"Carmel" is a chain of mountains that starts near the port of Haifa and
runs some 30 km. (18.5 miles) south-east. Its height (almost 600 m. or 1800 ft.)
and its lush vegetation made it particularly suitable as a place of religious cult (at
that time, the local people worshipped Baal). There, the one, true God will make
himself manifest in the sacrificial fire. To begin with, the people have nothing to
say when Elijah upbraids them, but at the end of the episode (v. 38) they make a
profession of faith which echoes in a way the faith of the prophet, who bears wit
ness to the living God. The name of Elijah, "The Lord is my God', foretells the
people's cry in response to his prayer on Mount Carmel" ("Catechism of the Catholic
Church", 2582).

The fire which consumes the offering is a figure of the Holy Spirit: "While water
signifies birth and the fruitfulness of life given in the Holy Spirit, fire symbolizes
the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. The prayer of the prophet Elijah,
who 'arose like fire' and whose 'word burned like a torch' (Sir 48:1), brought down
fire from heaven on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel (cf. 1 Kings 18:38-39). This
event was a 'figure' of the fire of the Holy Spirit, who transforms what he touches.
 John the Baptist, who goes 'before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah' (Lk 1:17),
proclaims Christ as the one who 'who will baptize you with Holy Spirit and with fire'
(Lk 3:16). Jesus will say of the Spirit: 'I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would
that it were already kindled!' (Lk 12:49). In the form of tongues 'as of fire', the Holy
Spirit rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself
(Acts 2:3-4). The spiritual tradition has retained this symbolism of fire as one of the
most expressive images of the Holy Spirit's actions (cf. St John of the Cross, "The
Living Flame of Love"). 'Do not quench the Spirit' (1 Thess 5:19)" ("Catechism of
the Catholic Church", 696).

The similarity between the fire of Elijah's offering and the action of the Holy Spi-
rit in the Eucharistic sacrifice was noted by the Fathers. But the typology can be
extended further: "The sacrifice on Mount Carmel is a decisive test for the faith
of the People of God. The Lord's fire consumes the holocaust, at the time of the
evening oblation. The Eastern liturgies repeat Elijah's plea in the Eucharistic epi-
clesis" ("Catechism of the Catholic Church", 2583).

Elijah's action at the end -- killing the false prophets -- needs to be understood
in the light of his zeal for the Lord and of the mentality of the time, for the Mosaic
Law prescribed exactly such treatment for prophets of pagan divinities in order
to safeguard the religious purity of the people (cf. Deut 13:13-19).