The Challenge

Then it happened, when Achav saw Eliyahu, that Achav said to him, "Is that you, O trouble of Israel?" And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of HaShem, and you have followed the Baals. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Izevel's table." So Achav sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Eliyahu came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If HaShem is G-d, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him." But the people answered him not a word. (1 Kings 18:17-21)

While Achav is ready to blame Eliyahu for the drought, it is worth noting that he does not take action against the prophet, and even accedes to his request. Once the people have gathered on Mount Carmel, Eliyahu gets right to the point: "Make up your mind; serve HaShem, or serve Baal. You cannot do both."

But the people are not ready to make any commitment either way. They are hesitant about taking a stand. Surely they are aware by this point that the prophet is the one who declared the drought before it started, and that the prophets of Baal, god of rain and thunder, have done nothing to relieve it. Yet, they still hesitate. As stated before, HaShem has ordained that it is time for a decision, and so He moves Eliyahu to put forth the challenge to the prophets of Baal and to the people.

Then Eliyahu said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of HaShem; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of HaShem; and the G-d who answers by fire, He is G-d." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken." (1 Kings 18:22-24)

To the people, this would have appeared to be an unfair contest. After all, HaShem had only one prophet against Baal's four hundred and fifty, not counting the additional four hundred that served Asherah. By their belief system, this should have well established Baal's strength, since Asherah was Baal's consort according to most sources. Confidently the prophets of Baal agreed, sure that this upstart Hebrew prophet would soon be humiliated.

Now Eliyahu said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Eliyahu mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And it was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. (1 Kings 18:25-29)

The confidence which the prophets of Baal must have at first felt in this test evaporated rather quickly, it would seem. When at noon they have still had no answer from their god, they are even ready for Eliyahu's suggestion. But Eliyahu's mocking is not just intended to add insult to injury. He is making an indictment against the nature of Baal and against all the false gods of the region.

When Eliyahu suggests that perhaps Baal is busy, the word in the original language literally means, "withdrawn to a private place." One interpretation of this is that it was a polite way of saying that Baal was off relieving himself. At first, this might appear that Eliyahu had degenerated into crude insults, and that this interpretation must not be correct. But when it is examined in the context of the other things Eliyahu says about Baal, this appears to be exactly what he was saying.

All the possibilities Eliyahu offers for Baal's lack of response have one thing in common: They are all human conditions. When compared to what HaShem has revealed about Himself, this becomes readily obvious:

   Baal is meditating.

Many, O HaShem my G-d, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts which are towards us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psalm 40:5)

   Baal is "busy," or has "withdrawn to a private place."

If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer to G-d thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. (Psalm 50:12-15)
 
(Note: While this passage does not directly address the concept of a normal digestive process on the part of HaShem, it does imply the absence of a need for food, and clearly states that He will answer the calls of His people.)

   Baal is on a journey.

Behold, HaShem's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1)

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your Presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7-10)

   Baal is sleeping, and must be awakened.

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:3,4)

When Eliyahu's taunts are examined this way, his meaning becomes far more clear. Baal is a false god, created in the image of man and with the limitations and failings of a man. This trait is true of a great many of the false gods throughout history, and is part of HaSatan's attempts to convince us to deify ourselves. After all, if our god is a glorified man, then we also might someday achieve deification.

But the One True G-d made man in His image, not vice versa. We are limited by our fallen state and the physical universe in which we abide, but He is not so limited. Unlike most of the false gods throughout history, HaShem has no faults, no limitations, and no vices. He is, was, and always will be, omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (all places at once), and omniscient (all knowing). We can present Him with no problem beyond His capability, for no such problem exists. He doesn't end up distant because He has gone on a journey, for He is always with us. And we do not need to yell at Him to get His attention for our problem, for He already knows our need. True, we still need to ask Him for His help, and according to His will, we may have to wait for it while we endure some trial for His purpose, but He is never ignorant of us. He will never say "Oh, I wish you had only told Me, then I could have done something about it if I'd only known!" (He might say "My child, you only needed to ask, but you didn't." But that's another discussion.)

Eliyahu is taunting the prophets of Baal not to irritate them so much, as to be sure that the people of Israel are fully aware of the difference between Baal and HaShem. It is not the mean spirited teasing of one who is trying to anger, but rather the facetious words intended to reveal the reality of a situation.