You are probably familiar with the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel as he goes head-to-head with the worshippers of Baal. If you are unfamiliar with the story, read 1 Kings 18. It’s an incredible narrative that reaches its climax with Elijah mocking the worshippers of Baal and their cries to a false god.
1 Kings 18:27, “At noon, Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he (Baal) is a god. Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’”
Let me break down what Elijah is saying here.
First he says that maybe Baal is in deep thought- In this statement, Elijah points out that Baal may be tied up with other people, and can’t talk to them right now because he is occupied with someone else. Imagine that the people are calling out to Baal, and all they get is a recording that says, “I’m sorry, your call is important to us, so please stay on the line. One of our representatives will answer your call in the order that it was received.” Real impressive, huh?
Next, Elijah mockingly says maybe Baal is busy- Scholars tell us that this statement refers to a god being involved in leisure or pleasure. Baal could have been taking a walk in the woods or maybe an afternoon nap. This is like getting the response: “He’s out of the office this morning, can I have him call you when he gets back in?”
The next phrase in Elijah’s statement is classic: maybe Baal is busy or traveling- For some reason, Elijah says, Baal could have stepped out for a moment. Scholars say that the essence of this ridicule is captured in the crude Latin interpretation of the Hebrew: “Maybe he is using the bathroom.” Maybe he ate something last night for supper that made his stomach upset and he can’t come to you right now. There it is! Biblical bathroom humor at its finest!
And finally, maybe Baal is sleeping and needs to be awakened- This is really the ultimate display of disrespect, ridicule, and mockery. According to historians, the different gods found from the testamental periods through the mythological periods are bound to mortal limitations. These limitations include eating, drinking, and sleeping. Elijah is claiming that the power of Baal is limited by the inability to overcome simple desires and necessities. In verse 27, it says Elijah starts speaking “at noon.” Oh I get it, Baal is probably on his lunch break. Why don’t you try to call him later when he returns?!
God allows Elijah to throw every insult in the book at these idol worshippers. God and Elijah both realize the lack of power that Baal and his worshippers have. The sad but inevitable truth lies in the later part of verse 29: “But there was no response. No one answered, no one paid attention.”
I love God’s sense of humor throughout the Bible. However, one area that God is painfully serious about is the fact that there are no other Gods next to him; and by the looks of this passage, God will go to great measures to prove that. So as we wade through a postmodern world that believes God is in everything, everyone, and can be anything that we want him to be, remember that the one true God will continue to use His people to show that He is the only one worthy of our praise and honor.
Read 1 Kings 18:30-39 - If you think Elijah’s speech mocking Baal was good, check out how God shows his power in setting water on fire!
Here’s a great promise that the one true God’s power over false idols and their followers will one day be dealt with in finality. Philippians 2:9-11: “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
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