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Naboth’s Vineyard, Part II, 1 Kings Chapter 21

So she [Jezebel] wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth live. In her letters, she commanded: “Call the citizens together for fasting and prayer, and give Natboth a place of honor. And then seat two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then take him out an stone him to death.” (vv. 8-10, NLT)

So he [Naboth] was dragged outside the town and stoned to death. The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, “You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn’t sell to you? Well, you can have it now. He’s dead!” So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it.

But the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be a Naboth’s vineyard in Jezrell, claiming it for himself. Give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says,: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this , dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!'” (vv. 15-19, NLT)

Naboth’s Vineyard, Part I, 1 Kings Chapter 21

Now there was a man named Naboth from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.”

But Naboth replied, “THe Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors.”

So Ahab went home angry and sullen because of Naboth’s answer. The king went to bed with his face to the wasll and refused to eat!

“What’s the matter?” his wife Jezebel asked him. “What’s made you so upset that you’re not eating?”

I asked Naboth to sell me his vinard or trade it, but he refused!” Ahab told her.

“Are you the king of Israel or not?” Jezebel demanded. “Get up and eat something, and don’t worry about it. I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard!” (vv 1-7, NLT)

The Call of Elisha, 1 Kings Chapter19

So Elijah went and found Elisha som of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elijah was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and this I will go with you!”

Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.”

So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire and to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they. all ate. Then Elisha went with Elijah as his assistant. (vvl 19-21, NLT)

The Lord Speaks to Elijah, 1 Kings Chapter 20

But the Lord said to Elijah, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with You, torn down Your altars, and killed every one of Your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

“Go out and stand before Me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, an a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, there was fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with You, torn down Your altars, and killed every one of Your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimishi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as My prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” (vv. 9b-18, NLT)

Elijah Prays for Rain, 1 Kings, Chapter 18

Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a might rainstorm coming!”

So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.

Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.”

The servant went and looked, then returned and said, “I didn’t see anything.”

Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh tine, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”

Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry, to Ahab and tell him , ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!'”

And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heave wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his coat into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel. (vv. 41-46, NLT)

The Contest at Mount Carmel, Part II, 1 Kings Chapter 18

Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the twelve tribes of Israel, and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. He piled the wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.

Then he said, “Fill four large jugs with water, and pur the water over the offering and the wood.”

After they had done this, he said, “Do the same ting again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time.” So they did as he said, and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.

At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, prove today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that You, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to Yourself.”

Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord-He is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all these prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there. (vv. 30-40, NLT)

The Contest at Mount Carmel, Part 1, Kings Chapter 18

So Abab summoned all the people of Israel and prophets to Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waiver, hobbling between to opinions? IF the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. (vv. 29-21, NLT)

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal,” You go first, for there are may of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.”

So they prepared one of the bulls and placed on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” They danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.

About noontime Elijah began mocking them , “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, ‘for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be awakened.!

So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. They raved all afternoon until the the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response. (vv. 25-29, NLT)

The Widow at Zarephath, Part II, 1 Kings, Chapter 17

Sometime later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”

But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the the child’s body from her arms, carried him upstairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have You broght tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”

And he stretched himself out over the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life be returned to him.” The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer and the life of the child returned, and he revived! Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”

Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.” (vv. 17-24, NLT)

The Widow at Zarephath, Part I, 1 Kings Chapter 17

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”

So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he was a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” s she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”

But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

So she did what Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough, just at the Lord had promised though Elijah. (vv. 1-16, NLT)

Elijah Fed by Ravens, 1 Kings, Chapter 17

Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as teh Lord, the God of Israel, lives-the God I serve-there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word.”

Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”

So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan River. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and each evening, and he drank from the brook. But after the brook dried up, there was no rainfall in the land. (vv. 1-7, NLT)