1 Kings 18:1-20
For three years the Lord had not let any rain or dew fall on the land of Israel, because He wanted the people to learn that their help and blessings were from Him, for instead of trusting Him, they were praying to an idol, called Baal, as their king had told them.
The king, Ahab, did not give up the idol worship, although he was troubled for fear his horses and mules would die in the dry time and sent his chief man to other parts of the land to see if there might be any low places by brooks or rivers where some grass would still be growing, where the animals could feed.
As this man was on his way, Elijah the prophet met him. He was the one who had told the king that this dry time would come, when he built the temples for the big idol. Ahab had been very angry with Elijah and tried to kill him. So God had kept Elijah hidden, but now told him to speak again to the king.
The chief servant of the king did not pray to the idol, but had believed in the true God since his youth, and had bravely hidden in a cave, many who had spoken for God, whom the king wanted to kill. Yet he feared to tell the king that Elijah had come back, for he thought the Lord might take Elijah away again. But Elijah told the servant that he would surely see the king that very day.
Then the man went to tell the king that Elijah had come, and King Ahab went to meet him. Elijah did not fear the king, but spoke to him of his sin in leading the people to pray to an idol, instead of to the Lord. And he told the king to send for all the people to meet on the mountainside, on a certain day, so the Lord could prove to them that He heard their prayers, and we learn later how He did this.
What was the name of the chief servant of King Ahab?
How many prophets of God did he hide in a cave, and what did he give them? (1 Kings 18:3,4).
Find what God had said about rain for the land of Israel (Lev. 26:3,4; Deut. 11:16,17).
ML 03/05/1939