1 Kings 18 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

1 Kings 18 Short Summary:

1 Kings 18 is a famous chapter in the Old Testament, and it contains the story of Elijah challenging the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. God sent fire down from Heaven to prove He was superior to Baal, the false God King Ahab promoted. After the showdown on Mount Carmel, God brought an end to the draught in Israel, by sending rain for the first time in 3.5 years.

1 Kings 18 Extended Summary

WHEN:

• According to the timeline we are using for this study, the kingdom of Israel and Judah divided in 975 B.C.

• The period that followed, sometimes called the period of the “Divided Kingdom,” lasted the next few centuries. Israel remained a cohesive nation until 721 B.C. (Assyrian captivity), while Judah lasted until 607 B.C. (Babylonian exile).

• King Ahab’s reign over Israel (22 years) probably fits somewhere between 920-890 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• Elijah – A prophet of God who announced God’s judgement against Ahab and Israel.

• Ahab – Omri’s son and one of Israel’s most wicked kings. He was married to Jezebel.

• Obadiah – The overseer of Ahab’s household. He was a righteous man who protected 100 prophets in Israel

• 450 Prophets of Baal – These “prophets” served the false god Baal. Elijah challenged them and showed their false god to be a fraud.

WHERE:

• Elijah was living in Zarephath during the drought.

• Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.

• At the end of the chapter, Elijah and Ahab went to Jezreel.

OUTLINE:

• ELIJAH IS SENT BACK TO AHAB NEAR THE END OF THE DROUGHT (18:1-19):

  • God spoke to Elijah in the third year of the drought and told him to find Ahab.

  • On his way, he met Obadiah, a righteous man who oversaw Ahab’s house. 

  • Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets of God when Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, tried to kill them.

  • Elijah told Obadiah to inform Ahab of his eminent arrival. Obadiah was initially hesitant, because Ahab had been hunting Elijah, but eventually he did as Elijah asked.

  • When the prophet met the king, Ahab accused Elijah of being a “troubler of Israel.” Elijah told Ahab he was the real troubler of the nation because he had abandoned God’s commands.

  • Elijah told Ahab to gather the people of Israel, the 450 prophets of Baal, and the 400 prophets of Asherah, and meet him at Mount Carmel.

• ELIJAH CHALLENGES THE PROPHETS OF BAAL ON MOUNT CARMEL (18:20-40):

  • Ahab gathered all the people and the prophets at Mount Carmel.

  • Elijah demanded a choice from the people, to serve God or to serve idols, but they couldn’t choose both.

  • When the people failed to respond, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a test.

  • Elijah and the prophets of Baal would each build and altar and put a bull on it for sacrifice.

  • Then they would cry out to their respective god, and the god who answered with fire from heaven would be shown to be the true God.

  • The prophets of Baal went first, they cried out to Baal from morning until noon, but nothing happened.

  • Then it was Elijah’s turn. For good measure, he asked for 12 jars of water to be poured on the wood of his altar (wet wood is hard to burn).

  • Elijah prayed to God and God answered his prayer. Fire fell from heaven and consumed the bull, wood, stones, dust, and even the remaining water surrounding the altar.

  • When the people saw it, they fell on their faces and worshipped the true God of Heaven.

  • Elijah had all 450 prophets of Baal killed.

• RAIN RETURNS TO ISRAEL (18:41-46):

  • On the top of Mount Carmel, Elijah prayed for rain 7 times.

  • After the 7th time, Elijah’s servant spotted a small cloud, about the size of a man’s hand, rising from the sea.

  • Elijah commanded Ahab to return to Jezreel in his chariot before the rain came.

  • Sure enough, the sky became dark and heavy rain fell on Israel.

  • “The hand of the Lord was on Elijah” and he outran Ahab’s chariot to the city of Jezreel.

APPLICATIONS:

• It’s a common tactic for wicked people to blame followers of God for the problems in the culture. Pretending that everything would be better if Christians would stop trying to “impose” their God’s laws on everyone.

• In reality, it’s the wicked and godless people who ruin cultures. It’s self-created morality and proud self-governance that makes places unlivable.

• Ahab accused Elijah of bringing problems to Israel, when in fact it was his own behavior that had dried up the nation and caused a famine.

• Don’t fall Ahab’s tactic in the modern day. Christian values save nations. Godless nations descend into depravity.