Thursday: Armageddon and Mt. Carmel – Part 2
Read 1 Kings 18:18-40. What happens, how does the story end, and (without pushing the parallels too far) how does this story reflect what will happen — but on a grand scale — as the great controversy climaxes at the end of time?
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The battle on Mount Carmel was between Elijah, prophet of God, and the hundreds of priests of Baal. (Notice how the evil outnumbered the good.) It was a test to demonstrate who is the true God, the God who created the heavens and the earth, or Baal, just another manifestation of “the dragon” and another means by which he seeks to deceive the world (Rev. 12:9) .
The priests prayed to Baal to send fire to burn up their bull sacrifice. They shouted from morning to noon. &ldquoCry aloud” taunted Elijah. “Perhaps he is sleeping” (1 Kings 18:27, NKJV) . The priests worked themselves up into a frenzy. They slashed themselves with swords until the blood flowed freely. Weary and worn they gave up at the time of the evening sacrifice.
Elijah’s sacrifice was soaked three times, and water overflowed the trenches. Elijah prayed a simple prayer to God. God instantly burned up everything, including the stone altar and soil beneath. The power of the true God in contrast to Baal was now unmistakable.
Read Revelation 16:13; Revelation 19:20-21, and compare these texts with the fate of the false prophets of Baal. What do we see here?
Whatever remains unknown about Armageddon, at least for now, we know the outcome: destruction of the enemies of God and vindication for God and His saints.
| Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-2. Though the immediate context is different from Armageddon, what is the point that Paul is making, and why is that so relevant for us to remember, especially in light of what the future holds? See also Revelation 16:15, in which the context is definitely Armageddon. What, together, do these texts tell us? |
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Ahab said “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”
The pagan religion was, in truth, so closely interwoven with all the arrangements of civil and social life, that it was not easy to separate and distinguish the barely civil or social from religious element. Many customs had really sprung from a religious source, whose connection, however, with religion has long been forgotten by the multitude, and remembered only by a few learned antiquarians, lay too far back to be called in the popular consciousness.
WW Prescott - The Divine Human Family page 61
Let them continue to blaspheme us, provided only we give them no occasion for so doing by our unchristian conduct, provided they blaspheme in us only what belongs to Christianity. We should indeed, in every proper way, become all things to all men; but yet in no such sense as to become worldly to worldly men; for it is also said, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."
WW Prescott - The Divine Human Family page 62
Our decision defines our destination
At last, evil will be destroyed for ever! We must turn to God's Love while we have time! And we must learn to trust Him everyday, so when the day comes we will be prepared! Not asleep!
After that great victory with the threat of death, Elijah thought because of the prevalent evil practices that he alone in service to God (1Kings 19:14).
Even when things change in society for the worse, and we can't see or feel human support, with His own power and presence God will sustain His people. In times when the majority rules on the side of evil and it seems like 'everybody's doing wrong' God will always have those who love and serve Him, no matter how few in number.
Quite possibly that is a lesson for us as well when we get the idea that we (our church) is standing alone for the Truth. God told Elijah that there were 7000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Maybe we too need to learn that there are others who stand for truth that we know nothing about.
I agree wholeheartedly...I believe God makes no distinction between His children by organizations we belong to, race, culture or any other human characteristic we find so easy and natural to use to classify others, or even make ourselves appear to be what we're not (God's only children).
Remembering that God is no respector of persons is somewhat helpful in beginning to understand the love God places in us to have for one another. Surrender wholly to His Spirit Who creates the loving image of Christ in us makes us athentic and genuinely accepting of all of God's people... period.
I didnt quite get your opinion, are you saying that there are other churches that also stand for truth? Because to the best of my knowledge, truth is absolute, especially bibilical truth, whoever doesnt follow it is on the wrong side. And as far as i know its only the adventist church that has beheld the bibilical truth.
Truth may well be absolute, but we see that truth through imperfect human eyes. Our experience is or should be one of growing into the truth. It is important to recognise that for each of us, truth is a journey, not a destination that we arrive at. In that respect, I recognise that there are other Christians, who I disagree with but who are honestly seeking truth too. Even in this blog, people express their view of the truth differently to me. That does not make one of us right and the other wrong. But together with the help of the Holy Spirit we can grow into truth. If Elijah had to learn the lesson that he was not alone, how much more important is it for us to take that lesson on board as well.
