THE RUNAWAY PROPHET
The prophet Elijah was a very bold person who has done some very amazing things. Yet James seems to think that your prayers can be as effective as the prayers of Elijah. You can read that in James 5:16-17
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its crop.
James makes here this interesting statement “ Elijah was a man just like us…” Now, to be honest, I don’t think you really believe these words, do you now? After all, you may well have prayed at times that the rain would stop but that does not mean your prayer was answered at that time. And you certainly have never prayed for the rain to stop for three years and then to pray again for the rain to start and for the heavens to respond by pouring out rain. So, I think, that deep in your heart you think, “Excuse me, James, Elijah might be like you, but after all, you were the half-brother of Jesus and that made you a special person. But James, you do not know me. I am just an ordinary person. I try to hold on to my faith and there are many times when I doubt God and struggle with issues in my life for I know that I am not supposed to behave in the way that I do and yet I continue to do these very things I know I am not supposed to. So, how can you possibly tell me that Elijah was just like me….?” If James could know what you might be thinking he may well suggest that you study the life of Elijah to see whether or not he is right so why don’t you start by reading I Kings 17:1-6
Now Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
We don’t seem to know anything about Elijah’s beginnings. All we know is that he is from a place called Tishbe. By the time we get to know him ,most likely, he is already established as a prophet and is known by king Ahab. What he has to say to the king is not very encouraging but it does happen. In fact, his words to the king will have caused the king to become very angry with him so God tells him where to hide from the king. But in time even Elijah is affected by the drought he has pronounced because the brook where he stays dries up. Now, I am sure that God could have done something supernatural so that the water in the brook would have continued to flow but God does not do this for He has a better plan in mind for His prophet. So He tells Elijah to go to a widow who lives outside Israel, even though there will have been many widows in Israel. Elijah may well have questioned God’s choice of this widow. Nevertheless, in obedience to God’s command he goes to Zarephath and seeks out this widow whom he knows has been prepared by God to take care of him, as you can read in I Kings 17:7-13
Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him, “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food. So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat – and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t’ be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.”
Just imagine that you are Elijah. Would you not feel very uncomfortable after your encounter with this widow? You may well question yourself if you still have the same prophetic ability you used to have when you accurately predicted to king Ahab that there would be no rain for three years. That word has proven to be all too true. However, in the case of the widow, you may initially believe you have approached he right widow but then she tells you she plans on dying. So either you have picked the wrong widow or, dare you think it, God has not done what He has promised He would do; He has not commanded this widow to take care of you. But then you are not Elijah and it seems Elijah has no such doubts.
At the same time you might like to say to him, “Elijah how can you ask this poor widow to bake you a cake first? How can you be so selfish? You must know that she has no spare flour left for you so how can you insist that she not only make a cake for you besides making a cake for herself and her son, but you insist that she makes a cake for you before making one for her and son? You ought to realise that this poor woman may not have enough flour for three people. It will mean, therefore, that, very likely, she will end up giving her portion to you and that will surely mean death for her.” But, it seems, Elijah knows something that you may not be not aware of as, you can read in I Kings 17:14-16
For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
It is very clear from these words that Elijah has great faith and you don’t think you can match his faith so you may well want to say to James, “See James, look at the faith of this man. You know I don’t have this kind of faith. And James, have you read what Elijah did do next?” This is recorded in I Kings 18:1- 1-2
After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.
The meeting between Ahab and Elijah is arranged by a man named Obadiah. He is in charge of the palace and is a devout man who has been able to protect one hundred of God’s prophets from Ahab’s wife, queen Jezebel. Apparently, she does not like God’s prophets very much and has shown that by having them killed off, as you can read in I Kings 18:3-16
And Ahab had summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of his palace (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets,Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water). Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals. So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.
