你站在哪一边？
列王纪上十八章1节、16-24节
1过了许久，到第三年，耶和华的话临到以利亚说：你去，使亚哈得见你；我要降雨在地上。
16于是俄巴底去迎着亚哈，告诉他；亚哈就去迎着以利亚。
17亚哈见了以利亚，便说：使以色列遭灾的就是你么？
18以利亚说：使以色列遭灾的不是我，乃是你和你父家；因为你们离弃耶和华的诫命，去随从巴力。
19现在你当差遣人，招聚以色列众人和事奉巴力的那四百五十个先知，并耶洗别所供养事奉亚舍拉的那四百个先知，使他们都上迦密山去见我。
20亚哈就差遣人招聚以色列众人和先知都上迦密山。
21以利亚前来对众民说：你们心持两意要到几时呢？若耶和华是神，就当顺从耶和华；若巴力是神，就当顺从巴力。众民一言不答。
22以利亚对众民说：作耶和华先知的只剩下我一个人；巴力的先知却有四百五十个人。
23当给我们两只牛犊，巴力的先知可以挑选一只，切成块子，放在柴上，不要点火；我也预备一只牛犊放在柴上，也不点火。
24你们求告你们神的名，我也求告耶和华的名。那降火显应的神，就是神。众民回答说：这话甚好。
信息分享
三年不下雨的日子已过，以利亚准备求神再次下雨。以利亚先知虽有刚烈的性格，但他亦有一颗仁爱之心，不忍见到百姓继续受苦。他祷告主说：「主啊，求你怜悯你的百姓，他们已受够了苦。倘若你愿意结束这场旱灾，再次从天降雨，我愿意公然挑战亚哈和他的巴力先知。主啊，求你向百姓显明，你仍然深爱他们；求你向他们显明，你是那位掌管天气的永生真神。」神再次应允以利亚的祷告，派他去见亚哈。请留意，从这一刻开始，便是由以利亚而不是亚哈发号施令。一个属神的人，必有神的权能在背后支持着他。
经文没有告诉我们，要用多少时间才能召齐巴力先知和百姓的代表到山上。我们相信大概要用好几天的时间。在迦密山上，以利亚再次成为发号施令的人。他首先问以色列民：「你们为甚么摇摆不定呢？」他们之所以摇摆不定，基本原因不是他们无法分辨真假，而是因为心怀二意。别人拜甚么，他们也拜甚么。因此，他们有时敬拜真神，有时又拜巴力。
他们为甚么会这样？其实，今天的基督徒也有这种随俗的心态。当「人人都这样做」的时候，我们便很容易盲目追随；又或是，我们害怕自己维护信仰的立场太强硬，会惹来别人的非议。这种试探会带来十分隐晦的压力，要独排众议是十分困难的，每个人都害怕攻击和压力。以利亚直截了当地质问百姓，但百姓当中却没有人敢开口答他。这是一种罪咎的沉默；他们知道自己做错，却不肯承认。
我们愿意向神祷告，求神赐给我们勇气，去坚守祂的立场吗？去做祂喜悦的事吗？去跟随祂的带领吗？是的，我们可能要为此付上代价，但我们若立定心志，神必祝福我们。
ON WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU?
1 Kings 18:1 and 16-24
1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.
19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it.
24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”
Message
Wouldn't it have been soul stirring to have heard Elijah pray? James 5:17-18 says it was because Elijah prayed, God sent the drought. Where did he get the idea of praying like that? He knew the Word of God. He knew God had said in Deuteronomy 11:16-17 that if his people turned away from Him, He would send a scorching drought on the land, until they repented.
Then after 3 years, Elijah changed his prayer. Behind that rough strong exterior, there was "a tender heart". "Lord has mercy on your people. They have suffered enough. If you are willing to end this drought, I am willing to stand up to Ahab and all the prophets of Baal. Lord, I want you to show this people that you still love them. Show them, Lord, that you are the living God who controls the weather." Again God answered and sent Elijah to meet Ahab. Notice that from this point on, Elijah gave the orders, not King Ahab. A man of God has the authority of God behind him.
We are not told how long it took to get the priests and the representatives of the people together. Possibly it was a few days. Elijah then on Mount Carmel again took charge. His first question was to the people - "Why do you waver from one side to the other?" It wasn't so much that they couldn't make up their minds (who were right), rather it seemed that they followed whichever crowd they were with. Sometimes they followed the Lord. Sometimes they followed Baal.
Why were they like this? For the same reasons many Christians mingle with the world today. When "everyone is doing it", it is so easy to do the same things. Or it can be because of the fear of what others may say if we take too strong a stand for Christ. This can be a very subtle temptation. It is not easy to be different. Fear of persecution can be very real. Elijah's question was very plain, very definite, but the people didn't answer him. There was a guilty silence. They knew what was right to do, but they wouldn't admit it.
Can we pray today for courage to stand up for the Lord? To do what He wants? To follow where He leads? It may cost, but God will bless us as we do it.