Elijah and John the Baptist both challenged false worship to exalt the Living God

Part 5…1 Kings 18:20-40 

Christ Jesus said, “And if you are willing to receive it, [John the Baptist] is Elijah who is to come.” Matthew 11:14

God of Elijah, hear our cry: Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire! To make us fit to live or die, send the fire, send the fire, send the fire! To burn up every trace of sin, to bring the light and glory in. [Send the Fire, church hymn]

In Part 4, Elijah met with the evil king of Israel [Ahab], whose wife was Jezebel, and she massacred the true Prophets of God. Elijah challenged Ahab to gather all of the false prophets and all the children of Israel to Mt. Carmel. Ahab did so. In the scriptures of this post, Elijah asked everyone how long they would continue to ride the fence between following God or following Baal, no one answered Elijah a word. Like Elijah, John the Baptist also spoke against riding the fence between trying to serve the Living God and living by false beliefs. As seen in the verses below, John made it clear that claiming to be the children of Abraham, but not showing any fruits of repentance made them nothing more than a “brood a vipers”. John the Baptist said that Jesus Christ must increase, and we must decrease, and that would definitely move us off the fence. John said eternal life is for those who believe but those who do not carries with them the wrath of God.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 3:7-10

“He must increase, but I must decrease…He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 1:30, 36

Elijah said to the gathering of false prophets, and to all of Israel, that “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.” This was certainly the case of John the Baptist, who lived in the desert wilderness, eating wild locusts and honey, and was known as a “voice crying out in the wilderness”. Meanwhile, all the leaders of the Jewish people, and the majority of the Jewish people themselves, were not with John. As quoted below,

“As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.” “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’” …Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:2-3, 6-8

Elijah made a challenge to Ahab and all the false prophets, and all of “fence-riding” Israel was there to witness the event. The challenge involved the false prophets laying a slain bull on a pile of wood with no fire under it. Afterwards, Elijah would also lay a slain bull on the wood with no fire under it. The false prophets were to call on their false god to put fire to the wood. They were given time to see if their false god would answer. Then Elijah would call on the Living God to do the same. The challenge was to see if the false god would send the fire or if the Living God would. All of the people that were gathered agreed and said, “It is well spoken.”

John the Baptist shared this exact same Spirit as Elijah when He said, “For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” Luke 3:8 This is spoken about John the Baptist at his birth, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins…” Luke 1:76-77 Multitudes of people witnessed John the Baptist consistently challenging the corrupt leaders and their followers, and those multitudes came to John to reconcile to God, “Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.” Mark 1:5

Elijah said to all the false prophets, and Ahab, that they were many with their false god and he is only one with the Living God “…for you are many; and call on the name of your god…” This describes John the Baptist who was a lone voice in the wilderness preaching to prepare for the coming of Jesus the Christ. All morning and into the noon hour, the false prophets called on their false god to bring down the fire, but no fire came, nothing happened. At that time, they began to jump, leap, dance, or other such thing around the wood pile to try to get their god to start a fire. During the time of John the Baptist, it was obvious that there was no fire in the ministry of the Pharisees. The Jewish people were experiencing death in the spirit, dead to the living God, and not prepared to receive the fire of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ was to bring.

At noon, when it became obvious that the false god was not going to send the fire as the false prophets asked, Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”  Our Lord Jesus said that John the Baptist was Elijah, so we can know that John had that same mockery within him towards the Pharisees and the whole “brood of vipers”. The mockery of John would come in that the Pharisees had no fire in their ministry, but John had all the land of Judaea, and those from Jerusalem, coming to receive the fire of repentance found in his ministry.

Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me,” and they did. Like Elijah, John the Baptist drew multitudes of people to him, “…all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.” Mark 1:5 Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down, as did John as quoted, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins…” Luke 1:76-77 Elijah used twelve stones to lift up the twelve sons of Jacob [the son of Abraham], as did John the Baptist when he spoke of raising up children to Abraham from stones, “’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” Mathew 3:9

After Elijah finished building the altar, it was his turn to pray for the Living God to send down fire upon the sacrifice on the altar. Elijah went beyond what the false prophets of the false god did, Elijah built a trench around the woodpile, filled it with four gallons of seed, poured four waterpots of water [about eighty gallons] on the bull and the wood. This was done three times [240 gallons of water] to completely soak the bull and wood with water. Elijah also filled the trench with water. Like Elijah, John the Baptist did all of that. The seed that John used was the word of God to prepare for the coming of Jesus the Christ. The sacrifice upon the altar that John spoke about was Jesus Christ, as written, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 The water that John used to pour over the seed, altar, and sacrifice was the water of life to nourish the soul and spirit of those who heard him speak. John filled the empty trenches of the soul of the Jewish people with the type of water that brought life, repentance, and reconciliation with God.

Elijah prayed to the living God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, and John the Baptist also focused his ministry on Abraham to point to Jesus as the Christ, and Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Elijah wanted everyone to know that God is the Lord, and that [Elijah] was the Lord’s servant. Like Elijah, John the Baptist, wanted everyone to know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and [John] was a servant of His, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” Matthew 3:13-14 Elijah wanted everyone to know God turns rebellious hearts back to Him, the same as John the Baptist, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins…” Luke 1:76-77

Elijah prayed for God to send the fire to consume the sacrifice that was laid upon the altar, and God sent the fire. Fire often represents the Holy Spirit, and like Elijah, John the Baptist was empowered to send the fire from the Spirit of God, “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.” Luke 1:15 The fire of the Holy Spirit, sent through John, sparked a massive revival. Through the ministry of John, multitudes of people were proclaiming, as they did when God sent the fire for Elijah, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in.

Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost;
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
[Send the Fire, church hymn]

After God sent the fire, Elijah said to all of Israel, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” They did so and executed them all. John the Baptist certainly had the fire of the Holy Spirit that led multitudes of Jewish people to choose the Living God over the leadership of the corrupt Pharisees. In a spiritual sense, the Pharisees were being executed.

---

“So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 

Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

“Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

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 that was broken down. And 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.” Then 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 seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” Then 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.  So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

And 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 executed them there.

1Kings 18:20-40