45. WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON?Every once in a while, a single choice can decide your future and fate.
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Have you ever had to take sides in an argument? How many times have you been asked which football team you support? Sometimes, taking sides is uncomfortable. Other times it is a neces- sary step before you can play a game like basketball, volleyball, or football. And every once in a while, taking sides can decide your future and fate. With that in mind, let's read a short story before we look at the Bible.
Excitement had been in the air for weeks. The end of the football season was coming, the weather was getting warmer, and two teams were tied for first place. It just so happened that they would be playing a match, the winner of which would be the champion. Those two teams were Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, bitter rivals.
It’s not very often that two teams get to face each other in a real cham- pionship match and there was no way that Erdem was going to miss it. He was an avid Beşiktaş fan and didn’t think twice about sleeping on the sidewalk for tickets. He knew his friend Berk might want to go to the match, so when it was his turn he bought two tickets.
The day came, the streets were lled with chants from both teams’ supporters, and the crowds started making their way to the stadium. Anyone unfamiliar with football would have thought it was a riot, but to the people of İstanbul this was a controlled frenzy (if there is such a thing).
Erdem, dressed in his Beşiktaş uniform, and Berk entered the stadium and found a seat. It was packed and unfortunately the only seats available were the ones reserved to separate the two teams fans. Of course, no one wanted to be in between these two crowds because even though there were several rows reserved as neutral ground, there is no such thing as neutrality in a football match. Erdem and Berk took their places with Berk sitting on the outside edge of the row.
The fans were jumping up and down, twirling towels, burning ares, and throwing confetti. But Erdem and Berk weren’t having the same experience. While Erdem was showing his loyalty to Beşiktaş, Berk was casually watching. He didn’t know all the chants, nor did he particularly care to learn them. He liked football, but he didn’t support a specific team. During halftime, when the crowd was a bit more subdued, Erdem confronted Berk:
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you cheering? Are you a Fenerbahçe fan?”
“No. I don’t support a team.” Berk replied.
“What? Are you a Turk? I can’t believe what I am hearing!”
“Come on! What are you saying, I’m not a Turk if I don’t support a team?”
“Look brother, everyone supports a team. You can’t watch a football game and be neutral. That just isn’t right. In fact it’s strange. Even my grandma supports a team.” Erdem chided him.
For Erdem, it was impossible that someone could remain neutral at a football match. While it may also seem odd for some of us, some people don't pick sides or care which team wins. But you can't be that way with spiritual things. We actually make a choice when we do nothing. If we don't positively choose God's way, we by default accept Satan's way because there are only two choices. You are ei- ther on God's side or Satan's side. The biggest decision you will ever make is to decide which side you will be on in this spiritual battle. Let’s start reading in 1 Kings chapter 18 verses 17 and 18:
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Is it you, you trou- bler of Israel?18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals.
Elijah was a powerful prophet of God. He didn’t come from a luxurious home or a famous town. But he was a man of faith and prayer, a man who was willing to deliver a message of rebuke and reform to an apostate nation. Yes, unfortunately the nation of Israel led by king Ahab had rejected the Creator of the Universe. The ones who God had continued His covenant with abandoned the worship of the one, true God for the worship of Baal, Asherah, and their idols. Af- ter years of prosperity and fame under the reigns of David and Solomon, the nation of Israel was now a divided kingdom. Two tribes, Benjamin and Judah formed the southern kingdom of Judah and the remaining ten tribes formed the northern kingdom of Israel led by the idolater, Ahab, and his evil wife, Jezebel.
It is interesting to note that King Ahab called Elijah a troubler. King Ahab was referencing the three year drought that Israel was expe- riencing – a drought that he blamed Elijah for even though it was a punishment for leading Israel astray. When Elijah predicted the drought, he was only doing what God told him. But it isn’t like King Ahab didn’t have a choice. If he had repented from his sin, God wouldn’t have allowed the drought. But just like the Pharaoh of Egypt, King Ahab refused to repent and continued to lead the Israelites in idolatry. Therefore, it didn’t rain for three years.
But God didn’t give up on Israel because He still loved them. He knew that the promise of His covenant must be fulfilled. It is at this point that He calls Elijah, who had been in hiding for three years, to not only bear an important message, but to represent Him during one of the greatest displays of God’s power. Let’s continue with Elijah’s command to King Ahab in 1 Kings chapter 18 verses 19 and 20:
19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table. 20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
The prophet of God delivered the proclamation that everyone was to gather on Mt. Carmel. This mountain sits high above the valley oor and from it’s peak you can see in all directions. Unlike the worshippers of Baal and Asherah, who liked to secretly worship in covered forests, God was about to do something that all could see. It would be here that He would remind every Israelite that He alone was pow- erful. So the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, King Ahab and Je- zebel, Elijah, and all Israel assembled on and around the mountain. Let’s pick up the story in 1 Kings chapter 18 verses 21-24:
21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no re to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by re, he is God. And all the people answered, It is well spoken.
