DCLM Daily Manna Thursday 7 December 2023
TOPIC: No Match for Jehovah
TEXT: 1 Kings 18:17-29 (KJV)
17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
KEY VERSE
“And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”
(1 Kings 18:24)
DCLM Daily Manna Thursday 7 December 2023 MESSAGE
An American missionary who went to an Asian nation was disappointed that he was not winning souls for Christ in spite of the huge financial and human resources sunk into the project. He suddenly remembered that Jesus called the believer to demonstrate the power of the gospel while preaching. During a crusade, he picked three physically deficient persons – a deaf, a blind woman and a cripple. The preacher prayed in the name of Jesus and the first two were healed.
With the lame, he said he would pray first in the name of a religious prophet and thereafter in the name of Jesus to consider who to believe between both. Nothing happened as he cried in the prophet’s name. But with Christ’s name, the lame stood on his feet. There was an uproar as thousands trooped to the altar asking to be saved by Jesus. At this time, the nation of Israel had been brought under the bondage of idolatrous worship of Baal. There must be an evident and indubitable show of who was superior, the almighty God or the helpless Baal.
READ DCLM Daily Manna Wednesday 6 December 2023 – Outsmarting Satan
Elijah arranged a contest between the two and announced the terms and conditions for the duel. It turned out a tragic disgrace for Baal and his followers. Man and his earthly creations in the shape of idols, education or achievements can never overthrow or effectively replace God. He has absolute and supernatural powers that cannot be supplanted.
They come to misery who they attempt to challenge His authority. God makes unlimited powers available to His faithful servants as they confront the enemies of the church who wield demonic spiritual weapons to stop us. We are assured of the consuming power of God on the battlefield of evangelism and in all our endeavours to live holily as we await the Lord’s second coming. “The gates of hell,” the Lord says, “will not prevail against (us)” (Matthew 16:18).
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A mighty fortress is our Saviour.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 1-5
