Lesson 297 - Junior

Memory Verse

"How long halt ye between two opinions?  If the Lord be God, follow him:  but if Baal, then follow him”  (I Kings 18:21).

Notes

A Famine

During the reign of Ahab, king of Israel, there was a famine because God sent no rain and no dew for three and a half years. This was the judgment of God. Ahab's evil deeds were greater than those of any king who had been before him. Ahab had married a heathen woman, named Jezebel, and he allowed her to continue her idolatrous worship. Soon Ahab and the Children of Israel were worshiping Baal, too. Ahab built an altar to Baal, and made a grove for idolatrous worship. He did more to displease God than all the kings of Israel before him.

Elijah was the man who had delivered God's message that there would be no rain. When these words came to pass, the streams dried up, the grass withered, there was little food, and Ahab began to look for Elijah. Ahab searched throughout all the land. There was no nation and no kingdom that was not searched for Elijah. If Ahab had sought God as he sought Elijah, and had repented, perhaps God would have sent rain sooner.

Obadiah

In Ahab's home was a man by the name of Obadiah, who was considered the governor of Ahab's household. Obadiah had feared the Lord from his youth. He had risked his life by hiding and feeding 100 prophets of the Lord when Jezebel had destroyed a number of God's prophets. One day Obadiah was searching for grass for the horses and mules. Elijah appeared to him and asked him to tell Ahab that Elijah was there. At first Obadiah was afraid to tell Ahab. But when he was assured that Elijah would meet Ahab, Obadiah carried the message to the king.

Rain Promised

Elijah was carrying out the orders of God. Ahab had not found Elijah before because God had hidden Elijah. God told Elijah where to go and where to get food and water during the famine. God had now appeared to Elijah and promised that rain would be sent. But the Lord told Elijah to go and see Ahab. Elijah might have been fearful to let Ahab see him but this was the condition on which God would send rain.

God's Promises

In the Bible there are many promises of God. Along with the promises are given the directions for us to follow, in order that we might claim the promises. When we do what God has said, then God will fulfil His promise. For example, there is a promise to those who pray, having faith: "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” [MAK:11:24]). In Proverbs we read what to do in order to receive mercy: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” [PRO:28:13]). Here are some other portions of Scripture which tell us what to do in order to receive the promise: "Whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” [PRO:29:25]); "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” [JAM:4:10]); and "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” [MAT:7:7]). If you lack something that God has promised, you can have it by obeying and believing God. What God has promised, He is well able to do when we do our part and meet His conditions.

Blaming God and His People

When Ahab received Obadiah's message, he went out to meet Elijah. Ahab greeted Elijah with these words: "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” Ahab was trying to blame the Prophet of God for the famine. But Elijah told Ahab what the trouble was: Ahab and the people had forsaken God's command-ments, and were worshiping the idol, Baal. For this reason, punishment was sent upon them. When they disobeyed God, they suffered for it.

Sometimes today people try to blame God when judgment comes to them because of their sin and disobedience. Or they will try to put the blame on God's people – on something that has been said or done. The Bible says, "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” [PS:19:9]). When God's smile of approval is withheld, there is some reason for it. Let a person search his heart first; and if he is clear before God, may he feel that God is working out some good in his life, because he knows that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” [ROM:8:28]). But if, when he searches his heart before God, a person is condemned and finds that he has done wrong, he must be honest enough to admit his failure and ask God for forgiveness. Even if someone else had said something and had done something that could not be understood, a person, himself, is to blame when he fails God.

A Choice

Elijah knew that Ahab and the Children of Israel could not go on in their idolatrous and sinful way and have God's blessing too. Elijah knew that they would have to destroy the sin, which had brought the judgment of God. Elijah was willing to help the Children of Israel. He did not demand that they worship the true and living God, but Elijah put the choice to the people. Elijah stood before all the people and said, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.”

These words of Elijah should be a challenge to each person today. Some people try to have a good opinion of the world and a love for God; they try to have a mixture of the blessings of God and the sinful pleasures of the world, but the two are opposite and cannot be mixed. One cannot serve God and mammon. He will either love one and hate the other or he will hold to one and despise the other [MAT:6:24]). Those who are saved serve God because they love God, and have made the choice to follow Him. Those who are not God's people have chosen to be children of the devil. What choice have you made?

A Test

Elijah wanted the Children of Israel to prove for themselves and to know for themselves that the Lord is the only true and living God. It was planned that the 450 prophets of Baal would offer a sacrifice to their god, and that Elijah -– one prophet of God -– would offer a sacrifice to God. It was agreed that the God who answered by fire would be acknowledged as the true God.

