Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1058
“Elijah said unto them, take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape,” 1 Kings 18:40.
ELIJAH may be called the Iron Prophet. He was a stern and brave man who flinched not to deliver his Master’s message at all hazards. It was right that such a man should be raised up just at that time, for the Sidonian queen, Jezebel, was a woman of imperious spirit, superstitious to the last degree and resolute in carrying out her will. She ruled King Ahab with sovereign sway and had issued her mandate that the Prophets of Jehovah should be slain—a mandate which was all too well obeyed. None could stand before this tigress until Elijah came and dared her malice to do its worst. That lone man, of heroic soul, stemmed the fearful torrent of idolatry and like a rock in mid-current, firmly stood his ground. He, alone and single-handed, was more than a match for all the priests of the palace and the groves, even as one lion scatters a flock of sheep.
On the occasion of our text, you will remember that he had proved the prophets of Baal to be liars and pretenders, and then, like a practical man as he was, he went on to the natural conclusion. The Law of Israel was, “The prophet which shall presume to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.” And, therefore, the case being proven before all men, Elijah became, himself, the executioner. He bade the people seize the impostors and he himself purpled the Kishon with their blood. “Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape,” was the thundering voice of the Prophet of fire. The man did his Master’s will thoroughly, never dreaming of compromise.
Perhaps it was for this reason that he, with but one other of woman born, ascended to Heaven by an unusual road. The God who made him so grandly faithful had determined that he who passed through the world differently from other men should pass out of it differently, and he who had in life flamed like a seraph, should in a chariot of fire be carried to his reward. I am not, however, about to go further into the details of that matter, but would seek instruction from its main idea.
Brothers and Sisters, the spiritual teaching of such an utterance as this is far-reaching. There is a lesson in it which might be turned to many accounts, for like the cherubic sword at the gate of Eden, it turns every way. One use of it must suffice for this morning—but at the same time—as a hint of how it might be employed, we would observe that it has a distinct bearing upon the present condition of the Church of God. “Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape,” is a voice which our cathedrals and parish Churches might be the better for hearing. Unholy compromises are the fashion of the day! An infusion of honest blood is needed, greatly needed. Men are growing utterly careless as to religious truth because they see the servants of God and the votaries of Baal associated in the same church, and worshipping at the same altars!
Sincere loyalty to God brooks not this confederacy with idolaters. Errors were suffered to remain in the National Church for the sake of peace, and now they have become dominant and threaten to destroy the lovers of the Truth of God! It is now clear that every error of doctrine or ordinance is as mischievous as a prophet of Baal and should not be endured. The world is wide and men are only responsible to God for their beliefs—but the Church should not, within her borders, suffer falsehood to propagate itself. Christians have no right to associate themselves with any Church which errs in its teaching. If we see that gross error is rampant in a Church and we join it in membership, we are partakers of its sins—and we shall have to share in its punishment in the day of visitation. It is utterly false that it does not matter to what Church we belong!
It matters to every man who has a conscience and loves his God. I dare not associate in Church fellowship with Ritualists and Rationalists—loyal subjects will not join the society of traitors. What a blessing it would have been in
Luther’s time if the Reformation had been carried out completely! Great as the work was, it was, in some points, a very superficial thing and left deadly errors untouched. The Reformation in England was checked by policy almost as soon as it commenced. Ours is a semi-popish Church! If in this country the axe had been laid to the root of the trees, as John Knox laid it in Scotland, we might have been spared a thousand evils! But now, the trees, which were only lopped, begin to send out their branches again and the errors which were allowed to occupy a secondary place by permission, now come to the front and threaten to thrust out the Truth of God altogether.
The only way in which our conscience can be kept clear before God, so that we can walk with Him in light, is that we abhor every false way and renounce everything which is not of God and of the Truth. “To the Law and to the Testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.” When will Christians see this? The Bible, and the Bible alone, is said to be the religion of Protestants, but the statement is a terrible lie! The most of Protestants believe a crowd of other things over and above what is taught in the Bible! They practice ordinances destitute of Scriptural authority and believe doctrines which are not revealed by the Holy Spirit. Happy will the Churches be when they shall cast off the yoke of all authority apart from the Scriptures and the Spirit!