Grasp the Gospel — Bible Comprehension Quizzes

1 Kings 18 Devotional

Fire on a Soaked Altar

“Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.”1 Kings 18:21 (BSB)

On Mount Carmel Elijah asks the people how long they will keep going back and forth between the LORD and Baal (18:21). So he proposes a test, two altars and no fire (18:23-24). The prophets of Baal shout and cut themselves for hours, and silence is all they receive (18:26-29). Elijah rebuilds the LORD's altar and has it drenched (18:30-35). He prays that the LORD will show he is God and turn the people's hearts back (18:36-37). Fire falls, consuming even the water in the trench, and the people fall on their faces confessing the LORD (18:38-39).

Elijah then has the prophets of Baal seized and put to death at the Kishon (18:40). The text records it plainly as part of that moment in Israel's story. It is no pattern for Jesus' followers. When James and John wanted to call down fire on a village that rejected him, he rebuked them (Luke 9:54-55). The heart of the chapter is the living God who answers and turns hearts back. He still does.

To think about: Where are you going back and forth between God and something else, and what would it look like to ask him to turn your heart?

About 1 Kings 18: Elijah and the Prophets of Baal on Carmel

Elijah returns to Ahab as the drought enters its third year, meeting Obadiah, the palace steward who had hidden a hundred prophets. On Mount Carmel Baal stays silent, but fire from the LORD consumes Elijah's soaked offering, the people confess Him as God, and rain returns after Elijah prays.

Take the 1 Kings 18 quiz →Study notes

Get the next chapter and its devotional in your inbox each morning

One short email a day, no account needed. Stop anytime.