Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood." 34 "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD--he is God! The LORD--he is God!" 1 Kings 18:30-39The 12 stones make up the altar, representing the 144k, 12k from each tribe as the stones were one for each tribe. When it says Jacob was the one to whom the word of the Lord had come saying, "Your name shall be Israel," it's like, what, are we so ignorant we didn't already know that? The use of the name Jacob usually signifies that those people are "unregenerated" and the name Israel signifies that they are revived, regenerated people. We should get the point then, that this altar represents a revived Israel, spiritually. They have overcome. For example, consider the following verses.
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." Genesis 32:28The bull on the altar represents the Y'shua, the ultimate sacrificial offering. (Hebrews 10) The placing of the bull on the wood alludes to the sacrifice of the wooden cross, a burnt sacrifice wholly devoted to God. (The bull on the other altar represents the anti-Messiah Beast, the one worshiped by the false prophets.)
But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, "I'm convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die." Genesis 45:27-28
Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know! Proverbs 30:4They will know - and they will know Y'shua!
John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Luke 3:16This baptismal fire is like what came when the day of Shavuot was fully come in 33 A.D.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4For the 144k, it will be an Acts 2 kind of experience. Did you notice the prominence of tongues in those verses in Acts? The tongues of fire were visible signs, evidence of God's acceptance of their offering, The tongues that were spoken languages were evidence of their having received God's spiritual blessing. There was an exchange of firstfruits on that day, as I have noted in a study that remains to be posted online. (Maybe someday, Lord willing.) Well, these tongues of fire could be seen licking up the water in the trench, because after all, that's what tongues do with water.
See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke; his lips are full of wrath, and his tongue is a consuming fire. Isaiah 30:27The things recorded in the passage in 1 Kings took place on Mount Carmel. The name Carmel means "fruitful field." The Lord's harvest field will indeed be fruitful when the time comes for the great contest between God's servants and the servants of Baal. Consider the fruit evidenced in those who had gathered on that Mount.
Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 1 Kings 18:38
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. 1 Kings 18:39And the people will know as Elijah prayed, that he was His servant and that he did all those things at His command. The Bride and the 144k, what a team! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Baruch haba b'shem Adonai!