“High-stakes Contest: Choosing God over Alternatives”
1Kings 18 (1-2,16-24,36-39) July 29, 2007 Play
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Clash at Mount Carmel
○ murders somehow justified in criminal’s mind
○ contest on Mt.Carmel in Israel against evil
involved bloodshed, like real world
○ high stakes as royalty had been killing off
Lord’s prophets (4,13; De 13:18, 17:5)
○ devil prowling to steal, kill, destroy,
devour (Jn 10:10; 1Pet 5:8)
Baal, Asherah, and Modern-day Idols
○ main issue abandoning God’s commands to
follow Baals (17f; 16:30ff)
○ Baal/Asherah popular Canaanite fertilty
gods; worship orgies
○ idolatry forbidden in Ten Commandments: God
‘jealous’ (Ex 20:3-6)
○ can’t serve 2 masters: slave to sin or
righteousness; deny self to follow Jesus (Rom 6:16ff; Mt 6:24; Lk 9:23)
○ beware attachment to things; immoral /
greedy won’t enter God’s kingdom (1Cor 7:31, 6:9f)
○ stop hopping between 2 opinions (21)
God Proves Himself by His Works and Word
○ showdown between thunder-riding gods: fire
for altar (23f; Ps 104:3, 18:14)
○ frantic shouts contrast with simple prayer:
about knowing Yahweh is God (36)
○ fire from above consumes more than sacrifice
and wood: reminds of judgment (38; 1Pet 3:7,10,12)
If God Be God...
○ put away idolatry, immorality, rage, malice,
lies: put on new self like Creator (Eph 4:22; Col 3:5-10)
○ blessing of rain returns after drought;
recompense in eternal life (45; 8:35f; Mk 10:30)
○ God will make us complete & strong after
suffering ‘a little while’ (1Pet 5:10)
Yielding Your All when Fire Falls
○ devastating fire consumed missionary’s life
work
○ report prompted new support, progress,
spread of Good News