Mount Carmel the place for the restoration of honor of our king.
1. Classic biblical example of a fight for restored honor of Yah by challenge and riposte
2. In the scriptures famine is a result of covenant transgression and idolatry in the land of Israel.
3. Recognition of Israel that YHVH is the only Suzerain when they said Adonai Hu HaElohim.
4. Interesting that the challenge took place on a mountain and by winning the honor the whole mountain becomes sacred space.
Baal Worship in Israel.
Together with his wife, Jezebel, Ahab and his successors made Baal worship the national religion of Israel. The people worshiped various Canaanite deities alongside the worship of Yahweh as represented by two golden calves (1 Kgs 12:28). However, when Ahab married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon, the couple established Baal worship (1 Kgs 16:30–31), and even persecuted those who worshiped Yahweh as prescribed by the Law (1 Kgs 19:10).
Since Baal was a storm god and bringer of rain, Elijah’s announcement that there would be three years of drought (1 Kgs 17:1) was a direct claim of Yahweh’s superiority over Baal. In fact, in the myths concerning Baal, drought is equated with the death of Baal. This explains the utter desperation of the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in their attempts to induce Baal to send rain (1 Kgs 18:20–28). Rain would not only increase the credibility of their god but would validate their own reason for existence. However, they lost the contest, demonstrated their ineffectiveness, and were slaughtered by Elijah.
After sustaining a potentially fatal injury, Ahab’s son Ahaziah went to consult the god Baal-Zebub (בַּעַל זְבוּב, ba’al zevuv), literally, “Lord of the Flies” (2 Kgs 1:1–2), who had a temple in the Philistine city of Ekron. Elijah severely reprimanded him for doing so (2 Kgs 1:1–2). This somewhat unusual title may have been a mocking version of his real name, זְבוּל בַּעַל (zevul ba’al), “Lord of the High Places,” or “Exalted Lord,” which the Hebrew writers may have deliberately parodied; the difference between “flies” (זְבוּב, zevuv) and “exalted” (זְבוּל, zevul) is small. However, no direct evidence supports this theory. In Mark 3:22, the Jewish scribes called Jesus “Beelzebul” (Βεελζεβοὺλ, Beelzeboul), referring to the chief ruler of evil; this term had its origin with the name of this Philistine deity (Thomas, NASB Dictionaries, 1168a, 1176, 2070; Harris, Archer and Waltke, TWOT, 233; Swanson, DBL: Hebrew, HGK1256).
The prophet Hosea invoked a clever play on words in his efforts to call Israel back from the worship of Baal. In a generic sense without religious connotations, בַּעַל (ba’al) can mean “husband, “lord,” or “master.” Another Hebrew word for “husband” is “man” (אִישׁ, ish). In Hosea 2:16, the Lord states, “In that day—the Lord’s declaration—you will call Me: My husband (אִישׁ, ish), and no longer call Me: My Baal (בַּעַל, ba’al)” (HCSB).
Destroying the worship of Baal in Israel was an important part of Jehu’s coup overthrowing the Omride Dynasty (2 Kgs 10:1–28).
Corduan, W. (2016). Baal. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
1kings 18:21 how long will you hesitate between 2 opinions?
I’m reminded how Lot hesitated and barely escaped the flames. Maybe Yahweh will have compassion and save some that still totter on continuing in traditions that don’t honor my King, maybe He will allow them to barely escape the flames but why take a chance. Besides that, as we see the next step of Lot, he had compromised so much he was willing to sacrifice his children. Obviously today abortion is a child sacrifice but also allowing our children to be synchronized into today’s culture is sacrificing our children. Tv, music, books, school curriculums, some church programs, the stuff on the Internet- even just the busyness that conditions them to not know how to sit still is a way of sacrificing them and teaching them not to be in awe of our King. I’ve always thought of the story of Elijah on Mt Carmel representing Yahweh and His way verses the gods of Easter and Christmas. Baal being the representation of Christmas and Jezebel of Easter. Note the name Jezebel איזבל (recognize part of her name in baalzevuv?). Ironically her name can be summized to mean un-husbanded.
Is homeschool an option?
Having to constantly be exposed to, not only celebrations that are not of Yahweh but also immoral, antisemetic practices etc. is tough. I homeschooled and it is still very difficult to teach children to be willing to be separated out. No matter what you do try to think of ways to stimulate your children to love and honor Yahweh with all their heart. I would talk to them, make sure you listen to their response. See if you can convince them to want to not bring the stuff home after y’all talk. If they won’t after you patiently give them time to see the reason not to bring it home then tighten the gird around your waste and make the final decision for them after all you are the mom. I learned the hard way that I should have made my kids know that I have the final decision. No matter what be peaceful and loving focus on their hearts turning to Him more than the stuff they are bringing home
This is a very good teaching, thank you. I have a question…2015 I made the decision to keep Yah’s feasts and not Christmas. The problem is my 2 daughters are in public school and they are bringing home all kinds of decoration and junk. I think it dishonors my King but now do I deal with it. They are in 3rd and 4th grade. We often talk about the things of Yah and Torah.