by Brett Jacobsen

This article is taken from Brett Jacobsen’s book Heaven’s Underground Blueprint which is available here - http://www.christisall.org/hub-book.

For many years, myself, and many others I’m sure, have preached a revival message from this next text in first Kings:

And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get you up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say to Ahab, Prepare your chariot, and get you down, that the rain stop you not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. (1 Kings 18:41-46)

Many of us have heard “a sound of abundance of rain” for a long time now, as we’ve felt the Lord’s heart to revive and refresh His church, and subsequently “[turn] the world upside down” through it. (Acts 17:6) We have cast ourselves upon the earth and put our faces between our knees, in an increasing prayer initiative. We believe for the heavens to produce a “great rain” of God’s Spirit “upon all flesh”. (Joel 2:28) We have stood in faith, at least seven times (figuratively of course), but there is not even “a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand”. Perhaps we have put the proverbial cart before the horse?

Real lasting-revival comes on the tail end of real reformation. It is only when we, through repentant hearts and prompt obedient action, make the required adjustments that God will pour out the much needed rain on His church. Of course there are always small groups of forerunners, who through hungry hearted prayer, become broken and revived enough, to model a measure of reform, for the body to mimic. Before Elijah and the nation of Israel received their greatly needed natural rain, some major adjustments were required. We will now back up the cart a little, in order to place it behind the horse;

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. (1 Kin 16:30-33)

It is of great importance that we understand the context and repercussions of Israel’s worship of Baal. Here is a little Baal background:

The word Baal means “master” or “owner”. In ancient religions the name denoted sun, lord or god. Baal is still principally thought of as a Canaanite fertility deity. He was the son of El, the high god of Canaan. Baal never emerged as a rain god until latter times when he assumed the special function.

It is said that after defeating the sea god Yam, and building a house on Mount Saphon, and taking possession of numerous cities, Baal announced that he would no longer acknowledge the authority of Mot, “death.” In response to this challenge, Mot invited Baal to his abode to taste his fare, mud. Being terrified and unable to avoid the dreadful summons to the land of the dead, Baal coupled with a calf in order to strengthen himself for the ordeal, and then set out.

Baal is said to have risen from the dead. He is the god of rain, thunder and lightning. He is said to be the genius of rainfall and vegetation. Baal, the sun god was fervently prayed to for the protection of livestock and crops.

The officiating priests danced around altars, chanting frantically and cutting themselves with knives to inspire the attention and compassion of the god.

In the bible Baal is also called Beelzebub, or Baalzebub, one of the fallen angels of Satan. 1.

Upon examination of Baal worship, it is not hard to see similarities in the way much of the modern church operates. Baal, being labeled as the god of rain, was prayed to, even by God’s Israelites, for the protection of their livestock and crops. Not only did they believe Baal to have authority over rainfall, and therefore their productivity and livelihood, he was also a symbol of strength and might.

We may think it absurd that any modern Christians would be caught up in Baal worship or his service, but it is a very real phenomenon. In like manner to the Israelites, who were worshipping Jehovah and Baal at the same time, many modern Christians can be caught between the worship of the true God, and subtle, yet very real, idolatry. When we look to ‘our own’ strength and productivity, rather than relying on God we imbibe this idolatrous way. If we are given to leading our own lives, rather than obeying God, we make ourselves as God. When the church acts out of the ‘success principles’ of the world, with attributes of the business sector, and the like, striving to meet their desired profit margins, they do err towards Baal-like worship, the worship of our own hands:

I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. (Jer 1:16)

Ahab went against many commands of the Lord in marrying his not so fair bride, Jezebel. The most unfavorable feature in the unholy matrimony was the coupling of Jehovah’s people with Baal’s. As a result of this idolatrous evil being yoked unto Israel, God was moved to rectify the situation:

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. (1 Kin 17:1)

It is almost comical, that God came against the futility of the supposed “god of rain” with a three year drought. It is far less humorous in my eyes, that we in the church have provoked God to withhold His glorious presence and unmistakable blessing from us for a season. This was a bold statement for a prophet to proclaim in the ears of the king, but he was standing on God’s Word from Deuteronomy:

And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently to my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in its due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your cattle, that you may eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and less you perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD gives you. (Deut 11:13-17)

The word of the prophet stood firm; there was not a drop of rain for three years. Much of the western church is in a similar season of parchedness, as the Lord’s wrath is kindled against it. This is due to its blindness and subsequent wayward behavior, in serving and worshiping the idolatrous gods of self sufficiency and worldly success, among others. Thanks be to God, for that season is coming to a close, albeit not without great change on our behalf. God is raising up a prophetic pit bull generation, that will not baulk at the call to stand in the face of adversity for the sake of great breakthrough. Times are a changin’!

