Elijah

ELIJAH ELIJAH – a (simplified) background King David’s Rule (c1045BC): a time of war when David victoriously consolidated the Kingdom of Israel  King Solomon’s rule (c1000BC): a time of peace, international trading and economic prosperity; sadly in the end many Israelites were treated badly as Solomon’s lust for possessions, wives and fine food increased. This resulted in the splitting of the Kingdom into Israel (10 northern tribes) and Judah (2 southern tribes) c975BC.

Anne O’Brien’s

WEDNESDAY

BIBLE STUDY

This study notes provide the core content of a bible study. While the core message of the study has been captured for you to read, written text can not fully express the sense of anointing upon the discussion of the word or the joy of corporate fellowship. We encourage you to pray before you begin reading that the Lord would open your heart and mind to be receptive and responsive to God’s message contained within this study. There may be times when you find it difficult to reconcile God’s truth to your own opinion or worldview, God’s truth is eternal, it does not change, our understanding of the truth does change as we allow God to work in our hearts and minds.

October 2010





JUDAH

ISRAEL





King Rehoboam

King Jeroboam  King Ahab

PROPHET ELIJAH

Read 1 Kings 16v29-34 Throughout many of the prophetic books of the Bible, Israel’s downfall is attributed to the sins of Jeroboam. 1 Kings 15v26 says: He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin – and this phrase is roughly repeated and held against most of Jeroboam’s descendants. His evil practices were continued in the reign of Ahab and exacerbated by Jezebel, Ahab’s wife. Jeroboam had built centres of worship with golden calves (forbidden by God). Ahab and Jezebel re-introduced the worship of Baal (a Canaanite god) and licentious orgies to the goddess Ashtoreth, including human sacrifice. Jezebel (a Phoenecian) also ordered the killing of people who worshipped the true God and she had all the Lord’s prophets killed with the sword, except those who were in hiding. See 1 Kings 18v4

Baal Worship

Baal was the god of fertility in all aspects of life: human, animal and vegetable. It was believed he had power over wind and rain and therefore over the harvest. By God’s goodness in providing the spring and autumn rains Israel had prospered. But the worshippers of Baal (mostly Israelites who should have known better!) claimed it was all down to their god. Baal worship was an abomination to the Lord. To see why, read:- 1 Kings 14v23&24; Jeremiah 19v5 & Jeremiah 7v9,10

At this – the worst of times in Israel’s history – God raised up the prophet Elijah. In many ways Elijah can be thought of as another Moses – sent to bring deliverance.Both Moses and Elijah are “types” or symbols of Jesus, the great deliverer. Notably it was Moses and Elijah who appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17v1-13)