So Ahab [an evil king of Israel] sent word to all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. Then Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go hopping between two opinions? If Jehovah is God, follow Him; but if Baal is, follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.
And Elijah said to the people, I alone am left as a prophet of Jehovah, but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bulls. And let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and put it on the wood, but let them apply no fire; and I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood, and I will apply no fire. Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Jehovah; and the God who answers by fire, He will be God. And all the people answered and said, The word seems good.
And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, for there are many of you. And call on the name of your god, but apply no fire. So they took the bull which had been given them and prepared it; and they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us! But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they leaped around the altar that had been made. Then at noon Elijah mocked them and said, Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; for he is meditating or has wandered off or is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and will awake. And they cried out with a loud voice and cut themselves, according to their custom, with swords and spears until blood gushed out all over them. And when noon had past, they prophesied until the time of the offering up of the meal offering; but there was no voice nor any that answered nor any attention paid.
Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of Jehovah which was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob (to whom the word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be your name); And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah, and he made a trench around the altar, with a capacity of two measures of seed. And he arranged the wood and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour the water on the burnt offering and on the wood. And he said, Do it a second time. And they did it a second time. And he said, Do it a third time. And they did it a third time. And the water went around the altar, and he filled the trench also with water.
Then at the time of the offering up of the meal offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and that I have done all these things by Your word. Answer me, O Jehovah; answer me, that this people may know that You, O Jehovah, are God and that You have turned their heart back again.
Some discussion questions for the cool story. You can comment on them:
1) How long will you go hopping between two opinions? If Jehovah is God, follow Him; but if Baal is, follow him.
2) Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; for he is meditating or has wandered off or is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and will awake. " Are we as buyoant with our God?
3) Elijah repaired the altar of Jehovah which was broken down.
4) Elijah's prayer: "let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and that I have done all these things by Your word "
5) Even though so many people witnessed such a wonderful miracle, not many people followed after Jehovah.
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