Division and Decline – Turn Back

Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 1 Kings 18:36-37

After the Kingdom split into two, the Kingdom in the North started to drift away from God. A series of rulers in the North began worshipping other gods. They set up idols and offered sacrifices and encouraged the citizens to do the same. Needless to say, God did not like this very much. As the Kings became more rebellious, God raised up prophets to speak on God’s behalf. One of the most famous was the Prophet Elijah.

In one remarkable story, Elijah challenges the prophets of a God named Baal to a competition. An altar is set up to each God , and the prophets pray to ask their God to set fire to the altar. The prophets of Baal were unsuccessful despite their frenzied attempt. When it is Elijah’s turn, he prays and asks God to light the altar so that everyone gathered would realize God’s greatness and turn their hearts back. Immediately, fire falls down from heaven, consuming the sacrifice and altar. It burned up the wood, the stone, and even the dirt on the ground.

The main goal for Elijah was to turn the people’s hearts back to God by proving that the Lord is the one who answers prayer. The God of Elijah has been with Israel since the beginning. This new god named Baal is a stranger. It is not the one that rescued their ancestors from Egypt nor is it the god who settled them in the promised land. Our God is the God of Israel. The Lord our God is eager for us to turn our hearts back to Jesus and to answer our prayers.