Elijah asked one of the most profound questions of the Bible and followed it up with one of it’s greatest appeals.
“How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”
In other words, stop sitting on the fence. Stop trying to be neutral. You are either for God or against Him. You either worship the one, true God and live like He matters to you or you don’t! In today’s language, which team are you supporting?
Imagine just for a moment what it was like for Elijah. He was basically an outcast surrounded by a crowd of what could be consid- ered enemies. He knew that they thought he was the sole reason for this drought. They could have easily captured, beaten, and killed him. And yet he stood there with con dence rebuking the King, the people, and a false worship system. He knew that the future of these peoples’ lives depended on this one decision. But the Bible says,
“And the people did not answer him a word.”
Silence. By not answering they were giving a very clear answer. Their heart attachment to false worship and peer pressure was too strong to break from the cultural lie. Their silence testified against them. They were guilty. Let’s read verses 25-29:
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it. 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us! But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened. 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
The heathen priests prepared their altar and sacri ce. They prayed to Baal and Asherah. They sang and danced. But there was no an-
swer. Elijah teased them and asked them where their god was. “He must be busy and can’t hear you,” he taunted.
So the false priests began cutting themselves and moaning. But no matter how much they prayed, chanted, cut or bled, Baal and Ash- erah remained silent. Their false gods demanded much and gave nothing in return. Let's see what happened next in verses 30-35:
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be your name, 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood. 34 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. 35 And the water ran around the altar and lled the trench also with water.
After the people saw that Baal and Asherah were not responding, they were curious as to what the one, true God would do. They drew close to Elijah and watched with eagerness as he repaired an old altar. They listened as he told the story of Jacob and his twelve sons. They were reminded of the covenant promise transferred to their nation. They re ected on their greatness and mourned the loss of their prosperity. Each one of them knew that their descent into idolatry happened one step at a time. It was over a period of days, months, and years. Now let's read verses 36-40:
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back. 38 Then the re of the LORD fell and con- sumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God. 40 And Elijah said to them, Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
Elijah stood in stark contrast to the false priests of Baal. He didn’t sing, dance, chant, or cut himself. He started by acknowledging God’s identity and superiority. He said a simple prayer and asked God to accept the sacrifice and the peoples’ repentance. Almost in- stantly, fire came down from heaven and engulfed the altar. The ames were so hot that the sacrifice disintegrated before the peoples’ eyes. There was no doubt that the one, true God was real and only He deserved worship. The people immediately covered their faces and fell to the ground. The only words they could proclaim were:
“The Lord, He is God. The Lord, He is God.”
Elijah, prompted by God, ordered that the unrepentant priests of Baal be captured and led away. The people, motivated by fear and awoken from their spiritual slumber, took hold of the idolaters, led them away, and killed them. They would no longer be allowed to entice the people of God into sin. The Israelites had made up their mind and decided that they wanted to be on God’s side. Who’s side do you want to be on?
As steps for another World War were being taken and countries be- gan making alliances, the Republic of Turkey faced a major deci- sion. Would they be an Ally or Axis power? After the terrible losses of WWI and the struggles of nearly losing their homeland, the Turk- ish nation decided that the cost of war was too high. In spite of immense pressure from the countries of both sides, Turkey remained neutral throughout the war. A position that proved to be hard, but possible.
In the spiritual life, as we have seen in this lesson, there is no room for neutrality. You either worship God or you don’t. If you choose not to worship the Creator, you will inevitably worship something else. It might be another god, a relationship, entertainment, or mon- ey. One thing is for sure, only the one, true God has your best interests at heart. He doesn’t want you to be deceived nor does he want you to be a slave of sin. He wants you to be blessed!
If you want to be on His side, say this prayer:
“God I want to be on your side. Please show me the straight and narrow path. Please show me your will and lead me on the path of righteousness. I know that you love me. You and only you are God. Amen.”
Discussion Questions
1. Is there anything in your life, actions, or thoughts that keeps you from being on God’s side? That is, are there things that you are
doing that you wouldn’t do in front of God?
