through the steps to help people to see…

Come here. Elijah had had enough. The other prophets had their chance and failed. Now it was his turn. He calls the people to him. Read 1 Kings 18:30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. 1 KINGS 18:30 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.18.30.NASB He gathered an audience and then began to model the correct behavior so that they would see and understand what they should have been doing. Do we want people looking closely at our lives? Would we call people over to look at what we…

No answer. When we are busy calling for help, it’s important to make sure that what we are calling to, can actually answer us. Read 1 Kings 18:27-29. It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of…

No fire. Elijah is going over the rules of this contest. He tells the other prophets that they are to make an altar and put the sacrifice on it and make everything ready, but not to add the fire. Read 1 Kings 18:25-26. So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it. ” Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there…