The Consumed Sacrifice

“Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice...”

(1 Kings 18:38)

There was a day appointed by God Himself that He ordained to make His power, presence and will known. On this day He would display His power to the people in Elijah’s day because of their double-mindedness. According to HIS WORD, the answer was to be made by fire. Fruitlessly the false prophets of Baal had called on a god that could not answer. Vain repetitions, much activity and even self-infliction were to no avail.

On the same day, Elijah prayed that GOD would reveal Himself alone to be GOD. His appeal to the LORD was made by way of a blood sacrifice ordained and accepted by GOD. The false prophets had a sacrifice but not one approved by GOD. The lesson is that the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the Only Sacrifice that has put away sin for those that GOD chose unto salvation. Just as for Elijah’s when the fire from Heaven consumed the bullock, the wood, the altar, the dust and licked up the water poured upon the sacrifice, so for the LORD Jesus when GOD poured out on Him the fire of His justice. Every part of that sacrifice pictured our blessed LORD Jesus in Whom the wrath of GOD was completely consumed for the elect. Finished is the wrath of God toward those for whom Christ died. Finished is the work that He accomplished, thereby earning a righteousness imputed to His own and finished is the sting of death and victory of the grave to those He has loved with an Everlasting Love.