the stage

Before we continue with the narrative, let’s take a closer look at the stage for this dramatic and defining showdown. Mount Carmel is located south of the modern port city of Haifa, the third largest city in Israel. Despite its name, Mount Carmel is not a single mountain but actually a long range of hills, Carmel Ridge, which extends inland from the Bay of Acre (Akko) on the Mediterranean Sea southeasterly into the Jezreel (Yizreel) Valley. By most accounts Mount Carmel typically refers to the northwestern-most portion of the range, approximately 12 miles, with the general length of the range extending roughly 30 miles and overlapping into the hills of Samaria. Throughout the length of Carmel Ridge are a number of summits, which are intersected by hundreds of large and small ravines. Mount Carmel juts up sharply as a promontory nearly 500 feet over the Mediterranean, and four miles south of the coast it achieves its highest peak of 1,740 feet.

While a look from the northern or outer side shows only bald, monotonous rocky ridges, scantily covered with short and thorny bushes, the interior still preserves its ancient glory, which had procured for it the name of “God’s Vineyard.” “No spot in Palestine is more beautiful, more bracing, or healthful than Carmel” (Edersheim), with the valleys a scene of unsurpassed beauty, being covered with the most beautiful flowers in Palestine seemingly growing in this favored garden: crocuses, narcissus, pink cistus, daisies, wild tulips, dark red anemones, pink phlox, cyclamen, purple stocks, marigolds, geranium, and pink, yellow, and white rock-roses. Its heights are adorned with myrtles, laurels, oaks, and firs, all fed by the numerous springs found there.

In the Old Testament it became a symbol of beauty and fruitfulness: “Your head crowns you like Carmel” (SoS 7:5). “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon” (Isa 35:1-2).

Geographically, the Mount Carmel range forms a crucial physical boundary from the coast of the Mediterranean southeast toward ancient Megiddo, dividing the coastal plain of Palestine into the Plain of Acco to the north and the plains of Sharon and Philistia to the south. Dating back to 7,000 B.C., legendary city state Megiddo was a site of great importance in the ancient world, due to its location at the crossroads of several major trade routes, as well as being the gateway of a narrow pass and the ancient trade route which connected the lands of Egypt and Assyria. It was strategically located at the head of the southern pass through the Carmel Ridge, overlooking the lush Valley of Jezreel (Hebrew for “God Sows”) or the Plain of Esdraelon (ehz-DRAY-lehn) (Greek) or the Plain of Megiddo. A large plain about twenty miles long and fourteen miles wide, the Jezreel Valley was an important avenue of trade and communications, with the ancient Kishon River flowing through the valley along the base of Mount Carmel, and emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.

Standing guard over this crucial trade and communications route, the Carmel range has been a mecca for many religions throughout history. Extending back to the 15th century B.C. and Pharaoh Thutmose III, Carmel is likely the holy mountain he referenced as being in the vicinity of Acco. During Hellenistic times Mount Carmel remained a place of worship where a Temple to Zeus stood on the mountains. There was also an altar and an oracle there with inscriptions found mentioning a cult of Zeus. Pythagoras allegedly visited the mountain on account of its reputation for sacredness, claiming that it was “the most holy of all mountains, and access was forbidden to many,” while Tacitus states that there was an oracle situated there, which Vespasian visited for a consultation. Tacitus claimed that there was an altar there, though it is uncertain as to what religion or god it was intended. Mount Carmel is still considered a sacred place today by many faiths: Jews, Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Druze and Baha’i; and in 2005 the remains of what may be the oldest church in the Holy Lands was uncovered in the area of Megiddo. Possibly dating back to the 3rd Century A.D., among the discoveries was a large mosaic (54 square meters) with a Greek inscription stating that the church was consecrated to “the God Jesus Christ.”

In addition to its significant religious history, Carmel ridge and the low hills around Megiddo, with their outlook over the Plain of Esdraelon, have witnessed perhaps a greater number of bloody encounters than have ever stained a like area of the world's surface. Hardly an equal area of earth can so often have been drenched with the blood of men. Here on this “great battlefield of Palestine,” the legendary Egyptian Thutmose III fought the confederate princes of Syria and Palestine, attacking the city of Megiddo in 1478 B.C. The first documented battle in recorded history outside of the Bible, this battle is described in great detail in the ancient hieroglyphics found on the walls of his temple in Upper Egypt.