As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognised him, bowed down to the ground, and said, ”Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”
“Yes,” he replied, “Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.” “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom that my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or a kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. But now, you tell me to go to my master and say, “Elijah is here.” I don’t know where the spirit of the Lord may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. Yet I your servant have worshipped the Lord since my youth. Haven’t you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. And now you tell me to go to my master and say, “Elijah is here.” He will kill me!” Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.” So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
Obediah is very reluctant to do what Elijah asks of him and that is not surprising. After all, Ahab is very angry with Elijah, blaming him for the famine. Nevertheless, Obadiah does go and tell the king that Elijah is back in the land and wants to meet with him. You can read of the encounter between king Ahab and the prophet in I Kings 18:17-19
When he (king Ahab) saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You abandoned the Lord’s command and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
After three long years of drought the king and the prophet finally meet up again. God is going to send rain once again. It is clear from Ahab’s words that he has no idea as to why there has been no rain for three years. According to him, this dreadful situation the nation finds herself in is entirely the fault of the prophet. It has nothing whatsoever to do with him. But Elijah sets the record straight by telling the king that he and his fathers are to be blamed for the misery the whole nation finds herself in: they have forgotten the God of Israel and have followed other gods. And it is time for an encounter between the God of Elijah and Ahab’s god, Baal, as you can read in I Kings 18:20-22
So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.”
The king has all the people assembled together and Elijah shows them that they are compromised in their faith. His words are very powerful. Yet, in this section you can see a glimpse of Elijah’s humanity, which you might easily miss and you can see it in his words “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left….” It looks like Elijah is throwing a kind of a pity-party, as all human beings can do at times, because he really wants to say, “People, look at me. I am the only one who still loves God. There is no one else who cares about Him.” But what about all the prophets Obadiah has been taken care of? Elijah seems to have forgotten that fact and this continues to play a role in his view of things, as you will find out a little later on.
He then tells the people to get two bulls ready to be sacrificed. One bull is to be sacrificed by the prophets of Baal and the other is to be sacrificed by him, as you can read in I Kings 18:23-24
“Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire –He is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”
Elijah then gives specific instructions to the prophets of Baal in preparation for their sacrifice to their god, as you can read in I Kings 18:25-26
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “ Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “O Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no-one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
The prophets of Baal are giving a big display of their loyalty to Baal. But there is no response from their god. At noon-time Elijah begins to urge them on to greater action for it may be that their god is too busy, as you can read in I Kings 18:27-29
At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said, “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. May be he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no-one answered, no-one paid attention.
No matter what the prophets of Baal try, their god does not respond. He does not even respond when they slash themselves with swords and spears! These prophets must have felt very despondent for their god does not seem to care about them, no matter what they do to try and appease him.
By the evening, Elijah takes over and begins to prepare the altar for his sacrifice, as you can read in I Kings 18:30-35
Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “ Your name shall be Israel.” With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench round it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and the wood. Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
The altar is in ruins. This means it has not been used for a very long time because the people of Israel have been worshipping Baal instead of worshipping the God of Israel. So Elijah re-builds the altar using twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. He has the wood placed on it and the bull that has been cut in pieces. What he does next is very unusual; he orders for water to be poured over the wood and the sacrifice and he has it done not just once but three times. You may well think, “Why do you do that, Elijah? Don’t you know that it is now impossible for your sacrifice to be burned? Do you want to be the laughed at by the Baal prophets? Don’t you realise that they are waiting their turn to humiliate you as you have humiliated them?” If that is what you are thinking, then Elijah would like to say to you, “It is true that, naturally speaking, it is impossible for this sacrifice to be burned. But just wait and see what God will do in this impossible situation.” After all, Luke writes in Luke 1:37
For nothing is impossible with God.
Having prepared the sacrifice, Elijah next turns to prayer knowing that it is only God who can do what no man or false god can do, as you can read in I Kings 18:36-38
At the time of the sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at Your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You are turning their hearts back again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up he sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
Elijah does not need to follow the example of the prophets of Baal to try and attract the attention of his God by shouting, dancing around the altar or even slashing himself with a sword or a spear. No, he just prays a simple but powerful prayer and God hears his prayer and answers by sending fire on the altar. And the people, seeing this, know who is the true God as you can read in I Kings 18:39
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord –He is God! The Lord – He is God!”
It is a good day for Elijah and the people, but it is not a good day for the prophets of Baal. They are shown to be false prophets and God’s judgement falls on them that day; they are killed off, as you can read in I Kings 18:40
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
It is only then that Elijah begins to intercede for the rain to come. Meanwhile the king returns to his palace, as you can read in I Kings 18:41-46
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. “Go and look towards the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time, the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, “Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.” Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
God has told Elijah He is going to send rain today but it does not happen right away. In fact, Elijah has to pray seven times before a little cloud appears in the sky. The prophet could have said after praying one time, “God, I don’t understand. You have told me that today You are going to send rain so why is it not coming? But he does not say that. Instead, he continues to pray for he knows that God will be true to His word and send the rain as promised. And He does. Once it arrives, Elijah makes a run for it, enabled by the power of the Lord, for he knows that it is not just going to rain, it is going to pour.
