1 Kings 18:20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. (NKJV)
If money is god, follow it! If comfort is god, follow it! If safety is god, follow it! If popularity is god, follow it! If success is god, follow it! If tradition is god, follow it! If Jesus is God, follow Him!
How did Elijah resolve this dispute so that those who were speechless would be moved to action?
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” (NKJV)
Later we read this -
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 Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” (NKJV)
God revealed Himself to Elijah, Israel and the false prophets by sending fire down from heaven to consume a sacrifice. Faced with the truth, a choice was necessary - "If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” God has revealed Himself to us, not by sending fire down from heaven to consume a sacrifice, but by sending His own Son down from heaven to conquer sin and death by dying on a cross, being buried and rising from the dead on the third day!
If Jesus has indeed come down from heaven, died, and risen from the dead, then He is God and we must stop "faltering between two opinions" and "follow Him"!
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