Much of the fighting during the wars of the Hebrews transpired within the circle of these hills, the scene of many never-to-be-forgotten battles. It was here the descendants of Joseph, the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, first encountered the Canaanite chariot kings (Josh 17:16), who built up the strategic cities of Taanach, Megiddo, and Bethshan. During the period of the Judges Deborah led the Israelites to victory over Sisera (Judg 4:7; 5:21) and Gideon likewise during his tenure as a judge over Israel: “Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel” (6:33).

While the scene of several victories for Israel, it was also here King Saul and armies were defeated, with Saul and his three sons, including Jonathan, lost on Mt. Gilboa (1 Sam 31:1-7). Not long after Elijah prophesied Jehu would destroy Ahab’s family, Jehu caught up to Ahaziah (Ahab’s son) and killed him at Megiddo, whereupon he went to Jezreel to command Jezebel be thrown to her death (2 Kgs 9). However, it was this same Jehu who would at this very location pay tribute to appease Assyrian king Shalmaneser III in 841 A.D. Here also King Josiah foolishly ignored the words of the Lord and fell in battle against Pharaoh Neco “in the Plain of Megiddo” (2 Chr 35:22).

In the first chapter of the apocryphal book of Judith we read about the battles of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, against Arphaxad, king of the Medes. When Arphaxad and his armies were wiped out, Nebuchadnezzar sent his general Holofernes into Palestine, where he and his invading army of “one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, not to mention the baggage train with the vast number of men on foot” met the Israelites on the Plain of Esdraelon (Judith 7:1-18).

Here also was the disastrous march of Napoleon Bonaparte from Egypt into Syria. “Jews, Gentiles, Saracens, Crusaders, Frenchmen, Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks, and Arabs, warriors out of every nation which is under heaven, have pitched their tents in the plain, and have beheld the various banners of their nations wet with the dews of Tabor and Hermon” (Dr. Clark). In more recent history, the most significant conflict here was the decisive Battle of Megiddo in September, 1918, the culminating victory for the conquest of Palestine by the British forces under General Edmund Allenby, during World War I. Allenby’s armies made a massive push into the Jezreel Valley from the west, through the Carmel Ridge, then engulfed the Ottoman forces in the valley. The significance of this battle will carry tremendous weight perhaps forever, as it was this decisive victory that allowed for the formation of the British oversight of Palestine, from which the State of Israel gained its independence. It is tremendously fitting that here should be the battle that ultimately led to Israel’s independence.

From the Carmel Ridge to the low hills of Megiddo, the Jezreel Valley has become a poetic expression for terrible and final conflict. The Hebrew term for “hills of Megiddo” is Harmagedōn (ar-mah-gehd-DOHN), or as translated into the Greek: Armageddon. It is here that the penultimate battle, the apocalyptic Armageddon will be waged, when the Lord will once-and-for-all deliver the Jewish remnant from the consolidated Gentile world powers, led by the three demon spirits who come from the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet (Rev 16:13-16).

Looking back to our study on the life of Elijah, Mount Carmel was the approximate geographic border of Israel and Phoenicia, and as such, it was a fitting site for the spiritual contest between the Phoenician god Baal and Yahweh, the God of Israel. Add to that the confluence of tremendous religious history and battles without number, this location was indeed the appropriate stage for the showdown between the prophets of Baal and Elijah. However, Mount Carmel would not offer a fair footing for both. The translation of Carmel, Kerem-El “vineyard of God,” is actually misleading to most of us. Given the location in Israel, we would automatically assume El here refers to Yahweh, the God of Israel. However, we must recall elohîm was the generic term by the pagans for gods or other deities, and El was the name given to their head god, the father of Baal. To the Canaanites, Carmel was an ancient high and holy place, long associated with the worship and religious rites of the Canaanites. There is evidence that the Carmel range was regarded by the Phoenicians as being the sacred dwelling place of Baal, and therefore a traditional site for the worship of Baal. In other words, the significantly outnumbered Elijah intentionally stacks the deck further yet in favor of Baal, giving the prophets of Baal the supreme home field advantage. Recall here the ancient belief that the gods were strongest on their “home turf.”

