真假对质
列王纪上十八章25至40节
25以利亚对巴力的先知说：你们既是人多，当先挑选一只牛犊，预备好了，就求告你们神的名，却不要点火。
26他们将所得的牛犊预备好了，从早晨到午间，求告巴力的名说：巴力啊，求你应允我们！却没有声音，没有应允的。他们在所筑的坛四围踊跳。
27到了正午，以利亚嬉笑他们，说：大声求告罢！因为他是神，他或默想，或走到一边，或行路，或睡觉，你们当叫醒他。
28他们大声求告，按着他们的规矩，用刀枪自割、自刺，直到身体流血。
29从午后直到献晚祭的时候，他们狂呼乱叫，却没有声音，没有应允的，也没有理会的。
30以利亚对众民说：你们到我这里来。众民就到他那里。他便重修已经毁坏耶和华的坛。
31以利亚照雅各子孙支派的数目，取了十二块石头（耶和华的话曾临到雅各说：你的名要叫以色列），
32用这些石头为耶和华的名筑一座坛，在坛的四围挖沟，可容谷种二细亚，
33又在坛上摆好了柴，把牛犊切成块子放在柴上，对众人说：你们用四个桶盛满水，倒在燔祭和柴上；
34又说：倒第二次。他们就倒第二次；又说：倒第三次。他们就倒第三次。
35水流在坛的四围，沟里也满了水。
36到了献晚祭的时候，先知以利亚近前来，说：亚伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的神，耶和华啊，求你今日使人知道你是以色列的神，也知道我是你的仆人，又是奉你的命行这一切事。
37耶和华啊，求你应允我，应允我！使这民知道你─耶和华是神，又知道是你叫这民的心回转。
38于是，耶和华降下火来，烧尽燔祭、木柴、石头、尘土，又烧干沟里的水。
39众民看见了，就俯伏在地，说：耶和华是神！耶和华是神！
40以利亚对他们说：拿住巴力的先知，不容一人逃脱！众人就拿住他们。以利亚带他们到基顺河边，在那里杀了他们。
信息分享
这个测试公平吗？当然公平。迦南人认为巴力是掌管自然界的神祇，包括掌管火；所以，命天上降火当然不会难倒牠。
然而，无论巴力的先知怎样求，巴力却似乎毫无动静。以利亚见他们求了好几个小时仍没有回应，便嘲讽他们说：「放声求告吧！牠可能睡着了！」以利亚当然知道巴力不会有任何反应，因为牠根本不是神，唯有他所信靠的耶和华真神才能垂听祷告，命天降火。
以利亚差不多等了一整天，直至来到平常献晚祭的时间，大约是下午3时，他才作出行动。请留意，他没有用那个为巴力建造的坛，反而修筑那个已毁坏的耶和华的坛（30节）。它可能已被弃置多年；但如今是时候再去用它来献祭了。对我们来说可能也是一样，我们可能因为离弃神，所以失落了神的祝福；我们必须悔改，重新回到神那里，才能再次得到祂的祝福。然后，以利亚毫无保留地把祭物逐一放在坛上，全无保留地摆上（33节）。
接着，以利亚便祷告说：「主啊，让他们今天认识你是神。」（36、37节）一切的祈求，都应该以此为目的──让神得着荣耀；但是在现实中，我们却并非如此，我们的祈求可能蕴含了许多别的动机。我们为甚么求复兴？为甚么渴望教会得着神的祝福？是否为了让会友人数加增，以致别人称赞我们能干？若是如此，我们的动机就错了。也许，神正是为此而不答允我们。
基督在约翰福音第十七章的伟大祷文中，一开始便这样祈求说：「父啊，时候到了，愿你荣耀你的儿子，使儿子也荣耀你。」（1节）以利亚也同样祈求说：「耶和华啊，求你今日使人知道你是以色列的神。」神一直要等到以利亚把祭坛修筑好，把祭物全部放上，再祈求神得荣耀后，祂才命天降火。以利亚的顺服、信靠和祷告，使他得蒙神的答允。这对我们有甚么启发呢？
CONFRONTATION
1 Kings 18:25-40
25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”
26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
30 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 that was broken down.
31 And 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.”
32 Then 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 seahs of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.”
34 Then 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 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.
37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”
38 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.
39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
40 And 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 executed them there.
Message
What made Elijah think of this test by fire? It would seem God gave him the plan. Look at the last part of verse 36: "I have done all these things at your command."
Was it a fair test? Certainly. Baal was supposed to be the god of the elements, including fire. If there was anything a god of fire ought to be able to do, he ought to be able to light one!
But in spite of all that Baal's prophets did, the silent god did not and could not answer. After a few hours Elijah became a little sarcastic, "Shout louder," he said, "he may be asleep!" Elijah knew Baal couldn't answer. He knew his God could and would.
Elijah waited most of the day, until the time for the regular evening sacrifice, which was about 3 p.m.. Then he made his move. Notice he did not use the altar erected to Baal. He repaired a long forgotten altar (v.30). How long had it been unused? Probably many years. Now it was going to be used again. Same for us, sometimes we have to go back to the place where we lost the blessing that God had for us, and in repentance we have to start over again with Him. Then Elijah put all of the sacrifice on the altar (v.33). He placed it there piece by piece. He did not hold back any part. All of it went on to the altar.
Next Elijah prayed verses 36-37: "Let it be known today that you are God." This is the true motive for all prayer - to glorify God. A lot of motives in prayer are not really for God's glory. Too often we ask for other reasons. Why do we want revival? Why do we want blessings in our church? So that our numbers will increase and people will think highly of us? If so, our motives are wrong. That could be why God hasn't answered.
Christ said it so well in His great prayer in John 17:1: "Father, glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you." Elijah prayed ... "Let it be known today that you are God." Then the fire fell. When? It was after Elijah repaired the altar, put all the sacrifice on the altar and prayed for the glory of God. It was Elijah's obedience, Elijah's faith and Elijah's prayer which brought the answer. What does that say to us?