It has been quite a day for Elijah. He has shown himself to be a true prophet of God, full of faith and power. Nothing and no-one has been able to stand in his way. It has been a very good day for him. He plans to have a good dinner followed by a good night’s sleep.
Ahab, at his return to the palace, tells his wife Jezebel everything that has happened. No doubt, she will have flown into a rage after she has heard that all the prophets of Baal have been killed off for she is a worshipper of Baal and it is through her that Ahab and the people have begun to worship Baal. And now her prophets have been slaughtered by Elijah! It is time for revenge and she knows exactly how she is going to do it; she is going to send a threatening message to this prophet who dared to do what no man in this nation, including her own husband, had dared to do; kill off the prophets of Baal. After having sent her message to the prophet Elijah, she feels much better and can settle down for a good night’s sleep for tomorrow promises to be a much better day for her with the removal of this prophet.
Elijah is, no doubt, quite surprised to receive a note from the palace at this late hour of the day when he is about to go to bed. His initial thought may well have been that it is a thank you note from the king, inviting him for breakfast at the palace to show him his appreciation. However, once he has a good look at the addressee, he realises the note has come from the queen, as you can read in I Kings 19:1-2
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a message to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow, I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
We could say this is a somewhat frightening message. But surely the prophet will have dismissed it, as nonsense. Or has he….? You can read Elijah’s response to queen Jezebel’s message in I Kings 19:3-4
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
The note so upsets him that sleep evades him. What is he to do? He does not see a way out of his predicament, apart from running away. So, after a restless night, he gets up very early in the morning and hastily makes his departure. It does not matter where he is going. All he knows is that he wants to be as far as away as possible from queen Jezebel. What has happened to this mighty prophet of God? Is this the same Elijah, the one who the day before told Ahab to his face that he was the source of Israel’s problems?
Is this the Elijah who only yesterday mocked the Baal prophets and later that day had all 450 of them killed? What has happened to him that this one woman causes him to become so afraid that he has begun to run for his life? In fact has become suicidal?
Whatever it may have been, God is aware of the goings on in His prophet’s life and knows that His servant needs some rest and some food so He sends an angel to bake a special angel cake for him, as you can read in I Kings 19:5- 9a
Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.
Having been fed by the angel twice Elijah is sufficiently strengthened to travel a long distance. It is only then that God speaks to him, as you can read in I Kings 19:9b-10
And the word of the Lord came to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your covenant, have broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword, I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
God asks the prophet an interesting question. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” No doubt, God knows why he is there, but Elijah needs to know why he is there. Elijah answers him in quite a melodramatic fashion. “God, You may not realise this so I better tell You that Your people are not good, except me, and I am the only one left and now they are trying to kill me too.” Elijah’s answer sounds very dramatic, is it not? After all, it is only one woman who is trying to kill him. But God is very patient with His prophet, as you can see from I Kings 19:11-13a
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
The Lord tells His prophet to wait for Him to pass by and then He speaks to Elijah again, as you can read in I Kings 19:13b
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
The Lord repeats His question, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” because He wants to confront Elijah that he is not in the place where God wants him to be. But Elijah once again ignores the question and gives God the same reply he has given Him earlier on, as you can read in I Kings 19:14
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am on the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
It seems Elijah thinks God is not aware of the situation in Israel as it really is and the danger he, Elijah, is facing, so he better inform God. However, God, does not take any notice of Elijah’s complaints, nor does He take any notice of his earlier death wish. Instead he tells him what his next assignment is, but he has to go back first, as you can read in I Kings 19:15-18
The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
The journey Elijah has been on has been by his own choice and is not part of God’s plan for him. Therefore, he needs to go back to where he came from and he can then fulfill the assignments God has for him. God has not yet finished with him. There is still work for him to do regardless what the prophet may think or want. Moreover, God corrects Elijah by telling him that there are still seven thousand people left in Israel who worship Him, which are six thousand and nine hundred more than even Obediah may have known about.
