Do powerful demons run religion and government through false prophets? (1 Kings 18:20-40)
Elijah – A. Look at B. Look through
Need this pic: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/donald-trump-red-button-for-ordering-coke
Throne – 200?X Bible
Isaiah 14:13-14 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
- 1st Throne Gods = WAR unseen realm
- 2nd Throne Satan’s = unseen realm
- Thrones – gov’t, education, church, medicine, business
- War over thrones on earth – ruled by Heaven or Hell
- Thin Place Between Seen/Unseen
=Backdrop Prophet Elijah vs King Ahab – THRONE
1 Kings 22:19“I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left”
1 Kings 22:10 “Now the king[s] of Israel…[were] sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes”
- Northern Kingdom – Israel – all demonic kings
- Southern Kingdom – Judah – good & evil kings
God’s commands for King Ahab on David’s throne under God’s Throne (study guide has verses)
- Hebrew married Hebrew
- Lived in obedience to the Word of God in the fear of the Lord
- Guarded heart from false trinity of greed, pride, pleasure
- Cared for God’s children, and own children in love
- Lead nation in singular devotion to the Lord
God vs Government: Demonic = church bends to state (Civil Disobedience)
–WA 1). 3 million abortion pills 2). SB 5599 – parents don’t consent minor child’s gender transition surgery, state takes custody. All Democrats voted “yes”. All Republicans voted “no”
I need 2 images:https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5599&Initiative=false&Year=2023
Nat’l Library Medicine – Does Maltreatment in Childhood Affect Sexual Orientation in Adulthood?
“Epidemiological studies find a positive association between physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and witnessing violence in childhood and same-sex sexuality in adulthood…”
= Battle over all thrones (Satan – gov’t, parenting, education, economy, biz, ent., church)
Sometimes It’s Godly to Fight Publicly
1 Kings 18:20-26 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. Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.
BINARY: God or Satan?
-3.5 yrs of judgment, no rain or dew (Baal – “storm god”)
-Mount Carmel = Counterfeit A). High Place B). Thin Place = “Satan’s throne”
Revelation 2:13 “I know where you dwell [Pergamum], where Satan’s throne is.”
- 7 verses later mentions “Jezebel”
- Male & Female Demons – Baal/Asherah Zeus/Athena
- Demonic King & Queen – Ahab/Jezebel Eumenes/Apollonis
- Pergamum Museum in Berlin reconstruacted by Nazi’s
I need this photo: https://joyofmuseums.com/museums/europe/germany-museums/berlin-museums/the-pergamon-museum/highlights-of-the-pergamon-museum/the-pergamon-altar/
= New Days, Old Demons
Bull
-Baal – worshipped w/bull – strength & fertility
-Golden Calf days Moses
-1 Ki 12:26-32 King Jeroboam (Ahab Great/Great/Great/Great Grandpa) =worship golden bull
-Animal icon for religion like sport imagehttps://freebiesupply.com/logos/chicago-bulls-logo/
1 Prophets vs 850 False Prophets
· Hear from God/LISTEN
· Communicate for God (writing or speaking)
· VS False Prophets – 850 Baal/Asherah (850 vs 1 = always more false prophets DISCERN)
Rev. 2:20-24 I [Jesus] have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess…
Remnant
Romans 11:2–5 God has not rejected his people…the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
Crowd watching – silent/undecided/fearful (schools closed, prophets killed, churches destroyed)
1. Quiet remnant need to come out of the closet, activated, witness, teach the lost
2. Lost need to get saved
Remnant – prune/harvest (APPLE TREE STORY)
Sometimes It’s Godly to Mock Publicly
1Kings 18:27-29 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
- False Prophet – counterfeit Jesus shedding blood.
=Cutting your body is worshipping Baal
=Our God does not demand our blood, but gives His own.
- Real Prophet – mockery don’t be afraid or defensive
Are You Going to be Slaughtered or Saved?
1 Kings 18:30-40 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.” And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
=One time event – Luke 9:54-55 James & John “sons of Thunder”
- HONOR: Rebuilt altar to honor God
- PRAYER: All he does is pray
=Airstrike from Heaven like Sodom & Gomorrah
-“the LORD of hosts” (1 Ki. 18:15, 19:10, 19:14) “A phrase describing Yahweh’s role as Lord of the heavenly armies…commander of the cosmic forces… head of the divine council, & the leader of Israel’s army…God’s role as a warrior who fights both in the cosmic conflict against divine forces & through human historical events for His people…appears 285 X in the OT…”
SLAUGHTERED 850 False Prophets = Passive vs active wrath
Romans 2:5 “because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself [passive wrath] on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed [active wrath].”
Slaughtered 850– 1). 5 gen’s 2). 3.5 yrs 3). Few hrs 4). Fire = 0 False Prophets convert
- Demons can’t be saved.
- Demonic like Judas
- Evil does not stop itself, must be stopped.
I need this image: https://www.biblewalks.com/kerencarmel
Decision Day!
1 Ki. 18:21 (CEV) “How much longer will you try to have things both ways? If the Lord is God, worship him! But if Baal is God, worship him!”
“the people…fell on their faces & said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.”
=GOD -1). Kept a REMNANT 2). SENT A FIRE FOR REVIVAL!
CLOSE: FIRE – 400+X Bible
1. Literal Fire – perpetual altar fire
2. God appearing as a fire – Deut. 4:24 the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
3. Hell – Rev. 19-10 5X “lake of fire”
Matt. 3 John said, “[Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Acts 2:3-4 “fire appeared…& rested on each one of them.And they were all filled w/the Holy Spirit”
Revival –
- Any thrones in your life Jesus is not sitting on?
- Any pruning needing to happen?
A). You are set on fire by God B). Set on fire for God!
