Why didnt the Baal worshippers repent after Elijah proved their gods were false?

[Sammy-San]

In 1st Kings 18, in a contest with the false prophets of Baal to prove that the God of Israel had power unlike Baal, (baal is a pagan god people used to worship) Elijah rained down fire from Heaven to prove that the God of Israel was real. The people who witnessed the miracle knew that the God he served was real, and that the god of Baal was a false god. After preforming the miracle, Elijah had them all killed, so they wouldnt be able to spread their religion and its barbaric practices to the rest of Israel.

But what I dont get is this. How come, after witnessing God's miracles, the other people around Elijah revered God, but the baal worshippers didnt repent of their ways, even after witnessing the power that God had over their god?

Were they some kind of devil worshippers, who knew the God of Israel was real, but deliberately went against him and worshiped a demon god knowingly? I always thought they were just deluded idol worshippers who worshipped baal because they were brainwashed into polytheism rather than believing in God, but after studiyng the context of 1st Kings more closely, it doesnt seem like the most likely explanation. They knew God was real, but they didnt repent, as evident by even after seeing the powerful miracles he did, they didnt change.

 

[iambren]

The jews sought a sign and even after they saw the miracles of Jesus and his death on the cross they refused to believe. As recorded in the OT man has hardened his heart,blinded their eyes,made deaf their ears such that they are impervious to God's way.

That's one reason I'm a Calvinist--only the power of God's grace can cut through my wicked soul to change me.

 

[BryanW92]

In 1st Kings 18, in a contest with the false prophets of Baal to prove that the God of Israel had power unlike Baal, (baal is a pagan god people used to worship) Elijah rained down fire from Heaven to prove that the God of Israel was real. The people who witnessed the miracle knew that the God he served was real, and that the god of Baal was a false god. After preforming the miracle, Elijah had them all killed, so they wouldnt be able to spread their religion and its barbaric practices to the rest of Israel.

But what I dont get is this. How come, after witnessing God's miracles, the other people around Elijah revered God, but the baal worshippers didnt repent of their ways, even after witnessing the power that God had over their god?

Were they some kind of devil worshippers, who knew the God of Israel was real, but deliberately went against him and worshiped a demon god knowingly? I always thought they were just deluded idol worshippers who worshipped baal because they were brainwashed into polytheism rather than believing in God, but after studiyng the context of 1st Kings more closely, it doesnt seem like the most likely explanation. They knew God was real, but they didnt repent, as evident by even after seeing the powerful miracles he did, they didnt change.

People are stubborn in their ways and easily led by someone who says what they want to hear. I'm sure that the priests of Baal were up there saying, "Yeah sure, their God has power, but Baal is your god and has always been your god! Are you weaklings who won't stay the course? This is the time to stand up for what you believe in--and that is Baal!"

 

[BryanW92]

The jews sought a sign and even after they saw the miracles of Jesus and his death on the cross they refused to believe. As recorded in the OT man has hardened his heart,blinded their eyes,made deaf their ears such that they are impervious to God's way.

That's one reason I'm a Calvinist--only the power of God's grace can cut through my wicked soul to change me.

A Nazarene Calvinist?? I totally agree with you. I didn't appreciate God's work in me until I became a Calvinist.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

jezebel Revelation 9:21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
doesn't
let anyone repent.

 

[fozzy]

A Nazarene Calvinist?? I totally agree with you. I didn't appreciate God's work in me until I became a Calvinist.

Non-Calvinists appreciate God's finished and complete work as well!

 

[Sammy-San]

People are stubborn in their ways and easily led by someone who says what they want to hear. I'm sure that the priests of Baal were up there saying, "Yeah sure, their God has power, but Baal is your god and has always been your god! Are you weaklings who won't stay the course? This is the time to stand up for what you believe in--and that is Baal!"

So youre saying the Baal worshippers knew Elijahs God was real, but deliberately worshiped demons knowingly?

 

[iambren]

"A Nazarene Calvinist?? I totally agree with you. I didn't appreciate God's work in me until I became a Calvinist."

Oops, I didn't know I had a twin brother out there. Sometimes you have to discover how blind you are so that you can truly see.

 

[ron4shua]

Greetings Saints ;

Why didn't the Baal worshippers repent after Elijah proved their gods were false?

