Day 174 – Ahab #3

• Remember back to our reading yesterday, when Elijah “faced off” against the 450 prophets of Baal? Well, today we read the aftermath of that event, and things are tough for God’s prophet.
• Jezebel, the king’s evil wife, has heard about what happened on the mountain. Did she turn to God after hearing of His deeds with the fire from heaven? Why not? What message did she send to Elijah instead?
• Have you ever heard someone say “I’ll believe in God if I see a sign”? Jezebel had as clear a sign as one could ever hope for, but she still hardened her heart towards God. Signs don’t always lead to faith, do they? What sign – the biggest of them all – have we had that people still ignore?
• After everything Elijah had just done in the name of the Lord, are you surprised that he was afraid of Jezebel? Why do you think he felt like that?
• Elijah seemed to have lost confidence in God in 1 Kings 19:4. He’s tired, and feels his work is fruitless. Do you feel like that sometimes? What situations or times of the day do you find it harder to trust in God’s love?
• How did God take care of Elijah?
• What do you think the point of verses 1 Kings 19:11-13 are? Why is God in the small voice, but not in the storm, earthquake or fire? Perhaps God is saying that there is a time for judgement (i.e. the destructive power of storms, etc) but that sometimes we need Him in a close and personal way. You might have your own interpretations.
• Based on Elijah’s answer to God’s repeated question, do you think he understood God’s message?
• Who did God prepare to help Elijah towards the end of the chapter? Elijah and Elisha are easy to mistake, so make sure you have them both set properly in your mind.
• Elisha dropped everything in his life to follow and attend to Elijah. Who is a support to you in your low moments?
• The verses in the Psalm are comforting. What other comforting verses do you hold on to during tough times? You might like to share them with someone else doing this reading plan.
• In the passage in Romans, the author, the apostle Paul, is writing about God’s grace to His people when all else seemed lost. In a passage of comfort about seeing God when things around look desperate, he uses Elijah’s appeals to God as the basis of his argument. What, as Elijah discovered, and Paul understood, is the heartening message of these eleven verses?

Find a quiet moment today to spend time with God – not just a time when you are alone but a time when you can focus on God without distraction. Just enjoy being quiet. You could pray at the start for God to draw near to you, and spend time listening. Bring before him your times of doubt and struggle, and perhaps read Psalm 23 or some other words of encouragement.

You don’t have to do or say anything special. Just give five minutes of your time to God tonight, perhaps putting this reading plan into your prayers if you’re struggling with it, and remembering the reasons you have for doing it – to come closer to your Saviour God.