The prophets of Baal prepared their sacrifice, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon. "But there was no voice, nor any that answered.” The prophets of Baal were very earnest. They leaped upon the altar, hoping to attract Baal's attention. But still there was no answer. In the afternoon they cried all the louder to their god. Elijah had suggested that maybe Baal was away on a journey, or perhaps he was asleep and needed to be awakened. In their sincerity the Baalites cried the louder. In their desperation they cut themselves with knives so that the blood gushed out upon them. Still there was no answer, because Baal was an idol and could not help them even if he had heard and had seen them. The prophets of Baal had earnestly sought but they were not calling upon the name of the true and living God who not only hears and sees but also answers and helps.

Fire from Heaven

At the time of the evening sacrifice it was Elijah's turn to call upon his God to send fire. Elijah was very careful to rebuild the altar of the Lord, which had been broken down. He took twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel, to build the altar unto the name of the Lord. The wood was placed in order, and then the bullock, which was cut in pieces was placed upon it. Around the altar a trench or ditch was dug. Over the sacrifice, the wood, and the altar, water was poured, so that it ran down and filled the trench. After everything was in order and prepared according to the command of the Lord, Elijah prayed. He asked God to answer his prayer, in order to let the people know that the Lord was God.

No doubt the people stood by, watching intently. Would Elijah's God answer? Would God answer the prayer of one man when Baal had not answered the 450 prophets? Could Elijah's God really send fire from Heaven? Could the sacrifice be burned after it was so thoroughly soaked with water? Perhaps they wondered how long Elijah would call upon his God.

As the people stood there, they saw the "fire of the LORD” fall. The sacrifice and the wood were burned up, but the fire did not stop. It continued to burn even the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench. This wonderful miracle happened before their very eyes. Elijah's God was able to send fire! Elijah's God did answer his prayer! The people worshiped the Lord and said, "The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.”

The prophets of Baal had to be slain because they had encouraged and helped the people to worship a false god. If the prophets of Baal had been spared, perhaps they would have again persuaded the people to forsake God and to worship an idol.

Rain

Why did Elijah do all this? To remove the sin which had brought the judgement of God. When this was done the people could expect the promised rain. Elijah told them that there was an abundance of rain coming. They believed Elijah and obeyed him.

While Ahab went to eat and drink, Elijah prayed. God had promised to send rain, but still it was Elijah's part to pray. In order to claim God's promises today, He people must continue to pray. After they are saved, they pray to be sanctified. Jesus prayed that His people would be sanctified [JHN:17:17-20]); and we read, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification” [1TS:4:3]). But God's people must pray and consecrate their lives to Him in order to receive it. After they are sanctified, they must seek God to be baptized with the Holy Ghost [ACT:1:5]). This experience also has been promised [ACT:1:8]; [JHN:14:16], [JHN:14:26]; [JHN:15:26]; [JHN:16:7]), but those who have received it have done so only as they earnestly prayed and believed God.

Praying

There on Mount Carmel Elijah cast himself down before the Lord, and prayed. Then he sent his servant to see if there was any sign of rain. There was no sign, so Elijah prayed again and again. After Elijah had prayed the seventh time, the servant said that there was a small cloud about the size of a man's hand. To Elijah, that was sign enough that God was sending rain. He sent word to Ahab, "Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.”

There on Mount Carmel Elijah had prayed once and God had sent fire from heaven. That was most unusual, but the Lord answered Elijah's prayer that the people would believe that the Lord was God. Elijah had to pray seven times before God sent the rain. Elijah is a good example for us. He prayed unto he received that which God had promised. The cloud was very small and there had been no rain for three and a half years, but Elijah believed God, and so his prayer was answered.

Faithful Elijah

Before they could reach the city, the sky was black with clouds and wind. There was a great rain, which the land and the people needed. The people were blessed both spiritually and materially because Elijah was willing to obey God -– brave to stand before evil Ahab, and courageous to slay the prophets of Baal. God was honoured and the people were restored, because Elijah took his stand for the Lord and right -– one man against the 450 prophets of Baal.

Who knows what will be done for the Lord and for others if each boy and each girl in our Sunday School will be obedient to God and will take a stand for that which is right?

Questions

1. What kind of ruler was Ahab?

2. Why was there no rain?

3. Who was Elijah?

4. How did the prophets of Baal call upon their god?

5. Why was there no answer from Baal?

6. Tell about Elijah's prayer.

7. What choice did the people make?

8. Why was it necessary for the prophets of Baal to be slain?

9. Why did Elijah pray when God had promised rain?

10. What was the sign that there would be rain?