18:15-18
Elijah assures him that he will indeed present himself to Ahab that very day. Obadiah agrees to go and speak to Ahab, and Elijah does go to meet Ahab. The meeting begins with the two of them exchanging insults. Ahab calls Elijah “that troubler of Israel”, Elijah tells Ahab the truth, it is Ahab and his disobedience that are the root of the problem. He and his household had abandoned \god and followed the Baals. THis is part of the reason for the confrontation. Rain was about to come, and the Baals were thought to be in command of the weather, so might get the credit for the rain. The confrontation would clearly demonstrate that the Baals were useless.
18:19-28
The confrontation on Mount Carmel begins. Elijah tells Ahab to summon all Israel, all the people needed to see the truth, he also wanted the prophets of Baal and Asherah. So they all assembled on Mount Carmel. Elijah speaks to the people. Challenging them to choose between God and the Baals, whom would they follow? The people did not answer. Elijah called on the prophets of Baal to prepare a sacrifice, and call on their god to send fire. So they did so, but of course no fire came.
They danced and made a big show, but still no fire. Elijah mocks them and their “god”.
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