What is the meaning of 1 Kings 18:29? Midday passed - By noon the prophets of Baal had been crying out for hours (1 Kings 18:26). - Midday, the brightest part of the day, highlights the emptiness of idolatry even under the clearest light (John 3:19–20 contrasts darkness and light). - Elijah allows their frenzy to run its course, underscoring that patience can expose falsehood (Proverbs 21:30). …and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice - Their “raving” grew more frantic, including self-mutilation (1 Kings 18:28), showing how man-made religion degenerates when gods do not respond (Jeremiah 10:5). - The “evening sacrifice” (about 3 p.m.) recalls the God-ordained daily offering in Exodus 29:39 and foreshadows Christ’s death at the same hour (Mark 15:34-37). - Elijah waits for the moment God Himself had prescribed for worship, reinforcing that true worship follows divine order, not human invention (Leviticus 1:3-9). But there was no response - Despite hours of effort, Baal remains silent; idols have mouths but cannot speak (Psalm 115:4-7). - God’s silence toward false worship is itself a verdict (Isaiah 44:17-20). - The contrast prepares the reader for the living God’s forthcoming answer by fire (1 Kings 18:38). No one answered - The repetition stresses total failure; Baal cannot even pretend to communicate (Isaiah 41:28-29). - Earlier, Saul experienced similar silence when cut off from the Lord (1 Samuel 28:6); here the silence is absolute because there is no real deity behind Baal. - True prayer depends on the living God who hears and speaks (Psalm 34:15). No one paid attention - The worshipers’ voices echo into emptiness; only a personal, living God can give attention (Psalm 66:19). - Their emotional intensity could not force a response—reminding us that sincerity alone does not equal truth (Romans 10:2-3). - God will soon show that He alone “pays attention” by sending fire and later rain (1 Kings 18:38, 45). summary 1 Kings 18:29 exposes the impotence of idols: after hours of feverish devotion, Baal offers nothing—no voice, answer, or attention. The scene magnifies God’s supremacy, setting the stage for His decisive intervention. All human-made substitutes fail, but the Lord who hears and acts stands ready to receive worship offered on His terms and in His time. |
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