Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 20:30-43.

“His servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel;  perhaps he will save your life.”  So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’”  And he said, “Is he still alive?  He is my brother.”  Now the men took this as an omen, and quickly catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.”  Then he said, “Go, bring him.”  Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he took him up into the chariot.  Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.”  Ahab said, “And I will let you go with this covenant.”  So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

…  He (the prophet) said to him (Ahab, the king of Israel), “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’”  So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.”  1 Kings 20:30-34 and 42-43.  

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“Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots.  And he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it.”  1 Kings 20:1.

Today’s Scripture teaches us that it is important to know that even though both mercy a/k/a lovingkindness and justice are generally good, “there is a time and place for each”, so to speak.  

We are not always allowed to show mercy a/k/a lovingkindness in every situation that we want, nor are we always allowed to show justice in every situation that we want.  We are responsible to know according to God’s Word, the Bible, what the particular situation requires us to show, whether it be mercy a/k/a lovingkindness OR justice OR possibly both, sometimes known as equity.  

In today’s Scripture, the particular situation of how to deal with Ben-hadad, king of Aram, who had waged war against Israel, required Ahab to NOT show mercy a/k/a lovingkindness to him.  We read:  “… Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.”  Verse 42.   

We can understand the important of justice if we consider how we as citizens would feel if a judge opened the doors of every jail and prison in his jurisdiction and allowed the imprisoned criminals to go free.  Yes, one could vainly argue that the judge was being good by showing mercy a/k/a lovingkindness, but no citizen would approve.  

Or, what would we think of our own military, if our country was attacked and our military just stepped aside to let the enemy do what they wanted?

“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God;  and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.  For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.  Do you want to have no fear of authority?  Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;  for it is a minister of God to you for good.  But if you do what is evil, be afraid;  for it does not bear the sword for nothing;  for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”  Romans 13:1-4. 

But, there is hope!

“6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.” Proverbs 2:6-9.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 20:22-30.

“Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do;  for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we;  but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.  Do this thing:  remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot.  Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.”  And he listened to their voice and did so.

At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.  The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them;  and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country.  Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”  So they camped one over against the other seven days.  And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day.  But the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left.  And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber.”  1 Kings 20:22-30.

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Notice from the following verse in today’s Scripture that there can be severe consequences of not having a correct understanding of the LORD.  “… Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”  Verse 28.

Likewise, notice from the following Scriptures that if we treat our understanding of the LORD as unimportant, preferring to understand ourself and be wise for ourself, then we “alone will bear it.”

Jesus Himself said:  “But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:5.

“10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.” Proverbs 9:10-12.

“The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.” Proverbs 10:21.

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Reformed Doctrine teaches us that man’s condition corrupted by the fall of Adam (through Adam’s sin) is a condition of “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism.

We were “dead” in sin.  Ephesians 2:1-5.    We were hostile to God.  Romans 8:7 and Colossians 1:21.  We were in bondage to sin.  Romans 7:14-15.

“10 as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” Romans 3:10-12.

The fallen condition of man is not that we are just affected or injured by the presence of sin.  Rather,  “… you were dead in your trespasses and sins,”  Ephesians 2:1.

But, there is hope!

“… I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:24. 

The LORD exercised lovingkindness.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-8.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

The LORD exercised justice.  

“2 … Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him
And burns up His adversaries round about.” Psalm 97:2-3.

“And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You;
You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff.” Exodus 15:7.

“But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”  Luke 19:27.

God perfectly demonstrated His justice by even sending Christ, His beloved Son, to the cross, because justice required punishment for the sins of His elect. 

The LORD exercised righteousness.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

In summary, fear the LORD, seek to understand Him, and worship Him.

“The Rock! His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4.

“He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.” Psalm 33:5.

“11 Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 2:11-12.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 19:19:21.

“So he (Elijah) departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth.  And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him.  He (Elisha) left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.”  And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”  So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate.  Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.”  1 Kings 19:19:21.

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“Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”  But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”  Matthew 8:21-22.

