I am sometimes appear to be an indecisive person. Whereas many of my friends and co-workers see clear lines and straight forward choices in their decisions, I often find myself in "gray" areas as to which is the best course or path to pursue. However, I don't seem to have the same problem when it comes to spiritual choices. I don't know about you.
I do know that one day, Elijah the prophet, came to a place in his life that he felt compelled to call the nation of Israel to make a choice. They gather at a place called Mount Carmel and he asks the assembled people,...
"How long will you hesitate between two opinions?" (1 Kings 18:21) A literal translation would be, 'how long will you continue on limping in your life, not being able to make up your mind, whether to follow the Lord Your God or Baal?
It is interesting that the people do not answer a word. Maybe they are afraid. Maybe they are sure of the choice. Maybe they are waiting to see...
Elijah proposes a test. He proposes that two altars and two sacrifices be prepared. One will be offered to Baal by the prophets of Baal (450 in attendance) and the other would be offered to Yahweh, Israel's One True God, and then they would wait and see which one is accepted. This would be evidenced by the God who would answer with fire.
Then the people finally answered, "That sounds good."
The Baal prophets built their altar. They sacrificed their sacrifice. They cried, danced, called out and even cut themselves - but there was no answer from Baal. They did this all day and still no answer. Elijah even taunted them and the people of Israel began shifting and drawing closer to Elijah.
Elijah repaired the Lord's altar. He made the sacrifice. He made it harder by digging trenches and having water poured all over and around the sacrifice. He then prayed to God saying, "Answer me, Lord. Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back."
Fire comes from heaven, consumes Elijah's sacrifice, the altar and the water. God is shown to be the One True God. And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!"
From silence, to "that sounds good", to clear proclamation that Yahweh is God!
I pray that we never hesitate between opinions when it comes between choosing God over anything else.
I do know that one day, Elijah the prophet, came to a place in his life that he felt compelled to call the nation of Israel to make a choice. They gather at a place called Mount Carmel and he asks the assembled people,...
"How long will you hesitate between two opinions?" (1 Kings 18:21) A literal translation would be, 'how long will you continue on limping in your life, not being able to make up your mind, whether to follow the Lord Your God or Baal?
It is interesting that the people do not answer a word. Maybe they are afraid. Maybe they are sure of the choice. Maybe they are waiting to see...
Elijah proposes a test. He proposes that two altars and two sacrifices be prepared. One will be offered to Baal by the prophets of Baal (450 in attendance) and the other would be offered to Yahweh, Israel's One True God, and then they would wait and see which one is accepted. This would be evidenced by the God who would answer with fire.
Then the people finally answered, "That sounds good."
The Baal prophets built their altar. They sacrificed their sacrifice. They cried, danced, called out and even cut themselves - but there was no answer from Baal. They did this all day and still no answer. Elijah even taunted them and the people of Israel began shifting and drawing closer to Elijah.
Elijah repaired the Lord's altar. He made the sacrifice. He made it harder by digging trenches and having water poured all over and around the sacrifice. He then prayed to God saying, "Answer me, Lord. Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back."
Fire comes from heaven, consumes Elijah's sacrifice, the altar and the water. God is shown to be the One True God. And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!"
From silence, to "that sounds good", to clear proclamation that Yahweh is God!
I pray that we never hesitate between opinions when it comes between choosing God over anything else.
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