Immerse Kingdoms Day 224 Year 2 Bible Reading

Day 224: Elijah's Contest with the Prophets of Baal and His Journey to Mount Sinai

In this episode of 'Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience,' we follow the dramatic showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to prove whose god is true by calling down fire from heaven, and the Lord answers Elijah’s prayer, showcasing His power. Following this, Elijah flees from Jezebel’s wrath, finding solace under a broom tree where he is fed by an angel. Strengthened, he journeys to Mount Sinai. There, Elijah experiences God's presence not in mighty wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. God instructs him to anoint new leaders and his successor, Elisha. Join us as we explore these compelling narratives and their significance in the broader Biblical context.

00:00 Introduction to Elijah's Challenge
00:27 Elijah's Confrontation with Baal's Prophets
02:14 Elijah's Victory and Aftermath
06:00 Elijah's Flight and Despair
07:11 God's Revelation to Elijah
09:24 Elijah's Successor: Elisha
10:17 Conclusion of Today's Reading

Buy Immerse: Kingdoms Now!

Volume 3 — Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel–Kings

Kingdoms

Immerse: Kingdoms is the third of six volumes in Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience. Kingdoms presents a new and unique journey through the story of Israel from the time of its conquest of Canaan (Joshua) through its struggle to settle the land (Judges, Ruth) and the establishment of Israel’s kingdom, which ends in a forced exile (Samuel–Kings). The nation of Israel, commissioned to be God’s light to the nations, falls to division and then foreign conquest for rejecting God’s rule.

4 Questions to get your conversations started:
1. What stood out to you this week?
2. Was there anything confusing or troubling?
3. Did anything make you think differently about God?
4. How might this change the way we live?

QUICK START GUIDE
3 ways to get the most out of your experience

1. Use Immerse: Beginnings instead of your regular chapter and verse Bible. This special reader’s edition restores the Bible to its natural simplicity and beauty by removing chapter and verse numbers and other historical additions. Letters look like letters, songs look like songs, and the original literary structures are visible in each book.
2. Commit to making this a community experience. Immerse is designed for groups to encounter large portions of the Bible together
   for 8 weeks–more like a book club, less like a Bible study. By meeting every week in small groups and discussing what you read in open,
   honest conversations, you and your community can come together to be transformed through an authentic experience with the Scriptures.
3. Aim to understand the big story. Read through “The Stories and the Story” (p. 483) to see how the books of the Bible work together to tell God’s story of his creation’s restoration. As you read through Immerse: Beginnings, rather than ask, “How do I fit God into my busy life?” begin asking, “How can I join in God’s great plan by living out my part in his story?”

What is Immerse: Bible Reading Experience - NLT Daily Bible In A Year?

Take a breath, find your place, and read deeply. Discover the joy of reading God’s word with the Immerse New Living Translation (NLT) Bible.

This daily Bible podcast will take you through the Bible in a year following the Immerse Bible Reading Experience. So grab your family and small group and go through the Bible in a year together with Immerse. Each of the 6 volumes is available online or at your favorite Christian bookstore.

Ethan: Welcome To Immerse: The
Daily Bible Reading Experience.

Day 200 and 24

so Ahab summoned all the people of
Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel.

Then Elijah stood in front of them
and said, how much longer will you

waiver hobbling between two opinions?

If the Lord is God, follow him.

But if Baal is God, then follow him.

But the people were completely silent.

Then Elijah said to them, I am the only
prophet of the Lord who has left, but

Baal has 450 prophets Now bring two bowls.

The prophets of Baal may choose whichever
one they wish and cut it into pieces and

lay it on the wood of their altar, but
without setting fire to it, I will prepare

the other bull and lay it on the wood
on the altar, but not set fire to it.

Then call on the name of your God and
I will call on the name of the Lord.

The God who answers by setting
fire to the wood is the true

God and all the people agreed.

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal,
you go first for there are many of you.

Choose one of the bulls and prepare it and
call on the name of your God, but do not

set fire to the wood, so they prepared one
of the bulls and placed it on the altar.

Then they called on the name of
Baal from morning until noontime

shouting, oh, Baal answer us, but
there was no reply of any kind.

Then they danced hobbling around the
altar they had made about noontime.

Elijah began mocking them.

You'll have to shout louder.

He scoffed.

For surely he is a God.

Perhaps he is daydreaming
or is relieving himself.

Or maybe he is away on a trip or is
asleep and needs to be wakened, so they

shouted louder and following their normal
custom, they cut themselves with knives

and swords until the blood gushed out.

They raved all afternoon until the time
of the evening sacrifice, but still there

was no sound, no reply, no response.

Then Elijah called to the people.

Come over here.

They all crowded around him as
he repaired the altar of the

Lord that had been torn down.

He took 12 stones, one to represent
each of the tribes of Israel, and

he used the stones to rebuild the
altar in the name of the Lord.

Then he dug a trench around the altar,
large enough to hold about three gallons.

