What a day! There’s no way I can go into detail with all the places we visited today (Caesarea, Mount Carmel, and Megiddo).
Since I touched on the significance of Peter’s vision in yesterday’s blog (gospel for all – Dr. John also chatted with us at Caesarea), let’s jump to Mount Carmel. Hopefully you had a chance to read the account of Elijah and the prophets on Mount Carmel already (1 Kings 18:17-40). Isn’t that an incredible story? The confidence that Elijah had in Yahweh is certainly convicting – at least for me.
As you stood on that mountain, did you imagine the scene? Elijah against 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah. Which god, Yahweh or Baal, could bring fire down to consume the offering? The 850 prophets called on their god over and over and over again, but nothing happened. At one point, Elijah mocked them saying, “Cry aloud, for he [Baal] is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” (1 Kings 18:27) As you probably know the story, when it was Elijah’s turn, Yahweh immediately sent down fire as soon as Elijah prayed.
Why is this story important? As Dr. John reminded us, the king of Israel at the time, Ahab, called Elijah the “troubler of Israel.” (1 Kings 18:17) The truth is, however, it wasn’t Elijah who caused the issues, but Ahab, since he wasn’t walking in the commandments of the Lord but followed after Baal. The incredible story of Mount Carmel proves that Yahweh, and only Yahweh, is the living God who is worthy of our complete devotion. It doesn’t matter how many others follow Allah, Brahman, their own selves, or Richard Dawkins – what matters is that you follow God.
Remember, Elijah was one against 850. And the one on Yahweh’s side always wins.
I hope you’ve had a great day like I have! Now, some rest!
Isaac
PS – Here are some Scripture passages for you to be “biblically aware” for tomorrow: for the Mount of Beatitudes, read Matthew 5:1-28, 6:1-34, 7:1-29, Luke 6:20-49; for Capernaum, read Matthew 4:12-17, Matthew 8:5-17, Mark 1:21-34, 2:1-12, Luke 4:31-41, John 6:22-59; for Caesarea Philippi, read Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 8:27-30; and for the Sea of Galilee, read Matthew 4:18-22, 8:23-27, 14:22-33, John 21:1-25.
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