So what do these chapters tell you about Elijah? It tells you that at times Elijah had great faith and at such times displayed great boldness. Yet, at other times he displayed great fear, suffered from depression and became even suicidal.
What may have been the reasons for his sudden fear, his sudden depression? I can think of a few reasons:
1. One thing could be that as part of his personality, he was inclined to perhaps overreact at times to situations as we have seen him do a few times.
2. Secondly, he may still have been very tired the day after his victories. His tiredness would not just have been a physical tiredness but an emotional and a mental tiredness. He may well have needed to take some time off. Even prophets of God are still human beings who are in need of sufficient food and rest, like the rest of us and Elijah may not have realised these things sufficiently.
3. Thirdly, the enemy would have been very angry and would have prepared a counter attack. It seems Elijah was not prepared for that to happen. Therefore, he was very vulnerable and completely broke down when the counter attack came.
Looking at these things perhaps you can now begin to agree with the words of James that “Elijah was a man just like us” for you too at times may display great faith and great boldness, while at other times you may be afraid, feel depressed and perhaps even get so depressed about life and its challenges that you would rather be in heaven with Jesus than continue on in this life.
Like Elijah, you too may need to consider that the reasons for your depression, your bouts of fear may be because
1. You have a certain personality which might make you inclined to overreact at times. If that is the case then you need to ask God to help you change in these areas.
2. Secondly, you must make sure you take sufficient rest and eat properly.
3. Thirdly, you must be aware that you too have an enemy who will want to launch a counter attack any time you have been victorious in your walk with God.
Peter says that so clearly in I Peter 5:8-9
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…
As for the assignments God had for Elijah, you most probably will never be called to stop the rain for three years. But you are called to be as obedient as Elijah was to fulfill the assignments God has for you, whatever they may be. And you can trust God to answer your prayers for you too are righteous in God’s eyes because you are clothed with the righteousness of God in Christ, as Paul writes in II Corinthians 5:21
“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
So having had a closer look at Elijah’s life, I believe, you can now at least begin to agree with James that, yes, Elijah was a man just like us…
QUESTIONS
1: Does James seem to think that your prayers can be as effective as the prayers of Elijah?
2a: According to James 5:16-17 what does James tell you to do?
2b: According to James 5:16-17 why does James want you to confess your sins to each other and to pray for each other?
2c: According to James 5:16-17 what does James say about the prayer of a righteous man?
2d: According to James 5:16-17 who does James say was a man like you?
2e: According to James 5:16-17 what did Elijah earnestly pray for?
2f: According to James 5:16-17 was Elijah’s prayer answered?
2g: According to James 5:16-17 what else did Elijah pray for?
3: Do you really believe James’s statement that Elijah was a man like you?
4: Have you sometimes thought that James might be like Elijah because he was the half-brother of Jesus?
5: Have you sometimes thought that you are just an ordinary person who tries to hold on to your faith?
6: As an ordinary person who tries to hold on to your faith, are there times when you doubt God and struggle with issues in your life?
7: As an ordinary person who tries to hold on to your faith, do you at times continue to do the very things you know you are not supposed to do?
8: Have you sometimes thought that James cannot possibly tell you that Elijah was just like you?
9: If James knew what you might be thinking, what would he possibly suggest you do?
10a: According to I Kings 17:1-6 who is Elijah?
10b: According to I Kings 17:1-6 who does Elijah go to see?
10c: According to I Kings 17:1-6 Who does Elijah serve?
10d: According to I Kings 17:1-6 what does Elijah say to Ahab?
10e: According to I Kings 17:1-6 where does the Lord tell Elijah to hide?
10f: According to I Kings 17:1-6 where does the Lord say Elijah will drink from?
10g: According to I Kings 17:1-6 who does the Lord say will feed Elijah?
10h: According to I Kings 17:1-6 do the ravens feed Elijah?
11: Do you know anything about Elijah’s beginnings?
12: By the time you get to know Elijah is he already established as a prophet?
13: Is Elijah already known by king Ahab?
14: Is what Elijah says to king Ahab very encouraging?
15: Will Elijah’s words to king Ahab have made the king angry?
16: How does God protect Elijah from king Ahab’s anger?
17: How is Elijah affected by the drought?
18: Why does God not do anything supernatural?
19: Who does God send Elijah to?
