THE SHOWDOWN ON MOUNT CARMEL
(1 Kings 18:17-21)
One of the most famous showdowns in history
was the showdown at the OK Corral on October 26,
1831, in Tombstone, Arizona. On one side was Wyatt
Earp, his brothers Virgil and Morgan Earp, along with
Doc Holiday. On the other side were Ike and Billy
Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, Billy Claiborne, and
Wes Fuller. The fight only lasted about 30 seconds,
but it left its mark on history and lifted Wyatt Earp’s
western legend.
In 1 Kings 18, we have probably the most famous
showdown in the Bible. It is the showdown between
Elijah and the worshippers of Baal. F. B. Meyer writes
of this scene and Elijah: “This very day, by faith—not
by any inherent power, but by faith—you shall see
him (Elijah) subdue a kingdom; work righteousness;
escape the edge of the sword; wax valiant in the fight
and turn to flight armies of the aliens. Nothing shall
be impossible to him.”
The showdown was about more than Elijah and
the worshippers of Baal. It was about the God of
Israel and the false god Baal. It was a showdown that
revealed the truth of the words of Isaiah, “That they
may know from the rising of the sun, and from the
west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and
there is none else” (Isa. 45:6).
As we look at this great showdown, I want to
particularly draw your attention to verse 21, and the
words of Elijah, “How long halt ye between two
opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal,
then follow him.” I want us to look at this great
showdown by centering our thoughts around this
statement. In these words, see:
THE CHOICE ELIJAH PRESENTED
Elijah put two choices before the people. There
was the choice of following the Lord or Baal. Elijah
was calling for the people to make a choice between
the two. Let’s look closer at these two choices.
First, we might say, in one corner was The God
of Eternity. There was the “LORD.” You will notice
that the name “LORD” is spelled with all capital
letters. This indicates that this is the name that is
sometimes translated as “Jehovah,” which is the
English transliteration of the Hebrew name Yahweh.
For example, we read in Psalm 83:18, “That men may
know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art
the most high over all the earth.”
This has often been called the personal name of
God and was Israel’s distinctive name for God. The
name means “the self-existent One, the Eternal,
A Few Thoughts from the Word by Ken Trivette
Almighty, the independent One.” The LORD is the God
who had no beginning and will have no end. He is the
Eternal One. Furthermore, He is the God Who needs
no one or nothing to exist for He is self-existing in
Himself. He is more than the mighty God. He is
Almighty.
In 2 Samuel 7:22, David in his prayer of
thanksgiving said, “Wherefore thou art great, O LORD
God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any
God beside thee…” There is none like the Lord. He has
no comparison or rival. He is higher than the highest,
greater than the greatest, mightier than the mightiest,
and holier than the holiest. He is in a class all to
Himself.
Secondly, in the other corner, we see A God of
Humanity. Then there is the god Baal. I refer to him
as the god of humanity for he is nothing more than a
creation of man. He was lord of the Canaanite religion
and was worshipped as both the sun god and storm
god. He was worshiped as the sun god when the
people wished to express thanks and gratitude for
light and warmth and fertility. Worship of Baal as the
storm god took place to appease the destructive
nature of Baal, demonstrated by drought and storms
that devastated the vegetation of the worshipers.
The efforts to appease Baal whenever adverse
conditions prevailed, culminated in the sacrifice of
human beings, usually the firstborn of the one
offering the sacrifice. The victims were burnt alive, a
practice in the Old Testament termed “to pass
through the fire.”
Each locality had its own Baal, who was named
after the city or place to which he belonged. Baal was
considered the owner or possessor of the land on
which his followers lived. He was a god that was
supposed to give man the freedom to do anything he
wanted. He was a god of convenience and corruption.
Such a god is still with us today. Oh, for sure, he is not
called Baal, but such a god reigns in the life of those
who have not enthroned the LORD in their life.
The truth of the matter is that most people serve
such a god. Instead of the LORD as the one God in
their life, their god is pleasure, possessions,
popularity, and power. Baal, often disguised in self-
centeredness, self-indulgence, and self-interests sits
enthroned in their heart. Instead of living for the
LORD, they live for themselves.
James Packer said, “What other gods could we
have besides the Lord? Plenty. For Israel, there were
the Canaanite Baals, those jolly nature gods whose
worship was a rampage of gluttony, drunkenness,
and ritual prostitution. For us, there are still the great
god’s Sex, Shekels, and Stomach (an unholy trinity
constituting one god: self), and the other enslaving
trio, Pleasure, Possessions, and Position, whose
worship is described as “The lust of the flesh and the
lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).
Football, the Firm, and Family are also gods for some.
Indeed, the list of other gods is endless, for anything
that anyone allows to run his life becomes his god
and the claimants for this prerogative are legion. In
the matter of life’s basic loyalty; temptation is a
many-headed monster.
The same choice that Elijah presented to the
people is the same choice that is before us each day of
our lives. There is the LORD and there are the gods of
this world. One of them sits enthroned in our hearts
and lives.
