The One True God

1 Kings 18:20-29

“20 So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty. 23 Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord; the god who answers by fire is indeed God.” All the people answered, “Well spoken!” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. 27 At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. 29 As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.”

Elijah contrived a way to demonstrate that the gods that Ahab, Jezebel, and the prophets of Baal had been worshiping were false gods, and that the prophets of Baal were false prophets.  The test was simple.  He asked the prophets of Baal to put some meat on an altar and ask Baal to set it on fire.

The prophets cried out to Baal all morning and cut themselves with swords and lances to show their sincerity, but still no fire.

We sometimes, in our time of need, call out to our false gods; the gods of money, materialism, popularity, fame, power, ambition, drugs, alcohol, etc.  But they never solve our problems, in fact they may compound our problems.

There is only one true God.  

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)