20: Why does Elijah obey God?
21a: According to I Kings 17:7-13 where does the Lord tell Elijah to go?
21b: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what has God commanded a widow in Zarephath of Sidon to do?
21c: According to I Kings 17:7-13 when Elijah arrives at the town gate who is there?
21d: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what is the widow doing?
21e: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what does Elijah ask the widow to do for him?
21f: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what else does Elijah ask the widow to do for him?
21g: According to I Kings 17:7-13 how does the widow address the God of Elijah?
21h: According to I Kings 17:7-13 is the widow able to give Elijah a piece of bread?
21i: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what does the widow have?
21j: According to I Kings 17:7-13 why is the widow gathering some sticks?
21k: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what does the widow plan to do after she and her son have eaten?
21l: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what does Elijah suggest the widow do first?
21m: According to I Kings 17:7-13 what does Elijah suggest the widow do next?
22: Suppose you were Elijah would you question your prophetic ability after meeting the widow?
23: Does Elijah seem to have such doubts?
24: Why would you want to ask Elijah how he can be so selfish in asking the widow to make a cake for him first?
25: Does Elijah seem to know something that you may not be aware of?
26a: According to I Kings 17:14-16 what does the Lord, the God of Israel say?
26b: According to I Kings 17:14-16 what does the widow do?
26c: According to I Kings 17:14-16 what happens to the food supply of the widow?
26d: According to I Kings 17:14-16 why is there food every day for Elijah, the widow and her son?
27: Is it very clear from these words that Elijah has great faith?
28: Do you perhaps want to say to James that you do not have the kind of faith that Elijah had?
29a: According to I Kings 18:1-2 when does the word of the Lord come to Elijah?
29b: According to I Kings 18:1-2 what does the Lord tell Elijah to do?
29c: According to I Kings 18:1-2 what does the Lord promise He will do?
29d: According to I Kings 18:1-2 what does Elijah do?
29e: According to I Kings 18:1-2 is the famine severe in Samaria?
30: Who arranges the meeting between king Ahab and Elijah?
31: How many of God’s prophets has Obadiah been able to protect?
32: From whom has Obadiah been able to protect God’s prophets?
33: What has queen Jezebel done to God’s prophets?
34a: According to I Kings 18:3-16 how has Obadiah protected God’s prophets?
34b: According to I Kings 18:3-16 who does Obadiah meet?
34c: According to I King 18:3-16 what does Elijah tell Obadiah to do?
34d: According to I Kings 18:3-16 what is Obadiah’s response to Elijah’s request?
34e: According to I Kings 18:3-16 how does Elijah reply?
34f: According to I Kings 18:3-16 does Obadiah arrange a meeting between king Ahab and Elijah?
35: Why is Obadiah very reluctant to do what Elijah asks of him?
36: Does Obadiah go and tell king Ahab that Elijah is back in the land?
37a: According to I Kings 18:17-19 what does king Ahab call Elijah when he sees him?
37b: According to I Kings 18:17-19 who does Elijah tell king Ahab are responsible for Israel’s trouble?
37c: According to I Kings 18:17-19 why are king Ahab and his family responsible for Israel’s trouble?
37d: According to I Kings 18:17-19 who does Elijah want king Ahab to summon?.
37e: Acording to I Kings 18:17-19 where are the people from all over Israel to meet Elijah?
37f: According to I Kings 18:17-19 who is king Ahab to bring to Mount Carmel?
38: Does king Ahab have any idea as to why there has been no rain for three years?
39: Does Elijah set the record straight?
40: What is the reason for the misery the nation finds herself in?
41a; According to I Kings 18:20-22 what does Elijah ask the people?
41b: According to I Kings 18:20-22 what does Elijah tell the people to do?
41c: According to I Kings 18:2-22 how do the people respond?
41d: According to I Kings 18:20-22 what does Elijah say to the people about himself?
41e: According to I Kings 18:20-22 how many prophets does Baal have?
42: What does Elijah do when the people are assembled together?
43: How can you see a glimpse of Elijah’s humanity?
44: What does Elijah want to say?
45: What fact has Elijah forgotten?
46: What does Elijah tell the people to get ready?
47: What are the two bulls to be used for?
48: Who are to sacrifice the two bulls?
49a: According to I Kings 18:23-24 what are the prophets of Baal to do with the bull?
