There is a spiritual condition among us, the people of God, that mirrors a condition of the people of God in scripture. It is the failure to distinguish between the LORD God, and the gods of this world.
Near the beginning in scripture, we see the birth of Adam's grandson, Enosh. The name Enosh means "mortal man, weak, sick, frail, incurable, woeful". Sin in mankind was already taking a toll, as Enosh's name reveals. It is at this time that "men began to call upon the name of the LORD." (Gen. 4:26). Men realized that they needed to call upon and rely upon the LORD God for their very lives.
As the generations progress, we are introduced to a god, an idol named Baal in Num. 22:41- 23:1. Baal's name means, "lord, master, husband". We are told that the high places had been dedicated to this god. The Moabite king, Balak ("devastator, lay waste, to make empty and void"), sought out a certain oracle, Balaam ("not of the people"), son of Beor ("burn up, wasted") from Pethor ("soothsayer"). King Balak wants Balaam to curse the people of God, whom he feared, who had settled next to his lands after escaping Egypt (Gen. 22:5-6). From these high places of the god Baal, the full extent of the people of God could be seen. Seven altars were built there, and sacrifices offered. The LORD God did not allow the oracle, Balaam, to curse His people even though Balaam was willing to do so for the reward he would receive (2 Pet. 2:15, Jude 1:11). It is interesting to note that Balaam does counsel King Balak to allow his people to have intimacy with the Israelites in order to destroy them from within. It is through this intimacy that Baal worship was introduced into their midst according to Moses (Num. 31:16). Jesus also warned His own church at Pergamos about the insidious counsel of Balaam within their midst, and its destructive effect, again because of reckless intimacy ( Rev. 2:14). The name Pergamos means a fortified tower of great height used to repel a hostile attack, and to enable a watchman to see in every direction. Instead of this church being a spiritual tower of defense, Jesus said that the enemy, Baal, was able to enter into it.
As the Israelites settled in their new land in Canaan, their leader Joshua, and the generation of elders with him, passed away. This generation had knowledge the great name of the LORD, and had witnessed the great works of the LORD God among the people of Israel. The generation of Israel that rose after them did not know the LORD, and did evil in His sight by serving the Baals (Judges 2:8-13). When our younger generations do not know the name of the LORD or His works, they become vulnerable to a counterfeit, and its consequences. This danger has come upon our own children as the knowledge of the LORD has been systematically removed from them.
The nature of Baal worship should sound very familiar to us today. Some of the practices included perverse sexual activity as part of worship, religious prostitution, human sacrifice, child sacrifice by burning in fire, even burying these children in the foundations of new building projects to insure economic favor and prosperity (I Ki. 16:34). It also included the worship of the creation - the sun, moon, and stars. The danger of Baalism is not just in the manner of worship. The danger lies in the fact that it inserts itself among the people of God in a way that makes them unaware that they are no longer worshipping God, but Baal.
In the time of Gideon, whom the LORD used to bring deliverance to His people, Baal worship was flourishing among God's people. Gideon's own father had erected an altar to Baal. His father's name was Joash, which means "Given by the LORD, "The Altar Fire of the LORD", yet he built an altar for fire to Baal. Gideon destroyed this altar, as the LORD instructed him to do, and built an altar to the LORD and gave sacrifices upon it (Judges 6:25-26). When the men of the city found out that Gideon had destroyed Baal's altar, they wanted to kill him (v. 30). Gideon's father finally spoke up and told the mob to let Baal plead for himself! Challenging the worship of Baal, whether then or now, results in persecution, even the threat of death.
Later, in the times of the kings of Israel, King Ahab ("Kinsman or brother of the Father") married the daughter of Ethbaal ("with Baal"). This daughter was named Jezebel ("Baal exalts, Baal is husband"). After Baal worship entered in through this marriage, Ahab not only built altars to Baal, but temples as well. Because their king was under the influence of Baal, the whole nation became affected. Prophets served Baal and this queen, for the favor and riches they received at her table (1 Ki. 18:19). The religious and government systems enabled and supported each other in this idolatrous worship. We see a similar situation today as churches compromise the truth in agreement with the government in order to keep certain privileges. Those prophets of the LORD who did challenge Baal worship in Israel were persecuted and killed (v.4).
However, as the LORD knew, and as He instructed His prophet Elijah, the challenge and showdown with Baal and his servants would have to take place for the sake of the hearts and souls of God's children, Israel. The prophet Elijah set up the challenge between himself, as a prophet of the LORD, and the false prophets of Baal. To all the people of the land Elijah demanded:
"How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word." 1 Ki. 18:21
The people were unable to choose between the LORD and Baal. They could not distinguish between the two. This was their spiritual condition.
Elijah told the people that he would challenge the prophets of Baal in the following manner:
"Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken." 1 Ki. 18:24
The prophets of Baal built an altar and prepared a sacrifice for the god they served. Elijah repaired the altar in the name of the LORD that had been broken down, using twelve stones to represent the tribes of Israel. His offering was prepared. The prophets of Baal were in a frenzy, trying their hardest to move their god to answer them, even cutting themselves to draw blood, while Elijah mocked.
Elijah then had the LORD's altar and offering drenched with water several times and prayed,
"...let it be known this day that You are God in Israel...Hear me, O LORD, hear that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again...Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench."
As they witnessed the fire of the LORD, the people fell on their faces and cried out,
"The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" (1 Ki. 18:36-37,39)
In many cases, like the Israelites of scripture, the Church of our time has accepted the customs and beliefs of the people around them. Like the prophets of Baal, they are awash with corruption and worldliness in an effort to make the unholy, holy for the favor and advantages they receive at the queen's table. The Baal-type worship of abortion, sexual promiscuity and sin, the acceptance of lies about marriage, the worship of the creation rather than the Creator even in churches today, is practiced under the guise of "social justice", "love", "tolerance", and "relevance to the times". However neither the LORD God, nor Jesus changes (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8). So how can a church change the intent and meaning of the Word of God, saying this is who Jesus and the Father now are, and this what They now say? Baalism has infiltrated, and they are no longer able to differentiate between Jesus and Baal. At the same time, many in our nation, including in the church, are told that foreign gods, by whatever various names they are called, are the same as the only LORD God, but this is not the truth. As a result, there is no discernment in the peoples' hearts between the false gods of this world, the Baalim, and God who is Creator, Father, and LORD. All of these things are rooted in the same deception and darkness that stole the hearts of God's people away from Him so long ago.
This is the word for the churches: For those who still know the name of the LORD, for those who still know His works, and still serve Him, it is time to challenge the false prophets of Baal in our time, and to call down the fire from heaven. This is not a fire of judgment, as Jesus' disciples desired (Lk. 9:52-56). This is a fire of the revelation of the LORD God as it purges, and cleanses the hearts of His people, to turn them back to Him. It is a fire that comes to save lives, not to destroy them. Only then will we once again hear in our land, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"
Photo top: Elijah calls down the fire of heaven
Photo center: Gideon destroys the altar of Baal
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