2. Would it take re coming down from heaven to convince you to commit yourself fully to God or are you ready right now?
3. If you are on God’s side, what would it take for you to be like Elijah and tell others?
4. Do you need the help of your friends or small group to stay true to God? If so, ask for their help. Make a covenant to support each
other in this spiritual journey.
Excitement had been in the air for weeks. The end of the football season was coming, the weather was getting warmer, and two teams were tied for first place. It just so happened that they would be playing a match, the winner of which would be the champion. Those two teams were Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş, bitter rivals.
It’s not very often that two teams get to face each other in a real cham- pionship match and there was no way that Erdem was going to miss it. He was an avid Beşiktaş fan and didn’t think twice about sleeping on the sidewalk for tickets. He knew his friend Berk might want to go to the match, so when it was his turn he bought two tickets.
The day came, the streets were lled with chants from both teams’ supporters, and the crowds started making their way to the stadium. Anyone unfamiliar with football would have thought it was a riot, but to the people of İstanbul this was a controlled frenzy (if there is such a thing).
Erdem, dressed in his Beşiktaş uniform, and Berk entered the stadium and found a seat. It was packed and unfortunately the only seats available were the ones reserved to separate the two teams fans. Of course, no one wanted to be in between these two crowds because even though there were several rows reserved as neutral ground, there is no such thing as neutrality in a football match. Erdem and Berk took their places with Berk sitting on the outside edge of the row.
The fans were jumping up and down, twirling towels, burning ares, and throwing confetti. But Erdem and Berk weren’t having the same experience. While Erdem was showing his loyalty to Beşiktaş, Berk was casually watching. He didn’t know all the chants, nor did he particularly care to learn them. He liked football, but he didn’t support a specific team. During halftime, when the crowd was a bit more subdued, Erdem confronted Berk:
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you cheering? Are you a Fenerbahçe fan?”
“No. I don’t support a team.” Berk replied.
“What? Are you a Turk? I can’t believe what I am hearing!”
“Come on! What are you saying, I’m not a Turk if I don’t support a team?”
“Look brother, everyone supports a team. You can’t watch a football game and be neutral. That just isn’t right. In fact it’s strange. Even my grandma supports a team.” Erdem chided him.
For Erdem, it was impossible that someone could remain neutral at a football match. While it may also seem odd for some of us, some people don't pick sides or care which team wins. But you can't be that way with spiritual things. We actually make a choice when we do nothing. If we don't positively choose God's way, we by default accept Satan's way because there are only two choices. You are ei- ther on God's side or Satan's side. The biggest decision you will ever make is to decide which side you will be on in this spiritual battle. Let’s start reading in 1 Kings chapter 18 verses 17 and 18:
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Is it you, you trou- bler of Israel?18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals.
Elijah was a powerful prophet of God. He didn’t come from a luxurious home or a famous town. But he was a man of faith and prayer, a man who was willing to deliver a message of rebuke and reform to an apostate nation. Yes, unfortunately the nation of Israel led by king Ahab had rejected the Creator of the Universe. The ones who God had continued His covenant with abandoned the worship of the one, true God for the worship of Baal, Asherah, and their idols. Af- ter years of prosperity and fame under the reigns of David and Solomon, the nation of Israel was now a divided kingdom. Two tribes, Benjamin and Judah formed the southern kingdom of Judah and the remaining ten tribes formed the northern kingdom of Israel led by the idolater, Ahab, and his evil wife, Jezebel.
It is interesting to note that King Ahab called Elijah a troubler. King Ahab was referencing the three year drought that Israel was expe- riencing – a drought that he blamed Elijah for even though it was a punishment for leading Israel astray. When Elijah predicted the drought, he was only doing what God told him. But it isn’t like King Ahab didn’t have a choice. If he had repented from his sin, God wouldn’t have allowed the drought. But just like the Pharaoh of Egypt, King Ahab refused to repent and continued to lead the Israelites in idolatry. Therefore, it didn’t rain for three years.
But God didn’t give up on Israel because He still loved them. He knew that the promise of His covenant must be fulfilled. It is at this point that He calls Elijah, who had been in hiding for three years, to not only bear an important message, but to represent Him during one of the greatest displays of God’s power. Let’s continue with Elijah’s command to King Ahab in 1 Kings chapter 18 verses 19 and 20:
19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table. 20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
The prophet of God delivered the proclamation that everyone was to gather on Mt. Carmel. This mountain sits high above the valley oor and from it’s peak you can see in all directions. Unlike the worshippers of Baal and Asherah, who liked to secretly worship in covered forests, God was about to do something that all could see. It would be here that He would remind every Israelite that He alone was pow- erful. So the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, King Ahab and Je- zebel, Elijah, and all Israel assembled on and around the mountain. Let’s pick up the story in 1 Kings chapter 18 verses 21-24:
21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no re to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by re, he is God. And all the people answered, It is well spoken.
