Baal is God: A Second Look at Elijah

Israel had left God. Slowly but surely, the influence of the nations around Israel had corrupted  them and turned their worship to the false god Baal. The leadership of Jezebel had turned the heart of king Ahab, and he had surrendered the nation to the rule of a wicked queen. At least that is the story we are taught from the time we are little kids. We place all the blame on the wicked queen Jezebel. It is true that she was an evil person, we see her in the Bible many times over as a representation of apostate Israel, but would it surprise you if I told you that Jezebel actually worshiped the one true God, and in fact Jesus Christ himself? 

We often see a huge difference between God, and the god that Israel would adulterate with. We have a birds eye view and we can easily see the difference between Jehovah and Baal. Yet to the Israelites it was not this way. You have to understand, the Bible is often written years and years after the fact, at a time when the writer could overlook the entire process and tell you exactly what went down. The process of rejecting Jehovah, however, was not an overnight process. The rejection of God often stretched over a century. A hundred years would pass before a total rejection of God was accomplished. It was small steps and little adjustments in understanding that ultimately led Israel to reject their God. This is what occurred in Elijah's time. 

This is the kicker, Israel did not know they were worshiping the false god Baal! How can I say that though? They called god Baal, they must have known exactly what they were doing. Let me tell you the story of Baal. Baal was the son of El, the almighty God, ruler of heaven and earth, Lord of all and creator of the world. Baal had a great adversary, the great serpent, there was an epic battle fought between these two powers, Baal against this devil. In this struggle over humanity, Baal was killed by the serpent and was dead for several days, yet he did not stay dead, he arose and brought with him life and a new creation. He caused the rain to fall on the earth and brought about all good things. You see, Baal is Jesus. Baal is God himself! You don't believe me still? How about the word of God itself? Isaiah 54:5,    "For thy Maker is thine husband (Baal); the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called." You see, Baal means husband, that word used is actually the word Baal. God calls himself the "Baal" of Israel many many times throughout the Bible. God and Baal are the exact same thing. When Israel turned from the worship of the one true God to the worship of the false god Baal, it was not a total rejection of God himself, but rather a turning away from a true understanding of His character. It only took 100 years for the people of God to misrepresent the character of their redeemer. 

So what was different about the israelite's philosophy of God and the the philosophy of Elijah? It was a very subtle change, it was the idea of judgement and appeasement for sin. You see, Baal required sacrifice in order to be appeased. Baal was upset at humanity for causing his death, his wrath was fearful to behold and it was necessary to sacrificed animals to send a soothing aroma to Baal so that he would continue to save humanity rather then to destroy them by withholding his blessings. To Elijah, God was a God of love who desired friendship. God was personal, he was not angry, he did not need appeasement, he needed friendship. Elijah was the friend of God.

This paints a different view of what happened on mount Carmel that day. The priests of god were desperately trying to appease Baal once and for all. God had withheld the rain for 3 years. It was the wrath of god being poured out on Israel, and they needed to appease him, and so they sought to get his attention with all their actions and works. They prostrated themselves before the throne of god and they begged god for forgiveness. They sacrifice animals, and they punished themselves for their failure by cutting themselves and humbling themselves before their god. And god did not answer. After hours and hours of trying to get the attention of god by their works, the priests of Israel finally sat down in exhaustion and frustration. What more could they do to appease the wrath of god almighty? 

Elijah stands up, he kneels down before the alter, and he prays a simple prayer from a human to his friend, his true Baal, the friend of his life and the ruler of his soul. Elijah had a deep abiding relationship with Jesus, with Baal. And in answer to that relationship Baal answered. Yet even Elijah did not understand his God. He proved it when he fled to the wilderness after the threat from Jezebel. He ran to the wilderness and he sat out there and he complained to God. With ally the fire coming down from heaven, and the deaths of the false prophets, Elijah lost his understanding. God showed him in the wilderness that The Lord is not in the fire, God is not in the rain, or the storm or any thing created. God is a relationship. Elijah heard that still small voice, the voice he had heard many times as he had communed with his friend, and Elijah suddenly realized what God was about. Elijah realized that he had a very similar view of God that all of Israel had. God was something to be manipulated and appeased. He thought that the slaughter of the false prophets would appease God and God would solve all his problems. So you can understand why, at the slightest hint of opposition, Elijah runs. He assumed that God was finally appeased, the rain had come and all would now be better. He thought he had done everything required of him. But that was not what it was about. It was not about proving who's God was more powerful, it was about the revelation of God's character. The character that did not need appeasement, but love and friendship. 

Jesus desires to establish his Holy Spirit in your life. He desires a relationship with you. He does not desire you to change your life, he does not desire you to adjust your works, he does not desire you to become a better person. He desires you to be His friend, that is all, period. End of discussion. Any outward change in your life is the direct result of Jesus abiding with you. Works are the result of God becoming the Baal of your life. Jesus takes care of the change, it is none of your business. Jesus does not desire you to change yourself. He has no interest in your works. 

There is also no such thing as judgement from God. Jesus says in John 5:22 "For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son:" So we know that God the father does not judge you, so the son must then right? Wrong. Jesus says in John 8:15, "You judge by the flesh, I judge no man." Everyone assumes that Jesus said "I judge by the spirit." But he did not, Jesus judges no one. Who does that leave to judge you then? 1 John 3:20 says this, "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things." And Paul said the following, when speaking to the Jews about their rejection of Christ, "...It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing that you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." (Acts 13:46) The only person that can decide your eternal fate is yourself. Only you can decide if eternal life with Christ is truly what you desire. God does not require appeasement in order to save you, He has already saved you. It is now up to you to decided if eternity is what you desire. 

I want to extend the invitation to you that God extended to Elijah that day in the wilderness. "What Doest thou here Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9) What are you doing at this point in your life? Why are you running from a relationship with God? Why do you have such objections to God when the answers have already been given? Why do you accuse God of being a vindictive God who is angry at your failures, when it is so plain that he desires nothing but a relationship with you? God did not get angry at Elijah for questioning Him. He does not punish Elijah for his misunderstanding. In fact I believe that God loves it when you question and search, because he has promised that those who search will find (Jer 29:13, Matthew 7:7) God simply speaks to Elijah in a still, small voice and asks a very simple question, "what are you doing?" God has shown himself to you. He has shown himself to be absolute love, will you follow that understanding? Or do you desire a God who requires your good actions in order to save you? The truth is beautiful, why not accept it?