49b: According to I Kings 18:23-24 are the prophets of Baal to set fire to the wood?
49c: According to I Kings 18:23-24 what will Elijah do with the other bull?
49d: According to I Kings 18:23-24 is Elijah to set fire to the wood?
49e: According to I Kings 18:23-24 who are the prophets of Ball to call on?
49f: According to I Kings 18:23-24 Who is Elijah to call on?
49g: According to I Kings 18:23-24 who is God?
50: What does Elijah say to the prophets of Baal?
51a: According to I Kings 18:25-26 who is to prepare a bull first?
51b: According to I Kings 18:25-26 why are the prophets of Baal to prepare a bull first?
51c: According to I Kings 18:25-26 what do the prophets of Baal do next?
51d: According to I Kings 18:25-26 for how long do the prophets of Baal call on the name of Baal?
51e: According to I Kings 18:25-26 is there a response from Baal?
51f: According to I Kings 18:25-26 what else do the prophets of Baal do?
52: Are the prophets of Baal loyal to Baal?
53: What does Elijah urge them to do at noon-time?
54a: According to I Kings 18: 27-29 when it is noon what does Elijah tell the prophets of Baal to do?
54b: According to I Kings 18:27-29 why does Elijah tell the prophets of Baal to shout louder?
54c: According to I Kings 18:27-29 what do the prophets of Baal do?
54d: According to I Kings 18:27-29 until what time do the prophets of Baal continue their prophesying?
54e: According to I Kings 18:27-29 is there any response from Baal?
55: Why will the prophets of Baal feel despondent?
56: What does Elijah begin to do by the evening?
57a: According to I Kings 18:30-35 what does Elijah say to all the people?
57b: According to I Kings 18:30-35 what does Elijah do next?
57c: According to I Kings 18:30-35 why does Elijah repair the altar?
57d: According to I Kings 18:3-35 what does Elijah use to build an altar?
57e: According to I Kings 18:30-35 what do the twelve stones represent?
57f: According to I Kings 18:30-35 what does Elijah dig around the altar?
57g: According to I Kings 18:30-35 hoe much seed can the trench hold?
57h: According to I Kings 18:30-35 what does Elijah do next?
57i: According to I Kings 18:30-35 what does Elijah tell the people to do?
57j: According to I Kings 18:30-35 how many times does Elijah tell the people to pour water on the offering and the wood?
58: Why is the altar in ruins?
59: Why has the altar not been used for a very long time?
60: It is usual for water to be poured over the wood and the sacrifice?
61: Is it now possible for the sacrifice to be burned?
62: Do you think the Baal prophets are waiting their turn to humiliate Elijah?
63: What might Elijah say to you in response?
64: According to Luke 1:37 with whom is nothing impossible?
65: After having prepared the sacrifice what does Elijah do next?
66: Why does Elijah turn to prayer?
67a: According to I Kings 18:36-38 Who does Elijah pray to?
67b: According to I Kings 18:36-38 what does Elijah want the people to know about the Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel?
67c: According to I Kings 18:36-38 what does Elijah want the people to know about him?
67d: According to I Kings 18:36-38 why does Elijah want God to answer his prayer?
67e: According to I Kings 18:36-38 what does Elijah expect God to do?
67f: According to I Kings 18:36-38 what happens in response to Elijah’s prayer?
67g: According to I Kings 18:36-38 what does the fire of the Lord burn up?
67h: According to I Kings 18:36-38 what happens to the water in the trench?.
68: Does Elijah need to follow the example of the prophets of Baal to try and attract the attention of his God?
69: What does Elijah do?
70: Does God hear Elijah’s prayer?
71: Do the people know who is the true God?
72a: According to I Kings 18:39 what do the people do when they see the fire of the Lord fall on the altar?
72b: According to I Kings 18:39 what do the people say at that time?
73: For whom is it a good day?
74: For whom it is not a good day?
75: Why is it not a good day for the prophets of Baal?
76: Whose judgement falls on the prophets of Baal that day?
77a: According to I Kings 18:40 what does Elijah tell the people to do?
77b: According to I Kings 18:40 where has Elijah brought the prophets of Baal?
77c: According to I Kings 18:40 what happens to the prophets of Baal?
78: What does Elijah begin to do then?
