by Rev. D. M. MacDonald, Edinburgh.
Mount Carmel
This mountain rises abruptly on the Palestine coast close to the Jewish town Haifa. It rises gradually from the plains which surround it on three sides to a height of 1,742 feet. It forms an impressive feature of the landscape and on its fertile slopes oak, olive and pine, myrtle, honeysuckle, box tree, and laurel grow luxuriantly, while in the spring its sides are radiant with the rainbow hues of many flowers. It is referred to in Scripture as a symbol of the beauty of the Church of Christ clothed upon with the glorious garment of his righteousness. It is employed by the prophets to show that when God was favouring Israel with His presence and blessings they would be prosperous and happy.
It was here the great conflict of imperishable memory transpired between the prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal. It was during the reign of King Ahab in Israel that Elijah began to testify against the sins of the King and of the people. They had with some exceptions forsaken the worship of their God and began to worship Baal, the God of the Sidonians.
Ahab had married Jezebel, a daughter of the King of Tyre. She was an imperious, resolute, and unscrupulous idolater, and was determined to put an end to the religion of Israel and to set up in its place the worship of the false god, Baal. The false prophetess spoken of, Rev. ii. 20, is there called Jezebel, for this one wicked Queen did more to debauch Israel, than all Solomon’s Queens. A temple was built in Samaria, the Royal City and an altar reared in it on which to offer sacrifice to Baal. It was at this juncture that Elijah appeared before King Ahab and told him that there would be neither dew nor rain, with the result that there would be a famine in the nation for some years. When the drought commenced the prophet was directed by God to go to the brook Cherith near the river Jordan and there he would have water to drink and ravens to feed him. All creatures are under God’s control and he can make use of them either for judgment or for mercy. This teaches us to put our trust in God in all difficulties, for He that provided a table in the wilderness and made ravens purveyors and servitors to his prophet is able to supply all our needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. When the brook had dried up because of no rain Elijah was told to go by the Lord to Zarephath, where God commanded a widow to sustain him. When he arrived at the gate of the city the widow was there gathering sticks and he asked her to fetch him a little water to drink. As she was going for it he called to her and said, “bring me a little food.” She replied saying, “I have only a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil in a cruse. I am now gathering two sticks that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” Then the prophet said that she did not need to fear as there would be no lack of food because the Lord had said so. For many days they were fed miraculously from the barrel of meal and cruse of oil. She was well recompensed for entertaining the prophet. She had given him house room and God repaid her with food for the household. It is promised to them that trust in Him that they shall not be ashamed in the evil time, but in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. Ps xxxvii. 19. Soon after this the widow’s child sickened and died. She complained pathetically to the prophet of this affliction and seemed to think that the child’s death was due to some offence she had given the prophet. He then took the body up to his own chamber, prayed over it, asking God to restore life and that was done. The child was then restored to its mother.
These miracles were preparing the prophet for the great work of reforming Israel. The time had now come when he was to appear before King Ahab to rebuke him for his wickedness and to issue his famous challenge to the prophets of Baal to meet him on Mount Carmel in order to prove there who was the true God, Jehovah or Baal. Then Elijah said to the people, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” He suggested that the prophets of Baal should offer a sacrifice with no fire under it and he himself would do the same. They would then call on their gods and he would call on the name of the Lord. The God that would answer by fire let him be God. All the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.” The bullock given to the Baal prophets was dressed and they then began to call on Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us.” But there was no answer. The prophet in sarcastic terms mocked their folly and, when the time for the evening sacrifice had come he called unto all the people to come near unto him and he repaired God’s altar that had been broken down. When the wood was in order the bullock was cut and placed on it. He ordered twelve barrels of water to be poured on the sacrifice. This was done in order to show that there was no fire under the altar after the water had been poured on it. Then the prophet prayed in these words, “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. 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.” God answered the prayer at once and his fire fell consuming the burnt sacrifice, wood, stones, and dust, and licked up also the water in the trench. When the people saw this wonderful exhibition of God’s power they fell on their faces crying, “The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.”
The result of this fair trial was that the prophets of Baal failed in their proof, but Elijah had in the most convincing manner proved his claims on behalf of the God of Israel. The people as the jury gave in their verdict upon the trial and they all agreed on it. The prophets of Baal in opposing Elijah had engaged in one of the most daring and threatening actions that ever the God of Israel was insulted by and their condemnation should be regarded as proof that Jehovah is God and He alone. The law demanded that worshippers of false gods should be put to death and Elijah commanded that the prophets of Baal should be arrested and they were all executed at the brook Kishon. The reformation wrought in Israel at this time was only partial but was so far accepted that God in answer to the prayers of his servant poured out blessings on the land, for there had been a famine due to the lack of rain for three and a half years. The rain had now commenced and there would be plenty of food for man and beast.
The great contest was now over, leaving many convinced that Baal was a sham, but their hearts were unchanged and they were still ready to follow the evil example of King Ahab for the sake of personal advantage. There are many modern Baal’s in the world and their worshippers are innumerable. The Baals are Mammon, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, the pleasures of sin, the love of money, which is the root of much evil. Many are still halting between two opinions. They have a form of godliness but deny the power of it. They show in their lives that they have no saving knowledge of the Gospel and much of their time is given to indulgence in frivolous worldly follies. The Saviour said, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” and in the Epistle of James it is written, “The friendship of the world is enmity with God, whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
If you are halting between two opinions ask the Saviour for grace to save you from such an attitude and to make you a loyal follower of Himself. For all who truly believe in Him give themselves wholly to Him since he must have all or nothing. Is he not worthy of that when you think of the sufferings and death He endured for the salvation of unworthy and perishing sinners who were rebels against Him and had no claim on His favour. It is written, “Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out.”