” …How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God follow him: but if Baal, then follow him … ” (1 Kings 18:21).
It looked like a great day for the followers of Baal as they gathered on Mount Carmel. There was no doubt in their minds that they were right and Elijah was wrong. Were there not four hundred and fifty of them and only one Elijah? Was not the vast majority of people on their side? Did not Queen Jezebel support their work and worship at their altars? Had not King Ahab accused Elijah of being the troubler of Israel? Was not the worship of Baal the accepted, popular religion? They would silence that fanatical fellow, Elijah, who refused to accept their god.
So the great contest was on! Baal’s prophets appeared in heathenish pomp and splendor. Elijah, without friends or followers, dared to stand alone.
If ever a man had an excuse to compromise, Elijah was that man. If ever a man had a right to cut comers and hedge to avoid enmity, Elijah had. If ever a case looked hopeless, this one did. If ever a man could claim a legitimate reason for not raising his voice against evil, Elijah could. Fear, compromise, despair, and the dodging of issues, however, failed to move Elijah.
None of these Satanic darts should make a coward of the true Christian today. Elijah stood firm and determined to tum the nation back to God. His faith was anchored in God. God had found a man on whom He could depend. How much easier it should be for Christians to stand for God in this day of grace!
Notice the boldness of Elijah and how quickly he took the initiative. Knowing that he was right and that God was with him, he hurled a stunning challenge into the faces of his enemies, “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. Secondly, Elijah s challenge was an analysis of the cause of their troubles. Ahab had called Elijah the troublemaker, but Elijah reversed the order and bluntly stated that the cause of their troubles was their failure to serve God.
Firstly, observe that this challenge was an accusation that they were not following God. The worship of Baal being the popular religion attracted the masses. It required neither repentance from sin nor deeds of righteousness. It appealed to the vanity of the proud. Dead religion has always been popular, but it has only helped to fill the bottomless pit.
The worst thing the prophet could have done was to question their religion. Such a man is never popular with the crowd. Naturally, he would not gain the support of the multitudes. It is the same today. The greatest need of our nation is for men like Elijah; men full of the Holy Spirit to declare the whole counsel of God.
Happy is the individual, the church, the nation that will frankly and honestly face the cause of any problem. No lasting correction can ever be made unless we are willing to face the fact that disobedience to God is the root of every trouble. ” … How long halt ye between two opinions? … ” he asked. The very word implies hesitation; failure to go forward. They halted. They feared the Lord to a certain point, and they could not totally abandon Him; yet they also feared King Ahab and Queen Jezebel and would not abandon the religion of the state. Their conscience forbade them to do the former; their fear of man persuaded them to do the latter, but in neither were they heartily engaged.
So there they stood “halt,” making not progress. They had four hundred and fifty prophets but no prophecies; an altar but no fire; long prayers but no answers; people but no power; much trying but no triumph.
God save us from such a condition! We cannot serve two masters. We cannot ” … halt … between two opinions … ” and be happy. The only joy and the only victory comes by definitely taking sides with God and standing there, even if we must stand alone.
Thirdly, Elijah s challenge was an argument in favour of action. What he actually said was, “Since you are not serving God as you ought to, and since your failure to serve Him has caused you trouble, the only reasonable thing to do is to repent and return to God and serve Him.”
The failure of the Christian church today to stand for God has caused much trouble. The “halting between two opinions” on the part of God’s people has led to the development of ecumenical apostasy. 0 what compromise there has been! Failure to obey God has resulted in backsliding and worldliness. We have lost the glory of His presence. The desire to follow the crowd and be a part of popular religious movements has brought in false movements. God’s message has been so watered down that thousands upon thousands of regular church goers never hear the Gospel. Modernism and liberalism are stronger than ever before while ordained ministers of the Gospel grow weaker. Isaiah said, ” … darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people … ” (Isaiah 60:2). This is true today. People on every side are in almost total darkness as far as the Word of God is concerned. Only here and there do we find a pulpit where the Gospel is preached, the new birth emphasized, salvation made plain, an invitation given, and God’s people instructed and warned concerning the issues of the day.
May the Lord raise up Elijah’s today. He needs men who, realizing the responsibility of their Holy calling, will fearlessly proclaim the great fundamentals of the faith in these closing days of grace. No other message avails before the God of Elijah. Oh, for an awakening among the people of God. When are we going to get the burden and become conscious of our responsibilities? The Word of God challenges us to repentance and to take our stand for God in the old-fashioned way.
Like Ahab and the followers of Baal, religious leaders today cannot escape. We must either serve God or the devil. We are either right or wrong. We are either all out for God, or not out at all. There is no middle ground. There must be no compromise. No one can be neutral. We must choose. We must stand. Why” … halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him … “