Choosing Your God

MEMORY SELECTION: “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him.” —I Kings 18:21

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: I Kings 16:30-33; 18:17-21, 36-39

MANY sincere people do not have fixed goals in connection with the affairs of their lives. Some have good intentions and good resolutions, but because of indecision they are unable to come to definite conclusions or to establish worthwhile priorities. And this applies especially to their worship of God and their faith in the blessed promises of his Word.

Even those who have been favored by God and have had the eyes of their understanding opened to the glorious promises in connection with the plan of salvation are frequently lax and somewhat indifferent. Some lack the zeal and faith necessary to inspire in them the reality of the hope that has been set before them.

This is due in part because of the halting between two opinions; that is, they hesitate to accept God’s Word fully or to walk in the direction that has been set out for then by the Master. Then, after years of accumulated indecision, they become castaways.

When we consider the entire passage of Scripture cited in our memory selection, we note that it was spoken by Elijah to the children of Israel in connection with making a choice between the worship of Baal or God. Elijah sought to demonstrate to the people of Israel that Jehovah was their true God. He requested of King Ahab that the heads of all the ten tribes should gather together at Mount Carmel, and with them the 450 prophets of Baal. Elijah, in turn, would face this impressive assembly alone, confident that God would manifest his power to the Israelish nation.

Elijah proposed that the god who would answer by fire and consume an offering would be the real and true God of Israel. ‘The prophets of Baal made ready an altar and laid upon it the sacrifice. Then, after praying as was their custom, they asked that Baal demonstrate his power and send fire from heaven to consume the offering.

As the time of day advanced beyond noon, the prophets of Baal became desperate, crying, “O Baal, hear us! hear us!” Elijah took advantage of the situation by saying that Baal was perhaps on a journey, or asleep, and he suggested that they call still louder upon Baal. This continued until three o’clock in the afternoon, at which time Elijah proposed that he would make his test in the cool of the evening rather than under the scorching midday sun.

The altar that Elijah prepared for his demonstration was indeed an unusual one. He repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down, and around the entire altar he dug a trench and filled it with water. The whole altar, wood, and the sacrifice were therefore saturated with water. This was to demonstrate even further the remarkable power of God.

Then Elijah prayed to God: “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.”—I Kings 18:36,37

And God answered the prayer of this obedient servant as “fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”—vs. 38

Our hearts cannot help being touched by the remarkable demonstration of God’s power in connection with the affairs of his people. His response to the humble prayer of Elijah was indeed convincing to the Israelites that Jehovah was their true God.

There is much in the way of antitypical significance in this experience of Elijah. The Lord’s consecrated people during the present time will note that there are lessons of faithfulness, courage, and trust to be learned by all who take the name of the Lord. We, too, are admonished to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. We are to trust him, even where we cannot trace him. And we have the great privilege of speaking forth the Word of Truth plainly for all to hear. Let us learn to take hold upon the affairs of our lives, put our priorities in order, and renew our dedication to follow him.

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