Question 1

What does how long halt ye between two opinions mean?

Accepted Answer

Elijah’s question, “How long halt ye between two opinions?” pictures the people limping back and forth, unable to decide. They were trying to worship the Lord and still hold on to Baal. Elijah tells them they cannot stay in the middle. If the Lord is truly God, they must follow Him. If Baal is god, then follow Baal. Their silence shows they feel the weight of their guilt and fear. This line calls people to make a clear choice about whom they will serve.

Question 2

Why did Elijah set up a contest with the prophets of Baal?

Accepted Answer

Elijah set up the contest so the whole nation could see clearly who the true God is. He asked for two bulls, two altars, and no fire. Each side would call on its god, and the God who answered by sending fire would show Himself to be real. This was not a game but a call to repentance. It exposed Baal as powerless and showed that the Lord hears, acts, and alone deserves Israel’s worship and loyalty.

Question 3

Why did the prophets of Baal cry, leap, and cut themselves?

Accepted Answer

The prophets of Baal used loud cries, wild movements, and even cut themselves because this was their way of trying to stir up their god to answer. From morning till evening they shouted, danced on the altar, and let their blood flow, hoping Baal would send fire. But nothing happened. There was no voice and no answer. Their efforts show how empty idol worship is, no matter how intense or emotional, when the god being called on is not real.

Question 4

Why did Elijah mock the prophets of Baal at noon?

Accepted Answer

At noon, when Baal still had not answered, Elijah mocked the prophets to expose how foolish their trust in Baal was. He told them to cry louder, suggesting their god might be talking, traveling, busy, or even sleeping. The point was clear: a true God is never distracted or tired. Elijah’s words highlighted that Baal was no god at all. This sharp contrast prepared the people to see the difference when the Lord answered quickly and powerfully.

Question 5

What is the meaning of Elijah repairing the altar of the Lord?

Accepted Answer

When Elijah repaired the broken altar of the Lord, he was doing more than fixing stones. He was showing that true worship of the Lord had been neglected and torn down in Israel. Using twelve stones, he pictured all twelve tribes as one people, even though the kingdom was divided. Building that altar “in the name of the Lord” called Israel back to their covenant identity, reminding them that they belonged to the God who had named them and claimed them.

Question 6

Why did Elijah use twelve stones for the altar?

Accepted Answer

Elijah chose twelve stones to match the twelve tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom God had said, “Israel shall be thy name.” Even though the tribes were politically divided, God still saw them as one people under His name. By using twelve stones, Elijah was reminding them of their shared history and calling. It was a way of saying, “You are still God’s people together, and you must return to Him as one nation, not follow Baal.”

Question 7

Why did Elijah pour water on the sacrifice three times?

Accepted Answer

Elijah poured water on the sacrifice, wood, and altar three times until the trench was full to make it humanly impossible to light a fire. Soaking everything showed that there was no trick. If fire came, it would have to be from God alone. This act also displayed Elijah’s strong faith. He did not try to make the miracle easier. Instead, he made it clear that the Lord’s answer would be obvious to everyone watching and remove all doubt.

Question 8

What does this passage teach about God compared to idols?

Accepted Answer

This passage sets the living God over against dead idols. Baal’s prophets pray all day, cry loudly, leap, and cut themselves, but their god never answers. There is only silence. In contrast, the Lord is shown as the God who truly exists, hears, and responds in power. He is not distracted, weak, or absent. The story teaches that idols, old or modern, cannot save, speak, or act. Only the Lord has real power and deserves wholehearted trust and worship.

Question 9

How can this story of Elijah on Mount Carmel apply to my life?

Accepted Answer

This story presses a simple question: who really has your heart? Like Israel, it is easy to try to split trust between God and other “gods” such as success, comfort, or people’s approval. Elijah’s words challenge us to stop limping between two paths and to follow the Lord fully. It also encourages us to trust God even when we feel outnumbered or weak. He is able to act in ways that clearly show He alone is God, so we can rest our faith in Him.

1 Kings 18:20

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

Elijah on Mount Carmel

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

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1 Kings 18:20

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

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Elijah on Mount Carmel

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

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