Ahab

(1 Kings 16-22)

Steve Rowe

6/17/06

I.&n= bsp; = ; Reign of Ah= ab [Israel, 874-853]

a.&n= bsp; Ahab was th= e son of Omri who was king of Israel for 12 years

b.&n= bsp; He came to = power in Asa’s 38^th year<= /span>

c.&n= bsp; He did “evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him.R= 21;

d.&n= bsp; Ahab marrie= d Jezebel, daughter of the king of Sidon<= /st1:place>

e.&n= bsp; He worshipp= ed Baal and erected an altar for Baal in a house he built for Baal. He also made the Asherah (pole to worship Baal’s mother)

II.&= nbsp; &nbs= p; Elijah=

a.&n= bsp; God sent a prophet, Elijah the Tishbite (in Gilead) to warn Ahab

b.&n= bsp; Elijah pred= icted that there would be no rain (1 Kings 17:1)

c.&n= bsp; God told El= ijah to go to Cherith brook where ravens brought bre= ad and meat When the brook dried up, God sent him to Sidon

III.= &nb= sp; Life with t= he Widow of Zaraphath

a.&n= bsp; Elijah met a widow gathering sticks

b.&n= bsp; She and her= son had only a little and would soon starve (1 Kings 17:12)

c.&n= bsp; Elijah told= her to make him a cake from her supplies first (1 Kings 17:13-14)

d.&n= bsp; She did as = she was told (what an act of faith) and didn’t run out of oil and flour

e.&n= bsp; After some = time, the widow’s son got sick and died

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; She blamed = Elijah for the death

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Elijah took= her son to his (upper) room

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; He prayed o= ver the child and stretched himself out on the boy 3 times

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; God listene= d and the boy was revived

IV.&= nbsp; &nbs= p; Elijah̵= 7;s return

a.&n= bsp; Ahab had a = head servant named Obadiah

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Obadiah fea= red the Lord

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; He hid 100 prophets in a cave and provided them with supplies.

b.&n= bsp; Ahab and Ob= adiah went out searching for water for the livestock

c.&n= bsp; God sent El= ijah to talk to Ahab and he came across Obadiah

d.&n= bsp; Obadiah fea= red telling Ahab Elijah was back (1 Kings 18:10-12)

e.&n= bsp; Ahab went t= o meet Elijah who delivered a message (1 Kings 18:18-19)

V.&n= bsp; = ; Showdown wi= th the priests of Baal

a.&n= bsp; All Israel gathered and Elijah asked them to choose sides

b.&n= bsp; Both sides = would prepare a sacrifice but use no fire. The first god to produce fire would be declared the true God

c.&n= bsp; The prophet= s of Baal failed

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; They cried = out all morning, cut themselves, and danced around

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Elijah mock= ed them (1 Kings 18:27)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; They contin= ued until evening but no one answered. No one listened.

d.&n= bsp; Elijah̵= 7;s turn

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Elijah repa= ired the old altar of the Lord that stood on the site

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; He took 12 = stones (for the 12 tribes) and built the altar

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; He dug a tr= ench around the altar

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; He doused t= he sacrifice and the wood with 4 pitchers of water (3x)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; v. &nb= sp; Elijah Pray= ed (1 Kings 18:36-37)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; vi. &n= bsp; Fire came d= own and consumed the offering, wood, stones, dust, and water.=

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; vii. &= nbsp; The people responded and Elijah killed the prophets of Baal

e.&n= bsp; Rain comes<= o:p>

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Elijah went= to mount caramel and had his servant look for rain clouds

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; None were s= een until the 7^th time

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Elijah told= Ahab to take his chariot back to Jezreel<= /span>

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; God helped = Elijah outrun him

f.&n= bsp; Elijah̵= 7;s self pity

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Jezebel was furious and threatened Elijah’s life

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; He ran into= the wilderness near Beersheba and asked God to kill him

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Twice an an= gel told him to get up and eat. T= here was bread on a rock.

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; That food l= asted him 40 days

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; v. &nb= sp; Elijah went= to mount Horeb (Sinai) where he = stayed in a cave

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; vi. &n= bsp; God comes to Elijah in a whisper (1 Kings 19:11-13)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; vii. &= nbsp; Elijah felt= alone and tired (1 Kings 19:14)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; viii. = God told hi= m 4 things:

1.&n= bsp; Anoint Hazael king over Aram= (East of Moab, where Damascus is, Hazael would meet out God’s punishment on Israel)=

2.&n= bsp; Anoint Jehu= king over Israel (took power in 841)

3.&n= bsp; Anoint Elis= ha as his successor

4.&n= bsp; There are s= till 7,000 in Israel who haven’t worshipped Baal

VI.&= nbsp; &nbs= p; War with Aram

a.&n= bsp; Ben-hadad of Aram and 32 other kings came against Israel

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; They demand= ed control of Israel

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Ahab was go= ing to give them what they asked for

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Ben-hadad then said he would send his servants to come ta= ke gold, silver, wives, and children from Ahab’s house=

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; Ahab and the elder’s rejected this

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; v. &nb= sp; God deliver= ed the Arameans to Ahab (1 Kings 20:13-14)<= /span>

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; vi. &n= bsp; The prophet warned Ahab that they would return in the spring

b.&n= bsp; Ben-hadad returns

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; His people = told him they lost because they fought in the mountains

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; He returned= in the spring to the plains with men who “filled the country”=

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Israel= was like “two little flocks of goats̶= 1; (they were outnumbered)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; God gave Ah= ab victory again (1 Kings 20:28)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; v. &nb= sp; Israel= killed 100,000 Aramean soldiers in 1 day

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; vi. &n= bsp; God made the walls of Aphek fall on 27,000 more

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; vii. &= nbsp; Ahab then m= ade a covenant with Ben-hadad

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; viii. = A prophet c= ame to Ahab and told him his life was forfeit (1 Kings 20:42)

VII.= Naboth’s Vineyard

a.&n= bsp; Ahab wanted= a Vineyard that belonged to a man named Naboth

b.&n= bsp; Naboth wouldn’t sell or trade<= /p>

c.&n= bsp; Jezebel had= Naboth stoned under false pretenses=

d.&n= bsp; God sent El= ijah to pronounce judgment (1 Kings 21:20-23)

e.&n= bsp; Ahab repent= ed and God relented. He would judge Ahab’s sons (1 Kings 21:29)

VIII. Ahab’s final Battle

a.&n= bsp; Ahab and Jehosephat came together to battle Aram

b.&n= bsp; 400 prophet= s of God prophesied that they would win the battle

c.&n= bsp; Michaiah said they would not. Ahab put him in prison<= /span>

d.&n= bsp; Ahab disgui= sed himself so Ben-hadad wouldn’t kill him

e.&n= bsp; Instead, Ah= ab was killed “at random” by a bow

f.&n= bsp; Ahab died a= nd the dogs licked his blood as predicted (1 Kings 22:38)

g.&n= bsp; His son Ahaziah ruled after him