At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and 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 heart back again.
—1 Kings 18:36-37, NASB

Reflection:
Elijah is one of the best-known figures in the Hebrew Bible. The New Testament tells us that Elijah was a man just like you and me. Yet when he prayed that it would not rain, it did not rain for three and a half years. The Book of Malachi prophesies that Elijah would announce the coming of the Messiah. In fact, when Jesus was on earth, some skeptics asked Him, Isn’t Elijah supposed to come first? Jesus answered that Elijah had indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.

He was referring to John the Baptist, whom Scripture says came as a forerunner before Yeshua in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Elijah was a powerful, charismatic voice, unlike any other prophet in the Old Testament. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration as the two primary figures of the Old Testament, representing the Law and the prophets. Scripture tells of Elijah’s many miracles and the outstanding way he displayed the glory of God.

But among the best known of those exploits is Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. This is when he prayed, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and 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 heart back again.”

If we think about the essence of this prayer, Elijah is asking, first, that God would prove Himself and show the prophets of Baal and the people of Israel that the Lord God of Israel is indeed the true God. Second, Elijah was asking God to vindicate him as His servant and show that he was acting at the command of the Lord.

Can you relate? Do family members, friends, neighbors, or people in your workplace refuse to believe Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, is truly the Lord? Do they instead not believe in God at all? Or do they believe in new age spirituality or some other religion? Perhaps they even make fun of you and treat you cynically and condescendingly. This is what Elijah the prophet was up against when he uttered this prayer.

The prophets of Baal believed their god was supreme. They laughed at Elijah and scorned the God of Israel. So the great prophet Elijah prayed to the Lord of heaven and said, O God, prove to everybody that You are God. And the Lord answered in a dramatic way.

Application:

• Pray with boldness for God to make Himself known to those who do not believe Yeshua HaMashiach is truly Lord.
• Ask the Lord to vindicate your obedience when you are acting at His word.

Prayer:
O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known that You are God. Prove Yourself to those who do not yet believe that Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, is truly Lord. Answer me, O Lord, and turn hearts back again. Vindicate my obedience where I have acted at Your word. Let Your glory be displayed in a way that only You can do.