With all the temptations and other distractions of the world and with all our weaknesses and fleeting faith, how can we follow Jesus as He deserves and as we should?!

But, there is hope!

Consider the following from the Heidelberg Catechism.  

Q. 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

A.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ;  who, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled from FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.

Article 3.  By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength.  But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end.

Article 8.  Thus, it is not in consequence of their own merits, or strength, but of God’s free mercy, that they do not totally fall from faith and grace, nor continue and perish finally in their backslidings; which, with respect to themselves, is not only possible, but would undoubtedly happen;  but with respect to God, it is utterly impossible, since his counsel cannot be changed, nor his promise fail, neither can the call according to his purpose be revoked, nor the merit, intercession and preservation of Christ be rendered ineffectual, nor the sealing of the Holy Spirit be frustrated or obliterated.

Article 9.  Of this preservation of the elect to salvation, and of their perseverance in the faith, true believers for themselves may and ought to obtain assurance according to the measure of their faith, whereby they arrive at the certain persuasion, that they ever will continue true and living members of the church;  and that they experience forgiveness of sins, and will at last inherit eternal life.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 19:9-18.

“Then he came there to a cave and lodged there;  and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  He said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts;  for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword.  And I alone am left;  and they seek my life, to take it away.”

So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.”  And behold, the LORD was passing by!  And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD;  but the LORD was not in the wind.  And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire;  and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.  When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.  And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts;  for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword.  And I alone am left;  and they seek my life, to take it away.”

The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram;  and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel;  and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.  It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.  Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”  1 Kings 19:9-18.

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The primary and most clear points from today’s Scripture is that the LORD exercises both lovingkindness and justice.  

We see the lovingkindness of the LORD in verse 18.  “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”  Verse 18.  

The LORD could have put to death all the sons of Israel.  Elijah himself bore witness against them twice in verses 10 and 14.  “…  for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword.  And I alone am left;  and they seek my life, to take it away.”  Verses 10 and 14.  

But, the LORD saved a remnant according to His gracious choice.

“… Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?  “Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.”  But what is the divine response to him?  “I HAVE KEPT FOR MYSELF SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.”  In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.”  Romans 11:2-5.

We see the justice of the LORD in verse 17, and we better understand the reason for the justice of the LORD when we consider the actions of the son of Israel stated above.  “It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.”  Verse 17.   

We often hear about the lovingkindness of the LORD in church.  But, how often do we hear about the justice of the LORD in church?  How often do we meditate on the justice of the LORD?  Jesus Himself said:  “But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:5.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

The secondary and more obscure points from today’s Scripture teach us how to respond to the sovereignty of the LORD in establishing and accomplishing all of His purpose and His good pleasure, including but not limited to exercising lovingkindness and justice on earth.

We may not understand why the LORD sent Elijah to go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD, particularly considering that the LORD was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire.  The LORD did not talk to Elijah in the wind or in the earthquake or in the fire.  But, the power of the wind, the earthquake, and the fire could remind Elijah of the power and sovereignty of the LORD.

Likewise, for us today, we may not understand how the LORD “exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth”, but we see the power and sovereignty of the LORD throughout Scripture and His creation.  We can trust the LORD and His word that He will establish and accomplish all of His purpose and His good pleasure, including but not limited to exercising lovingkindness and justice on earth. 

“… I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:24.

“… ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;” Isaiah 46:10.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 18:30-40.

“Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.”  So all the people came near to him.  And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down.  Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”  So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed.  Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood.  And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”  And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time.  And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.  The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word.  Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”  Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces;  and they said, “The LORD, He is God;  the LORD, He is God.”  Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal;  do not let one of them escape.”  So they seized them;  and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”  1 Kings 18:30-40.

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What a stunning miracle!  

In sharp contrast to the actions of the prophets of Baal (see 1 Kings 18:26-29), Elijah, the prophet of the LORD, did not try morning to evening to get the LORD to answer by fire;  Elijah only tried once, at the the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. 

Elijah did not rant nor rave but only humbly and quietly requested it.

Elijah made it much more difficult for his sacrifice to be lit with fire by drenching the offering and the whole site with water. 

