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."

We usually go through a lot of lineage and ancestry about who these people are before they are introduced to us. Elijah just kind of pops on the scene. We’re not really told who he is. It struck me as odd how Elijah just pops up. It seems that a lot of what we’ve seen of people before now is predicated on their ancestry and their history. A lot is usually given on where they came from and how they got to be in the roles they play in the Bible. We’re not told anything about Elijah.

It shows me that "who we are" is not really important compared with what we do. A lot of times in my personal life, I downplay the roles I think I’m capable of because I say, "I’m not an important enough person to be able to do these things. I don’t have the background. I’m not from a wealthy family. My name is not real well known. My family doesn’t own all these businesses." Elijah certainly breaks this rule. We don’t know anything about Elijah but here he is all of a sudden, standing in front of Ahab. He’s not there to make a request. He makes a pretty bold statement. This reminds us that other than being godly people, it’s not really who we’re supposed to be that counts but what we’re capable of doing.

Elijah was a man who was close to God; a man to whom God was very real and God used him. In the final analysis, what really matters is who and what God is. Knowing who God is should strengthen our faith in Him so that it affects what we are, what we say, and what we do. ¹ It’s not so much who we think we are.

Think about John the Baptist. When we first find out about John, he introduces himself as "just a voice." It wasn’t really important where he came from or who he was. It was the work he was doing. Elijah is very similar in that respect. Elijah doesn’t come along and say, "I am the son of so and so." But he delivers a message. I thought that was very, very important as far as the impact of this first verse of the chapter.

"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." That’s a pretty strong statement for somebody who is standing in front of the king of Israel. If you take that sentence and break it down, it teaches us a little about who Elijah is:

(1) The words, "As the Lord, the God of Israel lives," teach us he was convinced and confident in God’s person.

(2) The words, "Before whom I stand," teach us he was cognizant of God’s presence and committed as God’s representative.

(3) The words, "Surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word," reveal the fact he was confident in God’s promises.¹

The name, Elijah, comes from the Hebrew word Eliyahu, which means "My God is Yahweh." That’s what his name meant. So there was no doubt when people met Elijah of what he was really about. During a time when people did some things other than what God wanted them to do (idol worship, worshipping Baal, etc.), a man came forth whose name meant, "My God is Yahweh." He has a lot to prove.

We meet Elijah for the first time, he makes his statement to Ahab, and at the Lord’s discretion and with his assistants, he goes into the desert for three and a half years. He’s provided for by the Lord. The ravens feed him every morning and evening. This is done through the Lord. The Lord is providing for Elijah during this period of drought.

Within chapter 17 is the story of the widow. Often times, in order to pay debts, people would have to sell themselves or their family into slavery. This widow has no food. She meets Elijah and he orders her to bring him a piece of bread and something to drink. This is quite a lot to ask of somebody who, during a period of drought, is concerned about taking care of her own. He asks of her and she is provided for. It’s sort of symbolic of what he has to do later on and what his role is going to be. If he can provide for this one widow, what’s his role going to be for the Nation of Israel?

The true story of Elijah comes in chapter 18 on Mount Carmel.

1 Kings 18:17-18

When he 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 have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals.

Ahab looks at Elijah as a sort of threat. He’s not quite sure how to deal with Elijah. Elijah says, "I’m not the troublemaker. You’ve gone against everything that God directed us to do."

1 Kings 18:21

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.

I thought this was kind of typical of a lot of people, myself included. Sometimes in the things I face in life, I will sometimes waiver. If I’m forced to make a decision, that’s when it’s really time to "put up or shut up." A lot of times it’s easy to follow the flock but it’s not always easy to be someone like Elijah who is out in front, making decisions. It’s interesting that he says, "Make a decision," and the people say nothing. They’re quick to participate in these activities. I would even gather that a lot of them probably know that it is wrong but they still participate. It’s easy to justify yourself doing something when you have a lot of other people participating in the same activity. "Well, if they’re doing it, it must be alright for me to do it also." But when Elijah calls them at this and says, "Choose. If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him." The people say nothing. I thought that was a rather interesting response.

