One True God


For whatever reason, this morning has me thinking about a Bible story in the book of 1 Kings. 

In the story, King Ahab does not obey the Lord.  His wife, Jezebel worships other Gods and together, this unholy couple lead their people astray.

When the prophet Elijah confronts King Ahab, Ahab accuses him of making trouble for Israel.  Elijah replies that it is Ahab who has made the trouble and he asks that all of the people of Israel and the 450 false prophets of Baal be gathered together to meet on Mount Carmel.

Once everyone is there, Elijah asks the people to choose whom they would serve saying, "If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." (from 1:Kings 18:21)

Uncommitted or afraid, the people say nothing.

Elijah tells them he is the only one of the Lord's prophets left, yet there are 450 prophets of Baal.  He suggests that two bulls be prepared for sacrifice - and that the prophets of Baal call on the name of their God, and that he would call on the name of the Lord, and whoever answers should be declared God.  The people agree.

Elijah tells the false prophets to go first, and they called on the name of Baal from morning til well after noon.  They danced and shouted and when nothing happened, Elijah began to taunt them saying "shout louder!  Surely he is a god...perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy or traveling...maybe he is sleeping."  And so they shouted even louder - but there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

Then Elijah built an altar in the name of the Lord.  He commanded the people to fill four large jars with water and to pour them on the bull and on the wood...

Once the jars were empty he said to do it again, and after that, "Do it again..." and the people poured water a third time so that the it ran down the altar and into the trench that surrounded it.  

And then Elijah stepped forward and prayed, "Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be know today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all the things at your command.  Answer me Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."  

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil and also licked up the water in the trench." - 1 Kings 18:36-38

Here is the truth - God is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow - and while over and over again the people of earth have been guilty of worshipping false gods, there is only ONE.

The God who formed the universe and called Abraham, who counted his faith as righteousness, and promised to make him into a great nation, who delivered Israel out of Egypt and called himself Israel's husband, is the same God who sent fire to consume the sacrifice Elijah offered.

In EVERY religion, "do unto others" is a common maxim.  However, the news today tells me there is a lot of anti-Semitism in the world, and that people are using the war as an excuse to showcase it.  However, such a sentiment flies in the face of the command, "Love your neighbor" and I believe perhaps it means whatever god these people purport to worship, perhaps it is Baal they are worshipping after all.












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