Where on Mount Carmel did this contest take place? Towards the eastern end of the range, overlooking the valley, stands a peak rising 1687 feet above sea level. Bearing an Islamic name, a strong testament to the high regard Muslims hold for Elijah, this third highest peak in the Carmel range is called El-Maharrakah or El-Mahrakah or El-Murahkah, meaning “The Burning” or “Place of Burning.”

Carel Willem Meredith van de Velde, is believed to be the first traveler (1852) who identified the site of the “Burning.” “There is not a more conspicuous spot on all Carmel than the abrupt, rocky height of El Murahkah… one can scarcely imagine a spot better adapted for the thousands of Israel to have stood drawn up on than the gentle slopes. The rock shoots up in an almost perpendicular wall of more than 200 feet in height on the side of the vale of Esdraelon. On this side, therefore, there was no room for the gazing multitude; but, on the other hand, this wall made it visible over the whole plain, and from all the surrounding heights, so that even those left behind, who had not ascended Carmel, would still have been able to witness the fire from heaven that descended upon the altar.”

The plateaus could not have been better adapted for possibly thousands of Israelites to have stood drawn up on the western side of El-Mahrakah, while sheer drop-off over the plain made the fire which descended from Heaven onto the altar visible over the entire length of the plain and from all the surrounding heights. This natural platform, raised 1000 feet over the plain, would have afforded a clear view of the fire from Heaven, so that those who hadn’t ascended Carmel would still have been able to witness this dramatic sign, with the site visible even as far away as Nazareth, some 20 miles away. While Jezebel wasn’t at the scene, if she had been looking from her palace in Jezreel, she also would have been able to see the fire come down.

The plateau had “a rocky surface, with a sufficiency of large fragments of rock lying all around [to build an altar], and, besides, well fitted for the rapid digging of a trench [around Elijah’s altar].” In verses 34 and 35 Elijah instructs the people to pour a substantial amount of water over his altar. After three-and-a-half years of drought, where would they have found so much water? We know from verse 40 that after the contest Elijah has the people take the prophets of Baal down to the Kishon River and has them all killed. “Nowhere does the Kishon run so close to Mount Carmel as just beneath el Mohraka.” Interestingly, the modern name for the ancient Kishon is Nahr el Mukutta‘, translated, “the river of slaughter.” According to tradition, the Baal prophets were slaughtered near a small hill on the banks of the Kishon River and thus it was named Tel-Kasis, the “Priests' Mound.”

However, there was no need for the people to make the 1000-foot ascent, carrying water from the Kishon to the plateau. No more than 250 below this platform is another plateau where at the edge of a sleep slope there is a vaulted and very abundant natural spring that is filled with water, even in the driest season. “From such a fountain alone could Elijah have procured so much water at that time. And as for the distance between this spring and the supposed site of the altar, it was every way possible for men to go thrice thither and back again to obtain the necessary supply.” According to Josephus (Ant. viii. 13, 5), this fountain was the source of the water, and today it is referred to as “the well [fountain] of Elijah.”

In verses 42 and 43 Elijah climbs up from the Kishon “to the top of Carmel” and instructs his servant to look out to the sea. This detail lends further credibility to El-Murahkah as the setting for this contest, as it is the only point of all Carmel where Elijah could have been close enough to the brook Kishon so as to be able to take the priests of Baal and have them slain, and climb to the summit and pray for rain, all in the short space of the same afternoon. Furthermore, this location is so situated, that “the summit…commands the last view of the sea behind and the first view of the great plain in front” (Stanley). While the sea is not visible from the plateau where the altars were, it can be easily seen from a point some 300 feet higher, coinciding perfectly with the details of verses 42-43.

Today, on Keren-Carmel (“horn of Carmel”) stands a small monastery belonging to the Carmelite Order, which commemorates the victory of Yahweh and Elijah over Baal and his 450 prophets. In the Arabic referred to as Dir el-Muhrak (“the monastery of the place of burning”), tradition has it that the fire that rained down from Heaven occurred in this exact location. In the front yard of this monastery is an impressive statue of the bearded prophet Elijah standing high on a pedestal, with a large knife raised over his head, in the act of slaying a prophet of Baal. An inscription describes the remarkable showdown that took place atop this mountain. This statue of Elijah is not the original, as the former statue was broken by Kaukaji, leader of “the Arab Liberation Army,” during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. Incidentally, this mountain constitutes a pilgrimage site for special units of the IDF that choose to climb the mountain on foot as part of their ritual.

