FAITH CHALLENGE
Kings and Prophets
Elijah-Lesson 1
Scripture: 1 Kings 18
Memory Verse: The Father has the power to give life. John 5:26.
· God is the giver of all life.
· Being faithful to God means depending only on God for life and worshipping only God.
· A prophet is someone who calls people back to faithful obedience to God.
· Students will sequence events leading up to the time of the story of Elijah and Ahab.
· Students will listen to 1 Kings 18.
· Students will play a game to review the story of Elijah’s confrontation with Ahab and the contest between Yahweh and Baal.
1. At the beginning of each class, the Coach greets arriving students and supervises snacks.
2. The Guide and Coach remind students to write prayer joys and concerns on the Prayer Wall and to place their offering in the offering jars.
3. As students arrive, ask them to join a group to sequence the events that led up to our Bible story for today. NOTE: The guide should have two or three areas set up around the room where different groups of students can work. Have the statements on the attached timeline sheet cut into strips and laid randomly on a table or the floor. Ask small groups of students to put these events in the correct sequence. Students may refer to the Bible for help. This may be difficult, but assure students it will be reviewed shortly so they can learn the correct sequence.
1. After most students have arrived and snacks are ended (no later than 9:55 a.m.), call the class to order and ask all to sit down.
2. Have two matches (wooden fireplace matches if available) visible. In front of the students, soak one match in approximately 1-cup water. (Water and match can be put into a Ziploc bag for visibility and easy cleanup.) Leave soaking until after you have completed through number 5 below (Who’s Who). Give no explanation about the matches.
3. Ask the students to give the correct order of the events they were working on during arrival and snack. Answer below: The guide may provide a brief review of these events if it seems the class does not remember them.
· Moses leads the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus).
· Moses and the people wander in the wilderness 40 years.
· God provides laws for the people and tells them to obey the laws.
· The people say they want to be like the other nations and have a king.
· Saul, David, and Solomon are the first three kings.
· The kings become powerful and begin to worship other gods.
· The people forget God.
4. Ask students to turn to the map labeled “The Kingdoms of Judah and Israel” in the CEV Bible. It does not have a page number, but is approximately p. 1113. Ask them to notice the lands of Judah and Israel. Provide two thumbtacks and a piece of brightly colored yarn and ask a student to use these to roughly mark the division of the two kingdoms on the map in the classroom. Also provide two labels one saying “Judah” and one saying “Israel” that can be stuck onto the classroom map. Explain to the students that these two lands had been one kingdom under David, but after David’s son Solomon was king, the lands became divided.
5. Provide this additional background as well: There is a long history outlined in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings telling of the different kings of Judah and Israel. Today’s lesson is about a king of Israel named Ahab and takes place in the city of Samaria (note on classroom map.)
6. Light the dry match and then try lighting the wet one. Tell the class that as you are reading the scripture, they should listen for how the match demonstration ties in with the Bible story. Tell them there will also be a “quiz” at the end of the reading and they should listen carefully to the entire story.
7. Prepare the following “Who’s Who” chart on poster board, chart paper, or the dry erase board. Tell the class they can refer to it as you read. It might be helpful to say the names aloud so the class recognizes them as they are read.
|
Name |
Description |
|
Prophet |
Someone who speaks God’s message |
|
Elijah |
A prophet of God in the land of Israel |
|
Ahab |
King of Israel |
|
Jezebel |
Wife of Ahab |
|
Baal |
A foreign god of weather associated with thunderstorms and rain |
|
Asherah |
Goddess associated with Baal and sacred poles were erected in her honor |
8. Pass out Bibles and allow the class to follow along as you read 1 Kings 18:1-2 and 16-40 aloud. If some students prefer not to follow along—but only to listen, that is ok. The guide should practice this reading ahead of time so it can be read with enthusiasm and excitement.
Application:
1. After the reading ask the class how trying to light the match earlier ties in with the story. Elijah soaked his alter and wood with water—and even then God was able to start a fire.
2. To review the story the class will now play “Tear Down the Asherah Pole”—this is the “quiz” mentioned earlier. Students will need to have paid attention to the story to do well in the game.
3. On a wall in the room, have six pieces of colored paper of approximately the same size taped one above the other to look like a pole or tower. Remind them that on the Who’s Who chart Asherah was a goddess of the sea and the people erected poles in her honor. There is no description in the Bible of what the poles looked like, but this is your version.
4. Ask the class to number off as in 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, etc to form two teams. Have teammates sit near each other.
5. Explain the game: Each team will be asked a question about the story. If they get the answer correct, one section of their Asherah pole will be taken down. If they miss the question, the pole will not be dismantled, and the other team will get a chance to answer that question. The first team whose pole is torn down, wins.
6. See game questions at end of lesson.
Wrap-up:
1. If time allows, refer the students to the memory verse posted on the wall. Ask them to say it aloud with you two or three times. If time does not allow, this can be done in the next lesson.
2. Discuss briefly with the following question: “How does this verse relate to the story of the contest between God and Baal?” God provided fire and rain—both essential to life. God provides what we need for life, too.
1. The Coach conducts the closing prayer time.
2. Close/lock the door and turn off the lights.
· Make at least three copies of the timeline events and cut them into strips.
· Prepare two colorful signs for the map—“Judah” and “Israel”
· Prepare match set-up with wet and dry matches—see lesson for details
· Write the Who’s Who chart on chart paper, poster board or the dry erase board
· Practice reading 1 Kings 18 aloud.
· Construct two “Asherah poles” on the wall with six pieces of paper taped one above the other to look like a tower or pole.
Background Timeline
Moses leads the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus).
Moses and the people wander in the wilderness 40 years.
God provides laws for the people and tells them to obey the laws.
The people say they want to be like the other nations and have a king.
Saul, David, and Solomon are the first three kings.
The kings become powerful and begin to worship other gods.
The people forget God.
Tear Down the Asherah Pole
Game Questions
1. Whom did Jezebel worship? Baal
2. Who was king of Israel Ahab
3. What was Elijah? Prophet
4. What do prophets do? Call people back to worshipping God (similar answers acceptable)
5. What was the weather at the beginning of this story? Drought
6. In what city did this story occur? Samaria
7. Baal was considered the god of _______________? Thunderstorms and rain.
8. How might Baal be able to light a fire on the altar? During thunderstorms there is often lightening. If lightening hit the altar, it would start a fire.
9. Describe the contest in the story? Elijah and Ahab each built altars on which to offer a sacrifice to their god. The god who set the altar on fire (either Elijah or Ahab’s alter) was the true god.
10. How many prophets of Baal prayed with Ahab? 450
11. Name one reason Elijah gave for Baal not responding the people’s call? Maybe Baal was traveling, in the bathroom, asleep or day-dreaming. Any of these answers are correct.
12. How many prophets prayed with Elijah? None
13. How did Elijah make it harder for God to light the fire? Elijah soaked the wood on the altar with water.
14. What did the people do after Elijah’s alter burned? Shouted “The Lord is God”, believed in God, said they would worship God—similar answers acceptable
15. What happened to the prophets of Baal at the end of the story? Elijah killed them.