Secondly, notice not only the choice that Elijah
presented but also:
THE CONTEST ELIJAH PROPOSED
This is one of the most exciting stories in all of
the Bible. Elijah suggested that they have a contest,
God versus Baal. It was a showdown that would prove
who was God.
First, notice this contest by looking at The
Conditions of the Contest. Elijah suggested that they
each take a bullock, prepare it for sacrifice, and place
it upon an altar. We read in verse 23, “Let them
therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose
one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and
lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress
the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire
under:” He then said to the 450 prophets of Baal in
verse 24, “And call ye on the name of your gods, and I
will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that
answereth by fire, let him be God.”
The terms of this contest were quite simple.
Whichever God answered by fire would be declared
the winner. Verse 24 says, “And all the people
answered and said, It is well spoken.” The proposal
received unanimous approval. Since fire was an
element over which the people believed Baal
presided, they no doubt gave each other high-fives.
Add to the fact that Mt. Carmel was considered the
sacred dwelling place of Baal, they no doubt thought
they had this contest in the bag.
The terms and rules of the contest were set and
agreed upon by all, so now it was time for the
showdown to begin. Verse 26 tells us that the 450
prophets of Baal “took the bullock which was given
unto them, and they dressed it.” The sacrifice was
prepared and placed upon the altar. All that was left
was for them to call upon Baal and ask him to send
down the fire.
Later we read of Elijah’s preparations. So
confident was Elijah of the outcome that he took
some very dramatic steps. Verse 30 says that “he
repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken
down.” In turning to Baal, the people had destroyed
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the altar on which sacrifices had once been offered to
God. In verses 31 and 32, we read that “Elijah took
twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes
of the sons of Jacob.” He took those twelve stones and
“built an altar in the name of the Lord.” Then he did
something very unusual. Verse 32, tells that He dug a
trench around the altar “as great as would contain
two measures of seed.” In verse 33, we read that “he
put the wood in order,” prepared the bullock for
sacrifice “and laid him on the wood.” Then we read
that he said to them, “Fill four barrels of water, and
pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.” He
not only had them pour water on the sacrifice once
but three times, so much so, verse 35 says, “And the
water ran about the altar.” To top it all off, verse 35
also says, “and he filled the trench also with water.”
All the conditions having been met, and more so
by Elijah., we see The Conclusion of the Contest.
Elijah was the perfect gentleman and gave the 450
prophets of Baal the first shot. We read in verse 26
that they “called on the name of Baal from morning
even unto noon, saying, O Baal, hear us.” All morning
long they prayed and danced around the altar of Baal.
I love the latter part of verse 26, “But there was no
voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon
the altar which was made.”
Elijah began to taunt them. In verse 27, we read
that Elijah said, “Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is
talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or
peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened.”
Elijah was saying, “Hey fellows, maybe you are not
praying loud enough. Perhaps Baal is occupied with
other things and hasn’t heard you.”
Verse 28 says, “And they cried aloud, and cut
themselves after their manner with knives and
lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.” They
were getting desperate. They began cutting
themselves to appeal to and appease Baal. They kept
up their routine until into the evening, and still, there
was no response from Baal.
Then it came Elijah’s turn. He called all the
people around and prepared things as we saw earlier.
The 450 prophets of Baal had prayed all through the
day, but Elijah prayed a prayer that at the most lasted
about thirty seconds. His prayer is found in verses 36
and 37, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel,
let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel,
and that I am thy servant, and that I have done these
things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that
this people may know that Thou hast turned their
heart back again.”
When Elijah prayed, we read in verse 37, “Then
the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt
sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust,
and licked up the water that was in the trench.” Like a
bolt of lightning from the sky, no sooner had Elijah
prayed than the fire fell, consuming everything, even
the rocks, dust, and water. What started out as a
contest ended up being no contest at all. You could
say that the God of Eternity put a major whupping on
the god of humanity. Hands down, the LORD God of
Israel was the clear-cut winner. There were no
disputes or questions. The LORD was God! The
response of the people was, “And when all the people
saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The
LORD, he is the God; the LORD, He is the God” (Vs.
39).
Lastly, think with me not only of the choice Elijah
presented and the contest he proposed but also:
THE COMMAND ELIJAH PROCLAIMED
Notice once again the challenge Elijah first
presented to the people in verse 21, “If the LORD be
God, follow Him.” Elijah was calling for a decision on
the part of the people. Once the true God was
determined, they were to respond to Him in an
immediate and decisive manner. The LORD had
answered by fire. He had revealed Himself as the true
God.
Having proven Himself as the one and true God,
Elijah’s command called for them to recognize that
the Lord was The God Who Deserved Their
Allegiance. Elijah’s command was to follow the
LORD. God had proven Himself to be the God;
therefore, He was the God that deserved their
allegiance. The word “follow” that Elijah used simply
means to “walk” with God. They were to live for God,
serve Him, honor Him, and walk in His ways.
Do you believe that the LORD is the God? If so,
then He deserves your allegiance. Since He is God,
your life should be committed to Him. You should live
for Him and walk with Him. In truth, if you do not live
for God and walk with Him, you are acting as if He is
not the God to follow. You are treating Him like He is
nothing more than an idol. You are behaving like He is
not worthy of your allegiance.
