Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Elijah calling fire down from heaven and kills the prophets of Baal

I Kings 18 ... 17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 


20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him:but if Baal, then follow him

And the people answered him not a word. 

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord:and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.  

And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 

25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. 

But there was no voice, nor any that answered. 

And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud:for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 

29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. 

And all the people came near unto him. 

And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:32 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 measures of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. 

And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 

35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 

36 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 of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 

37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces:and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. 

40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them:and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

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In the Old Testament, often very strong action was taken against evil doers.  And the action was approved by God.

I Kings 19 ...  15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus:and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay:and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

In the New Testament, "another spirit" operated in the church.

Lk. 9 ... 51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he (Jesus) should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And sent messengers before his face:and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 

53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 

54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 

55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

Elijah and Elisha both operated by the will of God when they slayed prophets of Baal and evil doers.

The New Testament brought Jesus and another way of salvation through Jesus.

Both ways were by the will of God.

Now the Word from God slays the enemies of God.  Often they become stone cold silent when we speak.  They are as dead men because of that Word.