I grew up watching the old Clint Eastwood western films with my dad like, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” “A Fistful of Dollars,” “For a Few Dollars More,” and “Hang ‘Em High.” One of my favorites of all time would have to be, “The Good, Bad, and the Ugly.”
It was about three criminals who were searching for a gold shipment during the Civil War. Even though there were three criminals, Clint Eastwood would be considered the good criminal, Lee Van Cleef the bad, and Eli Wallach was the ugly. They would have a show down to see which would be the last one standing to get the gold.
In our story this past week we learn that Ahab the king at that time suffered a disastrous drought because he had abandoned the commandment of the Lord and followed the Baals. So Elijah called together all the people at Mount Carmel along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah for a show down.
Elijah in this story would be considered the good, Ahab the bad, and Baal would be the ugly. Elijah said to the people, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21 NIV)
Elijah basically told them to prepare yourselves. There’s 450 of your prophets left, but only one of me. Choose one prophet and let them choose one bull and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood, but don’t start a fire and I will do the same. You call up on your god and I will call upon the name of the Lord and the God who answers by fire, he’s God.
Ahab’s people called upon the name of Baal with no answer, but when Elijah called upon the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Gods’ mighty power was displayed. The fire fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones, the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
When all the people saw the mighty work of the Lord they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” Ultimately God is good, Satan is bad, and the sin in our lives is ugly to God.
Resource(s): Personal Bible study, the story resources and the Bible (NIV)
