God does not tolerate competition

God does not tolerate competition
1 Kings 18:20-46
“ How long will you hesitate between two opinions?”

Lured by the idolatry of the Canaanites, Israel had embraced the worship of Baal. Throughout the story of Elijah in chapters 17-18, the focus is not just on the judgment of Israel for their idolatry; it was a polemic against Baal. For the Canaanites, Baal was the storm god who road upon the clouds, and he was the one who made rain and thus brought food and productivity to the people.  
In 17:9, God instructed Elijah to go to the city of Zarephath in Sidon and stay with a widow. What is remarkable about this command is that this was where Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, was from and was the heart of Baal worship. In other words, God instructed Elijah to go to the place where Baal was regarded as the strongest.  

The first hint that God was orchestrating the events to serve as an attack against the worship of Baal is seen in the desperate poverty of the widow. Even though Baal was ruler over agriculture and land, he was powerless to help a widow without food. Thus the first miracle of providing oil and flour was a demonstration that God, not Baal, is the ultimate provider of food.   When drought came, it was a sign that Baal was dead, so he could not help. When God raised the widow's son from the dead, it was to reveal that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is not only alive, but he is a giver of life as well. This sets the stage for the cosmic battle between Yahweh and Baal on Mount Carmel.  
When the day of the conflict between Yahweh and Baal arrived, on one side stood Elijah alone. On the other side are 450 prophets of Baal. The stage is set for a conflict in which all the advantage is seemingly on the side of the Baal worshipers. The challenge is to see which God will send fire from heaven to burn up the sacrifice. The Baal worshippers are ecstatic since Baal is the God of fire, so they have the home team advantage. The worshippers begin their prayers and chants, cutting themselves to entice Baal to act. Yet, after calling upon Baal all day, by evening, Baal was still silent. The end of verse 29 is stark in its brevity, “no voice, no answer, no attention.”  Baal was both silent and inactive.

Elijah further heightens the contrast by having the wood and the sacrifice soaked with water so there would be no doubt that the fire was from God. Instead of cutting himself to arouse God, instead of crying aloud while marching around the altar, Elijah just made a simple prayer that God would answer him so the people would know that he is God. In contrast to the silence of Baal, God brought fire from heaven that not only consumed the offering and the woods, but even the stone, the dust, and the water. There is no longer any doubt about who is God. Paul House, in his commentary, reveals the contrast, “God sustains and protects his prophets, while Baal lets his die. Yahweh feeds the orphans and widows and raises the dead, while Baal lets the need suffer and requires Anat to raise him from Death. Yahwah can send fire or rain from heaven, but Baal cannot respond to his most valiant worshipers. A god-like Baal is no God at all. A God like Yahweh must be God of all. Rain is not just rain here but evidence of the Lord’s absolute sovereignty over nature and human affairs.”

Like the people of Israel, people today are lured away from the obedience and worship of God. We are enticed by religious pluralism, which promises the hope of salvation without the necessity of change. We are seduced by the moral autonomy that promises pleasure without consequence. However, we must recognize that God does not tolerate any rivals, for there is none like him. Therefore, instead of vacillating between the world and the truth of Christ, we must embrace Christ wholeheartedly and completely. For only Christ provides us salvation and the hope of eternal life.