Elijah details

What is Ba'al

Elijah means “yhwh is God”
a prophet, an official spokesman for God to remind his people of the agreement they netered into with him, and to call them back to Him.

Ahab is the idolatrous king of Israel. This is not a big deal in a democracy, but under God’s Old Testament arrangement with Israel, its kings were obligated to lead and protect the worship of God. In fact, Ahab has led the Israelites away from God in an unparalleled way (16:29-33). He not only permitted the worship of false gods; he also married the Sidonian princess Jezebel and they established the worship of Baal as Israel’s official religion, also executing God’s prophets (18:4).


First dramatic entry:

He stormed into Ahab's presence in Samaria to announce that because Ahab had broken this agreement, God was bringing a drought on Israel as a disciplinary consequence. This was part of the original agreement (Deut.11:16,17)—Elijah was simply announcing it beforehand so that Ahab and the people (hopefully) turn back to God when it happened.

( won’t rain until you change your ways)

Conflict/ tension begins between Ahab and Elijah.. that culminates on Mt Carmel 3 yrs later.. the Baal/ God showdown [Elijah challenges Ahab]

Elijah sent to hide in the wilderness with no provisions.
Ravens brought him bread and meat twice a day, and he drank water from the creek. But after a while, it dried up because there was no rain.



Elijah Helps a Widow in Zarephath
Who had but a little flour was set to starve.
“ make me a cake, and your supplies won’t run out’.. and they didnt

I Kings 17”17
Later he helps heal the woman’s son who had stopped breathing

24 The woman said to Elijah, "I see it all now—you are a holy man. When you speak, God speaks—a true word!"

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1 Kings 18
Three years after their first encounter:
Elijah goes to meet Ahab. Sets up a meeting through Obadiah, a faith servant of God.
( who had disobeyed Jezebel’s order to go out and klll the prophets .. and he hid hundreds in caves

Who is the ‘troublemaker?’
the challenge on Mt Carmel is set. The pet prophets of Jezebell are invited

At the end... Elijah’s servant sees a cloud in the distance.
and send a message to Ahah to come down from the Mt before he’s stuck there by the rain

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Life is threatened
Jezebel immediately sent a messenger to Elijah with her threat: "The gods will get you for this and I'll get even with you! By this time tomorrow you'll be as dead as any one of those prophets."

3-5 When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day's journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die:

Suddenly an angel shook him awake and said, "Get up and eat!"

6 He looked around and, to his surprise, right by his head were a loaf of bread baked on some coals and a jug of water. He ate the meal and went back to sleep.

Hears the still small voice

Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."

Told to annoit his successor, Elisha.


Ascended in a chariot

So through these two events, Elijah learns that God will provide for him and protect him. Elijah also learns that God is superior to Baal.1 Finally, he learns that God will work through him to influence others toward him.