If the Lord Be God...? - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Oct 1
- 3 min read
If the Lord Be God…?
1 Kings 18:21
Intro: I want to turn our attention to the spiritual state of the children of Israel on Mt. Carmal.
A. The Fallacy of their Thinking
· 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
If…
This word is unimaginable in this context. IF????
The nation of Israel was plagued with this thought pattern.
How do you ever get to the place where it is even debatable if the Lord be God?
How far do you have to drift spiritually to get to that place?
How far do you have to get to put Jehovah God and Baal on the same scale?
B. The Foolishness of their Test
· 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
How many times does God have to send down fire from Heaven for them to be convinced?
Sodom and Gomorrah – God judged the cities for their wickedness
· Genesis 19:24 “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;”
Nadab and Abihu – Aaron’s sons offered strange fire, and God judged them instantly.
· Leviticus 10:2 “And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.”
Korah – The rebels who opposed Moses and Aaron were judged by fire.
· Numbers 16:35 “And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.”
Pillar of Fire - And can we just talk for a minute about a pillar of fire sent down from God every night for forty years to guide their forefathers?
Is that nothing?
So why did He need to do it again? 365 nights a year for 40 years is 14,600 times God had answered by fire.
What is wrong with people??
C. The Finality of their Testimony
· 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
If the Lord be God, then stop…
I. Doubting His Preeminence
II. Demanding His Proof
III. Disobeying His Precepts
Conclusion:
If the Lord be God…
Follow God
· 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
If the Lord be God…
Forsake all other gods
· 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
What is the draw of false gods??
It is not a problem with Old Testament Israelites.
It was a problem with New Testament churches.
1 Corinthians 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Galatians 5:19–20 Now the works of the flesh are manifest… idolatry, witchcraft…
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
