4/5 1 Kings 17 - Faith Among the Faithless

It’s difficult to have faith when we’re surrounded by a faithless world, and yet that’s not uncommon for God’s people. Today we’re looking at 1 Kings 17 and the account of Elijah and Ahab. We’ll see how Elijah stands for the Lord and how the Lord blesses him and those around him. Join us! 

DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS:

1.    According to the podcast, what happened to the nation of Israel 55 years earlier? Which kingdom did Elijah preach to?
2.    Although King Ahab was a king over the northern kingdom, by his mode of life, which God did He really worship? How did this come about?
3.    The podcast mentions that the name “Baal” meant “master”. How might this have been a temptation for God’s people who often referred to the Lord as “Adonai” which also meant “Lord, master”? 
4.    The podcast mentions that “Baal” was the god of nature and fertility and rain. How important were these elements to the Jewish agrarian economy? Why might this have been tempting for the Jewish people to worship Baal instead of the Lord?
5.    Into this scene came Elijah. Elijah’s name meant “The Lord is God”. Why was this message so radical in Elijah’s day and age?
6.    What does the Lord tell King Ahab in verse 1? What kind of intestinal fortitude did this take, given the situation of the Northern Kingdom at this time? How was this taking on the false god Baal? 
7.    What does the Lord have Elijah do after this, in verses 3-7? How does the Lord provide for Elijah in these verses? How do you think that would have strengthened his faith?
8.    Where does the Lord send Elijah in verse 9? Was this a region inhabited by Jews? Whose hometown was this? Why would that have been a problem for Elijah?
9.    What does the widow say to Elijah about the Lord in verse 12? What does this indicate about her faith in the Lord? What miracle does the Lord provide for her an answer to her faith?
10.    What happens to her son in verse 17? What does the Lord do through Elijah in verses 19 to 22? What did the podcast say about why this is a “resuscitation” rather than a “resurrection”?
11.    Look up Malachi 4:5. What does this verse say about Elijah? How did this verse factor into Jesus’s ministry in the New Testament?
12.    What does Elijah’s life show the people of the Northern Kingdom regarding God’s covenant with them during this time? Why is this surprising given the spiritual climate of Elijah’s day?
13.    In Luke 4, verses 26 and 27, Jesus refers to the events of this chapter. What was His point in saying what He says about what happened here?
14.    Finally, James 5:17 refers to these events as an example of prayer. What was James’s point about Elijah? How does that relate to us today?

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