Greetings everyone and thanks for joining me for this edition of my Sunday School lesson commentary. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “Elijah: Prophet of Courage” and is found in 1 Kings 18:5-18.
Elijah is one of the best known Old Testament prophets. He appears rather suddenly during the reign of Ahab Israel’s 7th king. There is not much known about his background only that he was a Tishbite of the inhabitants of Gilead. At the time of his appearance, Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom referred to as Israel and the Southern Kingdom referred to as Judah.
The bible says that Ahab was worst than all the kings before him and led the nation into a deep spiral of idolatry. He married a Phoenician princess named Jezebel and allowed her to establish Phoenician worship on a grand scale throughout Israel. She, with Ahab’s consent, persecuted the prophets of God and setup her own prophets in their place.
It was against this backdrop that Elijah emerges to challenge this idolatry and call Israel back to God at the risk of his own life. He first shows up and tells them that there will be no rain until he gives the word. For the next two years God protects and takes care of Elijah while Ahab seeks him.
At some time during the third year of the drought, God tells Elijah to go and present himself before Ahab and that He will send rain. It is at this point the lesson text begins.
Ahab sends Obadiah, another prophet of God who has a book in the Old Testament, to look for water and grass to give to his livestock. While carrying out this task, he meets Elijah. He recognizes Elijah as the senior prophet of God, bows down toward the ground and asks him is it really him.
Elijah acknowledges him and tells him to go to Ahab and tell him he needs to meet him. Obadiah in response tells Elijah that Ahab has been looking everywhere for him and if he goes and tell him that I have found you and the Spirit of God sends you somewhere else before I can bring him, he will certainly kill me.
Furthermore, he says that I’m own your side and fear God. He asks him if he had not heard how he has hidden the prophets of God from Jezebel and that he ministers to their needs. But Elijah assures Obadiah that he will be waiting on Ahab and there is nothing to fear.
So Obadiah set up the meeting and Ahab arrives and greets Elijah by saying that he is the cause of Israel’s troubles. Elijah counters and tells Ahab that it is not I that is the cause of Israel’s trouble but it is you and your idolatry. That ends the text of the lesson, but it is only prelude to a tumultuous relationship between Ahab, Jezebel and Elijah that will end with the prophet prophesying both of their deaths.
Elijah is highly regarded for his courage and steadfastness in carrying out God’s will. The bibles says that Elijah was carried up into heaven on a chariot and did not see death. He is also seen in the New Testament along side Moses when Jesus was transfigured. There is so much more to read about Elijah, but it will have to wait for another lesson.
Well, I hope you will be able to attend SS this coming Sunday. Invite someone to come and share your thoughts with the class. Sunday School at Flag Branch will begin at 9:00 am and you are invited to join us at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link. You and others can also join us by dialing 508 924-2890.
If you have any comments or questions before then, be sure to place them in the comment section of this preview and I will get back to you. So, as always remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