They weren't given a choice !

1Ki 18:39 And all the people saw, and fell on their faces, and said, “יהוה, He is the Elohim! יהוה, He is the Elohim!”
1Ki 18:40 And Ěliyahu said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baʽal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Ěliyahu brought them down to the wadi Qishon and slaughtered them there.

Elijah rained down fire from Heaven to prove that the God of Israel was real.

1Ki 18:37 “Answer me, O יהוה, answer me, and let this people know that You are יהוה Elohim, and You shall turn their hearts back to You again.”
1Ki 18:38 Then the fire of יהוה fell and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

The people who witnessed the miracle knew that the God he served was real, and that the god of Baal was a false god. After preforming the miracle, Elijah had them all killed, so they wouldn't be able to spread their religion and its barbaric practices to the rest of Israel.
But what I don't get is this. How come, after witnessing God's miracles, the other people around Elijah revered God, but the baal worshippers did not repent of their ways, even after witnessing the power that God had over their god?
Were they some kind of devil worshippers, who knew the God of Israel was real, but deliberately went against him and worshiped a demon god knowingly? I always thought they were just deluded idol worshippers who worshipped baal because they were brainwashed into polytheism rather than believing in God, but after studying the context of 1st Kings more closely, it doesn't seem like the most likely explanation. They knew God was real, but they didn't repent, as evident by even after seeing the powerful miracles he did, they did not change.

Heb 3:14 For we have become partakers of Messiah if we hold fast the beginning of our trust firm to the end,
Heb 3:15 while it is said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Heb 3:16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Mitsrayim, led by Mosheh?
Heb 3:17 And with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?

95:7 .... Today, if you would hear His voice:
Psa 95:8 “Do not harden your hearts as in Meriḇah, And as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
Psa 95:9 “When your fathers tried Me, Have proved Me, though they saw My work.
Psa 95:10 “For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’
(ISR)

They were not given a choice , end of story .

 

[Bobinator]

In 1st Kings 18, in a contest with the false prophets of Baal to prove that the God of Israel had power unlike Baal, (baal is a pagan god people used to worship) Elijah rained down fire from Heaven to prove that the God of Israel was real. The people who witnessed the miracle knew that the God he served was real, and that the god of Baal was a false god. After preforming the miracle, Elijah had them all killed, so they wouldnt be able to spread their religion and its barbaric practices to the rest of Israel.

But what I dont get is this. How come, after witnessing God's miracles, the other people around Elijah revered God, but the baal worshippers didnt repent of their ways, even after witnessing the power that God had over their god?

Were they some kind of devil worshippers, who knew the God of Israel was real, but deliberately went against him and worshiped a demon god knowingly? I always thought they were just deluded idol worshippers who worshipped baal because they were brainwashed into polytheism rather than believing in God, but after studiyng the context of 1st Kings more closely, it doesnt seem like the most likely explanation. They knew God was real, but they didnt repent, as evident by even after seeing the powerful miracles he did, they didnt change.

The same reason the Israelites made a golden calf. Man's biggest god is "SELF". Inanimate gods don't tell you to surrender your inner sovereignty.

Baal was the god of the Sun, which represents both prosperity and power over the lives of others that includes military might and death. The Lord teaches love, holiness and giving up earthly lusts while following after his Spirit, and not our flesh. Total opposites.

Jesus went to the cross willingly to suffer inconceivably for our sakes. I don't know how many people in their right minds would do that.

 

[Sammy-San]

The same reason the Israelites made a golden calf. Man's biggest god is "SELF". Inanimate gods don't tell you to surrender your inner sovereignty.

Baal was the god of the Sun, which represents both prosperity and power over the lives of others that includes military might and death. The Lord teaches love, holiness and giving up earthly lusts while following after his Spirit, and not our flesh. Total opposites.

Jesus went to the cross willingly to suffer inconceivably for our sakes. I don't know how many people in their right minds would do that.

But do you think the prophets of Baal knew that Elijahs God was real?

 

[Lineman]

It's interesting that the kings through Hoshea of the North Kingdom were, if I remember, all evil after Ahab & Jezebel. So even though the prophets of baal were shown to be false and put to death, it seems to have little effect on the land and the hearts of the people in general.