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The Greatest Super Bowl of All Time
Every year at this time, the National Football League hosts a championship game between the two strongest teams, one from each conference. Thousands of fans attend the game itself, and millions of fans worldwide gather around televisions to watch this athletic spectacle. It’s no wonder that everyone refers to this game as “The Super Bowl.” Yet, thousands of years ago, another competition took place in Israel — in the midst of a drought — to determine spiritual superiority. This particular event — because of the clear competition between the false god of Baal and thetrue God of Israel — may well be the greatest Super Bowl of all time.
Like the New England Patriots today, the overwhelming favorites in this Israeli battle were the followers of Baal, the false god of rainstorms. They were led by Ahab, the King of Israel who “did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before Him” (1 Kings 16:30). In addition, Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, carried out her own evil desires by killing the prophets of the Lord.
Next, just as the Los Angeles Rams are underdogs today, the clear underdogs back then were the followers of Israel’s true God. As a result of Jezebel’s persecution, most of them had been forced into hiding, and a punishing three-year drought and famine threatened their very survival. Fortunately, Elijah rose up to challenge King Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah…
