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A great "antiecumenist" Holy Prophet Elijah the Tishbite

Fr. Dan Bădulescu

"And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that
troubleth Israel?" And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that
ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim."(1 Kings 18:17-18)

We can understand from the above fragment how the "antiecumenists" are accused by the
"ecumenist" leadership of the state that, by their attitude, they are causing harm and rebel the people
against authority. This creates an "enemy of the people", just as later did the French mason
revolutionaries and the Eastern Communists. The action of the "rebel" antiecumenist would led to
disastrous economic consequences for the state and nation.
In fact, today as yesterday we see that things are exactly opposite: the plagues fall on people
just because of the attitude of ecumenical apostasy in which the leaders attract them under the pretext
of "twinning", of "reconciliation", of the humanist "peace", which ensure the welfare and happiness on
earth!

"Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal
four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So
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Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 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 18:19-
21)

The "halt between two opinions" shows doubt in faith of the Orthodox faithful (here the
Israelites). At this time of spiritual confusion they are not anchored in any of the two antagonistic
religions (faiths): the Church of God (here mosaism, Judaism) and the heretical, heterodox (here
Baalism), but walk towards losing path of syncretistic "ecumenism". The "antiecumenist" (here the
prophet) trenchantly asks them to choose one of them, but the lack of faith of believers paralyzes their
option and they prefer to remain in expectation, to see "Whose justice" and even "who is stronger".

"Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's
prophets are four hundred and fifty men.'" (1 Kings 18:22)

The Scripture shows us as a terrible example over centuries, a close to the edge situation when
the Orthodox people (here the Israelites), the Orthodox faith has only one important representative on
the spot (we will see later that there were in the "catacombs", meaning hidden, other authentic
Orthodox, which were not known). Precedent existed and was repeated in the history of the Church
(see St. Athanasius the Great or St. Maximus the Confessor)

"And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel
have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I,
even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."..."Yet I have left me seven thousand in
Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.'" (1
Kings 19:14, 22)

Since - as often happens – the spiritual, theological, rational arguments, common sense etc. are
no longer of any use in softening of hardened hearts and opening of ears deaf to the truth, The Holy
Prophet was forced to use an overwhelming demonstration of supernatural power, i.e. a miracle of God
that shows no right of appeal where the justice is:

"Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and
cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it
on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of
the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It
is well spoken. And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and
dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under." (1 Kings
18:22-25)

The wonder of fire ignition in the Old Testament may have as equivalent Holy the light (fire)
that lights and proves each year which is the Orthodox Easter, it comes down to the Orthodox prayer of
the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem on the date of the Orthodox Paschalion. The other heterodox
bishops, not to speak about Hebrew and Muslim, are completely unable of this miracle, because the
Holy Spirit has left them long time ago and does not listen to them, as they do not call the true God!
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"And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name
of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that
answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah
mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a
journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves
after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them." (1 Kings 18:26-28)

The Prophet of God does not prevent the scruples "diplomatic" and "humanitarian", but he
whipped the enemies of the true God as one must do, mocking an ridiculing them.
Self mutilation scenes are seen nowadays at the papists who are whipping or hammering
themselves, or are injured by broken glass. In the Philippines they perform even real crucifixions on the
cross! All these things betray rituals of bodily people whose spiritual understanding is entirely lost,
their practices, having, of course, as much effect as they had on St. Elijah time.

"And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering
of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded." (3
Kings, 18:29)

Nowadays at the Christian Church vespers, "the evening sacrifice" is a bloodless one, spiritual,
it is praise and prayer. But at that dreadful moment the Holy Spirit choosed the path of the divine wrath
and zeal (endeavour).
"Burnt sacrifice" (Greek ο  λ ο κ α υ , τ ω µ α , Latin holocaust), was the supreme
sacrifice in the Old Testament made to the true God by his worshipers. Initially it was literally so, in
this case the bullock was sacrificed.

"And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto
him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones,
according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came,
saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he
made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in
order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water,
and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it
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the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran
round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water." (1 Kings, 18: 30-35)

Prayer, lifting the altar, bringing sacrifice: all these liturgical acts are the work of the
priesthood. Who was due to be made these in those moments? Certainly the clergy: chief priests,
priests and levites. But all of them seemed to fall into apostasy and ecumenism and were incapable of
giving an Orthodox testimony. In this case God decide that their duty is to be performed through
iconomy by the prophet, a man full of endeavour (zeal) of God!

"And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet
came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art
God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O
Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their
heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and
the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench." (1 Kings, 18:36-39)

At the time of vespers in The Church is singed about the showing of "Gracious Light”, but then
God brought down fearful fire from heaven, as the Holy Light from Jerusalem descends for the return
of some and strengthening the Orthodox faith of the believers.

"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. And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them
escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there."
(1 Kings 18:39-40)

Today his anti-ecumenist Christian "kills" the false prophets with the sword of the spirit, not
bodily, but then it had to proceed as Lord thought better, without judging this by the pietist-sentimental
standard of contemporary humanism devoid of Holy Spirit.

"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets
with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more
also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time." (1 Kings 19:1-2)

Public and open "anti-ecumenist" actions and reactions, as shown, are fully felt by the
authorities who take action. If today there is no physical "slewing" of the "ecumenists" and heretics, the
"anti-ecumenists" are still threatened by a socio-political "slewing": they are declared "talibans,
extremists, fanatics, fundamentalists, medieval Byzantine" etc. ., "politically incorrect" and "enemies of
national interests" to be compromised in the eyes of the public. If this is not enough, there could be
more concrete sanctions: reprimand, suspension, dismissal, deposition, persecution, defamation,
charging the consistory, internment in a monastery at the hospice, and if there's not enough, then... are
known from history also other options.