“And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, it is well spoken”. – 1 Kings 18:24(KJV)
Our God is a God of fire. He created fire and is the master of its uses. Our God is a consuming fire. “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God”. Deut. 4:24(KJV). Nearly all sacrifices instituted by God through Moses are by fire as demonstrated in our daily reading of today. When Jesus Christ came into the world, John the Baptist testified that He will baptize His followers with the Holy Ghost and with fire. (Matt. 3:11). Indeed on the day of Pentecost the bible testified thus “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them”. Acts 2:3(KJV).
However, at Mt. Carmel Elijah demonstrated what must be done for our sacrifice to be acceptable to God by fire, as follows:-
- He repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. This connotes repentance. The broken relationship between God and man has to be properly amended, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation…..”. The broken altar represented the state of the heart of the people that have gradually moved away from God.
- Twelve stones representing the twelve sons of Jacob. This is a reference to their origin, history and foundation. These stones represent the source of their calling and beliefs. It represented what Israel stood for as in reference to verse 31”.., unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:” In the same vein, the foundation of the Christian faith is laid on Christ as the chief cornerstone. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ”. -1 Cor. 3:11(KJV). In Isaiah 28:16 the bible says “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste”.
- We must rebuild the altar of our heart on the foundation, which is Jesus Christ. We must seek for the way to the old rugged cross. – Jer. 6: 16. We must build our repentance and living on the solid doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Mediator of the new Covenant.
It is when we have properly put all these in place that we are guaranteed of God’s acceptance of our sacrifice by fire. It is then that God will visit our sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving and worship by fire.
Prayer: Oh LORD, help me to build on the foundation that is laid, which is Christ. In Jesus Name.
Bro Joel Ezeugo