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Israel Diary Muhraqa Old Testament prophets came to Mount Carmel. Its strength and beauty awed them. Slap dab in the middle of the Carmel Range is Muhraqa, the place of the sacrifice of the prophets of Baal.
Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-46) took place on Mount Carmel. Muhraqa fits the description in the text exactly. The Carmelite Order constructed a monastery on this site in 1868. From the platform on the Carmelite monastery you can see the sea (1 Kings 18:43), and a spring just below (18:33). The Kishon Brook is at the bottom of the hill (18:40) in the Jezreel Valley (18:45-46). When you travel from Caesarea to Muhraqa the typography changes. The Wadi Milik facilitates this change by slicing through the Carmel range into the Jezreel Valley. Muhraqa sits atop the Carmel and overlooks the Jezreel Valley.
Elijah chose this place because all of the people knew where it was. The road is narrow and rough going up to Muhraqa but walking up from the Jezreel Valley would not be a difficult chore. Elijah marched up the Carmel Mountain to Muhraqa to battle the prophets of Baal. His work was a challenge from God for the prophets of Baal before the watching world. They all looked and saw what the Lord would do. The Lord conquered Baal. Jesus said that we are to pick up our cross each day and follow Him. I was always looking for some large thing to do for Jesus. Then, He pointed out to me that my cross was dying to self. I needed to change the way I would normally do things and come follow Him. I needed to spend time with Him and become like Him. My old self is my cross. It is a tedious burden because it is so easy for me to do the old things. Change is the call from the Gospel. God has provided the way and I am to walk that way.
You will never be the same after you visit Israel, the Land of the Bible. e-mail comments: mikeclay@virtualtravels.com ©mikeclay.com, 1999 |
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