Elijah the Prophet
Embedded Files
Introduction
Introduction
Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
1 Kings 18
Story Summary
Story Summary
It is important to make the connection between previous stories and this one. Israel had divided into two: Israel (Northern Kingdom, 10 tribes, bad kings) and Judah (Southern Kingdom, 2 tribes, good and bad kings). Elijah was called to be a prophet and tell the people of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) what God has to say. To get their attention, God told Elijah to tell Ahab, the bad king of Israel, that there was going to be a drought in the land for several years, until Elijah came back to him. So Elijah rode out the drought next to a brook being fed by ravens and then at a poor widow's house where God miraculously provided food for her, her son, and Elijah.
Elijah and Obadiah
Three years later, God told Elijah to go back to King Ahab and declare that the drought was going to end. On the way to speak to Ahab, Elijah met a man named Obadiah. Obadiah worked for bad King Ahab, but he was a good guy. You see, Ahab's wife Jezebel was a really bad woman. She led King Ahab to worship false gods and was even killing the true God's prophets. Obadiah had great respect for God and so he was secretly hiding God's prophets in caves to keep them away from Jezebel. He was nervous that King Ahab would find out about it.
So when Elijah came upon Obadiah, and asked Obadiah to go get Ahab, he was scared. He thought for sure he would tell Ahab that he found Elijah, and then when Ahab came to where Elijah was, he would be gone - and Obadiah would be a goner... But Elijah reassured him that he wouldn't do such a thing to him, so Obadiah went to get King Ahab. And that's where the fun begins...
Elijah and the False Prophets on Mount Carmel
Elijah told Ahab to go get all the people of Israel, 450 prophets of a false god named Baal, and 400 prophets of a false prophet named Asherah (remember the Asherah poles Josiah destroyed?). So Ahab gathered everyone at Mount Carmel and Elijah issued his challenge.
He had 2 bulls brought to the mountain and placed on altars. His challenge to the prophets of Baal was that the god who sent down fire to burn up the bull on their altar without the prophet starting the fire would be the one true God. He had the prophets of Baal start first. They put their bull on the altar and called for their god named Baal. (Have fun with this when you tell the story) "Baal! Baal! Send fire down! Baal? Anyone there? Hellooooooo????"
Elijah started to make fun of them. "Maybe you need to yell louder? Maybe he is asleep? Maybe he's really busy or away on a trip? Maybe he's using the bathroom?" Baal never answered.
Now it was Elijah's turn. He decided to up the challenge. He built an altar out of 12 stones (anyone guess why 12 stones?). He put the bull on the altar just like the prophets of Baal, but he also dug a trench around the altar and had them pour buckets and buckets of water over the altar and the bull until the trench filled up. When he prayed, though, God sent fire down and immediately burned up the bull and licked up every drop of water around the altar. Woah - that must have been cool to see...!
The people believed that God was the one true God and they had all the prophets of Baal and Asherah put to death.
Activities
Activities
Activity 1 "Paper Ball War"
Activity 1 "Paper Ball War"
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials needed from the cart:
Printer Paper
Get the details by clicking here!
Directions
David's followers were in battle against Saul's followers after David became king of Judah. Saul's son was king over the rest of Israel.
Place a masking tape line in middle of play space.
Place a bunch on balled up pieces of paper on the masking tape line (number depends on the amount of children you have. You want to have 3 or 4 times the amount of paper balls as you have students)
Divide class into two teams, David and Saul.
One team goes on each side of the masking tape.
Set timer for 3 minutes.
When you say go, students run to the paper balls and throw them to the other side.
The object is to have more paper balls on the other team's side when the time is up.
Activity 2 "Paper Plate Crown"
Activity 2 "Paper Plate Crown"
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials needed from the cart:
Paper Plates
Scissors
Markers and things to decorate with
Get the details by clicking here!
Directions (Click here for step by step directions with pictures)
You want to use just a flimsy paper plate. Each child will need one.
Fold the paper plate in half.
There is absolutely no need to draw a dotted line on your paper plate. I did it on mine as a helpful visual for you to see where you cut. Essentially, you cut it like a pizza. (Click the link to see the pictures) Most of the cuts you can do while the paper plate is folded. Do not cut all the way through. Cut it up to the ruffle edge of the plate. You will need to open up the paper plate to make the final two cuts.
They can color the paper plate however they want to create the look of their crown.To make the crown part stand up, the kids can just fold them up into place.
Activity 3 "King David Paper Doll "
Activity 3 "King David Paper Doll "
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials needed from the cart:
Cardstock body cutout (1 per child)
Crayons
Construction paper
School glue
Get the details by clicking here!
Directions (Click here for step by step directions with pictures)
Teacher Preparation: Draw and pre-cut a body one per child.
Step 1. Remind children that when Samuel first anointed David as king, David was still a shepherd boy. Using the brown construction paper, guide kids in decorating one side of the body like a shepherd boy.
Step 2. Remind kids that God chose David because he had a heart that pleased God, not because he looked good. Explain that God also saw not just what David was as a shepherd boy, but what David could become as a great king. Instruct students to flip David over decorate the other side as David the King using the purple robe made out of construction paper and adding a crown.
Other Fun Games
Other Fun Games
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials needed from the cart:
Varies depending on the game
Get the details by clicking here!
Musical Chairs
Grab the black chairs out of the closet (so that they are lighter to move around) and have the kids play musical chairs!
David, David, Goliath
This is Duck, Duck, Goose.... instead use the words "David, David, Goliath" for the game.
Cup stack races
Keep a stack of cheap plastic cups in your bag to pull out for a quick game. Two children can race each other in making the highest or biggest pyramid of upside-down cups in one minute.
Activity 5 "Dance it out"
Activity 5 "Dance it out"
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials needed from the cart (varies based on the game you choose):
christian just dance videos below
If they don't want to play the Christian Just Dance game they can play follow the leader.
Wrap It Up!
Wrap It Up!
**Snacks can be given at this time, if needed**
**Snacks can be given at this time, if needed**
-Come together and sit in a circle to talk about what they learned today. Ask them the same questions that you asked at the beginning of the day. How are their answers different now that they know more? Talk about what they can go home and tell their family. This is also a time they can update their journals (big kids only) or color the pictures (littles).
-Come together and sit in a circle to talk about what they learned today. Ask them the same questions that you asked at the beginning of the day. How are their answers different now that they know more? Talk about what they can go home and tell their family. This is also a time they can update their journals (big kids only) or color the pictures (littles).
-Ask if anyone has a prayer request/praise report. Pray over requests.
-Ask if anyone has a prayer request/praise report. Pray over requests.
-Worship time- Have the kids go find a spot to themselves and have some time with God (play the song below for around 3/5 minutes).
-Worship time- Have the kids go find a spot to themselves and have some time with God (play the song below for around 3/5 minutes).
Worship
Worship
Energy Release!
Energy Release!
Last Minute Filler Ideas
Last Minute Filler Ideas
-Have them gather around the table and draw a picture or write a letter to their families about what they learned today.
-Play a game of some sort. (If you have the hula hoops, have them join hands in a circle and pass the hula hoop around the circle without breaking their hands)
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