The Bible In Paintings: ELIJAH VS. BAAL’S 450 PROPHETS

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible In Paintings 2
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR APPRECIATING AND APPLYING GOD'S MESSAGE

REVELATION 3:14-16
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

1
RICK WIENECKE
"The Lukewarm Church"

1^st KINGS
CHAPTER 18

Ahab went to meet Elijah. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”

“I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the LORD’s commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

2
Source

3
"Elijah Warning Ahab"

4
Source

So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said,

HOW LONG WILL YOU WAVER BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS?
IF THE LORD IS GOD, FOLLOW HIM;
BUT IF BAAL IS GOD, FOLLOW HIM.
But the people said nothing.

Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the LORD’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “O Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

5
JAMES TISSOT
"The Prophets of Baal Leap upon the Altar"

6
"Baal’s Prophets"

7
PHILIPS GALLE
"The Story of Elijah and the Priests of Baal"

8

9
Source

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

“Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.

“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

10
Source

11
"Elijah’s Altar"

12
Source

13
Source

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

14
LUCAS CRANACH the Younger
"Elijah and the Priests of Baal"

15
J. A. MARIENHOF
"The Sacrifice of Elijah"

16
ALBERT JOSEPH MOORE
"Elijah's Sacrifice"

17
MUSA son of Stefan
"Elijah Thanks God after the Triumph over the Priests of Baal"

18
DOMENICO FETTI
"Elijah’s Triumph"

19
"Elijah's Sacrifice"

20
Source

21
Source

22
"Elijah and Baal"

23
Source

24
"Elijah Calling down Fire"

25
"Elijah Praying to God to Set Fire to His Altar
in Front of the Prophets of Baal"

26

"Elijah’s Sacrifice Consumed by Fire"

27
Source

28
Source

29
MARC CHAGALL
"Offering of Elijah"

30
JAMES TISSOT
"Elijah Bringeth Fire from Heaven"

31
Source

32
Source

33
Source

34
Source

When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried,

THE LORD—HE IS GOD!
THE LORD—HE IS GOD!

Then Elijah commanded them, “SEIZE THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. DON’T LET ANYONE GET AWAY!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

35
JUAN DE VALDÉS LEAL
"Elijah and Baal’s Prophets"

36
GUSTAVE DORÉ
"Slaughter of the Prophets of Baal"

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

37
JULIUS SCHNORR VON CAROLSFELD
"Elijah Goes after Prophets of Baal"

New International Version ©1984, Abrdgd, EMPHASES Added
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[Hebrews 11:6]

R E S O U R C E S
Read 1st KINGS 18 in full
Hear MAX McLEAN reading it
Hear a DRAMATIZATION of it
Read J-F-B's COMMENTARY
BIBLE TIMELINE

Click for 133 prior episodes in THIS series:
The Bible In Paintings 2
Click for 434 links in the FIRST series:
The Bible In Paintings 1


HOW GOD PROMPTED
THIS BIBLE-ART SERIES

"The Bible comes alive so much more with all the
illustrations, paintings, sculptures and stained glass windows.
Through them the stories are crystallized in our minds."

CLICK HERE
FOR AN EXCELLENT
9-MINUTE OVERVIEW OF
1^st & 2^nd KINGS

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[Hebrews 11:6]

E L I J A H
GOD SENDS RAVENS TO FEED ELIJAH
A GENTILE WIDOW FEEDS ELIJAH
ELIJAH RAISES THE WIDOW’S SON
ELIJAH vs. BAAL’S 450 PROPHETS
ELIJAH RUNS FROM AHAB & JEZEBEL
THE LORD APPEARS TO ELIJAH
ELIJAH'S CHARIOT OF FIRE, Part 1
ELIJAH'S CHARIOT OF FIRE, Part 2

[Red Badger]

450 PROPHETS OF BAAL ON THE HILL....
450 PROPHETS OF BAAL.....

TAKE ONE DOWN...
CUT HIM AROUND....

449 PROPHETS OF BAAL ON THE HILL..................

[Sans-Culotte]

Wow, there’s a ton of illustrations of this period. Thanks!

[Hebrews 11:6]

449 PROPHETS OF BAAL ON THE HILL....
449 PROPHETS OF BAAL.....

TAKE ONE DOWN...
CUT HIM AROUND....

448 PROPHETS OF BAAL ON THE HILL..................

[Red Badger]

We could do this all day!........................

Elijah had a real sense of humor!..................

[Hebrews 11:6]

Two day’s worth of Elijah’s fiery chariot ride to heaven, beginning on Friday. Artists find Elijah paintable.

[NorthMountain]

You probably know this ... the people in No.9 are followers of Mad Mo, the false prophet of “allah”. Some things don’t change much.

[Hebrews 11:6]

He still does!....................

[NorthMountain]

Elijah, Oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn. This performance is in English, I have also heard it in French and German. The "mocking the prophets of ba'al" part is particularly good.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Yeah, but they illustrated the text, so I threw it in. Couldn’t resist....

[Hebrews 11:6]

I’m unfamiliar, but I’ll give it a try. Thanks....

[Red Badger]

So does the Lord! He burned up the sacrifice, the STONES AND THE WATER!................

[NorthMountain]

Fans of the "Stargate" television shows will, of course, recognize this charming villain:

[Hebrews 11:6]

God’s exquisite sense of humor is largely unappreciated, but I am a big fan.

[Hebrews 11:6]

If you say so....

[etabeta]

Among the illustrations, #21 and #23..awe, fear, expressed well in the faces and gestures of the people observing this miraculous event.
Thank you for the beautiful stained glass windows....you are safe for another day!

[Hebrews 11:6]

Just trying to keep you happy!

[NorthMountain]

“Elijah” doesn’t get the popular recognition that “Messiah” gets, which is unfortunate. IMO, it’s on the same level.

[Bob434]

I don’t get number 1- what is it supposed to represent? A lukewarm church? How does it represent that? Ismit,suggesting that lukewarm churches end up in hell? Or are chained to their lukewarmness? I like the sculpture, jusy not sure how it represents lukewarm