1 Kings 18:24 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The God that answereth by fire, let him be God— This was not the first time that God had declared his approbation of his worshippers, by sending down fire to consume their sacrifices (see Leviticus 9:24 and Judges 6:21.); and though, perhaps, it may be possible for evil spirits, who may have great knowledge how to manage meteors and exhalations to effect their purposes, to make fire descend from the clouds; yet since they can do nothing without a divine permission, it is absurd to think that, in a matter of competition between him and false gods, he should give evil spirits any licence to rival him in his miracles. If, as it is generally believed, Baal was the idol of the sun, or that power whom his worshippers supposed to preside over the element of fire, the reason of Elijah's proceeding is very obvious, as it afforded a full proof that Jehovah, the God of nature, was alone the Sovereign Lord and Ruler of all its operations.