79a: According to I Kings 18:41-46 what does Elijah say to king Ahab?
79b: According to I Kings 18:41-46 why does Elijah say to king Ahab to go, eat and drink?
79c: According to I Kings 18:41-46 does king Ahab go to eat and drink?
79d: According to I Kings 18:41-46 where does Elijah go?
79e: According to I Kings 18:41-46 what does Elijah do after he has climbed to the top of Mount Carmel?
79f: According to I Kings 18:41-46 what does Elijah tell his servant to do?
79g: According to I Kings 18:41-46 what does the servant say to Elijah?
79h: According to I Kings 18:41-46 how many times does Elijah say to the servant to go back?
79i: According to I Kings 18:41-46 what does the servant tell Elijah the seventh time?
79j: According to I Kings 18:41-46 what does Elijah say to the servant to tell king Ahab?
79k: According to I Kings 18:41-46 why does king Ahab have to hitch up his chariot and go down?
79l: According to I Kings 18:41-46 where does king Ahab ride off to?
79m: According to I Kings 18:41-46 what comes upon Elijah?
79n: According to I Kings18:41-46 what does Elijah do?
80: Has God told Elijah He is going to send rain that day?
81: Does the rain come right away?
82: How many times does Elijah have to pray before a little cloud appears in the sky?
83: What could Elijah have said after praying one time?
84: Why does Elijah continue praying?
85: What does Elijah do, once the rain arrives?
86: Has Elijah shown himself to be a true prophet of God?
87: What does king Ahab do when he returns to the palace?
88: Why will queen Jezebel have flown into a rage after she has heard that all the prophets of Baal have been killed off?
89: Through whom have king Ahab and the people begun to worship Baal?
90: Who have queen Jezebel’s prophets been slaughtered by?
91: How is queen Jezebel going to take revenge?
92: Why can queen Jezebel settle down for a good night’s sleep?
93: Why will tomorrow be a much better day for Queen Jezebel?
94: Is Elijah surprised to receive a note from the palace at this late hour of the day?
95: Will Elijah have initially thought that the note is a thank you note from king Ahab?
96a: According to I Kings 19:1-2 does king Ahab tell queen Jezebel how the prophets of Baal have been killed?
96b: According to I Kings 19:1-2 how does queen Jezebel respond to king Ahab’s words?
96c: According to I Kings 19:1-2 what does queen Jezebel say to Elijah in her message?
97: What could you say about this message?
98: Can you expect Elijah to dismiss this message?
99a: According to I Kings 19:3-4 how does Elijah feel?
99b: According to I Kings 19:3-4 what does Elijah do since he is afraid?
99c: According to I Kings 19:3-4 where does Elijah go to?
99d: According to I Kings 19:3-4 who does Elijah leave behind in Beersheba?
99e: According to I Kings 19:3-4 where does Elijah travel to next?
99f: According to I Kings 19:3-4 under what tree does Elijah sit down?
99g: According to I Kings 19:3-4 what does Elijah pray?
99h: According to I Kings 19:3-4 why does Elijah pray that God will take his life?
100: Does queen Jezebel’s note upset Elijah?
101: Do you know what has happened to Elijah to cause him to become so afraid of this one woman?
102: Who is aware of the goings on in Elijah’s life?
103: What does Elijah need?
104: Who does God send to Elijah?
105a: According to I Kings 19:5-9a what does Elijah do when he is under the broom tree?
105b: According to I Kings 19:5-9a who comes to him and touches him?
105c: According to I Kings 19:5-9a what does the angel say to Elijah?
105d: According to I Kings 19:5-9a what does Elijah see?
105e: According to I Kings 19:5-9a what does Elijah do after he has eaten the cake of bread and drunk the water?
105f: According to I Kings 19:5-9a who comes to Elijah a second time?
105g: According to I Kings 19:5-9a what does the angel of the Lord say to Elijah this time?
105h: According to I Kings 19:5-9a what does Elijah do in response to the words of the angel?
105i: According to I Kings 19:5-9a How many days does Elijah travel?
105j: According to I Kings 19:5-9a to which mountain does Elijah travel?
105k: According to I Kings 19:5-9a where does Elijah spend the night?
106: How many times has Elijah been fed by the angel?
Answer: Elijah has been fed twice by the angel.