Elijah asked one of the most profound questions of the Bible and followed it up with one of it’s greatest appeals.
“How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”
In other words, stop sitting on the fence. Stop trying to be neutral. You are either for God or against Him. You either worship the one, true God and live like He matters to you or you don’t! In today’s language, which team are you supporting?
Imagine just for a moment what it was like for Elijah. He was basically an outcast surrounded by a crowd of what could be consid- ered enemies. He knew that they thought he was the sole reason for this drought. They could have easily captured, beaten, and killed him. And yet he stood there with con dence rebuking the King, the people, and a false worship system. He knew that the future of these peoples’ lives depended on this one decision. But the Bible says,
“And the people did not answer him a word.”
Silence. By not answering they were giving a very clear answer. Their heart attachment to false worship and peer pressure was too strong to break from the cultural lie. Their silence testified against them. They were guilty. Let’s read verses 25-29:
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it. 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us! But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened. 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
The heathen priests prepared their altar and sacri ce. They prayed to Baal and Asherah. They sang and danced. But there was no an-
swer. Elijah teased them and asked them where their god was. “He must be busy and can’t hear you,” he taunted.
So the false priests began cutting themselves and moaning. But no matter how much they prayed, chanted, cut or bled, Baal and Ash- erah remained silent. Their false gods demanded much and gave nothing in return. Let's see what happened next in verses 30-35:
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be your name, 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood. 34 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. 35 And the water ran around the altar and lled the trench also with water.
After the people saw that Baal and Asherah were not responding, they were curious as to what the one, true God would do. They drew close to Elijah and watched with eagerness as he repaired an old altar. They listened as he told the story of Jacob and his twelve sons. They were reminded of the covenant promise transferred to their nation. They re ected on their greatness and mourned the loss of their prosperity. Each one of them knew that their descent into idolatry happened one step at a time. It was over a period of days, months, and years. Now let's read verses 36-40:
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back. 38 Then the re of the LORD fell and con- sumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God. 40 And Elijah said to them, Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
Elijah stood in stark contrast to the false priests of Baal. He didn’t sing, dance, chant, or cut himself. He started by acknowledging God’s identity and superiority. He said a simple prayer and asked God to accept the sacrifice and the peoples’ repentance. Almost in- stantly, fire came down from heaven and engulfed the altar. The ames were so hot that the sacrifice disintegrated before the peoples’ eyes. There was no doubt that the one, true God was real and only He deserved worship. The people immediately covered their faces and fell to the ground. The only words they could proclaim were:
“The Lord, He is God. The Lord, He is God.”
Elijah, prompted by God, ordered that the unrepentant priests of Baal be captured and led away. The people, motivated by fear and awoken from their spiritual slumber, took hold of the idolaters, led them away, and killed them. They would no longer be allowed to entice the people of God into sin. The Israelites had made up their mind and decided that they wanted to be on God’s side. Who’s side do you want to be on?
As steps for another World War were being taken and countries be- gan making alliances, the Republic of Turkey faced a major deci- sion. Would they be an Ally or Axis power? After the terrible losses of WWI and the struggles of nearly losing their homeland, the Turk- ish nation decided that the cost of war was too high. In spite of immense pressure from the countries of both sides, Turkey remained neutral throughout the war. A position that proved to be hard, but possible.
In the spiritual life, as we have seen in this lesson, there is no room for neutrality. You either worship God or you don’t. If you choose not to worship the Creator, you will inevitably worship something else. It might be another god, a relationship, entertainment, or mon- ey. One thing is for sure, only the one, true God has your best interests at heart. He doesn’t want you to be deceived nor does he want you to be a slave of sin. He wants you to be blessed!
If you want to be on His side, say this prayer:
“God I want to be on your side. Please show me the straight and narrow path. Please show me your will and lead me on the path of righteousness. I know that you love me. You and only you are God. Amen.”
Discussion Questions
1. Is there anything in your life, actions, or thoughts that keeps you from being on God’s side? That is, are there things that you are
doing that you wouldn’t do in front of God?
2. Would it take re coming down from heaven to convince you to commit yourself fully to God or are you ready right now?
3. If you are on God’s side, what would it take for you to be like Elijah and tell others?
4. Do you need the help of your friends or small group to stay true to God? If so, ask for their help. Make a covenant to support each
other in this spiritual journey.