{"id":62765,"date":"2019-09-11T17:34:17","date_gmt":"2019-09-11T14:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=62765"},"modified":"2023-04-05T17:26:39","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T14:26:39","slug":"elijah-plays-with-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/elijah-plays-with-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Elijah Plays With Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[929,858,437,390],"acf":{"old_id":"62765","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":58418,"related_cahpter":"305","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"He risked trying to turn the miracles of Mount Carmel into the Revelation on Mount Sinai\u00a0","content":"

The chapter tells of the Prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He challenges the people of Israel to determine who is God, and organizes a kind of reality show \u201ccompetition: The God who answers the calls of the prophet(s) and brings down fire onto the wood on the altar \u2013 He is the true God: \u201cYou will then invoke your god by name, and I will invoke the LORD by name; and let us agree: the god who responds with fire, that one is God\u201d (Kings I.18:24).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Prophets of Baal call out to their god for hours on end, yet nothing happens. Then Elijah\u2019s turn arrives. He implores: \u201cAnswer me, O LORD\u2026 that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God.\u201d Elijah is answered: \u201cWhen they saw this, all the people flung themselves on their faces and cried out: \u201cThe LORD alone is God, The LORD alone is God!\u201d (v. 37-39).<\/span><\/p>\n

Reading this description, I cannot help but wonder about Elijah\u2019s actions and his motives.\u00a0 What was he trying to show or teach the people?<\/span><\/p>\n

Faith? Possibly… The text shows that the event led to the recognition of the existence and greatness of the Creator.<\/span><\/p>\n

Observance of His commandments? Not necessarily! History and human nature prove that an extraordinary event doesn\u2019t always result in long-term behavioral change, even if people declare their intention to do so during the actual event or rescue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps Elijah wanted to teach about the power of prayer?<\/span><\/p>\n

Racheli Fraenkel, whose son Naphtali was kidnapped and murdered in Gush Etzion in 2014, said: \u201cGod does not do our bidding,\u201d and thus cautioned the youth about experiencing a crisis of faith concerning the power of prayer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A miracle occurred on Mount Carmel. The fire that descended from God not only lit up the altar, but also the hearts of the people. I believe this is what Elijah was trying to do: to turn the miracles of Mount Carmel into the Revelation on Mount Sinai. He wanted to show us that our Father in Heaven is a living God, as opposed to the sleeping, false gods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Elijah was both brave and showed \u201cchutzpah.\u201d He was not afraid of what was about to happen. Indeed, with his actions, he was \u201cplaying with fire\u201d three times:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. He risked that his request would go unanswered, causing a desecration of His name.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. His actions could have been interpreted as an attempt to take control of God, ordering Him what to do.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Elijah\u2019s words hint that he is accusing God of seemingly distancing the people: \u201cYou have turned their hearts backward\u201d (v.37).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    God does not do our bidding, yet we have a relationship with Him.<\/span><\/p>\n

    From Elijah, I learn that we should educate our children to be loving and \u201cchutzpadik,\u201d who accept and respect our Father in heaven and at the same time, are not afraid of Him and vocally demand that He be close and present in our lives.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":62766,"id":62766,"title":"1kings18-elijah-on-mt-carmel","filename":"1kings18-elijah-on-mt-carmel.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings18-elijah-on-mt-carmel.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/elijah-plays-with-fire\/1kings18-elijah-on-mt-carmel\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"1kings18-elijah-on-mt-carmel","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":62765,"date":"2019-09-11 14:34:01","modified":"2019-09-11 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