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. (1 Kin 18:1)

The true apostolic-prophetic leaders of this hour are being summonsed, to show themselves unto the current Monarchical style church leadership, in order for God to re-plow and then send rain. Not unlike Elijah’s situation, these ‘in tune ones’ are receiving rejection and rebuke from the king’s of the church, due to their possessing “another spirit” (Num 14:24):

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Are you he that troubles Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and you have followed Baalim. (1 Kin 18:17-18)

While the finger is falsely pointed in the direction of the so-viewed “rebellious heretics” it is becoming more evident, who and what, is the real cause of the celestial drought. There is a challenge being issued in the realm of the spirit between true servants of ‘the Kingdom of Christ’ and the polluted pack. The true prophetic is commanding single-minded submission to the Spirit of Christ, with an abandonment of all mixture of the false and worldly:

Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, How long halt you between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (19-21)

The multitude stands speechless, at both the revelation of their own idolatry, and the boldness and holy resolve of the outnumbered prophet. As were the odds for Elijah, so too does the modern day prophetic-proclaimer stand symbolically alone against the 850 strong false-fraternity of leadership: “Then said Elijah to the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.” “and the prophets of the groves four hundred.” (22, 19)

The challenge in this modern church season is ordered by the Lord and enacted by true apostles and prophets. It is to manifest what is real faith that rests in the Lord’s strength only, in contrast to what is rooted in man’s might, or a blend of both. It is God’s intention to reveal again in this hour, what type of heart and what fashion of altar He is willing to pour out supernatural fire upon:

Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call you on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. (23-24)

It is imperative that we don’t relate these prophets of Baal to some modern day warlocks or the like, but rather, false leaders amongst God’s spiritual Israel. It was the yoking together of Israel and the pagan world that caused the people to take on idolatry and it is the marrying of the church to worldly (kosmos) systems and attributes that has caused our modern day apostasy. This fallen state has produced even more self-sufficient striving amongst the ‘looks the part’ prophets and leaders of modern Christendom.

We see here Elijah taunting the fruitless, frenzied efforts of the manic-mob, but we baulk at, or even rebuke, any who pinpoint our pragmatic perpetrations:

And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or perhaps he sleeps, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. (25-29)

There is no minor quantity of prophetic direction to be gained from examining Elijah’s reformation actions during this challenge; we will bring out a few points from the text:
 
And Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him. (30a)

God is in the process of drawing the attention of the misguided-mass away from the big and beautiful, towards the humbly-heroic. Everyone wants to be William Wallace when they watch the movie ‘Brave Heart’ but not too many have the guts to act accordingly.

And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. And 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:  (30b-32a)

True reformation apostles and prophets of this hour (see chapter six) have the calling to “[repair] the altar of the Lord” as it has been broken down. Man has made many ‘substitute altars’ to make up for the lack, but these false-altars are producing “neither voice, nor any to answer” and they have no ability to bring down real fire from heaven, perhaps a little “strange fire”. (Num 3:4)

Notice that Elijah used twelve stones to build the altar; these stones represent the whole nation of Israel then, and the whole body of Christ now. The altar is built “in the name of the LORD” and is a picture of a true unified body of Christ. It is when the body of Christ in an area will imbibe true unity, standing only “in the name of the Lord” that God is even contemplating pouring out the fullness of His supernatural fire.

and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. (32b-35)

Elijah was clearly making it impossible for people to think this was a man made effort, by thoroughly quenching the sacrifice with water. Elijah “[putting] the wood in order” paints a picture of God’s current emphasis for a reformation of structure within the church, putting things in order and rebuilding according to the heavenly, biblical blueprint. Remember that this “altar in the name of the Lord” is entirely different from the Baalish altar that Ahab erected, being found in a different location. It is interesting that what was dissected and laid on the altar was a bull, which is one of the images of Baal. This therefore is a representation of the prophet dissecting the body’s idolatry and laying it bare before the fire of the Lord.

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of 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 you word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you are the LORD God, and that you have turned their heart back again. (36-37)

The motivation and prayer of reforming ministers should be that “it be known this day that [He] [is] God” in the church and that “this people may know that [He] [is] the LORD God” so that their hearts will be turned “back again” to Him. There is also a place of turning back the reproach of the prophets and making it obvious that they are called and ordered of the Lord.

Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, 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 they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. (38-39)

It is only when the altar (the church) is put in order and the supernatural ability of God is relied upon that the fire will fall; and ‘what a fire that is’. Why do we continually settle for the small measures of God, choosing self sufficiency, rather than going for the fire that “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think?” (Eph 3:20) God’s fire consumed everything on, in and around the altar, providing a sure sign for the people. This kind of fire puts the saints down “on their faces” saying “the Lord, He is God, the Lord, He is God”. From the Hebrew language we know that to say something twice in a row is to place enormous emphasis on it. They weren’t just saying that they believed the Lord to be God; they were saying, in effect; we are thoroughly and eternally convinced that the Lord is the only God; our source for all things; including rain.

And Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. (40)

In order to prevent this apostasy from returning, Elijah slays the perpetrators of the idolatrous ways. Obviously, we in the church do neither physically slay, nor personally slander, any people, but we do err if we don’t excommunicate evil, idolatrous workings from our midst.

It is here in the story that we finally see Elijah make the prophetic proclamation to Ahab “Get you up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain”. (41)

Surely we delude ourselves, in praying for God to pour himself out in wonderful lasting revival in the church, then the world, when we have not put things in order according to the written Word and the prophetic voice of the Lord for this season. It is time to act in swift and thorough obedience.

End notes

1. Baal by Alan G. Hefner       www.pantheon.org/articles/b/baal.html

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