Elijah's Altar

Once God’s chosen people,
They now have rebelled,
Slowly mingling with the
Heathen

Partaking of their ways
Bowing before gods of
Wood and stone, offering
Their children through fire
And sacrifice

Practicing abominable acts
That made even evil angels
Turn their backs in unbelief,
At the cruelty of man

An evil king and queen reigns
Upon this land

They are angry with Elijah for
The message he carries,
Declaring famine and pestilence

For over three years not a drop
Of rain or dew had fallen and a
Drought covered the land

A retinue of soldiers and their
Beasts of burden bare the king
And queen

Climbing higher and higher
There is excitement in the air,
An altar is built to Baal to
Worship their gods who are deaf
And cannot hear

Musicians assemble in their
Stark white robes and crimson
Sashes, orange turbans covering
Uncut hair

Metals with inscriptions honoring
The dead, chains about the priest’s
Arms and legs, bodies are painted
With grotesque pictures

At the command, the trumpets
And horns are heard, with
Deafening sounds, the men are
Chanting in unknown tongues

With spears and knives slashing
Their skin, cutting their bodies
With piercings
Appeasing their gods to wake
From their sleep

But the heavens are silent, their
Altar remains unlit, sitting in
Dismay the men fall on the ground

Elijah calls his people to his
Altar with an offering

Pleading with God to rain fire
From heaven, the wood and
Offerings are consumed

But the altar to Baal still remains
As the priests continue to cry
Calling from morning to night
But still no reply

Even the king and queen found
It hard to believe and for a moment
They honored Elijah, but anger
Once again entered their hearts

Commanding their servants to
Slay Elijah

But God protected His servant
For He had many more miracles
For Elijah to fulfill…

Published by donna4poetry