It reminds me of what someone said. Our founders were "seekers of truth". When we say "we have the truth" we become defenders of truth. The problem is that defenders of truth stop seeking, and since none of us is perfect, none of us "has all truth". And then their is Christ's teaching that truth was not a doctrine, but a person. He said "I am the way the truth and the life".
Love these thoughts Wilton!
Yes Maurice...John 10:16.
Both Christ and Satan are gathering at this time, and in the final events just before us will gather the remnant who will see Christ in the clouds.
By our fruit we shall be known. There is no middle ground, let us by the grace of God purpose to serve the Lord with all our mind, body and soul for to lose out on eternal life it would have been better we were not born.
It continues to appear to my understanding that Armageddon is the great meeting of the whole family of Adam after the 2nd resurrection, where all will see that those who were persecuted for the truth are blessed and honored by God, and Jesus, "sitting on the right hand of power", who all will now acknowledge when they see the whole controversy unfolded and every argument settled at last. Satan will be revealed/exposed, having hidden himself and his purposes in order to deceive the nations who would not surrender their lives to their Maker and Redeemer. The great armies of the lost will be led to attack the city of God, until God intervenes, resulting in every knee bowing to acknowledge that God is supreme and has been just in all He has done. The wicked will then turn on Satan and all those they allowed to deceive them, as we have seen the enemies of God do often throughout history, and then the earth will be cleansed by God by fire out of heaven. The controversy will then be over for good, and the wicked will never be found again.
What other "battle" could be so conclusive and involve every individual who either exercised faith or unbelief? It is at this time that the great stone of Daniel 2 destroys the nations of the earth completely and becomes a great "mountain"; the new earth. I'm finding many scriptures that seem to support this.
Hi Robert
Just curious. In Friday's lesson you stated that "... it's not difficult to see and show the symbolic nature of these prophecies, and how literal meanings do not really fit in a book loaded with symbols...". I fully agree with this perspective.
In the post above, you mention that "the earth will be cleansed by God by fire out of heaven" and "the great stone of Daniel 2 destroys the nations of the earth completely and becomes a great "mountain"; the new earth". Are you suggesting these aspects are literal details of what will happen and how, or do you believe that they too may well be symbols/metaphors and that the actuality of what takes place may be consistent in principle but different in detail?
Good questions Phil, and I believe that there is a way to understand what is clearly symbolic and what may not be, or we would never be able to understand what God has given to be understood(Rev 1:1). Yet, as our individual and collective understanding evolves, we may find ourselves seeing something different than we have before.
In regards to Armageddon, since there is no clear explanation in scripture that points clearly to the meaning, the context and what is revealed will be our focus in trying to discern it's meaning. If it is important to know, God will make it clear. What I'm sharing is my growing awareness of a possible understanding that appears to make some sense. Not ready to argue over it or advocate this as a fundamental belief. It's too vague(presently) to feel that confident. It could be that this will only be known at the time of it's fulfillment, and I never lose sight of that possibility.
Armageddon seems to be the final confrontation somehow, and as I look at it, the end of the 1000 years is when the whole confederate army will assemble for the very first, and last time. Satan will deceive them, again, and they will mount an attack, or at least will get in position to do so. That's what we know. While I have always accepted the general understanding, which itself is not concrete, my personal study has brought me a different perspective that is not yet without questions.
The 2nd coming will only affect those alive at that time, including a special resurrection of certain individuals that the Lord wishes to experience that event for reasons He alone knows. While the events that will unfold once the wicked are raised up will involve every soul who had a choice to make, and made it by exercising either faith or unbelief. It is at this time, when the lost prepare to make some sort of attack against the the city and those in it, that God will bring everything into the light for all to see. No question will remain unanswered. I believe this will finish the war that began in heaven, which at this time, will be settled forever. That doesn't happen at the 2nd coming, or this last deception of the wicked would not take place.
Does any of this make sense?
So, as the "war" in heaven began with lies, it will end by the revealing of the truth, which will expose the lies. The actual making and use of any weapons is just a backdrop and really, irrelevant. It serves only to prove intent and just how grand Satan's lies were/are. But the real "battle" is the manner of Satan's tactics (lies, deception, misapplication, etc) vs truth.
