The Prophets of Baal Defeated

1 Kings 18

20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and j gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, k "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, l follow him." But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, m "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; n 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 o answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, 1 "It is well spoken." 25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." 26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, 2 hear us!" But there was p no voice; no one answered. Then they 3 leaped about the altar which they had made. 27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry 4 aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they cried aloud, and q cut themselves, as was their custom, with 5 knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. 29 And when midday was past, r they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was s no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. t 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, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, u "Israel shall be your name." 6 32 Then with the stones he built an altar v in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he w put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, "Fill four waterpots with water, and x pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood." 34 Then he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time; and he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled y the trench 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 z God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, a let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that b 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 c 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, d "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" 40 And Elijah said to them, e "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook f Kishon and g executed them there.

  1. Cross References
    1 Kings 22:6
    Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?" So they said, "Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
  2. Cross References
    2 Kings 17:41
    So these nations feared the LORD, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children's children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.
    Matthew 6:24
    No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
  3. Cross References
    Joshua 24:15
    "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
  4. Cross References
    1 Kings 19:10
    So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.
    1 Kings 19:14
    And he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.
  5. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:19
    "Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
  6. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:38
    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.
    1 Chronicles 21:26
    And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD; and He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 115:5
    They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see.
    Jeremiah 10:5
    They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.
    1 Corinthians 8:4
    Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
  8. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:28
    You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.
    Deuteronomy 14:1
    You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead.
  9. Cross References
    Exodus 29:39
    One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.
    Exodus 29:41
    And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer with it the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
  10. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:26
    So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
  11. Cross References
    1 Kings 19:10
    So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.
    1 Kings 19:14
    And he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.
    2 Chronicles 33:16
    He also repaired the altar of the LORD, sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 32:28
    And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.
    Genesis 35:10
    And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name." So He called his name Israel.
    2 Kings 17:34
    To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the LORD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the LORD had commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 20:25
    And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it.
    Colossians 3:17
    And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 22:9
    Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
    Leviticus 1:6 - 8
    And he shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces.
  15. Cross References
    Judges 6:20
    The Angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And he did so.
  16. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:32
    Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
    1 Kings 18:38
    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.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 28:13
    And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.
    Exodus 3:6
    Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
    Exodus 4:5
    "that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
    Matthew 22:32
    'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' ? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
  18. Cross References
    1 Kings 8:43
    Hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
    2 Kings 19:19
    "Now therefore, O LORD our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD God, You alone."
  19. Cross References
    Numbers 16:28
    And Moses said: "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 15:17
    And it came to pass, when the sun went down and...
    Leviticus 9:24
    And fire came out from before the LORD and cons...
    Leviticus 10:1
    Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each t...
    Leviticus 10:2
    So fire went out from the LORD and devoured the...
    Judges 6:21
    Then the Angel of the LORD put out the end of t...
    2 Kings 1:12
    So Elijah answered and said to them, "If I am a...
    1 Chronicles 21:26
    And David built there an altar to the LORD, and...
    2 Chronicles 7:1
    When Solomon had finished praying, fire came do...
    Job 1:16
    While he was still speaking, another also came ...
  21. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:21
    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.
    1 Kings 18:24
    "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." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."
  22. Cross References
    2 Kings 10:25
    Now it happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, "Go in and kill them; let no one come out!" And they killed them with the edge of the sword; then the guards and the officers threw them out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.
  23. Cross References
    Judges 4:7
    'and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand'?"
    Judges 5:21
    The torrent of Kishon swept them away, That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon. O my soul, march on in strength!
  24. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:5
    But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
    Deuteronomy 18:20
    'But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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