Moving day, we say goodbye to the Galilee
First stop Mount Carmel
Devos in the morning
we do not serve a God of coincidence
Mount Carmel
Sunday morning, so Todd sat us in "pews"
The saying is:
Once something gets into the Jezreel valley it will go into Israel
Jezebel slithered through the Kishon (in the Jezreel valley)
and brought a very bad way of Baal worship to Israel
she leaves the door open
Eliyahu from Tishbe, an inhabitant of Gil‘ad, said to Ach’av, “As Adonai the God of Isra’el lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither rain nor dew in the years ahead unless I say so.
where God had intended living water to flow, everything dried up
A long time passed. Then, in the third year, the word of Adonai came to Eliyahu: “Go, present yourself to Ach’av, and I will send rain down on the land.” When Eliyahu went to present himself to Ach’av, the famine in Shomron had become severe.
Elijah who's name means Adonai is God
has a contest with the prophets of Baal and Asherah
Ach’av sent word to all the people of Isra’el and assembled the prophets together on Mount Karmel. Eliyahu
stepped forward before all the people and said, “How long are you going
to jump back and forth between two positions? If Adonai is God, follow him; but if it’s Ba‘al, follow him!” The people answered him not a word. Then Eliyahu said to the people, “I, I alone, am the only prophet of Adonai who is left, while Ba‘al’s prophets number 450. Let
them give us two young bulls, and they can choose the bull they want
for themselves. Then let them cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood
but put no fire under it. I will prepare the other bull, lay it on the
wood and put no fire under it. Then, you, call on the name of your god; and I will call on the name of Adonai; and the God who answers with fire, let him be God!” All the people answered, “Good idea! Agreed!”
the prophets go first - no rain
They took the bull that
was given to them, prepared it and called on the name of Ba‘al from
morning till noon — “Ba‘al! Answer us!” But no voice was heard; and no
one answered, as they jumped around on the altar they had made.
Elijah repairs the altar of the Lord
brings water up from the Kishon river
a picture, Lord we need Living Water
Eliyahu took twelve stones, in keeping with the number of tribes of the sons of Ya‘akov, to whom the word of Adonai had come, saying, “Your name is to be Isra’el.”
Then he said, “Fill four pots with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”
Then, when it came time for offering the evening offering, Eliyahu the prophet approached and said, “Adonai,
God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Isra’el, let it be known today that you
are God in Isra’el, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all
these things at your word. Hear me, Adonai, hear me, so that this people may know that you, Adonai, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back to you.”
Then the fire of Adonai fell. It consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones and the dust; and it licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “Adonai is God! Adonai is God!”
The Lord answers
850 prophets are going down to the Kishon River to die
Living Water comes down and flushes all the Baal stuff out of Israel
Eliyahu
said to them, “Seize the prophets of Ba‘al! Don’t let one of them
escape!” They seized them; and Eliyahu brought them down to Vadi Kishon and killed them there.
But Fire at Mount Carmel did not persuade Jezebel
Elijah is discouraged
What to do when your passion is low:
- Hazak, take another step
- Pray,
- Find someone who is hurting, spent time with them
- read the text
-community
- visit Horeb, the mountain of God
- pray together
Obedience brings passion
Don't be like Obediah, go for total commitment
God gives Elijah a disciple 350 miles to the North
in Damascus
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