Bible Reading
1 Kings 18:20-39 “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, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars 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. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 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. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”
[30:55]Revelation 3:15-16 “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
[41:21]Leviticus 9:24 “And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”
[54:12]Observation questions
- What challenge does Elijah place before Israel, and how do the people initially respond to him?
- What repeated phrases describe Baal’s response—or lack of response—to his prophets, and what actions do the prophets take as they wait? [41:28]
- What specific steps does Elijah take to repair and prepare the Lord’s altar before he prays?
- What similarities are seen between the people’s response when fire falls in 1 Kings 18 and the response to God’s fire in Leviticus 9? [54:12]
Interpretation questions
- Why does the repeated use of “limping” matter? How does it show that divided loyalty to the Lord and something else does not remain a neutral position? [40:43]
- Baal was believed to control rain, yet the land was in drought and Baal could not answer by fire. What does this reveal about the promises false gods make and their ability to keep them? [41:51]
- Why does Elijah use twelve stones when rebuilding the altar? What might this communicate to a divided people about their identity and their covenant relationship with the Lord?
- Elijah asks God to answer so the people will know both that he is God and that he has turned their hearts back. What does this teach about God’s role in restoring people who have wandered from him? [58:16]
Application questions
- What good thing is most tempting to treat as an ultimate thing—money, comfort, approval, control, family, success, or something else? What happens in the heart when that thing feels threatened or begins to slip away? [45:33]
- False gods often promise security but keep moving the finish line. Where has the pursuit of “enough” left a person feeling restless, dissatisfied, or afraid of losing what they have? [44:43]
- Idolatry can cost peace, integrity, and relationships. Is there an area where the desire to control has created anxiety, the desire for approval has made truth negotiable, or the pursuit of comfort has made love for others difficult? What would repentance look like in a concrete next step? [50:04]
- The living God is both powerful and near. In a current burden, where is it hardest to believe that God both cares personally and is able to act? [55:59]
- For someone whose heart has grown cold toward God or who has returned to an old sin, what would it look like this week to stop trying to become worthy enough and instead honestly confess and return to the Lord? [58:51]
- Jesus is the final sacrifice for sinners and the risen Savior who defeated sin, death, and Satan. How does trusting Christ free a person from trying to save themselves through performance, success, or another false god? [01:00:47]
