1 Kings 18:39

Do not miss a word of this remarkable verse. The fire stands for the righteous judgment of God. It could well have fallen on the disobedient nation. Or it could have passed the nation by and fallen on Ahab and his hundreds of idol-worshipping prophets, all servants of the Devil. But it did nothing of the kind. The fire fell on the innocent bull that Elijah had placed on the altar! What a picture of the great sacrifice of Calvary! There the righteous judgment of God did not fall on the wicked masses of people. It did not even fall on the corrupt leaders who were mainly to blame for setting up that cross. The judgment of God in all its terrible severity fell on the Holy One who hung there.

At Carmel "the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the sacrifice." The fire fell on the sacrifice as an atonement for the sins of the guilty people, and the people go free — not one Israelite was touched by that fire. As a result God brought the people back to Himself... Years have passed since the fire fell on the sacrifice at Carmel. The grace of God that provided a sacrifice and sheltered the guilty people from the fire of judgment has been forgotten. The sacrifice has been despised, and now once again the fire falls on the hill top... this time no sacrifice stands between a holy God and a sinful people.

It was important, in a book addressed to Israel, to show that Jehovah, their God, was the one true supreme Elohim, the Creator, unlike the demon gods of the surrounding nations... "It was shown to you, so that you might know that Jehovah, He is Elohim; there is no one else besides Him." So the people, when Elijah brought down fire from heaven, cry out, "Jehovah, He is Elohim; Jehovah, He is Elohim."

This is intelligent prayer. The prophet is engaged solely about God and His people. He does not say, "Hear me, that this people may know that I am a true prophet." No; his only aim was to bring the people back to the God of their fathers, and to have the claims of God established in their consciences, in opposition to the claims of Baal. And God listened and heard.

The showers of blessing come after God's judgment has fallen on the burnt offering. They come only after Israel, faced with this event, has acknowledged the Lord and turned their hearts back to Him. Today people seek plenty of rain while the conscience is left untouched. That desire can end in only one result. The rain was not given to Israel until after the work of God had been done for them and in them.

The public confession of Jehovah's name — little as it might have been worth to those who joined in it, "Jehovah, He is the God; Jehovah, He is the God" — made it possible for God to bless them.

He had thought that these mighty displays of the power of God would turn the whole nation to God in deep repentance. For the moment they did indeed fall on their faces and own, "The Lord, He is the God." But no real revival had taken place. Elijah has to learn that wind, earthquake and fire may indeed be God's servants to wake people up. But unless a person hears the "still small voice," no one is truly won for God.