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Lesson 6 1 Kings 17-18

REVIEW Jehoshaphat Reigned in place of his father Asa Strengthened Judah against Israel 2 Chronicles 17:3 Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel.

Jehoshaphat REVIEW Removed the high places and wooden images from Judah Sent leaders and priest throughout the land to teach the people Took Book of the Law of the LORD with them

REVIEW Jehoshaphat Surrounding kingdoms were afraid Philistines brought presents Built fortresses and storage cities in Judah Had men of valor and men of war Over a million men prepared for war

Kings Judah Rehoboam Abijam Asa Jehoshaphat Israel (all evil) 17 yrs; evil Abijam 3 yrs; evil Asa 41 yrs; good Jehoshaphat 25 yrs; good Israel (all evil) Jeroboam - 22 yrs Nadab - 2 yrs Baasha - 24 yrs Elah - 2 yrs Zimri - 1 week Omri - 12 yrs Ahab - 22 yrs ------------------------------- ------------------------------- -------------------------------

Lesson 6 1 Kings 17-18

A Treaty of Peace Jehoshaphat and Ahab made a treaty of peace – 1 Kings 22:44 A bad idea for Judah?? All kings of Israel evil Progressively worse God still known in Judah Asa and Jehoshaphat good kings

Kingdom Relationships JUDAH Jehoshaphat Jehoram Ahaziah Athaliah ISRAEL Ahab – Jezebel Ahaziah Jehoram Athaliah Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram marries Athaliah daughter of Ahab, king of Israel

Two Great Prophets Israel is deep in sin; worshiping Baal God is still concerned for them He sends two great prophets to Israel Elijah the Tishbite Elisha the son of Shaphat A period of recorded miracles To show God’s might

A Drought 1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

A Drought James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

God Cares for Elijah Sent to Kerith Water in the brook Fed by ravens Brook dries up Go to Zarephath Between Tyre and Sidon Widow would care for him

Flour and Oil Widow expecting to die Make Elijah bread first Would not run out of flour and oil Until rain came She did as Elijah said Her son became sick and died

A Man of God Elijah took the son to his room He prayed to God The boy’s life came back to him Elijah took him to his mother Look your son lives 1 Kings 17:24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth."

Who is really in control? How many sacrifices had been made to Baal, the sun god, because of this drought? Who is really in control? Go See Ahab 1 Kings 18:1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth." 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.

Obadiah Ahab and his palace steward Obadiah are looking for water Obadiah feared Jehovah Had hid 100 men from Jezebel Afraid to go tell Ahab Elijah wanted to see him Elijah assures Obadiah he will stay

The Challenge Surprised?? Ahab calls Elijah a troublemaker 1 Kings 18:18 And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. Lack of water is not the problem Forsaking God and serving Baals

The Challenge Challenge to meet 450 prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel to prove who is God 1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (ASV)

Preparation Two altars Wood to burn Bullock for sacrifice Cut in pieces on the altar 1 Kings 18:24 "Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."

Prophets of Baal Praying to Baal Leaping and dancing No response Heckled by Elijah Baal may be away Or busy Or sleeping

God shows Himself Elijah poured 12 buckets of water on his sacrifice No ‘normal’ way it could burn 1 Kings 18:36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 "Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."

God answers Fire from heaven Consumed sacrifice The wood The stones The earth beneath 1 Kings 18:39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" How long will this last?

Results People seized the prophets of Baal and killed them Elijah prays for rain James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Lesson A Man of God Elijah took the son to his room He prayed to God The boy’s life came back to him Elijah took him to his mother Look your son lives 1 Kings 17:24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth."

The Challenge Lesson Not only some Israelites worshipped God and others Baal, but the same Israelites sometimes worshipped one and sometimes the other. This he calls faltering/limping between two opinions, or thoughts. They worshipped God to please the prophets, but worshipped Baal to please Jezebel and curry favour at court. They thought to play on both sides. Now Elijah shows them the absurdity of this. Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Challenge to meet 450 prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel to prove who is God 1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (ASV)

Lessons – Power of Prayer James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Lessons – Power of Prayer 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Power of Prayer A righteous man Not a sinner Not a hypocrite Not a perfect man Not a man without sin A righteous man justified by Christ who lives soberly and righteously …to one another You? Me?

Power of Prayer Effectual, fervent A prayer that has power Energy Life in it With the Spirit, and with the understanding 1 Corinthians 14:15

Power of Prayer Effectual, fervent With the heart, even with a true heart In faith With fervency (energy), and not in a cold, lukewarm, lifeless, formal, and customary way True prayer is not what is written in a book, but what is wrought in the heart

Power of Prayer Example James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. Earnestly– serious in intention, purpose showing depth and sincerity of feeling When was last time you prayed an effectual, fervent, earnest prayer?

Lessons After a combined 66 (41+25) years of ‘good’ in Judah, what event begins the departure from serving God? Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram marries Athaliah daughter of Ahab, king of Israel Lessons for us?

Lessons Surprised?? Ahab calls Elijah a troublemaker Why is it that the person who disagrees with us is always “the troublemaker?”

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