Bible Stories for Adults

God Feeds Elijah

1 Kings 15-17

Next Week - Elijah and the Baal Prophets (1 Kings 18-19)
Bible Words to Remember:
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:20-21

What great sin of Solomon led to The Divided Kingdom?
1 Kings 11:1-4 = He built shrines for his wives' gods & followed them
How did God decide to punish Solomon for this evil?
1 Kings 11:11-13 = He'd tear away 10 tribes of Israel & give them to a servant

Who was the subordinate God chose?
1 Kings 11:28 (26) = Jeroboam, leader of Solomon's labor force
What promise did God make to Jeroboam?
1 Kings 11:31, 38 = Build dynasty like David's if he stays faithful

How faithful was Jeroboam as King of Israel?
1 Kings 12:26-31 = Created his own religion with calves, priests & festivals
How did God decide to punish Jeroboam for this evil?
1 Kings 14:7-11 = Destroy the household of Jeroboam
How would God punish the people of Israel for their part in this sin? = 200 years later
1 Kings 14:15-16 = Uproot from the land & scatter beyond the Jordan

How faithful was Solomon's son, Rehoboam, as King of Judah?
2 Chronicles 12:1 = Abandoned God as soon as was secure as king
In what ways did Rehoboam and the people of Judah abandon God?
1 Kings 14:23-24 = Set up shrines & people worshipped other gods
How did God respond to Rehoboam's rejection?
1 Kings 14:25-26 = He sent Shishak to make Rehoboam & Judah subject
How well did the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah get along?
1 Kings 14:30 = Continual warfare; Not a full civil war, but intermittent skirmishes

Who succeeded Rehoboam as king of Judah and how faithful was he?
1 Kings 15:1, 3 = Abijah, Walked in the sins of his father
To what royal line did Abijah's mother belong?
1 Kings 15:2 = Absalom's daughter, David's granddaughter, Rehoboam's cousin
Did God decide to wipe out Abijah's family as he had Jeroboam's?
1 Kings 15:4 = No, gave him a descendant for David's sake
Note: 2 Chronicles 13 has interesting story on battle between Abijah & Jeroboam

Who succeeded Abijah as king of Judah and how faithful was he?
1 Kings 15:9, 11 = Asa, Did what was right as David had done
How did Asa work to reform the evils of his father and grandfather?
1 Kings 15:12-13 = Purged Judah of idols & prostitutes, even deposed his grandmother
Note: 2 Chronicles 14-16 has stories on Asa's reforms & conflict with Israel

Who succeeded Jeroboam as king of Israel and how faithful was he?
1 Kings 15:25-26 = Nadab, J's son, Walked in ways of his father
Why did Nadab reign only 2 years?
1 Kings 15:27-28 = Assassinated & succeeded by Baasha
How did Baasha fulfill God's promise of punishment to Jeroboam?
1 Kings 15:29-30 = He destroyed all of Jeroboam's family

How faithful was Baasha as king of Israel?
1 Kings 15:33-34 = Did evil & walked in the ways of Jeroboam
How did God decide to punish Baasha for this evil?
1 Kings 16:1-4 = Destroy Baasha's household just like Jeroboam's

Who succeeded Baasha as king of Israel?
1 Kings 16:8 = Elah, his son
What happened to Elah?
1 Kings 16:9-10 = Assassinated and succeeded by Zimri, an official
How did Zimri fulfill God's promise of punishment to Baasha?
1 Kings 16:11-12 = He destroyed all of Baasha's family

How long did Zimri reign as king of Israel and why?
1 Kings 16:15-17 = 7 days, besieged by army (Omri was commander)
How was the siege ended?
1 Kings 16:18 = Zimri burned palace around him

Who became the next king of Israel?
1 Kings 16:21-22 = Omri, after challenger Tibni died
What notable change happened during Omri's reign?
1 Kings 16:24 = He relocated capital from Tirzah to Samaria, where it remained
How faithful was Omri's reign?
1 Kings 16:25-26 = More evil than the kings before him

Who succeeded Omri as king of Israel and how faithful was he?
1 Kings 16:29-30 = Omri's son Ahab, more evil than those before him
How was Ahab more evil than those before him?
1 Kings 16:31-33 = Trivialized J sin, Married Jezebel, Baal Worship
Did Ahab intend Baal to supplement or replace God?
1 Kings 18:4 = Jezebel worked to kill all of God's prophets
What notable construction happened during Ahab's reign?
1 Kings 16:34-35 = Jericho was rebuilt at cost of Hiel's sons
How did this fulfill God's word as spoken by Joshua?
Joshua 6:26 = Joshua cursed the rebuilder of Jericho, Cost of sons

Baal meant lord or god
Every pagan locality had its own Baal
Shrines to Baals were built on high places in the area
Baal of Sidon (Phoenicia) was brought to Israel by Jezebel
Controlled rainfall - Critical to agricultural society
Was happy & gave rain when he mated with his wife Asherah (Astarte)
Temple sex induced Baal & Asherah to mate so it would rain
Sacrifices included children under extraordinary conditions
Priests would dance around altar in frenzy & slash selves with knives

What did God plan to prove He is God of the rain & all creation?
1 Kings 17:1 = Sent Elijah to Ahab to say He was sending a drought
What did Elijah's name mean and why was it significant?
1 Kings 18:39 = Elijah means Yahweh is God. He came to show this
How would Elijah be taken care of during this drought? = Cherith Bk near Tishbe
1 Kings 17:2-6 = God sent bread & meat via ravens & water in brook

How did God take care of Elijah when the drought dried up the brook?
1 Kings 17:7-9 = Sent him to widow in Zarephath (10 mi S of Sidon)
How hard did Elijah have to search to find this woman in Zarephath?
1 Kings 17:10-11 = Met her as soon as he reached the town gate

Had the drought affected Zarephath?
1 Kings 17:12 = Yes. The woman was planning to eat her last meal
How did God use this condition to show His power?
1 Kings 17:13-14 = He would keep flour in the jar & oil in the jug
Did the woman have faith in Elijah's promise?
1 Kings 17:15-16 = She did as Elijah told her & had food every day

What did the widow believe was the cause for her son's death?
1 Kings 17:17-18 = He was killed as punishment for her sinfulness
How did Elijah respond to her reasoning?
1 Kings 17:19-23 = He asked God to restore the boy to life, He did
What was the real reason that the boy had died?
1 Kings 17:24 = To show God's power to her & build her faith
Did Jesus support the idea that illness & death result from specific sins?
John 9:1-3 = Man was blind, not because of a sin, but to show God's work in his life
Note: The Book of Job addresses the question of why bad things happen