Elijah and the prophets of Baal © Andy Redfern and Peter Bailey, 2002
Cast: Two Narrators (A & B)
One mime artist to play Elijah
Style: Fast pacey dialogue with simple visual mime from Elijah.
(No mime directions provided)
A: Have you ever been in a situation when you know you’re right about something but everyone else disagrees with you?
B: You’re wrong
A: No, I’m right
B: No you’re wrong
A: Right
B: Wrong
A: Right
B: Wrong
A: Right
B: Right
A: Hang on you said right when you meant wrong
B: Right
A: No wrong
B: No, you we’re saying right and then you’ve said wrong
A: Ohhhhhh I’m confused.
B: Being confused happens very easily when you’re out numbered.
A: It’s easier to follow the crowd. There was a man in the bible who knew he was right, but there were 850 people who all thought that he was wrong. His name was Elijah.
B: 850 against one—this Elijah bloke must have been wrong.
A: Why?
B: Because 850 people can’t all be wrong
A: Oh yes they can, and they were most definitely wrong.
B: How’s that then?
A: God’s people, the Israelites, had gone wrong because their king, king Ahab, had started to worship his wife’s god which was an idol called Baal. He was telling all the people that they must worship the idol too.
B: Bone-idle. Lazy Lot.
A: No no. An idol is a sort of statue.
B: So the king and queen and the 850 others said that everyone should worship this Baal?
A: Most of them did but a few people carried on worshiping the true God. But there lives were in danger because the king’s wife hunted down anyone who didn’t worship her God.
B: Ohh nasty situation – time for sharp exit?
A: No, Elijah decided enough was enough and he challenged the king and the prophets of Baal to a contest.
B: What all on his own?
A: Yep
B: He was brave bloke
A: Yep but he also knew he was right. He got them all to meet him on mount Carmel. When they were all gathered he said to them…
Elijah: How much longer will it take you to make up your minds? If the Lord is god worship him, but of Baal God worship him.
A: So the prophets of Baal built an altar. It looked a bit like a bonfire with a base of stones.
Elijah: And I did the same.
B: So then they lit the fires?
A: No.
Elijah: Pray to your God and I will pray to the Lord. The one who answers by sending fire then he is god.
B: Smart idea.
Elijah: After you.
B: Send the fire Baal.
A: No fire.
B: Send the fire Baal.
A: Still no fire.
B: Hey BAAL SEND THE FIRE.
A: Still no fire.
Elijah: Pray louder may be your god is daydreaming or in the loo. May be he has gone on holiday or perhaps he is asleep and you’ve got to wake him up.
A: And the prophets of Baal prayed louder and worked themselves in to a frenzy
B: Send the FIRE!!!!!
A: They carried on ranting and raving until the middle of the afternoon but no answer came.
Elijah: Now come closer to me.
A: They gathered round him. He dug a deep trench around the altar.
Elijah: Now fill four jugs with water and pour in on the wood.
B: That’s last thing you should do if you’re trying to light a fire.
Elijah: Do it again!
B: Wouldn’t you prefer a match?
Elijah: And again.
B: There’s water everywhere. Your altar is soaking wet mate!
A: Then Elijah said one small prayer to the Lord:
Elijah: O, Lord the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, prove now that you’re the God of Israel and that I am your servant and that I have done all this at your command.
A: And down came the fire.
B: Ahhhhhhh!
A: It completely destroyed the altar and scorched the ground around it.
B: Ahhhhhhh! The Lord is God, the Lord alone is God.
A: One little prayer is all it took. That day everyone saw the power of the Lord. Elijah didn’t follow the crowd. He knew he was right and he put his trust in the one true God.
B: Wow! What a cool Guy.
A: You’re right—hey will you be our leader. You’re much cooler than Samson or Jonah! I can see it in lights now—Elijah the fire-eater!