Elijah proposes a contest to once and for all determine who the true God is. He tells all these worshippers of Baal, "Let’s have a contest. We’ll each get a calf for slaughter for our sacrifices but we’ll stop short of actually lighting the fire. We’ll just get it ready." So they prepare the sacrifices. Elijah basically says, "There are a lot of you but only one of me. Why don’t you go first?" The worshippers of Baal call upon him through the morning and afternoon. They get nothing. This goes on and on.

1 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. Maybe 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.

What’s interesting to me is that Elijah actually taunts them a little bit, "Oh, where is your god? If he’s such a mighty god, why hasn’t he heard you?" I thought that was kind of interesting…very bold because Elijah is acting on his own. He’s in front of 450 prophets of Baal and he’s taunting them. "Where is your God? Oh, he must not be able to hear you. Yell louder! Or maybe he’s busy. I’m sure he can hear you. He’ll get to you in a little while. He must have other things to do. Or maybe he’s traveling." He taunts them all day long. Nothing ever happens.

1 Kings 18:30-33

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 around 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 on the wood."

So Elijah gets ready for his turn and goes one step further. He soaks all the wood with water. You have to like Elijah at this point. This is a man who is pretty confident. He’s either going to succeed really well or he’s going to fail miserably. Only two things can happen at this point. There is no backing out at this point.

Elijah has soaked the wood with water. Surely wet wood is not going to burn. Not only does he do it once but he does it three different times.

1 Kings 18:36-39

At the time of 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 the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD--he is God! The LORD--he is God!"

Suddenly they have a lot to say. Earlier when Elijah asked them to choose between God and Baal, they had nothing to say. This is Elijah’s purpose: to turn the people around so that they don’t follow these practices contrary to God’s wishes and directions. Elijah’s prophecy, as we’ll see throughout 1^st and 2^nd Kings, is a prophecy of fire in a lot of cases.

So here we are, standing on top of Mount Carmel. Elijah has really stuck his neck out this time. He’s taunted the prophets of Baal. He’s even gone so far as to soak the wood of his own sacrifice. The Lord has provided. Again, part of what we learn from Elijah is that it’s not who we are but it’s more of what we can do for the Lord and what He can do through us.

1 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.

We see what becomes of the prophets of Baal. Their god did not provide for them.

It’s interesting what happens next. A lot of people know about Mount Carmel and what takes place there, but it’s also important to see what happens afterwards.

1 Kings 18:41

And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain."

Remember that it hasn’t rained in three and a half years.

Ahab takes off to go back home and Elijah runs all the way back to Jezreel. Part of the reason he runs is to make sure he got there first and told what really happened on Mount Carmel. It’s just funny that he runs all the way back to Jezreel to ensure that the proper story is told. Ahab goes back and tells Jezebel the story. Remember who Jezebel was. Jezebel was the one who had promoted the worship of Baal. She didn’t seem satisfied with worship of God and worship of Baal coexisting. She wanted all worship of God removed. That seemed to be her sole purpose. Ahab goes back to tell Jezebel what occurred on Mount Carmel. Elijah knows that he’s probably going to be a wanted man at this point so he runs.

When I first started thinking about Elijah, I was comparing myself. I said, "Wow! This is a really brave person. He must be strong in his convictions. He stands on Mount Carmel and taunts these prophets. He soaks his sacrifice. He must be so much different than I am." A lot of people aren’t aware what occurs in chapter 19. He runs to the desert. He’s afraid. He runs for his life.

1 Kings 19:3-5a

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." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

So we see that Elijah is a lot like us in a lot of ways. He has doubts. His is human. Elijah experienced fear and discouragement much like we do. It’s important to see that we have the same capabilities as Elijah. He is not a step above us. I personally will sometimes disqualify myself because I think I’m not important enough or capable enough.

Once again, the Lord provides for him.

1 Kings 19:5b-9a

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 forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.

We see that before and after Mount Carmel, the Lord provides for Elijah.

