1 Kings 18:32, commentary and pictures

Elijah repaired the broken-down altar of the Lord with twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of Israel, building it in the name of the Lord and digging a trench about it large enough to hold two measures of seed. At the hour of the evening sacrifice, after the prophets of Baal had called from morning until evening with no voice or answer, he called the people near on the conspicuous height of Carmel to vindicate the honor of God's name. The heap of ruins he rebuilt was more precious than the magnificent altars of heathendom and stood in sharp contrast to the altars of Baal and Ashtoreth, honoring God's covenant with His people despite their apostasy. After completing it he put the wood in order and laid the bullock upon it, then had water poured over sacrifice, wood, and altar three times until it ran round about and filled the trench. The altar had to be prepared according to God's word and purified as He directed, for only then could the fire fall to consume sacrifice, wood, stones, dust, and water, bringing the people to confess the Lord as God and to return to His worship.

The Altar Elijah Rebuilt

At the hour of the evening sacrifice, after the prophets of Baal had called from morning until the evening sacrifice with no voice and no answer, Elijah called the people near to repair the broken-down altar of the Lord where men had once worshiped the God of heaven. Its heap of ruins was more precious than all the magnificent altars of heathendom. The broken-down altar of Jehovah stood in sharp contrast to the altars of Baal and Ashtoreth, and its repair with stones and the trench around it formed the public setting for God to display His power. Mount Carmel's height and visibility made it a conspicuous public place to vindicate the honor of His name.

He rebuilt it with twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word came that Israel would be his name. In so doing he honored and showed respect for God's covenant with His people made when they crossed the Jordan into the promised land, despite their apostasy. He built the altar in the name of the Lord and made a trench about it as great as would contain two measures of seed.

After completing the altar he put the wood in order, prepared the bullock and laid it on the altar. Then he had the people pour water over sacrifice and wood and altar three times, with four barrels each time, until the water ran round about the altar and filled the trench. The altar had to be prepared according to God's word and purified as God directed, for the fire could burn only then.

Fire, Confession, and Reform

The test laid before the people was that the God who answers by fire would be God. When the fire fell it consumed the sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and the water. The people fell down confessing the Lord as God, and the prophets of Baal were taken to the Kishon and slain.

Through faith idolatry was cast down and overthrown on Carmel, and the people were stirred to return to the worship of God. The reformation begun there led many Israelites to seek God, while Baal's altars were gradually forsaken. The work closed with strong and earnest prayer for rain. On the top of Carmel Elijah cast himself down upon the earth with his face between his knees in a painful, humiliating position, continuing until his sorely tried faith was rewarded by tokens of rain. Then came heaven black with clouds and wind and great rain, and the rain testified to the showers of blessing waiting to be poured upon Israel.

God helped Elijah defeat the prophets of Baal and revealed His power before the people to lead the king and people to reformation, but its effect depended on their response.

Elijah's Stand and Flight

On that trying day Elijah stood before Ahab, all Israel, and the 450 prophets of Baal as the sole witness to the true God. He acted under God's commission to return to Israel and to stand before the idolatrous priests on Carmel, as a preacher of righteousness guided by the Holy Spirit and directed by God amid widespread idolatry and wickedness. He had maintained his trust in Jehovah during the years of drought and famine and had stood undaunted before Ahab.

In that contest between life and death he showed undaunted courage and triumphed over the king, priests, and people. The wonderful events of that day were exhibitions of the power of God showing that Jehovah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, is God. The work he did there, including slaying the prophets of Baal, was work commissioned by the God of heaven.

He had borne a heavy burden for Israel in faithful warnings against national idolatry and deep solicitude during three and a half years of famine while watching and waiting for repentance. His signal triumph opened the way for greater victories but began a work he was not to complete.

Afterward, weakened, weary, and afraid, he fled before Jezebel's threats and prayed alone in the desert to die, allowing the fear of death to overcome his faith. It shows that even one who had stood boldly for God could be overcome, for it is at the time of greatest weakness that Satan assails the soul with the fiercest temptations, and when will power weakens and faith fails those who have stood long and valiantly for the right yield to temptation. Giving way afterward to despondency and timidity was therefore unexpected after such undaunted courage and heaven-commissioned triumph.

God had marked his heart-service and did not leave him to perish in discouragement and solitude, but bade him anoint another to be prophet in his stead. He gave him ascent with God's angels to the presence of His glory instead of descent to the tomb. Sin brings only shame and loss and unbelief means failure, but God's mercy reaches the deepest depths and faith lifts the repenting soul to share the adoption of the sons of God.