- Elijah was a prophet for Northern Kingdom - Name means “The Lord is the one true God” - Northern Kingdom had 19 evil kings in a row, which spanned about 200 years - Very evil king Ahab…married evil Jezebel - Led the people astray into false god worship

1 Kings 16: 30-33 30 “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.  31 He …began to serve Baal and worship him.32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.”

1 Kings 17:1 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.”

If this were Hollywood… the next scene would be a show-down with Elijah and Ahab, but God’s Story is almost always different than the one we would tell. Although there are miracles and battles…it’s the “behind the scenes” character development that He favors.

God takes Elijah into a season of waiting and hiding God takes Elijah into a season of waiting and hiding. God wants to do SO MUCH through Elijah, but that can only happen if the Lord does MUCH MORE in him. It’s in these seasons of preparation that men and women of God are shaped & tested.

------------------------------ Season #1: Isolated Pain ------------------------------ 1 Kings 17: 2-3 2 “Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.”

-------------------------------------------------- Season #2: Total Dependence -------------------------------------------------- 1 Kings 17: 4-6

Many of you might be in a similar season Many of you might be in a similar season. There was something you used to trust in for security…and now it’s gone. You are forced to trust in the Giver of life and all good things to care for you.

Unconditional Obedience Season #3: Unconditional Obedience -------------------------------------------------- 1 Kings 17: 7-24

Through Elijah’s obedience to God, multiple miracles flowed out Through Elijah’s obedience to God, multiple miracles flowed out. We can’t expect miraculous intervention in our “desert seasons” while living in rebellion towards the Lord.

1 Kings 17:24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”