![]() By raising the widow of Zarephath’s son, Yahweh showed His power over death and thus His superiority to Baal (1 Kings 17:8–24). Moreover, ancient pagans believed the god of death defeated Baal each year. So, the prophet of Yahweh’s working miracles outside of Israel and in the land of Baal revealed that Yahweh could not be bound to one location. Elijah: Faith and Fire - Bible Study Book. Remember that ancient Near Eastern peoples typically believed their gods were powerless outside the territories where they were worshiped. To further prove His sovereignty over Baal, Yahweh sent Elijah to Zarephath in Sidon, which was the center of Baal worship. Furthermore, drought evidenced God’s displeasure with the northern kingdom, for drought was one of the curses that attended the breaking of the Mosaic covenant (Deut. Israelites who worshiped Baal in order to get rain to make their crops succeed were foolish indeed, for not even this god of the storm could bring water to the earth once Yahweh decided to close the heavens (17:1–7). For God to announce drought to a group of Baal worshipers, as He did when Elijah confronted Ahab, revealed who truly had the power. Elijah is initially presented in 1 Kings 17 as the seer who foretold a three-year drought in the land of Israel. They are two of the most notable prophets from scripture helping to restore Israel in a time of wicked rulers. Many ancient Near Eastern cultures worshiped Baal, who was associated with fertility since he was the god of the storm and the rain. The Bible story of Elijah and Elisha is found in both books of Kings from the Old Testament. ![]() Elijah would demonstrate the glory of Yahweh over Baal and become the paradigm for the Hebrew prophets after him. Although we know almost nothing about his background, his name, which means “my God is Yah,” tells us almost everything we need to understand about his mission. We meet Elijah for the first time in today’s passage (17:1). Just when it appeared that Baal had won over the people of Israel, Yahweh sent His prophet to prove who was the true God. Paganism became so prevalent in the north that one man, Hiel, offered up his son Segub as a sacrifice while he rebuilt Jericho (v. Last time we looked at the state of Israel at the time Elijah came on the scene. This is the second message on Elijah and we are in 1 Kings chapter 17. Lets look at another character study on Elijah. However, Ahab gave state support to the worship of Baal, the Canaanite deity whom his wife Jezebel served (16:31–33). Elijahs cutting away at brook Cherith Bible Study. Jeroboam I’s introduction of images and unapproved shrines into the worship of Yahweh was bad enough (12:25–33). In fact, Ahab was the most notoriously wicked ruler in the northern kingdom’s history. ![]() Immediately, Ahab showed himself as one who rejected Yahweh, the Lord of Israel and one true God of all. Ahab the son of Omri ascended the throne of Israel in about 874 BC, ruling from Samaria, the new capital city built by his father (1 Kings 16:24, 29). ![]()
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