On the northwestern, opposite end of Carmel range, directly above the Mediterranean Sea, stands a lighthouse and the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery, a 19th Century monastery dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, in her aspect of Star of the Sea. According to Catholic tradition a star is used at times to symbolize Mary, as one who enlightens and as the forerunner of Christ: “she is the dawn, Christ the Rising Sun.” The basis for her title “Star of the Sea” is from 1 Kgs 18:41-45, where the presence of the little cloud appearing over the sea is a sign of hope, implying that rain will come and free the land from drought. The little cloud, “as small as a man's hand,” seen from Mt. Carmel is believed to be the “Star of the Sea” – meaning Mary, thus, the sign of hope which announces freedom and renewal. Accordingly, the Carmelite order is considered by the Catholic Church to be under the special protection of Mary, and thus has a strong Marian devotion.

The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites, was traditionally associated with St. Bertold as the founder. He is believed to have been a pilgrim or a crusader, who died at some unknown point after 1185. Few clear records of early Carmelite history have survived and it is generally believed now that the order likely began in the 12th century, during the Crusader occupation of the region. Groups of religious hermits began to inhabit the caves of Mount Carmel, Mar Elyas (St. Elijah), in imitation of Elijah, who, according to tradition, is believed to have lived for a time in a cave under the monastery. The region of Mount Carmel, reverently referred to as, abounds with caves, with approximately 2,000 counted and mapped thus far. These caves have been inhabited by prehistoric man, fugitives and Christian hermits, some of which have many wall paintings from ancient times.

According to tradition both Elijah and Elisha temporarily lived in these grottos. Elijah lived and meditated there before defeating the pagan prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel; hid there when fleeing the wrath of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel; and established his school of prophets there upon his return from exile. The religious hermits who first gathered there claimed to have succeeded the school of the prophets. Though there are no certain records of hermits on this mountain before the 1190s, by this date a group of men had gathered at the well of Elijah. Within a century, these monastic hermits were organized into the Carmelite order and the Carmelite order spread throughout Europe, flourishing during the Middle Ages.

Prefixed to the Carmelite Constitution of 1281 was the claim that from the time when Elijah and Elisha had dwelt devoutly on Mount Carmel, priests and prophets, Jewish and Christian, had lived praiseworthy lives in holy penitence adjacent to the site of the fountain of Elijah, in an uninterrupted succession. This statement is extremely important to the Carmelite teaching, as it directly ties to the promises given by Mary. According to a pious tradition Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock in Cambridge, England on Sunday, June, 16, 1251. In answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed Carmelite order, she appeared to him with a brown scapular in her hand and said: “Take, beloved son, this scapular of thine order as a badge of my confraternity and for thee and all Carmelites a special sign of grace; whoever dies in this garment, will not suffer everlasting fire. It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of the covenant.” It is widely believed that this remains a reliable pious tradition; in other words, that St. Simon Stock was given certain supernatural assurances.

One of the oldest scapulars in Catholicism and other sacramental religions or denominations, the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel refers to both the two specific, yet related, Sacramentals: the monastic and devotional scapulars, although both forms may simply be referred to as “scapular” (from the Latin scapula or “shoulder”). In many case, both forms of the scapular come with a set of promises for the faithful who wear them. Some of the promises are rooted in tradition, and others have been formally approved by religious leaders. For instance, for Roman Catholics, as for some other sacramentals, over the centuries several popes have approved specific indulgences for scapulars, fueled in large part by the tradition of the appearance of Mary to St. Simon.

Colloquially referred to today as a “habit” or “robe,” the monastic scapular now forms the standard part of the attire of monks and nuns of many orders and religions. The devotional scapular is a much smaller item and evolved from the monastic scapular. These may also be worn by individuals who are not members of a monastic order and the Roman Catholic Church considers them sacramentals. The devotional scapular typically consists of two small (usually rectangular) pieces of cloth, wood or laminated paper, a few inches in size which may bear religious images or text. These are joined by two bands of cloth and the wearer places one square on the chest, rests the bands one on each shoulder and lets the second square drop down the back.

