“And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word” (1 Kings 18:21)

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24)

In 1 Kings 18:17-40, Elijah issues a challenge. He commands Ahab to gather all Israel unto Mount Carmel, along with the prophets of Baal (450) and the prophets of the groves (400). Now that we have this gathering, Elijah asks the people: How long will you be double-minded? “How long halt ye between two opinions?” James 1:8 tells us, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

Israel’s problem was that they could not make up their mind as to which god they wanted to serve. One minute they were serving Jehovah God and the next minute they were worshipping some dumb idol of the pagan nation.

Now it is time to make a choice.

Joshua, in Joshua 24:14-15, makes this same plea to Israel when they had come into the Promise Land. Joshua told the children of Israel “…put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. (15) And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve…”

Are you between two opinions? Have you placed other things or people before God? Do you idolize something? God will not take second place. He will not share His Glory with another.

The first of the Ten Commandments given to Moses is, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Another example is given to us in Exodus 32:1-25, when Aaron made the golden calf and the people danced themselves naked worshipping this idol instead of the Lord God. Moses and God were very angry with this stiffnecked people. But in Exodus 32:26, Moses said, “…Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me…”

Whose side are you on?

In conclusion, note in 1 Kings 18:21, when Elijah said, “How long halt ye between two opinions?” the Bible says, “And the people answered him not a word.”

You have to make a choice. Whom do you choose?