He piled wood on the altar,
cut the bowl into pieces, and

laid the pieces on the wood.

Then he said, Fill four large jars
with water and pour the water over the

offering and the wood, after they had done
this, he said, do the same thing again.

And when they were finished, he
said, now do it a third time.

The So they did, as he said, and the
water ran around the altar and even

filled the trench at the usual time
for offering the evening sacrifice.

Elijah the prophet, walked
up to the altar and prayed.

Oh Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Prove today that you are God in
Israel and that I am your servant.

Prove that I have done
all this at your command.

Oh Lord, answer me.

Answer me.

So these people will know that
you, oh Lord our God, and that you

have brought them back to yourself.

Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed
down from heaven and burned up the young

bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust.

It even licked up all the water in
the trench and when all the people

saw it, they fell face down on
the ground and cried out the Lord.

He is God.

Yes, the Lord is God.

Then Elijah commanded.

Seize all the prophets of bail.

Don't let a single one escape.

So the people seize them all, and
Elijah took them down to the Kaisan

Valley and killed them there.

Then Elijah said to Ahab, go get
something to eat and drink for.

I hear a mighty rainstorm coming.

So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah
climbed to the top of Mount Carmel.

And bowed low to the ground and prayed
with his face between his knees.

Then he said to his servant,
go and look out toward the sea.

The servant went and looked, then returned
to Elijah and said, I didn't see anything.

Seven times Elijah told
him to go and look.

Finally, the seventh time his servant
told him, I saw a little cloud about the

size of a man's hand rising from the sea.

Then Elijah shouted, hurry to
Ahab and tell him, climb into

your chariot and go back home.

If you don't hurry,
the rain will stop you.

And soon the sky was black with clouds.

A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm,
and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.

Then the Lord gave special
strength to Elijah.

He tucked his cloak into his belt
and ran ahead of Ahab's chariot.

All the way to the entrance of Jezreel.

When Ahab got home, he told
Jezebel everything Elijah had

done, including the way he had
killed all the prophets of bail.

So Jezebel sent this message to
Elijah, may the Gods strike me

and even kill me if by this time
tomorrow I have not killed you.

Just as you killed them.

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life.

He went to Biba, a town in Judah,
and he left his servant there.

Then he went on alone into the
wilderness, traveling all day.

He sat down under a solitary broom
tree and prayed that he might die.

I have had enough Lord.

He said, take my life.

I am no better than my
ancestors who have already died.

Then he laid down and
slept under the broom tree.

But as he was sleeping, an angel touched
him and told him, get up and eat.

He looked around and there beside
his head with some bread baked

on hot stones and a jar of water.

So he ate and drank and laid down again.

Then the angel of the Lord came
again and touched him and said, get

up and eat some more, or the journey
ahead will be too much for you.

So he got up and ate and drank, and the
food gave him enough strength to travel.

40 days and 40 nights to Mount
Sinai, the mountain of God.

There he came to a cave where he
spent the night, but the Lord said to

him, what are you doing here, Elijah?

Elijah replied, I have zealously
served the Lord God Almighty.

But the people of Israel have broken their
covenant with you, torn down your altars

and killed every one of your prophets.

I am the only one left, and now
they're trying to kill me too.

Go out and stand before
me on the mountain.

The Lord told him, and as Elijah
stood there, the Lord passed by and

a mighty windstorm hit the mountain.

It was such a terrible blast
that the rocks were torn loose.

But the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake,
but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake there was a
fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire, there was
the sound of a gentle whisper.

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face
in his cloak and went out and stood at

the entrance of the cave, and a voice
said, What are you doing here, Elijah?

He replied again.

I have zealously served the Lord
God Almighty, but the people of

Israel have broken their covenant
with you, torn down your altars and

killed every one of your prophets.

I am the only one left, and now
they're trying to kill me too.

Then the Lord told him, go back
the same way you came and travel

to the wilderness of Damascus.

When you arrive there, anoint Hazael
to be king of Aram, then anoint g

hu, grandson of Nims, shy to be King
of Israel and anoint Elisha, son

of Shaphat from the town of Abel
Mela, to replace you as my prophet.

Anyone who escapes from Zeel will be
killed by g hu and those who escaped

g hu will be killed by Elisha.

Yet, I will preserve 7,000 others
in Israel who have never bowed

down to bail or kissed him.

So Elijah went and found Elijah,
son of SHA fat plowing a field.

There were 12 teams of oxen in the field,
and Elijah was plowing with the 12th team.

Elijah went over to him and
threw his cloak across his

shoulders and then walked away.

Elijah left the oxen standing there,
ran after Elijah and said to him, first,

let me go and kiss my father and mother
goodbye, and then I will go with you.

Elijah replied, go on back, but
think about what I have done to you.

So Elijah returned to his
oxen and slaughtered them.

He used the wood from the plow to
build a fire to roast their flesh.

He passed around the meat to the
townspeople and they all ate.

Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.

This concludes today's
Immer reading experience.

Thank you for joining us.