It’s also interesting to note the symbolism here. The "forty days and forty nights" reminds us of the Flood. In Matthew 4:1-2, Jesus fasted in the desert for forty days and forty nights when He was being tempted by Satan. In Deuteronomy 9:9-11, Moses stayed on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights before the Ten Commandments are given to him. I think this serves to reinforce the validity of God’s word.²

We remember when Moses was first chosen by God. Moses questioned, "Why me?" We see Elijah worn down. He’s tired and the Lord provides. God allows him to rest and build up his strength again.

1 Kings 19:9b-11a

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, 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." The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

This occurred one other time in the Bible. Does anybody remember? It was Moses. He was not allowed to look but the Lord passed by.

1 Kings 19:11b-17

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. Then a voice said 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, 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." 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.

This is very important. Who are these people?

• Hazael, king over Aram: this is God’s punishment for Israel. Hazael will be the person who torments the Nation of Israel from the outside.
• Jehu will be the person who punishes Israel internally.
• Elisha will put to death anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu. This is God’s punishment for not following His word.

1 Kings 19:18

Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

We see that God has had enough of the false idol worship. This is part of where things to come are first set up (especially with Hazael and Jehu).

1 Kings 19:19-21

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?" So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

Remember that Elijah was directed to return the way he came.

This struck me. Elisha did something pretty permanent. He made it so that when he left, he could not come back. He killed his oxen and burned his plowing equipment. This is somebody who’s looking ahead and not looking back. This says a lot for his commitment to Elijah. We sometimes want to rest on our laurels. We want our comfort zone. We are occasionally willing to step out of the box and try something new as long as we have something we’re accustomed to to fall back on. You see he leaves his comfort zone—he destroys everything, kills his oxen, and burns his equipment. There is no coming back for him. His farming was a status symbol for him and he just does away with it.

<It says that Elijah put his cloak around Elisha. We don’t know why he did this and Elijah even says, "What have I done to you?" Sometimes we don’t know why God asks us to do something but we should do it. Even though Elijah did not understand why, it obviously had a significant impact on Elisha.>

We’re not given the thoughts behind what Elijah did and said but it’s clear that he obeyed God and his actions speak louder than his words. It may be going out on a limb but when we first meet Elijah (when he goes to Ahab), he makes the prophecy about the drought. We don’t see a response from Ahab, the king of Israel. One of the things I’ve thought is that maybe the response really isn’t important. It is more about what the Lord is going to do than it is about Ahab trying to force his personal will. A lot of responses aren’t given but we should focus on the actions.

<Elijah putting the cloak on Elisha also signified that Elisha would be his successor. It symbolized a transfer of authority that would become complete when Elijah left the cloak for Elisha.>

In chapter 20, we see Ben-Hadad, king of Aram. He attacks Samaria and sends messengers to Ahab, king of Israel. Chapter 20 covers a lot of the mistakes Ahab makes. He defeats Ben-Hadad. Several verses in chapter 20 acknowledge that it is the Lord accomplishing all of this. Ahab still misses the point.

1 Kings 20:34b

[Ahab said,] "On the basis of a treaty I will set you free." So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.

This is along the same lines as some stories we’ve studied previously. He finds Ahab along the side of the road and poses as a wounded soldier. He says, "During the battle, I had this captive I was supposed to watch. During the events, I turned my back and the guy got away. I was supposed to watch him or lose my life."

1 Kings 20:40b-43

"That is your sentence," the king of Israel said. "You have pronounced it yourself." Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. He said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: `You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.'" Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria.

Next is Naboth’s vineyard. Once again, we see the ugly side of Jezebel. There was a vineyard Ahab wanted for himself. It was close to his palace. He went to Naboth, the owner, and tried to buy it from him. Naboth refused to sell it because it belonged in the family. Naboth goes home and sulks like a little child who didn’t get what he wanted. I thought that was kind of interesting.

1 Kings 21:7

Jezebel his wife said, "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

Basically she says, "I’ll get it for you." She plots to have Naboth killed so that Ahab can take the vineyard.

1 Kings 21:17-19

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: "Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. Say to him, `This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, `This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood--yes, yours!'"

Elijah shows up. You kind of have to like Elijah. There’s not a lot of doubt about what he means when he speaks. He doesn’t speak a lot but when he does, you don’t have to second guess what he means.