P. Salim
MOUNT CARMEL AND THE GROTTO OF ELIJAH : Elijah (Muslims call Elias) is a prophet who lived in Israel around 870 B.C – Many years after King David’s rule, a wicked king named Ahab came to power in Israel, who guided the people to worship the Canaanite gods Baal and Ashtoreth instead of the True God – As this was yielding to Satan, God wanted to punish the men and warn the nation – For this, He sent Elijah the prophet - Elijah announced to Ahab,- ‘As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word’- Consequently draught and famine struck Israel for 3 and a half years - The purpose of this punishment was to bring the nation to repentance of its idolatry – After withholding rain for 3½ years, God moved Elijah to pray for an end, so did Elijah, and then the rain came – To prove Baal has no power, Elijah challenged the idol worshippers to come forward for a contest – Their prophets, 450 in number, should pray to their god to send down fire to consume an animal sacrifice – He said to people ‘if Baal is God, follow him, but if the LORD is True God, follow Him’ – Throughout the day, the false prophets called on their god (Baal) to send down fire and consume the animal sacrifice, but to no avail - At the end of the day, Elijah called on Israel’s God to send fire to swallow up the sacrifice prepared for Him - God responded to Elijah’s prayer and in a moment thousands witnessed the fire from heaven consume the carcass - This showdown, considered as Elijah’s greatest public miracle, was at Mount Carmel.
– A Catholic religious order was founded on Mount Carmel in the 12th century, named the Carmelites – They raised a church and monastery – The church houses a Grotto of Elijah which the Carmelites believe to be the cave where Elijah stayed – Located near Haifa, on the far tip of the Jezreel Valley and very near to the Mediterranean sea, this is a place of wonder, holiness and beauty.
like
Report