Standing with his arms upraised, holding the crowd hushed and silent by the sheer power of his voice, Elijah was an awe-inspiring figure. His voice filled the clearing and rolled down the mountainside. Hear my prayer Oh Lord! Elijah implored. Hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou hast turned their hearts back again to thee. The crash of thunder accompanying the flash of lightening jarred the whole mountainside and threw people to the ground by the sheer force of its impact. The whole altar burst into flame and the smell of burnt flesh mingled with the sharp odor characteristic of the passage of lightening. Miraculously, Elijah was not touched by the bolt, and above the moan of pure terror that swept the crowd his voice rose in an exultant shout: The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!