Baal worship was essentially the worship of prosperity. Baal was the Storm god and also the fertility god of cattle, flocks and crops. In ancient Israel rain, good crops, along with flocks and herds determined wealth. The religion had the added bonus of Ashtoreth worship, who was often depicted as the consort of Baal. Ashtoreth was the fertility and sex goddess associated with the planet Venus. Ashtoreth worship included shrine prostitutes (both male and female), who patriotically sold their services in honor of the goddess and helped to support the priestcraft. The religion sanctioned immorality, adultery, and prostitution—crimes punishable by death under the Mosaic law; but it was very attractive to the lust of the flesh.
God wants his people to prosper but not worship prosperity itself as even many T.V. preachers seem to be doing. When you see politicians, businessmen, movie stars and even Christians doing anything they can to get money, it is Baal worship. Usually, the immorality of Ashtoreth worship is not far behind. After this came the god of Molech in Israel to whom children were offered up as sacrifice. Immorality has a way of producing the inconvenience of children.
The goddess Ashtoreth went by many different names in the ancient Middle East. In Babylon she went by the name Astor or Esther. From these names and religions we get our Easter and its celebration of fertility with bunnies and eggs.
The northern kingdom of Israel went astray from Yahweh worship as soon as it split from Judah. It never had one good king according to the Bible. The southern kingdom of Judah, since they had the temple and priesthood and five or six good kings, continued to worship Yahweh for a longer period. This changed when Jehoshaphat, a good king, made the mistake of making an alliance with Ahab and took Jezebel’s daughter—a chip off the ole block—for his son’s wife. Her name was Athaliah (Yahweh oppresses). Then, in essence, both kingdoms had their Jezebels.
Although we don’t know the motives for Jehoshaphat doing this, we can guess a few. One was constant wars with Aram (Syria) right next to the northern kingdom. For Ahab it was a political alliance against his neighbor. Also the Assyrian empire was on the prowl wanting to gain the trade routes and treasures in Israel. They were the terrorists of the day, who ruthlessly tortured their conquered victims. Typically, after a besieged city collapsed they would skin the king and his officials alive, impale people on posts, cut off hands and feet, etc. Jehoshaphat would have certainly wanted an ally between Assyria and his kingdom. Nevertheless, it proved to be a great mistake marrying his son to Jezebel’s daughter. Athaliah, like her mother, introduced Baal worship in the southern kingdom as soon as she could and even killed all her grandchildren to usurp the throne herself. So one wicked woman ultimately took down both the northern and southern kingdoms of God’s nation.
We can be glad that we do not have a corrupt Jezebel and Ahab in power in our country, who would do anything for money and power (Baal worship), promote immorality (Ashtoreth worship), and support killing babies (Molech worship).
What I find interesting in the story of the kings of Israel is that God reserved his greatest prophets for their time of greatest apostasy. Right in the midst of the wicked reign of Ahab and Jezebel, while she was trying to wipe out all the prophets of God, Elijah comes on the scene seemingly out of nowhere and without introduction.
Even Elijah’s name was in conflict with Jezebel. His name means “My God is Yahweh.” The very name of Elijah was a challenge to Jezebel’s agenda. I am sure Jezebel did not calculate Elijah into her wicked plans. On top of that, we find out that God reserved for himself 7,000 other prophets who had not bowed to Baal. Elijah is actually commissioned to anoint Jehu to wipe out all the descendants of Ahab and Jezebel, which he passes on to Elisha.
Could we have a repeat in the end-times of an Ahab-and-Jezebel-type couple come to power in the world scene? Where could such a corrupt couple be found? One thing we can say for sure is that Jesus Himself said Elijah would come in the end-times to “restore all things.”
If Elijah is going to come—and the Scriptures cannot be broken—will a wicked woman come to power during the same time period in some high level office? Only if the nature of Scriptures are prophetic could there be a similar repeat of history. If this does come to pass, it is comforting to know God has reserved his best prophets for last. If He reserved 7,000 in ancient Israel, maybe he has reserved 70,000 prophets in the spirit of Elijah for the end-times.
Elijah made one mistake that may have cost him his commission: he ran from Jezebel all the way back to Sinai. While he was there, God told him to anoint Elisha to take his place. It is imperative for the end-time prophets in the spirit of Elijah to understand what running back to Sinai represents. For when Elijah got there, the Lord asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Sinai represents Pentecost. Many who have believed in Pentecost and the baptism of the Holy Spirit have called it the “Full Gospel.” Seemingly they were unaware that three more feasts occur after Pentecost: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Therefore, in no way is Pentecost the “Full Gospel”; it is only the halfway point. Elijah should have been running forward to the Feast of Tabernacles instead of backwards to Pentecost. That is why God asked him, “What are you doing here [back in Pentecost], Elijah?”
Pentecost is wonderful for those of us who have experienced its power and anointing. In fact it was so wonderful many ministers from the 50s and 60s built large ministries around it and never moved on from that feast. God wants us to keep moving forward to Tabernacles.
The dirty little secret no one ever told them about Pentecost is that to move on to Tabernacle power and anointing—which is far greater—you have to let go of Pentecost and go into a much deeper season of dying to self and seclusion and become a nobody. Who wants to do that when they are making so much money and fame with Pentecostal power? The anser is—those who know there is greater power, anointing and glory in Tabernacles.
Jesus sent his disciples out with a taste of Pentecostal power,
So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them (Mark 6:12-13).
Then they came back and told Jesus all the great things they did.
Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught (Mark 6:30).
Jesus did not tell them to keep up the good work, instead He told them,
“Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).
Pentecost has its purpose; but if you stay in it, you will never advance to Tabernacles. Sinai and Pentecost has all the excitement and noise of great Holy Spirit winds, earthquake prophecies, and purifying fire.
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire (1 Kings 19:11-12).
However, Tabernacles requires that you draw close enough to the Lord that you can hear Him whisper.
. . . and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:12-13).
Fortunately for Elijah he did move on to Tabernacles. How do I know? Because the Israelites prayed for rain during the Feast of Tabernacles, and Elijah prayed for rain to break the drought and it came. Then the Lord took him up because he had finished his course.
And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain (Zech. 14:16-17).
Do you want to be used of the Lord to bring the end-time rain? Then you need to move on from Pentecost to Tabernacles. Today Sinai is just a burned-out mountain of yesterday’s glory. If you are going to be part of the company of Elijahs who restore all things, you need to spend enough time alone seeking God and His word to find out the pattern of exactly how He wants to restore all things. Instead of running around Sinai like a chicken with its head cut off, you need to enter into the rest of Tabernacles. When you are flowing in the glory of Pentecost, it is difficult to leave it and go into seclusion. I’m sure the disciples were shocked that Jesus didn’t send them right back out there after having so much success, but maybe He knew a few things we have a difficult time understanding. Of course, all these things have to be done under the Lord’s instructions and in His timing, not ours. But sometimes the ministry of Pentecost is so loud we have difficulty hearing His voice.
Have you wasted all of your seclusion time running after fame and money? Some may not have enough time left to qualify for Tabernacles. I have a question for some of you prophets out there: What are you still doing in Pentecost, Elijah?