The Gospel Project
A Divided Responce UNIT 13: Divisions: Session 4 28 SEP 25
Elijah was from Tishbe in Gilead, but the location of this town is uncertain. There is no mention of his birth and parentage. His name, which means "Yahweh is my God," may be regarded as the motto of his life, expressing the aim of his mission as a prophet. He embodied the strictest tradition of Yahweh. His prophetic objective was to awaken Israel to the conviction that Yahweh alone is God. He is pictured as a lonely figure "wearing a leather belt around his waist" (2 Kin. 1:8). In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel; and Ahab reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. Elijah lived during the period of Ahab's reign over the Northern Kingdom of Israel, when pagan worship was formally introduced by Ahab into Israel (16:32). Jezebel was not only a zealous propagandist for her religion, but was also a persecutor of the true followers of Yahweh. The very existence of true Yahweh worship was threatened. This chapter recounts three proofs that Yahweh spoke through Elijah. Elijah's first act was to announce to Ahab that the true God was about to send a dreaded famine upon the country because of Ahab's religious sins. Baal, the Canaanite god of storm and fertility, was directly challenged in this prediction of drought. When Elijah's career was over, he neither died nor was buried. While conversing with the prophet Elisha, Elijah was suddenly confronted with a chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire, and was taken up by a whirlwind to heaven (2 Kin. 2:1-12). Elijah is mentioned in later biblical narratives as the harbinger of the "day of the Lord" (Mal. 4:5) and as the herald of the Messiah. The appearance of John the Baptist marked at least the first fulfillment of the prophecy of his return (Matt. 11:7-14; Luke 1:17). On the Mount of Transfiguration Elijah and Moses appeared, representing the first and the last prophets to declare the coming of the Messiah (Matt. 17:3; Mark 9:4; Luke 9:30), who also was to ascend into heaven.
The Northern Kingdom was in more trouble than usual under the evil king Ahab. Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs wrote in his Studying Adult Life and Work Lessons, July-September 1976, page 73, that the time was "Probably in the earlier part of Ahab's reign over the Northern Kingdom, a reign of twenty-two years (874-853 B.C.; see 1 Kings 16:29)." The Northern Kingdom split with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin in 931 B.C. Good intentions done the wrong way is or leads to sin. Jeroboam 1 rules from 931-910 B.C. He didn't want anyone to go to Jerusalem to worship so he built worship places at Dan and Bethel. He placed golden calves to represent Yahweh! Dr. Hobbs, page 74, "At his [Omni] death, he was succeeded by Ahab, an unworthy son of an unworthy father…he took as his queen Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Sudonians or Phoenicians. Jezebel was the stronger-willed of the two, and contributed greatly to Ahab's wickedness. Someone has called Ahab the "Solomon of the North," in that he married a foreign wife who brought her religion with her. [Note: he had only one wife, not like the numerous foreign wives for Solomon. In this he was wiser.] However, none of Solomon's wives had the missionary zeal of Jezebel. She was not content merely to have her own temple of Baal with its altar (see 1 Kings 16:32). Ahab also made a "grove" (Hebrew, asherah) for her (v. 33)….It’s now known that Asherah is the name of the Canaanite mother-goddess who also is associated with Baal, along with Ashtoreth, the sex goddess, and consort of Baal.
So Ahab made an Asherah to Jezebel's god Baal. Jezebel was determined to install Baal worship as the national religion of Israel." For all her evil, would that Southern Baptists had a measure of her zeal to win a people to a specific god. "She sought to kill all the prophets of Yahweh, but one hundred were saved by being hidden in a cave (see 1 Kings 18:4, 13)." She also imported 850 pagan prophets. In all this "Her bitter enemy was "Elijah the Tishbite of Gilead (see 1 Kings 17:1." You can understand why she felt that way. Dr. Hobbs, page 75, "His first act was to announce that "there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word." This was a direct challenge to Baal in the most fundamental of issues. Baal was to be the god who gave rain. It was obvious that Yahweh, not Baal controlled the rain. Then Elijah disappeared from public. Dr. Hobbs points out that even in Jezebel's home country, there was a famine. Even then Baal could have supplied rain (if Baal was real). Then in the third year, God sent Elijah back to Israel. Dr. Hobbs, page 76, "" 'Is it you, you troubler of Israel?' "This was a serious charge to make against Yahweh's prophet. No greater calamity could have come upon the nation than this drought. If such were true, it could be grounds for a charge of treason." If such were true, it could be grounds for a charge of treason."
Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs wrote in his Studying Adult Life and Work Lessons, April-June 1979, page 35, “Suddenly Elijah appeared before King Ahab of Israel to announce a prolonged drought in the land. It would end only at the prophet’s word. This was a direct challenge to Baal worship, since this god was supposed to bring rain and to produce a rich harvest in agriculture, flocks, and herds. In a land dependent on agriculture and animal raising for its economy, this would be a catastrophe of major proportions.” In those days, the area was a rich land for agriculture than today. This is the kind of risky work God had Elijah do.
1 KINGS 21:17 Many years have passed. (1Ki 21:17-18 RSV) “Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, {18} "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession.”
Time had changed Ahab. He would again have to face Elijah.
1 KINGS 21:20a (1Ki 21:19 RSV) “And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Have you killed, and also taken possession?"' And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood."'" {20a} Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?"”
Elijah was always bringing up Ahab’s sins.
1 KINGS 20b-26 (1Ki 21:20b-26 RSV) “He [Elijah] answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD. {21| Behold, I will bring evil upon you; I will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; {22} and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. {23} And of Jezebel the LORD also said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.' {24} Any one belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and any one of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat." {25} (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. {26} He did very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the people of Israel.)”
The history lesson was effective this time!
1 KINGS 21:27 (1Ki 21:27 RSV) “And when Ahab heard those words, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about dejectedly.”
1 KINGS 21:28-29 (1Ki 21:28 RSV) “And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, {29} "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the evil upon his house."”
God always respects true repentance! So a reprise was granted to Ahab but not to his sons because they would follow his earlier religious sins.
The Northern and Southern kingdoms would remain divided.
APPLY THE WHOLE BIBLE BEFORE YOU STATE A DOCTRINE!
Best Study Guide: How to Study the Bible Principles with Bible, A Study Sources by Orin T. Binkley.
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