Strength of faith, character, and boldness can only be shaped in the hidden fires of silence, sameness, solitude, and adversity. Yet few are willing to go through the process required to get them there. Every serious believer longs to summon up the kind of boldness and faith that can stand firm on Mount Carmel and pray down heaven into impossible situations. Blinded by the remarkable narratives of our biblical heroes, we can forget they each had a backstory-months and years of development, even difficulty, which fortified their spiritual muscle and prepared them for the tasks that made their lives unforgettable. And Elijah-calling down fire on Mount Carmel. Anderson.Old Testament heroes are best known for their most celebrated moments: Moses dividing the Red Sea David slaying Goliath Gideon routing an insurmountable army Joshua marching around the defiant walls of Jericho. This Study Through the Bible Course is based on a sermon series by Kenton C.
In this study, we will see that God never leaves us alone, even though God's kingdom is bigger than we can imagine. This text is more personal, dealing with Elijah's emotional response to the situation in Israel. It follows upon Elijah's dramatic triumph on Mount Carmel over the prophets of Baal. In 1 Kings 19 we see the passing of the torch, or in this case the mantle of leadership, from Elijah to Elisha. God's kingdom is bigger than our little circle of the world.
God rests his credibility upon his ability to outperform the prophets of Baal. This text describes a true power encounter. The worship of Yahweh was virtually extinct, until one man, Elijah, stood and challenged the people's lethargy. There was little faith, and what there was of it was hiding in the caves. They had seen so much hunger and death that it was hard for them to recognize a fresh alternative in the face of Ahab's power. The people were in a beaten down and powerless state. We need to trust God during our own times of drought.ġ Kings 18 is set in the nation of Israel during a time of terrible drought and famine. The unfolding drama is a testimony of God's faithfulness to his own.
When the water ran out, God led Elijah to the home of a widow who had only a little water and meal left to share with her son. The current king of Israel was Ahab, who in 1 Kings 16:30 is described as having "done more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him." It was not a bright time for Israel.Įlijah arrived on this scene with little introduction, speaking God's word to Ahab: There will be no rain or dew until God says so. When we stand up for the Word of God, God stands up for us.Īt the time of 1 Kings, the worship of God was in disarray following a string of godless monarchs. This three-session course reveals that God is true to his Word and that he will never leave us alone. But when Elijah bottoms-out emotionally, he finds out that God's kingdom is bigger than he can imagine. We see him boldly tell the evil king Ahab, "There will be no rain or dew until God says so." Elijah trusts God to bring a young man back to life, and he faces the prophets of Baal in a contest. Elijah demonstrates both courage and fear in the book of 1 Kings.