Special protection by Mary is believed to be extended to the Carmelite order and for all those wearing the Carmelite habit in honor of Mary throughout life. Indirectly, this promise is granted to all who from devotion to Mary should wear her habit or badge, and thus be affiliated with the Carmelite Order. The first privilege Mary grants to those wearing her Brown Scapular is eternal salvation, if they wear it constantly until death, such that they should be preserved from hell. A second privilege of the scapular, historically known as the Sabbatine privilege, states that through her special intercession, on the Saturday following their death, Mary will personally liberate and deliver the souls of devotees out of Purgatory. The Carmelite Order today, while still encouraging a belief in Mary's general aid and prayerful assistance for their souls beyond death, and commending devotion to Mary especially on Saturdays which are dedicated to her, no longer promulgate the Sabbatine privilege. Carmelites refer to Mary as Our Lady of Mount Carmel in honor of this legend, and celebrate a feast day dedicated to her in this aspect on July 16. Two of the more well-known followers of this order are St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross, both Spanish saints.

The Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery is an important shrine to many religions, and directly below the altar is Elijah’s Grotto, believed to be the oldest and most acknowledged cave where Elijah lived. The Stella Maris is a beautiful structure, with Italian marble so brightly and vividly patterned that visitors sometimes think the walls have been painted. Colorful paintings on the dome, done by Brother Luigi Poggi (1924-28), depict episodes from the Old Testament, the most dramatic being the scene of Elijah swept up in a chariot of fire. The statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from cedar of Lebanon, is also notable.

Elijah’s Grotto lies at the foot of Mount Carmel, in the vicinity of the beach of Haifa. This cave bestows Haifa its religious significance in the eyes of Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze alike. The walls of the cave are covered in writings left by pilgrims who visited the place, including one believed to be left by a Roman soldier named Germanous. Some researchers assert that the cave was used in the old days as an abode for the oracle of the God of Carmel, and tradition also holds that this same cave was shelter for the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph and Jesus) in their escape from Herod and on their return from Egypt.

A domed chapel enshrines the cave, which is underneath the main altar. Many little votive candles burn on this altar above the cave, each representing a Carmelite community in another country (the United States has its candle up on the left). The cave itself also has a small altar. Pilgrimages and great ceremonies are held at this cave many times each year, and thousands of pilgrims tend to attribute magical qualities and healing powers to the cave, and take many vows in this location. A walkway outside the monastery leads to the entrance to the cave. Head coverings must be worn in the cave, available for pilgrims at the entrance. Inside the door are two separated sides - for males on the right side, and for females on the left side. The right wing is for the male visitors, who come to pray in the cave, but there is also a general room open to both men and women, with an enclosure where the women may pray as well.

Though there is precious little in terms of historical sources to identify the place as the cave of Elijah, and identification is based on a very old tradition, this site is sacred to Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Druze, all of whom venerate the prophet Elijah. The founders of the Carmelite Order were expelled by the Mamluk conquest in 1291, and the monastery frequently changed hands, becoming a mosque when under Islamic control. In 1799 the building was converted into a hospital by Napoleon during his unsuccessful siege of Acre (Akko), but in 1821 the pasha of Damascus, a high ranking official in the Ottoman Empire, destroyed the surviving structure. The construction of what is now the present monastery and basilica was begun in 1836, there was a mosque here until 1948. The Muslims referred to the cave as el-Hadra – “the green,” a name attributed to Elijah the green prophet and eternal invigoration. After the War of Independence, the cave was returned to Jewish hands to be maintained by the Authority for Holy Sites.

Today two large Druze villages are situated on Mount Carmel. The Druze religion is an offshoot of the Islam faith from about 1000 A.D. The Druze people speak Arabic, live also in the hills of Galilee and the Golan Heights, and have good relations with the Jews of Israel. Accordingly, they are often persecuted by the Muslims as heretics and friends of the enemies. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has its largest Israeli mosque on Mount Carmel, known as the Mahmood Mosque.

