Mount Carmel

After our visit to the ancient Canaanite Underground Water Reservoir on 29 May 2014, we had lunch in a Kibbutz Community Hall in Dalia (Read here). From Dalia, we continued northwest to our next destination - Mount Carmel.

Mount Carmel is one of the rare sites we visited which is not directly associated with Jesus. Prophet Elijah naturally come to mind whenever we talk about Mount Carmel. 

As recorded in 1 King 18:20-40, on top of Mount Carmel, Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a contest at the altar to determine whose deity was true and dependable when called upon. The prophets of Baal prayed hard and desperately to their god but to no avail. And when Elijah prayed, the offering was consumed with fire even when it was soaked wet with water. The 450 prophets of Baal were ordered to be executed in the Kishon valley below! A dreadful and bloody end!

Muhraqa Carmelite Monastery now occupies the place believed to be where Elijah lived and fought against the prophets of Baal. This monastery is a house of prayer of the Discalced Carmelites. Discalced Carmelites are a Roman Catholic religious community of priests, brothers, nuns and laity who serve the Church through lives of prayer and ministry. Its roots go back to the 12th-century hermits on Mount Carmel.

Muhraqa Monastery.

Statute of Prophet Elijah.

At the far end of Muhraqa Monastery, one can catch a faint glimpse of the statute of Elijah.

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Mount Carmel is approx. 30 Km west of Mount Tabor. Naturally, on top of this mount, one too can have a panoramic view of the plain of Megiddo or Armageddon. (Read here).

We had time to remember the story of Prophet Elijah on top of Mount Carmel.