Mt Carmel – Mt Decision! - 1 Kings 18

God sent Elijah into hiding to learn some lessons and be a blessing to the widow in Zarephath. Now God summons him to return to Ahab for a challenge – the showdown on Mt Carmel. Notice how Ahab is accusing Elijah of bringing about all of this trouble for Israel. This is typical of how some people react when things don’t work out the way they think that it should. We start to cast blame. It’s what we do. Elijah is the troublemaker because he pronounced a curse against Ahab and Israel. It is all Elijah’s fault. To Ahab, Elijah has offended Baal, and now Baal won’t send any more rain down. This explains why Ahab has been trying to kill Elijah. He thinks that the death of this troublemaker would result in the return of Baal’s blessings and her rain. This is the scenario that Ahab has worked out in his head. But it is nowhere near the truth! 

Elijah looks at Ahab and tells him the truth. He says, “You are the troublemaker. You are the one who has abandoned the commandments of the Lord to follow the Baals.” Elijah calls Ahab out for his apostasy. Interesting that Elijah did not say this back in Chapter 17. He just let Ahab stew over the curse for 3 1/2 years. Now, he approaches the King challenges him to a duel of altars. Which one will prove true? Which deity has caused this drought? Elijah tells Ahab to gather the prophets together at Carmel so that they can find out.

Join us Sunday as we read the duel of fire on Mt Carmel as the Lord forces it to become the Mt of Decision. Come Sunday and be ready to make some decisions.

Pastor Mike

“Nothing is drier than the times without the Lord!”