Mount Carmel is also considered a sacred place for the Baha’i faith, and is the location of the Baha’i World Centre and the Shrine of the Báb. The Baha’i faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh (Arabic for “Glory of God”), born Mírzá Husayn-`Alí Nuri, in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Baha’i’s around the world in more than 200 countries and territories Baha’i teachings emphasize the underlying unity of the major world religions. Religious history is seen to have unfolded through a series of divine messengers, each of whom established a religion that was suited to the needs of the time and the capacity of the people. In Baha’i belief, each messenger taught of the next, and Bahá'u'lláh's life and teachings fulfill the end-time promises of previous scriptures. Humanity is understood to be involved in a process of collective evolution, and the need of the present time is for the gradual establishment of peace, justice and unity on a global scale. These messengers have included Abraham, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad and others, including most recently Bahá'u'lláh, who himself was preceded by another messenger: the Báb.

Siyyid Ali Muhammad was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Baha’i Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Mahdi. According to the Shia and Sunni versions of the Islamic eschatology the Mahdi (“Guided One”) is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on the earth seven, nine, or nineteen years (depending on the interpretation) before the coming of the day Yaum al-Qiyamah (“Day of the Resurrection” or “Day of the Standing”). Muslims believe the Mahdi will rid the world of error, injustice and tyranny alongside Jesus. The concept of the Mahdi is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran nor in other Sunni writings, which only mention the second coming of Jesus. Accordingly, many orthodox Sunnis question the Mahdist beliefs of the Shias.

After Siyyid’s declaration he took the title of Báb (Arabic for “Gate”), composed hundreds of letters and books (often termed tablets) in which he stated his messianic claims and defined his teachings, and established a new Shari'ah or religious law. His movement eventually acquired tens of thousands of supporters, was virulently opposed by Iran's Shia clergy, and was suppressed by the Iranian government, leading to thousands of his followers, termed Bábís, being persecuted and killed. In 1850 the Báb was shot by a firing squad in Tabríz.

Baha’i claim that the Báb was also the return of Elijah and John the Baptist, that he was the "Ushídar-Máh" referred to in the Zoroastrian scripture, and that he was the forerunner of their own religion. Bahá'u'lláh was a follower of the Báb and claimed to be the prophetic fulfillment of Bábism; but in a broader sense claimed to be a “supreme Manifestation of God,” referring to the fulfillment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and other major religions. Bahá'u'lláh taught that humanity is one single race and that the age has come for its unification in a global society. His claim to divine revelation resulted in persecution and imprisonment by the Persian and Ottoman authorities, and his eventual 24-year confinement in the prison city of `Akko, where he died.

Before he died, Bahá'u'lláh had designated in the Tablet of Carmel the precise location on Mount Carmel where the Shrine of the Báb was to be located. This Shrine is the structure where the remains of the Báb were laid to rest on March 21, 1909 in a six-room mausoleum made of local stone. The construction of the shrine with a golden dome was completed over the mausoleum in 1953, and a series of decorative terraces around the shrine, referred to as the Arc on account of their physical arrangement, were completed in 2001. The Baha’i administrative buildings and world headquarters were constructed adjacent to the decorative terraces.

All things considered, Elijah could have hardly picked a more historical, political, religious, and battle-soaked (past, present and future) location for this decisive contest. Ironically, while many people of many faiths will emphatically point to El-Murahkah as the scene of this incredible showdown, without any hesitancy in acknowledging these events truly transpired, most show little to no grasp of the meaning behind what took place. While they may not question the accuracy of the Biblical details, they miss the significance of what that means.

If Christians truly believe this happened, that fire really did come down from the sky from Yahweh in response to Elijah’s prayer, shouldn’t that belief ignite our faith and prayer life? Do we truly believe that we can pray in such a manner, have such a personal relationship with Yahweh, that astonishing miracles can still take place today? Yet how often is this contest quickly glossed over as interesting story, with no meaning or relevance for today drawn from it? For other religions, Elijah pointed out that the Israelites were limping between two conflicting religious systems, trying to meld the best of both. Elijah’s intent was for them to acknowledge there is only true God – Yahweh, with only one true way of following Him. Yet how many religions attempt to still insert a belief in God with the trappings of man-made traditions, legends and beliefs that conflict with God’s teachings in His Word? This sadly shows how little we have truly come from these religiously limping, spiritually crippled people. If this really happened, what should that mean for us?