One of the most powerful statements in the Old Testament is when Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal in front of the people of Israel. Whether it was because of social pressure, pressure and fear from Israel's King Ahab or his wife, or because they were, in their hearts, rebellious, the people would not choose between following the Living God, or an idol named Baal. And so Elijah calls them out: So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 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.-1 Kings 18:20-21
If the Prophet were here today, would he demand the same of us? "But," you might say, "we don't worship idols. We go to church every Sunday, and participate in the activities." This may very well be true, and I'm glad you're active at church. Yet, how often do we worship the work of our hands? How often do we choose our careers or businesses over God? How often do we choose recreation, sports, or other activities over God? How often do we make our church services, whether in the music, the order of service, the way we do things all about US and what we're comfortable with and not about Christ? And (I've been guilty of this too), we rationalize, "God understands, I'm there almost every Sunday, I do my part!" I think, though, when we do this, we misunderstand the whole point: God wants to rule us as King. He desires our obedience. He requires us to seek and serve and love Him. He calls for our submission, and for us to follow His Son, even to the Cross (which is an Every day calling!). We have to choose, and the choice was never between the living God or a God of stone, wood or gold; the choice is choosing between our opinions of ourselves, or submission to God. It's time we stop, as Elijah said, limping between two opinions. We're either submissive to God, or we're in it for ourselves. We can't have it both ways. Joshua 24:2-15 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.
“‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’
“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
