The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-05-08
Elijah challenges Baal worship.
] Kings l7:l.ls. 10
Ry RALPH ROGERS


Bible students are impressed
with the splendor and glory of Is
rael under King Solomon. While
outwardly it had the tinseled gau-
diness of strength and power, un-
derneath and perculating through
every nerve center of its social and
political order thsraswas creeping
the devastating am poisonous force
Of envy and general discomfort. We
have just witnessed, the detection
and apostasy of Jerohoam. He had
heard the mumbling wall of spiri-
tually hungry Israel and for his
people challenged tie eYil of fore
ed labor. In the revolution which
followed he himself became q en-
quilted in the avalanche of debauch-
cry and prodigal power. The cause.
Baalism.
The King Challenged
Ahab was the seventh king Of
Israel. He was a good man but
married the wrong woman. The
wife he selected was Jezebel,
known as the meanest woman of
the world, a Phoenician princess.
She brought with her four hundred
and fifty prophets of Baal and an
other group Of four hundred pro.
phets of the groves connected with
Baal's female consort, Ashtoreth.
These evil forces working within
the kingdom created confusion and
with their appeal to the lusts of the
flesh, contaminated the faith of Is
rael.
Naturally when the King tolerat-
ed and accepted this strange reli-
gion, many of his people followed
for even then people felt that the
divinely chosen King could do no
wrong. Ahab was a strong military
leader, but in the hands of a wick
ed wife, corrupted the faith of his
fathers.
There appeared on the scene
strong man with the courage of a
saint who boldly told the King his
faults and that of Israel. For their
sins he said, "For this, you shall
be punished with a drought. There
shall be no dew or rain. Your peo-
pie shall die in the streets, your
cattle shall die on thousand
hills" Elijah,' the prophet had
spoken. He then disappeared as the
King and wicked Queen no doubt
laughed at such a prediction.
Baal Worship
Time was that as the King goes,
so go the people. Jezebel urged
Ahab to establish Baal worship as
the state religion. While all PEG.
pies are influenced by their en-
vironment we find Israel had been
turned away from Jevoha many
times by the introduction of hea-
then gods. Baal was represented as
a degenerate deity riding on bull
which represented the male power
of generation. He carried punches
of grapes in his hands and through
his worship encouraged such SEX
ual orgies beyond the comprehen-
sion of decent men. He was a god
of fire and through Moloch, one of
the galaxy of Baal, children were
sacrificed to him in fire.
Ashtoreth, the female counter
part of this heather god, was sup
posed to ride along side of Baal
in a golden chariot. With her were
flute players, fanatics gashing
themselves with knives ard frenzi-
ed screaming women. Such a pro-
cession naturally appealed to the
baSer passions of men and so cor
rupted the higher laws of God re.
legating them to the limbo, or to
oblivion. This was the pitiful con.
dition Of the people and their reli-
gion when Elijah appeared on the
scene.
The Challenge
AS the drought continued stock
and people persisted. Jezebel ragged
and Ahab sulked. Troops were
sent out to find the trouble maker.
while the King and Queen were