1 Kings 18:32

Some people carry out a one-sided reform. They are content just to throw down what is false. They never go on to set up a sound basis for building something new. But such reform will never stand. It keeps too much of the old evil in it to be a testimony. The altar of Baal must not only be thrown down, but the altar of the Lord must be set up.

This act is proof of the prophet's spiritual perception. The twelve tribes were no longer walking in unity. Their unity has still not returned to this day, and it will not return until the kingdom of the Lord Jesus. Elijah was standing on ten-tribe ground. But his twelve stones tell us that he entered into God's thoughts about His people. The people were still one in His mind. Only two tribes still recognised the temple in Jerusalem. Yet the high priest still carried the names of all Israel's sons on his breastplate before the Lord. Twelve loaves still lay on the table in the holy place.

There must always be the testimony of the full people of God. In the whole Old Testament there is no clearer sign of what the Spirit of God marks out as fitting to Himself. No man ever felt more isolated than Elijah. Yet that man's heart was with the whole people of God. Faith can never do less. It can never be content with a part; it must have all God's people for God.

Some would sacrifice to the Lord on the altar of Baal. In other words, they would keep an evil system and be content to give it a right name. But no; the only centre of unity God can recognise is the name of Jesus — simply and only that. The people of God must not be looked at as members of a system, but as members of Christ.

There had to be the fullest proof here. The trial of the poor widow who was not an Israelite lost none of its force. Still less would this trial be softened, where God's own honour was at stake and Baal's false claims had to be exposed. So what Elijah poured on was nothing that would feed a fire. Water puts a fire out, if the fire comes from man.

Fire from heaven and a water-soaked sacrifice had nothing in common. The judgment of God and the holy Saviour had nothing in common either, and there was nothing in Him to invite wrath. But He took the sinner's place. The fire came down and He bore the judgment, just as the fire fell on Elijah's sacrifice. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, the water and the very dust, levelling it all to the ground.

Outwardly the altar lay in ruins; that is to say, Israel as a whole no longer existed. But it was enough that one man bore witness with his altar of twelve stones. What God had established in the beginning would remain forever. Those who proclaim this truth will always be few in number. Perhaps they will remain alone like Elijah. But this testimony has been entrusted to us, just as it was to Elijah, in a time when everyone is falling away. So what does their number matter?