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and commanding voice Elijah cries: “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.” Not one in that
vast assembly dared utter one word for God and show his loyalty to
Jehovah.
What astonishing deception and fearful blindness had, like a dark
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cloud, covered Israel! This blindness and apostasy had not closed
about them suddenly; it had come upon them gradually as they had
not heeded the word of reproof and warning which the Lord had sent
to them because of their pride and their sins. And now, in this fearful
crisis, in the presence of the idolatrous priests and the apostate king,
they remained neutral. If God abhors one sin above another, of which
His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency.
Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as
a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against
God.
All Israel is silent. Again the voice of Elijah is heard addressing
them: “I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets
are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bul-
locks; 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: 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. 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.
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.”
The proposition of Elijah is reasonable. The people dare not evade
it, and they find courage to answer: The word is good. The prophets
of Baal dare not dissent or evade the matter. God has directed this trial
and has prepared confusion for the authors of idolatry and a signal
triumph for His name. The priests of Baal dare not do otherwise
than accept the conditions. With terror and guiltiness in their hearts,
while outwardly bold and defiant, they rear their altar, lay on the wood
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