MOUNT CARMEL

Mount Carmel is the scene of the monotheistic contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18. Mount Carmel is actually a range of mountains that peak at some 1,742 feet at which point that famous altar was built. Carmel means "garden" or "orchard". It is near Haifa close to the Mediterranean Sea. It was known for its fertility with olive and fruit trees. The prophets referred to Carmel (Amos 1:2; Isaiah 33:9; Nahum 1:4) The area is watered by the Kishon River (Judges 4:7) which is still a landmark today. From the top of Mount Carmel one gets a breath-taking view of the Valley of Armageddon. Other religions had considered this mountain a holy place for hundreds of years even before the prophet Elijah. There is an altar of 12 stones in a chapel on Mount Carmel reminding us of Elijah taking 12 stones to build an altar according to the number of the 12 tribes of Israel. (I Kings 18)