As for the fire, too many references pointing to this being not just a symbol. Regarding the nature and point of origin, we will see with our own eyes just how symbolic this is or isn't. I think it's clear the fire symbolizes cleansing of some sort. In Matt 3:11,12 it appears that fire is both symbolic and literal, yet the nature of the "literal" fire might be the glory of God fully revealed, and this "consuming fire" will cleanse the earth. How amazing that the world taken captive by lies and deceit will be won back by truth revealed, both in the death of Christ showing the truth about God's self-sacrificing love, and the exposure of Satan, showing how he is a liar and loves only himself. Imagine the reaction of those who will discover that the one who helped and prospered them in their wickedness, did so only to secure their destruction with his. Can we see why the two classes are defined as the wise and the foolish? They will perish feeling like fools.
Thanks Robert.
I agree with the principles of cautious interpretation you outline in the second paragraph. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in progress.
While I see some merit in that perspective, I also see a problem, in that it seems to be tucked carefully between the sixth and seventh plague. If it is after the 1000 years, then must the seventh plague also be after the 1000 years?
Wilton, the deceptions at that time(during the 6th plague) is simple the gathering process. Satan will secure his victims for the final battle that takes place after the resurrection of the wicked at the end of the 1000 years, when the dragon is loosed for a season to deceive the nations(this time all of them since Cain) for the last time, into thinking they can overthrow this beautiful city with just a comparatively few people in it compared to their unnumbered armies, including some of the greatest warriors the world has seen. I
cancan't see Armageddon as ending at the 2nd coming since it isn't finished until after that. There is really no battle before since Jesus' appearance will halt the attack against God's faithful remnant and the wicked will be crying to the rocks and mountains to be hid from the Lamb, while after the 1000 years, there will be an organized attack upon the camp of the saints. The very last battle, which God Himself will finish, and once again, the two sides of the great controversy, once typified on Carmel, where the fire came from God out of heaven, will happen one last time before ALL the children of Adam's race, both lost and saved. The meek and lowly of heart will not have to fight, but will stand still and watch God, who is their refuge and strength fight the battle, which is really against HIM in the first place.Satan only needs to secure a soul in unbelief, which will "gather" them into his army for that last stand against God Himself. There will be no such stand at the 2nd coming, only terror and death for the wicked who were about to kill the remnant for their faithfulness to God.
Perhaps the battle has 2 parts? I have not got this all perfectly settled in my understanding, as it is a relatively new thought for me. I share it here for others to comment on. It's not something I care to stand firm on, since I don't really know. This is just what I am understanding at this time, and continue to examine from every angle possible.
correction: "I CAN'T see Armageddon as ending at the 2nd coming..."
[Moderator: I have corrected it with a "strike-through" in the original so that those who receive the earlier version by email will see the edit if they refer back to the blog.]
OK, that's beginning to make more sense. I did notice that the passage talks about gathering, but never mentios the actual battle occurring. The seventh plague puts a damper on that. So it seems reasonable that 1000 years later they pick up where they left off when that hail and stuff rained on their party.
Yes Wilton, and with death being a sleep, those thousand years, and the many thousands of year for those who have died in the past, will seem like a brief moment, before pick up right where they left off, until God's revealings lead them to acknowledge Him out of deep conviction, without any constraint or compelling on God's part. Just truth doing what it does best, sweeping away the refuge of lies(Isa 28:17), which is what I believe the great hail stones of the 7th plague are symbolizing. Not literal hail as I have always been taught. (?)
HI,
Could this be two fold? Primarily that we as God's people are involved in the 1st show down and then finally after the 1000 year that we'll watch God put an end to satan and his imps?
Exactly my thoughts Nikki. For both events are part of the great war that began in heaven, two separate parts of the final battle where all will have chosen one side or the other. Jesus saves the faithful from the hands of the wicked, who are put to "sleep" until the 1000 years are complete, at which time ALL the wicked from every age, beginning with Cain, will be mustered into battle to try and overthrow the City of God, which will end in their final and eternal destruction. But to me, the fact that every soul will be present who had any part in this war, and it will be concluded when God reveals all things before everyone present. Then by whatever means is represented by "fire from God out of heaven", the wicked will be consumed and "reduced to ashes upon the earth". Then peace for eternity!