The God of the Scriptures, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, the God who makes the sea dry up, the giant fall, and the fire consume from heaven, the God who has sent His Son to ransom the world by defeating sin and death on a cross, this God, as we see Him in our text this morning is a God of victory. And I do not mean trite victories, like those won in sporting events, I mean victory over evil and falsehood and sin and death. The God we proclaim and worship this morning is the Mighty Warrior who has met no competent foe but has established Himself as victorious over all His enemies. This is the God we meet on Mount Carmel, who conquered on Mount Calvary, and who will reign forever atop Mount Zion.

As we consider our great God of victory this morning as seen in this passage I want to answer two questions: First, how do we understand this passage in its original context? What did this passage communicate to the people of God in Elijah’s day? Second, how do we understand this passage in terms of biblical theology? In other words, how does the passage fit in with the whole story of Scripture and, more specifically, with the story of Christ and the cross?

How do we understand the passage in it’s original context?

To answer, let me begin with a word on the background of the passage. The king in Israel at this point in history is Ahab. The Scriptures tell us in 1 Kings 16:30, “Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.’ Thus, it is clear that Ahab was a wicked king. Part of his disobedience stemmed from his decision to take a wife who was from a foreign nation. Under her influence, Ahab supported the worship of Baal in Israel and proceeded in leading the people in this disobedience to God, which is exactly why God forbade such a marriage in Israel. This evil would not go unnoticed by the Lord.

Thus, the present situation in Israel by the time we get to the great showdown on Carmel is horrible drought. God raised up Elijah to tell the king in chapter 17, “As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” Through Elijah, God formally pronounces his judgement on Ahab’s and the people’s disobedience. Only by the word of the prophet will it rain in Israel. Of course Ahab blames Elijah for the drought and thus greets him in chapter 18 as the “troubler of Israel,” to which Elijah replies, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals.” Thus, the stage is set for a showdown. Is Elijah and the God he serves the true troubler of Israel? Is Baal really able to send rain and defeat the drought? Or has the God of Elijah truly placed His judgement on the land, only to continually punish their disobedience?

In order to answer these questions and that God might vindicate His Name among His people, Elijah offers the challenge on Carmel. He commands the people to stop wavering in their decision. For either the God of their fathers is God and they should submit to Him, or Baal is their rightful master. Yet, the people remain silent and will not decide. So God makes it simple for them: If Baal is able to consume the sacrifice with fire then he is lord, but if God answers by fire then He is Lord. It is a simple challenge, it is fair and straightforward. Whoever answers by fire is God.

Of course, the outcome is obvious. After hours and hours of dancing and shouting and mutilating their bodies, the prophets of Baal eventually step aside and admit that Baal will not answer. Verse 29 captures their despair, “And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.” This is the answer of all idols before the desperate cries of their followers.

Yet, as has already been proclaimed this morning, the true God of Israel answered by fire. Elijah, after he has prepared the altar of the Lord, prays to God in verse 36, saying, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel…” We see God’s response in verse 38, “Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” There was to be no doubt remaining in the minds of those present as to who was the victor. Baal gave no answer. God burned even the water and the dust. The zeal of the Lord’s flame consumed every bit of the sacrifice, leaving no room to question who is the true and only God in Israel.

In response to God’s victory, the people fall on their faces and declare, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” In the Hebrew text we understand more clearly that the people are calling out to YHWH, the God of their forefathers, and are proclaiming Him as God. Also in response, Elijah has the prophets of Baal seized and slaughtered. In the passage that follows, the Lord sends rain, silencing any questions as to who was in control of the seasons. In all this we see the victory of the Lord this morning. For it is He who answered by fire. And so now we can move to the second question:

How do we understand this passage in terms of biblical theology?

If we believe that the Bible is one story and that in this one story we find God’s revelation of Himself to His people, then where does this morning’s passage fit into the whole? And more specifically, how do we understand the passage in relation to Christ and the cross?

In brief, the answer lies in this: we see the victorious nature of our God revealed to us at Mount Carmel, leading us to the ultimate victory of Christ, realized in the cross. I want to spend the rest of our time in seeking to understand the relationship of the victory at Mount Carmel and the victory at Calvary. May we consider three truths:

First, God’s victory is complete. At Carmel we see a complete defeat of the prophets of Baal. Granted, God did not defeat all His enemies existing in the world at that time. Yet, on that day His eye was set on the prophets of Baal and they suffered complete defeat. This truth of God’s complete victory is one we see throughout Scripture. God set the people of Israel free by defeating the armies of Egypt in the Red Sea. With Joshua, the Lord conquered the land of Canaan.

And in Christ, we see God’s defeat of sin and death. For God’s people, there remains no fear of death and judgement as we are in Christ. And Christ not only defeated sin and death but He won for Himself a Holy nation by making purification for our sins and bearing the wrath of God. And His victory is complete in our lives. We do not have to meet Him half way. For when the angel told Mary in the garden, ‘He is not here, for He has risen,’ that was a victory announcement. Our God has conquered sin and death. And as Lee said last Sunday, He is the only God who can make such a claim, because He is the only God, and because He is the only God who can be both the subject and object in defeating sin.

