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Ahab, King of Israel, misled by his queen, Jezebel, perverted
the religion in God's typical Kingdom. The ordained worship in
the Temple was neglected and image worship established. The
faithful Prophet Elijah reproved King Ahab, and was compelled by
the wicked Queen Jezebel to flee into the wilderness, where
ravens fed him for three and one-half years. (1Ki.17:5,6).
Finally, by God's direction, Elijah reappeared and challenged
the priests of Baal to a public test as to which god could
answer prayer, the Lord or Baal.
Whichever god would accept the offering by fire from heaven to
consume the sacrifice, should be acknowledged as the true God.
The Israelites saw the fairness of the proposition, and Baal's
priests could not avoid the issue.
Elijah gave them the preference. All day long they agonized, cut
themselves with stones and cried to Baal to accept the offering
and vindicate his cause.
Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry a little louder! Baal may be
sleeping! or perhaps he has gone on a journey!
When the evening came, Elijah gave his test. First of all he had
water carried and poured over all the altar and the sacrifice,
that there should be no mistake; lest any one might think of any
concealed fire. Then Elijah prayed to God to vindicate His
cause. Fire descended from heaven and consumed the sacrifice,
licking up even the water in the trench. When the people saw
this they gave a great shout and declared, "the Lord, He
is God!" (1Ki.18:30-39).
Bible students claim that Elijah represented the True Church,
Queen Jezebel a false religious system, Ahab the governments of
Earth. The time of Jezebel's persecution, when Elijah hid in the
wilderness and there was no rain for 1260 days, represented 1260
years of spiritual drougth (538 A.D. to 1798 A.D.), when the
antitypical Jezebel's power to persecute to death ceased. (Rev.12:6,14;
13:5).
Elisha, Elijah's successor, restored the Shunammite's son.
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