1. Drought results

 

  1. Ahab consumed with belongings
    1. 1 Kings 18: 5 Not a single word about God.
    2. The famine made no impact on Ahab.
  2. Elijah confronts Ahab.
    1. Called a trouble maker
    2. Christians always accused when things go bad.
      1. Elisha’s head called for during siege (2 Kings 6: 31)
      2. Paul turning the world upside down (Acts 24: 5)

 

2. The call to confrontation

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  1. Bring the prophets of Baal and Asherah 850 total
  2. Have the people come too
  3. Come to Mount Carmel
  4. How long will you waver between the two opinions Vs 21
    1. Even after 3 1/2 years of drought they are not ready to come to God
    2. We always feel that if God would bring judgement people would turn to him
    3. God wants to draw us with his loving kindness. (Jeremiah 31: 3)
  5. I am the only prophet left. Vs 22
    1. He knew that Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets (See Vs 13)
    2. Either Elijah is arrogant or did not consider prophets that did not speak up anything
    3. Elijah realized that they were hidden and lost their prophetic voice

 

3. The Challenge

 

  1. The prophets of Baal build an altar
  2. Bring two bulls and you pick whichever one you want
  3. The god who answers by fire will be God

1. I am sure that Baal was able to call down fire or they would not have agreed to this challenge.

  1. They shout until noon
  2. Elijah mocks them and their god
  3. They try a blood covenant but.
  4. NO SOUND, NO REPLY, NO RESPONSE. VS 29

4. Elijah rebuilds the altar

 

  1. Come to me Vs30
  2. He repairs the altar with twelve stones
    1. Remember who you are Israel.
    2. Type of Jesus
  1. Sacrifice (Jesus on the cross)
  2. New covenant made with the people
  3. Twelve tribes gathered and rebuilt into a new nation (Jews and Gentiles making upthe new man)
  1. Pours water on the altar to make sure no one but God gets glory for the fire that is to come
  2. He draws close to the altar Vs 36

1. Trust in the move of God seeing fire was going to come down.

  1. Elijah was obedient to the word of God. Vs 36
  2. Fire fell down

1. The people cry out that The LORD is God not Elijah! 7. Take the prophets of Baal and kill them.!
5!. Three types of responses to Restoration coming to the people of God

  1. Ahab went to eat and drink
    1. Commanded by Elijah to do this
    2. Forgot to mention God in his report to Jezebel.
    3. Touched but not changed.
  2. People filled with action
    1. Yelling the Lord is God
    2. Returning to Jezreel
  3. Elijah getting intimate with God.

1. I want to see promises of God come forth. I want to see rain

1. Prophetic people will see things before natural people do.

  1. Isaiah 62 give God no rest and make mention (remind God)
  2. Prayed seven times which is the number of completion
  3. cloud size of a hand
    1. rising out of the sea
    2. Hebrew hand stretched out in supplication

6!. Elijah is a man just like us

  1. His name is not mentioned in hall of faith.
  2. Prayed for no rain and it did not rain James 5: 17

1. heard because of obedience (See Hebrews 5: 7, 8)
3. Prayed again and rain fell and earth yielded crops. James 5: 18