Yet, there is still a victory to come. For the day will come when God will set His eye on all His enemies. And on that day, the victory He secured at the cross will be realized among all the nations and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And just as the 450 prophets of Baal lay slain at the bottom of Mount Carmel, on that day, all the enemies of God will lay defeated at His feet. This morning may we long for that day and place our assurance in the victory of Christ on the cross.

The second truth we see in the passage about God’s victory is that it is for His glory and for Elijah’s good. Look at Elijah’s prayer again, ‘O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel,’ and in verse 37, ‘Answer me, O Lord, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’ The victory at Carmel was a victory for the glory of God. The children of Israel had forsaken their God and were wavering between Yahweh and Baal. But our God is a jealous God, and He will not let His name be profaned. Yet, God also acted on behalf of Elijah. Look back at Elijah’s prayer, for he continues in verse 36, ‘let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.” It is no mystery what would have happened to Elijah if God had not rained down fire from heaven. It was 450 to 1. But the Lord fought for Elijah and the victory was His.

Again we see this truth throughout the Scriptures and most clearly at Calvary. Christ died for the glory of the Father. We see that clearly in Romans 3 as Lee shared with us last week. God glorified His own name in the cross and declared Himself a just God. Yet, He also bought the redemption of His people. He not only is just but He is also the One who justifies. His victory at the cross was for His great glory and for our great good, for this is the nature of the victory of God.

The last truth I want to point out this morning concerning God’s victory here at Carmel is this: Elijah, as an obedient servant, is a means God used to accomplish His ends. God uses His prophet to display His glory among His people. This is how God’s victory works. He uses His people to proclaim His victory and His glory to the world. This is why we have people like Moses, like David, like Peter, like Paul. They are simply means God uses for His ends.

Understand this morning, child of God, that your salvation is for this same purpose. Let me explain. I have shared this story before, but just recently God has taught me something new through it. When Lee and I were in Switzerland, we stayed in a place called Gwinderwald, which is located in the Swiss Alps. One night I was taking a walk and was praying and thinking about the Lord when I looked up at one of the mountains and just thought, ‘The whole existence of that mountain just screams out the glory of God. When people observe it, there should be no question who deserves glory. I wish I could be like that.’ Now here’s the crazy thing, look with me at Ephesians 2 again this morning. Start in verse 4, But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He has loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Follow me here: our God has made us objects of His grace that He might proclaim this grace in the ages to come. We were haters of God, children of wrath, despisers of His glory, and He has made us objects of His grace that we might now be displays of His glory. No mountain will ever communicate that. God has reserved that privilege for His people. My salvation screams out the glory of God like nothing else. My God has saved me for the glory of His name!! Glory to God!! Like Elijah, we are now the chosen means through which God accomplishes the end of His glory.

And just an aside this morning, understand that the very purpose of our salvation is the glory of God. His victory is for His glory. And notice that Elijah had no problem with that. You don’t get the picture of Elijah running around saying look what I have done, see the fire I made. No, everyone there knew that only God could lick up the water in the trenches. In our salvation, may everyone know, that only God could take dead men and make them alive. Any claim of works, or earning, or decision on our part strikes out at the very purpose of our salvation, which is the glory of God.

This morning I want to close by offering three simple points of application. First, walk in victory over sin that men may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Christ has secured our victory, may we walk in it. What if Elijah would have just let some of the prophets live. What a tragedy! Elijah did not let one of them escape. May we purge our sin in the same manner, declaring the victory of God in our lives.

Second, we must proclaim the victory of God over all falsehood. We have talked about the idea of being counter-cultural for the last couple of weeks and again this morning I exhort you, do not conform to this world. Do not shrink back against the prophets of Baal. As the church and as believers we are called to run into the world carrying the banner of Christ proclaiming His victory over all falsehood and every lie. In a sermon dealing with this idea, Spurgeon says, “It is now clear that every error of doctrine or ordinance is as mischievous as a prophet of Baal, and should not be endured. The world is wide, and men are only responsible to God for their beliefs; but the church should not, within her borders, suffer falsehood to propagate itself.” How desperately we need to heed that this morning. Do not suffer falsehood to propagate itself within these walls and within your lives. Know the Word of God that you may claim His victory over all falsehoods. Leave no room to waver, but hold fast to the God who answers by fire.
Lastly this morning, preach the victory of God in the gospel over sin and death. May we with one voice proclaim the victory of God in our lives. Whether we be at work, or talking to our neighbor, or dealing with a family member, may we bare witness of the cross. We have such a grand God to speak of, may we do this with fervor and joy in our lives.

This morning we have been purchased and we belong to the God who answers by fire. He is the only true God. He is the mighty warrior, the victorious one. And we are His children. May we live in light of these great truths, proclaiming His glory with all our lives.

THE GOD WHO ANSWERS BY FIRE