And, if all of that was not enough, Elijah requested that the LORD do an additional miracle of turning the hearts of Israel back to him!  “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”  Verse 37.

We do not have a need for our sacrifice to be lit by fire, but we have a desperate need for our hearts to be turned back to the LORD.  And, we read that “When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces;  and they said, “The LORD, He is God;  the LORD, He is God.”  Verse 39. 

So, there is hope that the LORD can turn our hearts back to the LORD!

In sharp contrast to other doctrine which is satisfied with just requesting man to use own his wisdom and his own will to turn back to the LORD, Reformed Doctrine believes and teaches that the LORD is able by His sovereign power to turn hearts back to Himself and chooses to do so for all of His elect.  

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

Article 11.  But when God accomplishes his good pleasure in the elect, or works in them true conversion, he not only causes the gospel to be externally preached to them, and powerfully illumines their minds by his Holy Spirit, that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God;  but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, pervades the inmost recesses of the man;  he opens the closed, and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised, infuses new qualities into the will, which though heretofore dead, he quickens;  from being evil, disobedient and refractory, he renders it good, obedient, and pliable;  actuates and strengthens it, that like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.

Article 12.  And this is the regeneration so highly celebrated in Scripture, and denominated a new creation:  a resurrection from the dead, a making alive, which God works in us without our aid.  But this is in no wise effected merely by the external preaching of the gospel, by moral suasion, or such a mode of operation, that after God has performed his part, it still remains in the power of man to be regenerated or not, to be converted, or to continue unconverted;  but it is evidently a supernatural work, most powerful, and at the same time most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable;  not inferior in efficacy to creation, or the resurrection from the dead, as the Scripture inspired by the author of this work declares;  so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner, are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe.  – Whereupon the will thus renewed, is not only actuated and influenced by God, but in consequence of this influence, becomes itself active.  Wherefore also, man is himself rightly said to believe and repent, by virtue of that grace received.”

Article 14.  Faith is therefore to be considered as the gift of God, not on account of its being offered by God to man, to be accepted or rejected at his pleasure;  but because it is in reality conferred, breathed, and infused into him;  or even because God bestows the power or ability to believe, and then expects that man should by the exercise of his own free will, consent to the terms of that salvation, and actually believe in Christ;  but because he who works in man both to will and to do, and indeed all things in all, produces both the will to believe, and the act of believing also.

“A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening;  and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.”  Acts 16:14. 

“The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord.  But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.  Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first;  since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.  For so the Lord has commanded us,

‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES,
THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’”

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord;  and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”  Acts 13:44-48. 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love  He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:3-6.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 18:20-29.

“So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel.  Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?  If the LORD is God, follow Him;  but if Baal, follow him.”  But the people did not answer him a word.  Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.  Now let them give us two oxen;  and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it;  and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it.  Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”  And all the people said, “That is a good idea.”

So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”  Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.”  But there was no voice and no one answered.  And they leaped about the altar which they made.  It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god;  either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.”  So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them.  When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice;  but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.”   1 Kings 18:20-29.

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We live in a day and age where so many accept it as truth that everyone’s god is equal to everyone else’s god.  The only virtue is to have some claim of spirituality, whatever that means.  

Elijah stands out as an example of one who would say to us today:  “NO!  Everyone’s god is NOT equal to everyone else’s god!“

“Elijah came near to all the people and said,  “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?  If the LORD is God, follow Him;  but if Baal, follow him.”  …”  Verse 21.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

“But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.” Psalm 115:3.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19.

But, as for other gods, no matter how much one worships another god or even raves, “… there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.” Verse 29.

“So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you.  For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

“When you become the father of children and children’s children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God so as to provoke Him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will surely perish quickly from the land where you are going over the Jordan to possess it.  You shall not live long on it, but will be utterly destroyed.  The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD drives you.  There you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.”  Deuteronomy 4:23-28.

But, there is hope!

“But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.  When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.  For the LORD your God is a compassionate God;  He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.”  Deuteronomy 4:29-31.