I think about what Paul said in Romans 12:1, “I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice
unto God, which is your reasonable service.” The
word “reasonable” means “rational.” In view of His
mercies, His love, His grace, His mercy, the price Jesus
paid on Calvary, it is only rational that you present
Him your body and life.
Someone has written:
Ye call Me Master and obey me not,
Ye call Me Light and see me not,
Ye call Me way and follow me not
Ye call Me Life and desire me not,
Ye call Me wise and acknowledge me not,
Ye call Me fair and love me not,
Ye call Me rich and ask me not,
Ye call Me eternal and seek me not,
Ye call Me gracious and trust me not,
Ye call Me Noble and serve me not,
Ye call Me mighty and honor me not,
Ye call Me just and fear me not,
If I condemn you, blame me not.
A Few Thoughts from the Word by Ken Trivette
The command of Elijah also called for them to
recognize that the Lord was The God Who Deserved
Their Obedience. Allegiance is not allegiance without
obedience. Allegiance always results in obedience and
obedience is the evidence of allegiance. To follow Him
is to obey Him. It is to submit to His authority and
obey His every desire.
A mother had a particularly trying day with her
young son. Finally, she flung up her hands and
shouted, "All right, Billy. Do anything you well-please!
Now let me see you disobey THAT!" I think that God
must feel as frustrated with us at times. He is God, yet
our obedience is slow in coming or non-existent.
I once read about the Rev. Samuel West who
pastored New England back in the 1700s. He was
having problems in his Church. On one Sunday the
choir refused to proceed with the music. The shrewd
minister got up and announced that they would sing
the hymn "Come, We That Love the Lord." He asked
the congregation to begin with the second verse
which begins: "Let those refuse to sing who never
knew our God."
I cannot help but wonder if those who never
obey the Lord even know the Lord. The LORD he is
the God! Do you believe that? Let me give you the
lowdown of this great Bible showdown. It is simply
this. If you really believe that the LORD is the God,
then He deserves your allegiance and obedience.
The Roman Emperor Nero had a band of soldiers
known as the Emperor's Wrestlers. Fine, stalwart
men they were, picked from the best and the bravest
of the land, recruited from the great athletes of the
Roman amphitheater. In the great amphitheater, they
upheld the arms of the emperor against all
challengers. Before each contest, they stood before
the emperor's throne. Then through the courts of
Rome rang the cry: "We, the wrestlers, wrestling for
thee, O Emperor, to win for thee the victory and from
thee, the victor's crown."
When the great Roman army was sent to fight in
Gaul, no soldiers were braver or more loyal than this
band of wrestlers led by their centurion Vespasian.
But news reached Nero that many Roman soldiers
had accepted the Christian faith. Therefore, this
decree was dispatched to the centurion Vespasian; "If
there be any among your soldiers who cling to the
faith of the Christian, they must die!" The decree was
received in the dead of winter. The soldiers were
camped on the shore of a frozen inland lake. It was
with a sinking heart that Vespasian, the centurion,
read the emperor's message.
Vespasian asked, "Are there any among you who
cling to the faith of the Christian? If so, let him step
forward!" Forty wrestlers instantly stepped forward
two paces, respectfully saluted, and stood at
attention. Vespasian paused. He had not expected so
many, nor such select ones. "Until sundown, I shall
await your answer," said Vespasian. Sundown came
and again the question was asked. Again, the forty
wrestlers stepped forward.
 Vespasian pleaded with them long and earnestly
without prevailing upon a single man to deny his
Lord. Finally, he said, "The decree of the emperor
must be obeyed, but I am not willing that your
comrades should shed your blood. I order you to
march out upon the lake of ice, and I shall leave you
there to the mercy of the elements."
The forty wrestlers were stripped, and then,
falling into columns of four, marched toward the
center of the lake of ice. As they marched, they broke
into the chant of the arena: “Forty wrestlers,
wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the
victory and from Thee, the victor's crown!"
Throughout the night Vespasian stood by his
campfire and watched. As he waited through the long
night, there came to him fainter and fainter the
wrestlers' song, “Forty wrestlers, wrestling for Thee,
O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee,
the victor's crown!" As the morning drew near one
figure, overcome by exposure, crept quietly toward
the fire; in the extremity of his suffering, he had
renounced his Lord.
Faintly but clearly from the darkness came the
song: "Thirty-nine wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O
Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the
victor's crown!" Vespasian looked at the figure
drawing close to the fire. Perhaps he saw eternal light
shining there toward the center of the lake. Who can
say? But off came his helmet and clothing, and he
sprang upon the ice, crying, "Forty wrestlers,
wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the
victory and from Thee, the victor's crown!"
If the LORD is the God, then it calls for such a
reaction and response on your part. It calls for your
allegiance and obedience. It calls for the giving of
your life to Him this day, no putting it off, no
hesitation or reservation. If the LORD be God, follow
Him.
Let me close with the words of Elijah: “How long
halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God,
follow Him.”

A Few Thoughts from the Word by Ken Trivette