Yahweh vs. Baal

Today, we return to the story of Elijah. We are reading chapter 18 of the first book of Kings. It is a literary gem and a highly enjoyable story. It is a story of the contest between Yahweh and Baal, the Canaanite fertility god which was no god at all in the eyes of the Deuteronomists.
As a prolog, there is a contrast between Ahab and Obadiah, the housekeeper of his palace.
Now Obadiah revered the LORD greatly;
and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and fed them with bread and water (1 Kings 18:3b-4).
Ahab listened to his wife Jezebel and promoted the worship of Baal. Moreover, Jezebel systematically killed off the prophets of the Lord. But Obadiah was able to save one hundred of them. He must have been a very powerful courtier because in the searching for grass to feed the cattle, he and Ahab would divide the land and each of them searched their parts.
So they divided the land between them to pass through it; Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself (1 Kings 18:6).
In his search for grass, Obadiah met Elijah. He had full respect for Elijah and greeted him his lord.
And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him; and Obadiah recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?" (1 Kings 18:7).
But later, when Ahab met Elijah, he vented his hatred instead.
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is it you, you troubler of Israel?" (1 Kings 18:17)
What an irony! The accuser should in fact be the accused! This is a psychological defence mechanism. One does not simply deny one's fault. Furthermore, one usually projects the wrong to the others. As a prophet, Elijah confronted Ahab with the truth in no equivocal terms.
And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father's house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals (1 Kings 18:18).
Ahab's sin of idolatry was the cause of all the troubles in Israel.
Then Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal for a duel to decide whose god was the true one.
Historians of science trace the origin of the scientific enterprise to magic. Magic was a procedure to induce the environment to produce what ancient people needed. There were as many magical rituals as human needs. Magic was not yet scientific because it aimed only at getting things done. It was pragmatic. On the other hand, science tried to explain why it could be done. Similarly, polytheism which was closely related to magic, was pragmatic and aimed at getting things done. The division of labour reflected the structure of the society. Polytheism was part of the society. When the society evolved into a more complex structure needing the service of a centralized government, polytheism was no longer able to glue the society together. Each deity had a turf of its own. Monotheism arose to take care of the need to glue the society together. From this perspective, the contest between Yahweh and Baal reflected the evolution of the Israelite society into a higher complexity.
And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word (1 Kings 18:21).
Elijah urged the people to choose between Yahweh and Baal. But how do you decide who the true God is?
"And you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken." (1 Kings 18:24)
This is the ultimate pragmatic test. Elijah defined the criterion and if Yahweh passed this test, Yahweh is God! Remember, you should not put the Lord to the test. So, who are you Elijah, to put the Lord to the test? In the gospel, Satan did it. The Pharisees did it. They were only following the footsteps of Elijah. Of course, they were not Elijah because Elijah was sent by Yahweh! His test had been endorsed by Yahweh. The rest was history.

My Advocate, I confess You are the ONE TRUE GOD. Out of Your love and kindness, You reveal Yourself to us and deliver us from eternal damnation. May honour and glory be Yours forever and ever.  Amen.