1 Kings 18:25-29 – Only what is worth dying for is worth living for

The challenge had been issued and the stage was set. First Kings 18:25-29 proceeds to describe the contest. In verse 25 Elijah reiterated to the prophets of Baal to do what had been agreed upon. He asked them to choose one of the two oxen for themselves, prepare it and then call on the name of their god. But they were not supposed to put a fire under it.  So they did. They took the chosen ox, prepared it, and called upon the name of Baal from morning to noon. From our sanctified imagination, we can vividly see them in a frenzy. We see them crying out loudly until they were hoarse, yet the air remained still and unstirred. We can even see them getting up to leap, dance, and chant. Still, nothing happened. The silence was deafening.  

In verse 27 Elijah mocked them. Notice how sarcastic he was. He told them to shout louder saying perhaps Baal was too preoccupied with other things and couldn't be bothered with them. He further derided them suggesting that perhaps Baal was on a journey or maybe he was too fast asleep and needed to be awakened. Despite all the commotion and boisterous mindless activities, Baal was unresponsive and unstirred. Then verse 28 said that those prophets of Baal cried louder and even mutilated themselves with swords and lances as their custom was. They did it until blood came gushing out of their bodies. In desperation, they continued in their crazy, delirious hysteria up till the time of the evening sacrifice, yet nothing was moving. The silence spoke so loudly, and fittingly verse 29 eloquently said that “…there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.” How could Baal answer when he was not the real god?  

The sarcasm of Elijah was intentional. He was mocking their absurdity. Baal was believed to be a fertility god. So the frenzy his devotees went into was intended to stir him into action. It was thought that during winter, he would be asleep and so there would be a season of fruitlessness. It was also believed that he would wake up during springtime to bring about fertility. Sometimes he could oversleep and forget to have intimacy with Asherah, his female counterpart. So the temple prostitutes were engaged by his devotees to have sexual orgies in his presence, hoping to arouse his passion to bring about fertility. How ridiculous and absurd was such a belief! Imagine the children of Israel being sucked into it. No wonder God had to deal so severely with them. 

Some churches and people major in programs and activities. But activities should not be mistaken for spirituality. Don’t major in the program. Baal’s devotees had plenty of activities but not an ounce of true spirituality. Concentrate on knowing God, discovering His truth, and then act on them. Faith would mean nothing if it is not resting on God and the foundation of His Word. Only faith in God truly matters. Our faith in God would only be as good as we are prepared to die for it. Remember what is not worth dying for is not worth living for. What is worth living for is worth dying for!