Elijah and the Prophets of Baal | 1 Kings 18 | Elijah on Mount Carmel | Elijah and Obadiah | Fire

Summary

The transcript narrates the dramatic story of Elijah during a severe famine in Israel. God commands Elijah to present himself to King Ahab, while Obadiah, a devout believer, secretly shelters 100 prophets from Jezebel's persecution. Elijah challenges the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel to prove whose God is real. Despite Baal's prophets' frantic efforts, only Elijah's prayer summons fire from the Lord, consuming the sacrifice and demonstrating God's power. Following this, Elijah predicts and brings heavy rain, ending the drought. The story highlights unwavering faith, divine authority, and the triumph of true worship over idolatry.

Takeaways

• 🌧️ God instructed Elijah to present himself to King Ahab and promised to send rain on the land.
• 🕵️ Obadiah, a devout believer, secretly hid 100 prophets of the Lord in caves to protect them from Jezebel.
• 🤔 Obadiah feared informing Ahab about Elijah because he worried for his own life, yet he obeyed God’s command.
• ⚡ Ahab accused Elijah of bringing trouble to Israel, but Elijah reminded him that the people had abandoned the Lord for Baal.
• ⛰️ Elijah challenged Israel to choose between the Lord and Baal and gathered the people and prophets on Mount Carmel.
• 🔥 Elijah proposed a test: both sides would prepare a bull, and the God who answered by fire would be acknowledged as true.
• 🙌 The prophets of Baal called on their god all day, but there was no response, showing Baal’s powerlessness.
• 💧 Elijah soaked his sacrifice with water three times to demonstrate the Lord’s power even under impossible conditions.
• ⚡ Fire from the Lord consumed the sacrifice, wood, stones, soil, and water, confirming His supremacy to all the people.
• 🌈 After the miracle, rain came, ending the drought, and Elijah ran ahead of Ahab, showing God’s power and favor.
• ✝️ The story emphasizes obedience, faith, and the Lord’s supremacy over false gods.
• 👥 The people recognized the Lord as God after witnessing His miraculous intervention, reinforcing the importance of witnessing God’s power.

Q & A

Who did God instruct to present himself to King Ahab?

God instructed the prophet Elijah to present himself to King Ahab.

Why was Obadiah fearful when Elijah asked him to inform Ahab of his presence?

Obadiah feared that if he told Ahab that Elijah was present and Elijah could not be found, Ahab would kill him. He had previously served God faithfully by hiding 100 prophets from Jezebel.

How many prophets of Baal and Asherah were gathered on Mount Carmel?

There were 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah gathered on Mount Carmel.

What challenge did Elijah give to the people of Israel and the prophets of Baal?

Elijah challenged them to call upon their gods to send fire from heaven to consume a prepared bull, stating that the God who answered by fire would be recognized as the true God.

What actions did the prophets of Baal take to try to receive a response from their god?

The prophets of Baal prayed, shouted, danced around the altar, and even cut themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed, but no response came.

How did Elijah prepare the altar for his prayer to God?

Elijah repaired the Lord's altar, built it with 12 stones representing the tribes of Israel, arranged the bull on the wood, and poured water over it three times until it filled the trench around the altar.

What was the result of Elijah's prayer to God on Mount Carmel?

Fire came down from the Lord, consuming the bull, the wood, the stones, the soil, and even the water in the trench, demonstrating God's power to all the people.

What was the reaction of the people after seeing God's fire consume Elijah's sacrifice?

The people fell prostrate and declared, 'The Lord—He is God!' acknowledging the Lord as the true God.

What happened to the prophets of Baal after the demonstration of God's power?

Elijah ordered that the prophets of Baal be seized and executed in the Kishon Valley.

How did Elijah demonstrate God's provision following the confrontation on Mount Carmel?

Elijah prayed for rain, and a small cloud grew into a heavy downpour, ending the famine, and he ran ahead of Ahab to Jezreel, empowered by God.

What qualities did Obadiah demonstrate during the events of the story?

Obadiah demonstrated faithfulness, courage, and loyalty to God by hiding 100 prophets from Jezebel and obeying God’s command despite fearing Ahab.

What lesson does the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel convey about faith?

The story teaches that unwavering faith, obedience, and courage in God’s word lead to divine intervention and the recognition of God's true power.