107: What is Elijah able to do after having been fed twice?
108: After Elijah has traveled a long distance who speaks to him?
109a: According to I Kings 19:9b-10 what does the Lord ask Elijah?
109b: According to I Kings 19:9b-10 what does Elijah say to the Lord?
109c: According to I Kings 19:9b-10 what does Elijah accuse the Israelites of having done?
109d: According to I Kings 19:9b-10 what does Elijah claim about himself?
109e: According to I Kings 19:9b-10 what does Elijah complain to God the people are trying to do to him?
110: Why does God ask Elijah what he is doing there?
111: Does Elijah sound very dramatic when he answers God?
112: Does Elijah remember there are still many prophets in Israel?
113: Are many people trying to kill Elijah?
114a: According to I Kings 19:11-13a what does the Lord say to Elijah?.
114b: According to I Kings 19:11-13a why does God want Elijah to go out and stand on the mountain, in the presence of the Lord?
114c: According to I Kings 19:11-13a what tears the mountains apart?
114d: According to I Kings 19:11-13a is God in the wind?
114e: According to I Kings 19:11-13a what happens next?
114f: According to I Kings 19:11-13a is God in the earthquake?
114g: According to I Kings 19:11-13a what comes then?
114h: According to I Kings 19:11-13a is God in the fire?
114i: According to I Kings 19:11-13a what comes after the fire?
114j: According to I Kings 19:11-13a what does Elijah do when he hears the gentle whisper?
115: What does God tell Elijah to do?
116: What does God do when He passes by?
117: According to I Kings 19:13b what does God ask Elijah again?
118: Why does God repeat His question as to what Elijah is doing there?
119: Does Elijah answer God’s question?
120a: According to I Kings 19:14 what does Elijah say to God?
120b: According to I Kings 19:14 does Elijah remember by now that there are still prophets left?
120c: According to I Kings 19:14 does Elijah now realise there is only one person who wants to kill him?
121: Does God take any notice of Elijah’s complaints?
122: What does God speak to Elijah about?
123a: According to I Kings 19:15-18 where does the Lord tells Elijah to go?
123b: According to I Kings 19:15-18 what is Elijah to do once he gets to the desert of Damascus?
123c: According to I Kings 19:15-18 who is Elijah to anoint king over Israel?
123d: According to I Kings 19:15-18 who is Elijah to anoint as prophet to succeed him?
123e: According to I Kings 19:15-18 what does Jehu have to do?
123f: According to I Kings 19:15-18 what will Elisha have to do?
123g: According to I Kings 19:15-18 how many prophets has God reserved?
124: Why does Elijah have to go back to where he came from?
125: Has God finished with the prophet Elijah?
126: How does God correct Elijah’s thinking?
127: How many prophets has Obadiah been taken care of?
128: what do I Kings 17, I Kings 18 and I Kings 19 tell you about Elijah?
129: What else do I Kings 17, I Kings 18 and I Kings 19 tell you about Elijah?
130: What may have been one of the reasons for Elijah’s sudden fear, sudden depression?
131: What may have been another reason for Elijah’s sudden fear, sudden depression?
132: What may have been a third reason for Elijah’s sudden fear, sudden depression?
133: Looking at these things can you now begin to agree with the words of James, that Elijah was a man like us?
134: Do you at times display great faith and boldness?
135: Do you at other times feel afraid, feel depressed and perhaps get so depressed about life and its challenges that you would rather be in heaven with Jesus than continue on in this life?
136: What could one of the reasons for your depression, your bouts of fear be?
137: What are you to do if you have a personality which might make you inclined to overreact at times?
138: What must you do as well?
139: What else must you be aware of?
140a: According to I Peter 5:8-9 what are you to do?
140b: According to I Peter 5:8-8 why are you to be self-controlled and alert?
140c: According to I Peter 5:8-9 how are you to deal with your enemy, the devil?
141: Will you be called to stop the rain for three years?
142: Why are you called to be as obedient as Elijah was?
143: Why can you trust God to answer your prayers?
144: Why are you righteous in God’s eyes?
145a: According to II Corinthians 5:21 what does Paul write about Christ?
145b: According to II Corinthians 5:21 what does Christ becoming sin for you mean for you?
146: Having had a closer look at Elijah’s life can you now at least begin to agree with James that Elijah was a man just like you?