Ahab had a problem of perception similar to Obadiah's (v. 17; cf. v. 7). The real source of Israel's troubles was Ahab and Omri's disregard of the Mosaic Covenant and their preference for idolatry (Deut. 6:5).
"This was a crime against the state worthy of death (like that of Achan, Jos. 6:18; 7:25; and Jonathan in 1 Sa. 14:24-29)."188
Probably hundreds if not thousands of people gathered since Elijah summoned all Israel to Mount Carmel. Elijah probably chose this mountain, as God led him, because it stood between Israel and Phoenicia geographically, neutral ground between Yahweh's land and Baal's. Furthermore the Phoenicians regarded Carmel as Baal's sacred dwelling place. Storms with lightning and thunder were common on Mount Carmel, and Baal worshippers viewed them as manifestations of their deity. The name "Carmel"means "the garden land,"and it was famous for its fertility. In the minds of many, Baal had the advantage in this contest. Elijah ordered Ahab around (v. 19) as was appropriate since the prophet was the representative of the true King of Israel. Surprisingly Ahab obeyed. His weak will becomes even more obvious later in 1 Kings.
"To eat at the table of the king or queen was to be subsidized by the state (cf. 2 Sam. 9:9-11; 1 Kgs. 2:7). So aggressive is Jezebel that she promotes at state expense the worship of Baal and Asherah."189
Interestingly this was a contest of prophets, not priests. The priests in Israel had long since lost their influence in Israel. Apparently the prophets in Phoenicia were more powerful too. Perhaps God accepted Elijah's offering as a non-priest because there were no faithful priests in the Northern Kingdom at this time (cf. Num. 18; Deut. 18).
The Israelites had been straddling the spiritual fence just as Obadiah had (v. 21).
"The issue is not that Israel wanted to reject Yahweh and choose Baal, but rather to serve them both. Elijah called for an either/or decision."190
"Here is the Martin Luther of old-time Israel, who singlehanded challenged the whole priesthood of the state religion, and all the people of the realm, to the decisive test on Mount Carmel."191
Elijah realized that he was not the only prophet of Yahweh who remained in Israel (v. 22; cf. v. 13), but in this situation the odds were one against 450.192He felt alone. His victory would require a supernatural act of God. The oxen as symbols of service may have represented the people of Israel (cf. Num. 7:3). Elijah would sacrifice them as a burnt offering of worship (v. 23). Which people would their respective deities accept, those the pagan priests symbolically offered to Baal or those Elijah offered to Yahweh? Aaron had previously conducted a similar test (Lev. 9). The deity who brought fire down would be the true God. By coming in fire God illustrated His power to judge (Lev. 10:1-2).
Even though Baal worshippers thought the thunder represented Baal's voice they did not hear his voice on this occasion (v. 26). This was not a rain-making dance but a wild dance in worship of Baal.193Elijah did something that must have shocked everyone present. He mocked Baal. In the ancient East even if a person did not worship an idol he at least took its status as a god for granted.194However, Elijah refused to acknowledge that Baal was a god at all. He suggested that Baal might be "occupied"(v. 27; lit. relieving himself).195His devotees also thought Baal accompanied the Phoenician sailors, so Elijah suggested he might be on a journey (v. 27). All of these possibilities exposed Baal's limited powers. Pagan worship has always proved destructive to humanity, as the priests' cutting themselves illustrated (v. 28). For six hours the priests of Baal ranted and raved to no avail (v. 29).
Yahweh's altar at that site (one of the high places?) had fallen into disrepair (v. 30). Elijah rebuilt it, as the Mosaic Covenant specified, with 12 uncut stones symbolic of Israel's 12 tribes. There was still only one Lord, one covenant, and one nation with one destiny in the plans and purposes of God even though the nation had split into two parts.
"As Moses built an altar at Sinai and set up twelve stones for the twelve tribes (Exodus 24:4), and Joshua erected the twelve stones at Gilgal in the Gilgal covenant festival (Joshua 4:3), so Elijah built an altar of twelve stones according to the number of the tribes' of Israel (I Kings 17:31)."196
The 12 pitchers of water (vv. 33-34) likewise represented Israel, probably as God's instrument of refreshment to the world. Elijah may have obtained the water from a spring or perhaps from the Great (Mediterranean) Sea that is not far from some parts of Mount Carmel.
Elijah prayed a simple prayer for God's glory at 3:00 p.m., the time of Israel's sacrifice that illustrated its daily commitment to Yahweh (vv. 36-37).197Emphasizing the fact that Yahweh had been Israel's God since patriarchal times, Elijah prayed that the Lord would reveal Himself as Israel's God. He also asked that the people would perceive that He had accepted His servant Elijah's offering that he had presented in harmony with God's Law. The heart of the people needed turning back to God, and Elijah prayed for evidence of that as well (v. 37).
God revealed Himself as He had earlier in Israel's history (Lev. 10:1-2). He accepting the sacrifice of the nation symbolized by the 12 stones, the dust out of which He had created the people, and the 12 pitchers of water (v. 38). The Israelites did turn back to God. They demonstrated their repentance with obedience to the Mosaic Law and God's prophet by slaying the false prophets as the Law prescribed (v. 40; cf. Exod. 22:20; Deut. 13:1-18; 17:2-7; 18:20). The Kishon Wadi lay just north of Mount Carmel in the Jezreel Valley below.
Elijah's actions on Mount Carmel were a strong polemic against Canaanite religion.198
"The contest on Carmel is not, as often billed, between Elijah and the prophets of Baal: it is between his Lord Yahweh himself and Lord Baal."199
". . . the whole chapter . . . is seen to have a single motive from beginning to end: the bringing of rain, that Yahweh's supremacy may be established in Israel, not by a barren Pyrrhic victory through a supernatural fire-bolt, but by meeting the crying need of His people for water . . ."200
