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Those prophets were 'sitting on the fence' (according to The Message paraphrased Bible).
Elijah gave them a chance. Elijah told them to call upon their gods to 'light the fire'. They prayed and cried and called. But their god was 'not a god'. Elijah mocked and challenged them. Told them to call louder. Maybe their god was asleep; calling louder might wake their god; or on a trip, or perhaps sitting on the toilet (Contemporary English Version).
Then Elijah had them bring buckets of water on the altar. Elijah prayed once, and boom, fire from heaven consumed the altar and everything. If that wasn't evidence that God approved of Elijah as his true prophet.
Elijah told 'the people' to grab the prophets. So 'the people' did as told. They could have refused.
Then Elijah had them killed. 1 Kings 18:40 according to the Amplified Bible adds: "[as God's law required]". So really that's the reason WHY Elijah had them killed: God's law required it. Elijah and 'the people' obeyed. I guess God didn't want any 'false' prophets around.
The Bible states that in the future God will 'cut off' all evildoers. Why? Because they are 'evildoers'. It's really that simple. God requires obedience. At least that's what's in the Bible.
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RafaElijah killed the prophets of Baal because they were leading the people of Israel away from worshiping the one true God and towards the false god Baal. By eliminating the prophets of Baal, Elijah sought to protect the Israelites from being led astray and to reaffirm their commitment to following God alone.
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Who did Elijah go up against on Mount Carmel?
Elijah went up against the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He challenged them to a test to see which deity, Baal or the Lord, would send fire down to consume a sacrifice. Through his faith in the Lord, Elijah demonstrated the power of God as fire consumed his offering.
Where in 1 kings can you find the execution of 450 priests?
The execution of the 450 priests is described in 1 Kings 18:40, where Elijah ordered the prophets of Baal to be brought down to the Kishon Valley and killed. This event follows the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
What happened to the Asherah prophets that were also mentioned in 1 kings 18?
A:1 Kings chapter 18 does not mention prophets of Asherah, but rather those of Baal. According to this passage, Elijah tricked them into a contest he would win, then murdered all of them. One would expect from this that worship of the god Baal would have ceased forever in Israel, but archaeologists find evidence that he continued to be worshipped throughout Israelite history, up until the final destruction of Israel in 722 BCE. Asherah was the Hebrew fertility goddess and very different from Baal and the other Israelite gods. Thousands of figurines associated with the goddess have been found throughout Israel and Judah prior to the Babylonian Exile, but none from that time onwards. It seems that the Babylonian Exile brought an end to her worship.
What was the significance of the battle at mt Carmel?
The battle at Mount Carmel in the Bible, involving the prophet Elijah and the priests of Baal, showcased the power of the God of Israel over the false gods. It affirmed the authority of the God of Israel and led to the downfall of the priests of Baal and the promotion of monotheism. The event is often seen as a demonstration of faith, courage, and divine intervention.
What are the achievements of prophet Elijah?
Prophet Elijah showed God's power at Mt Carmel. he showed God's power through restoring Yahweism back. People had been into apostacy, worshipping baal and asherah. Other prophets were in hiding from Jezebel yet Elijah was not, his exterminating the opposing prophetic career. Pophet Elijah delt with social injustice where he delt with Naboth's vineyard and the Ahab confrontation. He is credited by the still small voice of inspiration as opposed to violent ecstacy. Elijah's miracles e.g at the contest on Carmel and the raising of the widow's son. Him becomingg a prophetoic successor to himself in the person of Elisha.
