THE GREAT CONFRONTATION
I hate to say this, but when I was growing up in the dark ages with only three television stations and no internet, I can hear sighs, shrieks, and gasps from all parts of the globe, one of the best things to watch on television, especially living in the South, was professional wrestling out of Memphis on Channel 13 first and later Channel 5, and you talk about entertainment. You have never been entertained until you watch someone who thinks pro wrestling is real watch pro wrestling.
Well, if you know anything about professional wrestling, you know there is always a confrontation between, in the vernacular, a face and a heel, in other words a good guy and a bad guy. While reflecting on those days, I was reminded of another great confrontation.
When you think of confrontation what do you think?
Do you think GOOD vs. EVIL?
REPUBLICANS vs. DEMOCRATS
BATMAN vs. THE JOKER
ANYONE vs. ALABAMA in NCAA Football
MATT DILLON vs. ANYONE THAT LOOKS CROSS WAYS AT MS. KITTY (A wink and a nod for the Gunsmoke reference)
Those are some pretty serious confrontations, but none of those confrontations are as mortal and eternal as the confrontation between THE TRUE GOD vs. SATAN-LED FALSE RELIGION.
If Lance Russell, the great voice of Memphis Studio Wrestling, was still alive, he would announce this eternal confrontation in the following manner:
“Monday Night at the Mid-South Coliseum, in a no time limit, no disqualification match, Baal with Satan in his corner will battle the true GOD.”
Let’s go back and see what led to this epic confrontation between Satan’s champion, Baal, and God’s prophet, Elijah.
1 Kings 17:1
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word."
As the bell rings, we see God’s prophet, Elijah, confronting Satan who is being represented by Baal and his mouthpiece Ahab.
There are a few things to understand:
1. Elijah was giving this message not only to Ahab but to all of Israel who had fallen into the trap of Baal worship.
2. The nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, loved the worship practices associated with worshipping Baal.
Baal worship included large crowds around a built-in grove. These worship services were very entertaining. There were temple prostitutes. There were public displays of sex, similar to Woodstock I believe. Baal worshippers would get so enthused that children were disposable. Some were sacrificed because Baal was the fertility god. Since he controlled all the forces of nature, he could bless practitioners with another child.
This is only for pagan people, right?
Surely no Christian today would attend church to be entertained. No Christian would be drawn to large churches just to participate in entertaining activities. No Christian would allow for themselves to be drawn into watching or participating in any immoral activities. And surely, no Christian or any civilized person would sacrifice their child.
But wait a minute, I forgot we have had millions of abortions in this country alone since 1973 so maybe Baal worship does affect us.
In true Memphis Wrestling style, I can see it playing out something like this:
In one corner we have Baal, being represented by Ahab, and in the other corner is Elijah from parts unknown. I always wanted to say that, but anyway as the bell rings, Elijah walks right up to Ahab and basically slaps the taste right out of Baal’s mouth and says it’s not going to rain until I give the word.
Can’t you envision Elijah’s interview afterward?
“Listen here pal, you think you control the weather, the God of Heaven has told me it’s not going to rain until I say it is going to rain.”
The match continues and Ahab decides to challenge Elijah to a no time limit no disqualification match.
1 KINGS 18:17:
17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?"
Ahab is in distress. He asks Elijah why are you bothering us? Why are you doing this to your fellow kinsmen? Can you imagine how hard these Baal worshippers worshipped for three years when it did not rain?
I bet all kinds of stuff were going on. Can you imagine how many children were sacrificed? Can you imagine how many people lost their lives because of drought? But the people still would not turn to GOD. They KNEW that BAAL would be able to deliver rain. They were not ready to listen to Elijah and return to GOD.
Now look at 1 KINGS 18:21
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.
The match had come to the climax. Elijah was asking God’s chosen people how long they were going to be torn between true worship and the trappings associated with Baal. Elijah said it is time to choose.
Would Elijah ask us the same? Would He ask us do we worship the one and true God or would he ask us why we have let the principles of false worship enter our church?
We do not have the luxury of not being involved in this great confrontation. We must decide who we are going to follow. Are we going to follow GOD? Are we going to follow the false religions spawned by Satan? Are we going to incorporate false practices into our worship services?
Would Elijah ask you and me how long are we going to halt between two opinions?